Hawaiian roll sliders turn soft, slightly sweet rolls into warm, cheesy little sandwiches with savory fillings and buttery golden tops.

These Hawaiian roll sliders come out of the oven with glossy, golden tops, warm layers of smoky ham, and Swiss cheese melted into every soft, buttery corner!!

Ingredients

For Sliders

• 1 package Hawaiian sweet rolls, 12-count
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 12 ounces thinly sliced smoked or black forest ham
• 8 slices Swiss cheese, about 6 ounces
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For Buttery Topping

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon honey, optional
• 1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan

Yield: 12 sliders
Servings: 6 as a meal or 12 as an appetizer

How to Make Hawaiian Roll Sliders

Heat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. A metal pan gives bottoms slightly more color, while a glass or ceramic dish keeps them a little softer. Either works, so use what you have and save yourself an unnecessary cabinet excavation!

Take rolls out of their package but do not pull them apart. Set connected rolls on a cutting board and hold them steady with one hand, pressing only lightly so you do not flatten them.

Using a long serrated knife, slice horizontally through center until you have one connected top slab and one connected bottom slab. Aim slightly above halfway so bottom layer remains sturdy enough to hold ham and melted cheese.

Place bottom slab cut-side up in prepared pan. Mix mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon Dijon, then spread mixture from edge to edge in a thin, even layer.

Pay attention to corners, since corner sliders deserve proper seasoning too! Avoid using extra mayonnaise because too much can make bread feel heavy once warmed.

Fold ham slices loosely before arranging them over rolls instead of pressing them into a flat stack. Small folds trap pockets of warm air, make ham feel more generous, and allow melted cheese to work between layers.

Cover bread evenly and redistribute thick spots so center sliders are not towering over outside ones.

Lay Swiss cheese over ham, overlapping slices slightly and trimming pieces as needed to cover all 12 rolls. Sprinkle black pepper over cheese.

If your cheese slices are very thick, let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before assembly so they begin melting at roughly the same pace as everything else heats.

Position top slab over cheese and gently press it into place. Do not squash rolls. You only want top and filling to make contact, not to compress your lovely sandwiches into one ham-flavored floor tile.

Whisk melted butter, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, onion powder, garlic powder, and optional honey until mixture looks evenly combined. Butter may begin separating as it sits, so whisk once more immediately before using it.

Slowly spoon or brush topping across rolls, working all the way to edges and allowing a little to run into lines between individual rolls.

Concentrate most of it on top rather than pouring it around base of pan, which is how perfectly innocent rolls end up swimming.

Sprinkle Parmesan over buttered tops if using. Cover pan loosely with aluminum foil, making a little tent so cheese or buttery topping does not stick. Bake on center rack for 15 minutes.

Covered baking gives ham time to heat and cheese time to melt while protecting sweet bread from browning too quickly.

Remove foil carefully and bake for another 7 to 10 minutes. Watch visual cues rather than relying only on a timer: tops should look golden and lightly crisp around raised edges, cheese should be fully melted, and you may see tiny bubbles around sides.

If tops are pale after 10 minutes, move pan one rack higher and bake for 1 to 2 more minutes, watching closely because sweet rolls can move from golden to scorched while you are still looking for serving plates.

Let sliders rest for 5 minutes before cutting. This brief pause allows melted cheese to settle enough that filling stays inside each roll.

Follow natural seams with a sharp knife, cutting straight down rather than dragging blade back and forth.

Serve while centers are warm and cheese still stretches when sliders are pulled apart!

Serving Suggestions

Serve Hawaiian roll sliders as a party appetizer with dill pickles, potato chips, ranch dip, or a crisp vegetable platter. For dinner, plan on two sliders per person and add one or two fresh sides, such as:

• Creamy coleslaw
• Broccoli salad
• Pasta salad
• Tomato soup
• Roasted vegetables
• Mixed greens with a tangy vinaigrette
• Fresh pineapple, grapes, or melon
• Sweet potato fries
• Pickle spears and kettle-cooked chips

A sharper or acidic side works especially well because it cuts through buttery bread, ham, and melted cheese.

Warm, buttery, and packed with smoky ham and molten Swiss cheese, these Hawaiian roll sliders are made for disappearing quickly from a crowded platter!

Hawaiian Roll Sliders with Ham and Cheese

Buttery Hawaiian roll sliders layered with smoky ham and melted Swiss cheese, then brushed with a savory Dijon butter topping and baked until golden.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Resting Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Servings 12 Sliders

Ingredients

  

Sliders

• 1 package 12-count Hawaiian sweet rolls
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 12 ounces thinly sliced smoked or Black Forest ham
• 8 slices Swiss cheese about 6 ounces
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Buttery Topping

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon honey, optional
• 1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish. Keep the rolls connected and use a serrated knife to slice horizontally through the entire slab, creating one top and one bottom layer. Place the bottom half cut-side up in the baking dish.
• Mix mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Spread evenly over the bottom rolls, reaching all the way to the edges.
• Loosely fold the ham slices and distribute them evenly over the rolls. Top with overlapping Swiss cheese slices, trimming them as needed for even coverage. Sprinkle with black pepper.
• Place the connected top half of the rolls over the cheese and gently press into place without flattening the rolls.
• Whisk melted butter, 1 tablespoon Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, onion powder, garlic powder, and honey, if using. Brush or spoon evenly over the tops, allowing a little mixture to run between the rolls. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
• Loosely tent the baking dish with foil and bake on the center rack for 15 minutes, until the filling is hot and the cheese has started melting.
• Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 7–10 minutes, until the cheese is completely melted and the tops are glossy and golden brown.
• Rest for 5 minutes, then cut along the natural seams with a sharp knife. Serve warm.

Notes

• Don’t separate the rolls first. Keeping all 12 rolls connected makes them much easier to slice, fill, and bake evenly.
• Fold, don’t stack, the ham. Loosely folded slices create better layers and prevent the center sliders from becoming overly dense.
• Keep most of the butter on top. Brush rather than pour the topping so excess butter doesn’t collect around the bottoms and make them soggy.
• Watch the final few minutes. Hawaiian rolls contain sugar and can brown quickly once uncovered. Look for golden tops and fully melted cheese rather than relying solely on the timer.
• If the sliders are still pale after 10 minutes uncovered, move them one rack higher for 1–2 minutes, watching closely.
• Assemble the ham, cheese, and rolls ahead of time and refrigerate covered. For the best texture, add the butter topping shortly before baking.
• Refrigerate leftover sliders in an airtight container. Reheat in a 325°F oven, loosely covered, until warmed through, uncovering briefly at the end to refresh the tops.

My Go-To Tools for the Perfect Hawaiian Rolls !