This is a sponsored post brought to you by Kretschmar Premium Deli Meats & Cheeses. The opinions expressed here are completely my own based on my experience.
These Spicy Crack Ham and Cheese Sliders are hugely popular for parties and beware, they are addictive. My version adds just the right touch of spice.
The holidays are here my friends, and that means everyone is running around like crazy. So much extra to do, prepping for holiday meals and gatherings. That doesn’t mean our regular schedule gets any easier. Lucky for us, we have Kretschmar Premium Deli Meats & Cheeses to help balance things out.
You can use their deli meats and cheeses to whip together quick and easy meals that satisfy any hunger and spicy food craving, without needing to spend a lot of time.
Like this recipe – Spicy Crack Ham and Cheese Sliders. YES!
Today I’m working with Kretschmar Hot Honey Ham and Kretschmar Baby Swiss Cheese from Jewel-Osco to make the recipe, and you’re going to love it. Kretschmar hams are hand trimmed and made with a unique hardwood smoking process for awesome flavor without fillers or MSG. Their cheeses repeatedly win world-wide competitions.
Crack Ham and Cheese Sliders are perfect for any gathering or party situation. Serve them up for the holidays, for game day get togethers, backyard bbqs, anytime you want to feed a group.
Honestly, make these and people will love you for it. They are seriously delicious.
Let’s talk about how we make the best ham and cheese sliders ever, shall we?
Spicy Crack Ham and Cheese Sliders Ingredients
- Small Dinner Rolls. 12, or slider buns.
- Kretschmar Hot Honey Ham. 12 slices.
- Kretschmar Baby Swiss Cheese. 6 slices, halved.
For the Sriracha Mayo
- Mayo. 1/2 cup.
- Sriracha Chili Sauce. 2 tablespoons.
- Lemon Juice. 1 tablespoon.
- Garlic. 1 garlic clove, minced.
- Salt. To taste
For the Crack Sauce
- Butter. 4 tablespoons, melted.
- Spicy Crown. 1 tablespoon, mustard.
- Small Shallot. 1, minced.
- Garlic. 3 cloves, minced.
- Spicy Chili Flakes. 1 tablespoon.
- Worcestershire Sauce. ½ teaspoon.
How to Make These Spicy Crack Ham & Cheese Sliders – the Recipe Method
Make the Sriracha Mayo
Whisk together the mayo, sriracha, lemon juice, garlic and salt until well combined. Set aside.
For the Crack Ham and Cheese Sliders
Heat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Set the bottoms of the rolls in a large baking pan and slather on the sriracha mayo.
Add to each a slice of ham. Fold the slice so it properly fits on the bun.
Top the ham with a half slice of cheese.
Add the bun tops.
For the Crack Sauce
Whisk together the melted butter, mustard, shallot, garlic, chili flakes and Worcestershire sauce. Generously brush the mixture over the slider buns. Use it all up! Sprinkle on a few more chili flakes for good measure!
For Crispy Sliders: Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cheeses are nice and melty and the buns are toasted.
For Soft Sliders: Cover in aluminum foil and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cheeses are nice and melty.
Serve!
NOTE: You can let the ham and cheese sliders sit for up to a day after you brush on the crack sauce. Just store the baking dish in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook. Waiting at least one hour to bake them lets the crack sauce firm up a bit and better permeate the buns.
BOOM! That’s it, my friends! Super easy, right? I love easy, especially around the holidays when my schedule is NUTS.
Storage & Leftovers
Storing your Spicy Crack Ham and Cheese Sliders in an airtight container in the fridge may allow you to store the leftovers for up to 3-4 days. To maximize the storage life, make sure to refrigerate them promptly.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Easy Meal or Party Food. What I LOVE about this recipe is that you can serve it as a quick and easy meal, or for a party situation. Make a large batch to entertain your guests. A close friend of mine makes them multiple times of year for gatherings. Everyone loves them.
- Ham Choices. I used Kretschmar Hot Honey Ham for flavor and added heat, but you can use any of the Kretschmar ham products. Try their Black Forest Ham for a milder version, or Master’s Cut Sriracha Turkey Breast is great as well.
- Cheese Choices. I used Kretschmar Baby Swiss cheese, as it is more traditionally used for crack ham and cheese sliders, but try their Pepper Jack, or their Habanero cheese, if you really like some extra spice. Or use a combination of cheeses!
- Sriracha Mayo. You can make the sriracha mayo ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator. I make it all the time. Check out my Sriracha Mayo recipe with extra tips and notes.
That’s it, my friends! I hope you enjoy these ham and cheese sliders. They truly are addictive. No joke. Gotta make myself another batch of this soon.
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Spicy Crack Ham and Cheese Sliders Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 small dinner rolls or slider buns
- 12 slices Deli Ham
- 6 slices Baby Swiss Cheese halved
FOR THE SRIRACHA MAYO
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 2 tablespoons sriracha chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove minced
- Salt to taste
FOR THE CRACK SAUCE
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
- 1 small shallot minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon spicy chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
MAKE THE SRIRACHA MAYO
- Whisk together the mayo, sriracha, lemon juice, garlic and salt until well combined. Set aside.
FOR THE CRACK HAM AND CHEESE SLIDERS
- Heat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Set the bottoms of the rolls in a large baking pan and slather on the sriracha mayo.
- Add to each a slice of ham. Fold the slice so it properly fits on the bun.
- Top the ham with a half slice of cheese.
- Add the bun tops.
FOR THE CRACK SAUCE
- Whisk together the melted butter, mustard, shallot, garlic, chili flakes and Worcestershire sauce. Generously brush the mixture over the slider buns. Use it all up! Sprinkle on a few more chili flakes for good measure!
- For Crispy Sliders: Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cheeses are nice and melty and the buns are toasted.
- For Soft Sliders: Cover in aluminum foil and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cheeses are nice and melty.
- Serve!
Dan says
Excellent! Sorry Kretschmar‘s but used Boars Head Hot Habenero and garlic ham. Another winning recipe.
Mike Hultquist says
Yes!! Thanks, Dan! Glad you enjoyed it!!
Cyndi says
I made this recipe using the Hawaiian sweet rolls & they were AMAZING! I put some of the topping on the bottom of the pan before adding the bottom half of the roles to give it a little crisp bottom to match the top-I covered them to melt cheese then removed the foil & let them get crispy on top! Everyone LOVED them!
You are my new fav chef ! I am already working on your Chili Colorado recipe which is my absolutely favourite food anytime or day! I love hot food and here in Florida hot flavourful food is hard to come by.
Mike Hultquist says
Yes!! Thanks, Cyndi! I know, these never last at parties. Glad you enjoyed them!
Leo says
Hey Mike, My wife makes a planer version of this and takes Hawaiian rolls and splits the whole loaf in half (tops and bottoms) then builds the sandwiches in the pan and after cooking them they cut perfectly apart. Just a step saver. BTW i love the sauce on these.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sounds GREAT, Leo! Definitely a nice time saver! Agreed on the sauce. YUM!
Lavina says
This looks amazing and incredibly delicious! Even though I don't think I'll be able to find Kretschmar products here in Hong Kong, I can't wait to try these with whatever brand of good quality ham and cheese I can get at my local supermarket. 🙂 By the way, that Crack Sauce looks BOMB! Thanks for sharing!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Lavina! I appreciate it! Yeah, this crack sauce is very addictive! Haha, beware!