Ham and cheese sliders are a a must have this spring. These sticky sweet sliders are jammed packed with smokey ham, creamy melted cheese, pickled crunchy shallots and baked to perfection. Easy to pull apart and share, making them ideal for entertaining friends and family.
A few easy simple pantry ingredients are put together in the most unique way to create these irresistible honey butter ham and cheese sliders.
Quick Pickled Shallots
Quick picked shallots are an easy way to add a sweet subtle sour crunch to these sweet buttery rolls. They add another layer of flavor that is unmatchable. They are so simple to make. In a small sauce pan, add the red wine vinegar, water, smashed garlic cloves, a pinch of salt, sugar and the thinly sliced shallots. Heat up the liquid until it starts to have a low rolling bubble boil. Once the boil starts, turn down the heat slightly and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. Then turn off the heat. Keep the shallots in the pan until you’re ready to use them in the ham and cheese sliders, about 10 minutes.
Simple Salted Honey Butter
This is the most delicious compound butter you will ever make. It spreads on to the top of the sliders before they are popped in the oven. As they bake, it will make the most incredible brown sticky sweet slider. The sweet honey mixed with the warm ham, melted cheese, crunchy shallot and spicy mustard is the most delicious sandwich bite. It’s epic.
To make the honey butter, you can use a stand mixer, a hand mixer or a fork and whisk. With a stand mixer, make sure to use the paddle attachment. The butter should be room temperature for an easy mix. In a bowl, mix the butter, honey and a pinch of salt together until it’s evenly combined. It is that simple and should not be overlooked, trust me, it is amazing on these ham and cheese sliders.
The Ingredients
- Hawaiian Rolls – a 12 pack of rolls that are soft, fluffy and slightly sweet. They are attached at the sides, making them the perfect rolls for sliders, easy to prep and then pull apart after they are baked.
- Deli Ham – these sliders are best when they use thinly sliced Virginia ham from the deli. Virginia ham has a slightly sweet-smoked flavor. If you choose to use pre-cut deli ham that is packaged, make sure to pat it dry with a paper towel first.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese Slices – I used packaged pre-sliced cheddar cheese. Sharp cheddar gives the classic cheese flavor and does not get lost in the other ingredients. Another option would be Swiss cheese, this cheese has a less sharp distinct flavor and it more nutty in flavor and perfectly creamy when it melts.
- Dijon Mustard – this ingredient is essential, it balances the flavor and breaks through the buttery sweetness of the rolls, the creamy cheese and soft smokey sweet ham.
- Pickled Shallots – quick pickled shallots add a another layer of flavor that provide a sweet and subtly sour crunch. I can eat these on just about anything.
- Honey Butter – this compound honey butter is so easy to make and gives the sliders a sticky sweet top that is the most irresistible delicious obsession.
- Sesame Seeds – I added sesame seeds for the look. They also give a subtle nutty flavor. These are optional.
Honey Butter Ham and Cheese Sliders
Ingredients
- 1 package Hawaiian Rolls (12 total)
- ¼ cup Dijon Mustard
- 1 lb Deli Sliced Virginia Ham thinly sliced
- 11 slices Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Sesame Seeds
- Optional garnish - Cornichons
Pickled Shallots
- 1 Shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 smashed Garlic Cloves
- ¼ cup Red Wine Vinegar
- ¼ cup Water
- ½ tsp Sugar
- ½ tsp Salt
Salted Honey Butter
- ½ cup Butter - at room temperature (1 stick)
- ¼ cup Honey
- ¼ tsp Salt
Instructions
- Start the pickled shallots. In a small sauce pan, add all of the ingredients. Over medium-high heat, let the liquid come up to a low rolling boil. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside, let the shallots sit in the pickling liquid until needed, about 10 minutes.
- Make the compound butter. In a bowl add all of the ingredients and mix with a paddle attachment, hand mixer or with a fork and whisk until the butter and honey are incorporated. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Lay the Hawaiian rolls onto the prepared sheet pan. Using a bread knife, keeping the rolls attached, cut through the center of the rolls so that the top comes off in one piece.
- Spread the dijon mustard over the top and bottom of the slider rolls.
- Lay the ham on the bottom of the rolls. I like to fold the ham so one slice is on each individual roll but the sides may still overlap to lay on the roll next to it.
- Top the ham with the cheese slices, overlapping to cover the entire surface. Do a double layer of the cheddar cheese.
- Top with the pickled shallots.
- Place the roll top back on the sliders and smoother on the butter. Spread the butter on to cover the entire surface of the roll tops.
- Sprinkle on the Sesame seeds.
- Cover with foil and bake at 400F for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes uncovered.
- Optional garnish with cornichons.
Nutrition
Groceries Are Expensive These Days – What to do with leftover ingredients
For this recipe, most of the ingredients are used without leftovers. Red wine vinegar can be stored in the pantry for all of your summer salads! Dijon Mustard can be stored in the refrigerator and used for salad dressings, sandwiches or for marinades. Honey is also a great marinade ingredient for chicken. Here are a few of my favorite recipes:
- Easy Summer Tomato and Cucumber Salad – this is on repeat at my house from spring to fall.
- BLT Chicken Salad – this chicken marinade is our family favorite, we use it all the time on grilled chicken.
- Grilled Honey-Thyme Chicken and Peach Kabobs
- Easy Weeknight Steak Kabobs