Whether you serve them as party food or a quick and easy dinner, these Air Fryer Ham and Cheese Sliders will be a hit! They’re simple to prepare and take only 10-12 minutes to get hot and golden brown in the air fryer.
I love using my air fryer to prepare party food, like these air fryer nachos. So, with the Super Bowl approaching, I decided to test some ham and cheese sliders in the air fryer.
While the recipe is pretty basic, I ended up testing it a few different times. I tried different types of mustard and varying amounts of ham and cheese. Most importantly, I tested different air frying temperatures and time.
This is because the sliders need a high enough temperature for the cheese to melt quickly, but not too high that the tops of the sliders start to burn.
I’m happy to report that this recipe strikes the perfect balance. The sliders turn out golden brown and buttery with a delicious filling of melted Swiss cheese, savory ham and honey dijon mustard!
Table of contents
What makes these air fryer ham and cheese sliders so good?
- They’re so simple to assemble and you can even prep them a day ahead.
- They take only 10-12 minutes to cook in the air fryer.
- The cheese gets perfectly melty without the tops of the sliders getting too browned. (As air fryers can vary, start checking on them at 8 minutes)!
- There is no need to cover with foil or line the air fryer basket with parchment. In order to cook these sliders quickly, you want the hot air to easily flow around them.
Ingredients and substitutions
Below is a brief overview of some of the ingredients and recommended substitutions. The recipe card at the end of this post includes the full list of ingredients and quantities used.
- Rolls: I used a 12-pack of Hawaiian sweet rolls because the sweet flavor pairs so nicely with the ham, Swiss cheese and buttery topping. While this is our preference, you can definitely use other types of mini rolls like slider rolls or dinner rolls.
- Ham: Thinly sliced or shaved ham works best. Make sure it’s cooked deli ham. I used black forest ham, but honey ham is delicious too.
- Cheese: Swiss cheese is the obvious pairing with ham, but you can also use cheddar, gouda, havarti or gruyere. Again, make sure it is thinly sliced or grated. This will help it melt faster.
- Mustard: I’ve tested this recipe with honey mustard, dijon (regular and whole grain) and honey dijon. While all were delicious, our favorite was honey dijon. I will say, if you aren’t using sweet rolls, using honey mustard will give you the sweet flavor you’ll be missing with plain rolls.
- Poppy seeds: These are mixed into the buttery mixture that’s brushed over the top of the sweet rolls before air frying. It’s a classic topping for ham and cheese sliders, but you can leave them out if you wish, or substitute with sesame seeds.
How to make hot ham and cheese sliders in the air fryer
Below is a brief overview of the steps to make this recipe along with photos. For further details, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Storage and reheating tips
Refrigerate: While these sliders are best enjoyed hot, any leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Reheat: To reheat, wrap in foil (so the tops don’t brown more) and air fry at 400F for 10-12 minutes. You can also reheat them wrapped in foil in the oven. I don’t recommend microwaving them as they turn out a little soggy.
Key recipe tips
- Size of air fryer. The sliders fit perfectly in a 5.8 quart air fryer or a toaster oven style air fryer. If your air fryer is smaller, you will need to air fry the sliders in two batches or half the recipe.
- Assembling and serving. I highly recommend assembling the sliders in the air fryer basket. It’s just so much easier than assembling them on a work surface and then trying to get them in the basket. You might also have trouble getting the slab of sliders out of the air fryer basket. Once they’re cooked, I like to cut the slab in half and use a spatula to lift each half out of the air fryer onto a cutting surface.
- Butter mixture. It might seem like a lot to brush on top of the sliders, but it will soak into the rolls and help prevent them from drying out while air frying. If the butter is pooling up in between the sweet rolls, you can use a knife to gently cut along the top edges of each roll so the butter can seep down and around the sliders.
- Melting the cheese. During recipe testing, I tried air frying the sliders for a few minutes without the top layer of rolls just to give the cheese a head start in melting. While this worked, the air fryer fan blew the cheese around so it didn’t melt in an even layer across the ham. This trick would probably work better for thicker slices of cheese.
Recipe FAQs
You can partially make them ahead. You can assemble the sliders, wrap them in plastic wrap and store them in the fridge. When ready to serve them, make the melted butter topping, brush it in on the sliders and air fry as per the recipe.
If you top the sliders with more melted butter than the recipe calls for, they could turn out a little soggy. The key is to use enough melted butter so the tops of the rolls don’t dry out in the air fryer, but not too much that it makes the rolls mushy.
I tested a few different times and temperatures, and found that 300F for 11 minutes was the perfect amount of time in my air fryer. As different brands and models of air fryers can differ, the temperature and time may vary for your air fryer. The key is to have the temperature high enough so the cheese melts quickly but low enough that the tops of the sliders don’t start to burn before the cheese is melted.
More air fryer party food
More game day eats
- Dairy Free Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Pulled Pork Tenderloin (served as sliders)
- Guinness Beef Sliders
- Ground Beef Fajitas
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below!
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Print
Air Fryer Ham and Cheese Sliders
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 12 sliders
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Air Fry
- Cuisine: American, Canadian
Description
These Air Fryer Ham and Cheese Sliders are the perfect party appetizer! They’re hot, cheesy and golden brown, and take just 10-12 minutes in the air fryer.
Ingredients
For the sliders:
- 1 package (12 count) Hawaiian sweet dinner rolls
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons honey dijon mustard
- 130 grams/4.5 ounces thinly sliced or shaved cooked deli ham (black forest or honey ham), about 8 slices
- 115 grams/4 ounces thinly sliced Swiss cheese, about 6 slices
For the topping:
- 1/3 cup (76 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 2 teaspoons honey dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Cut the rolls in half horizontally (try not to break them apart).
- In a small bowl, mix together the mayo and mustard and spread it evenly over the top and bottom halves of the rolls.
- Place the bottom layer of the rolls in the air fryer basket.
- Arrange the ham slices on top of the rolls in an even layer, and then layer on the cheese slices.
- Place the top of the rolls on top of the cheese.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, poppy seeds, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and onion powder. Brush over the top of the rolls.
- Air fry at 300F for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the cheese has melted.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- The sliders fit perfectly in a 5.8 quart air fryer or a toaster oven style air fryer. If your air fryer is smaller, you will need to air fry the sliders in two batches or half the recipe.
- The butter mixture might seem like a lot to brush on top of the sliders, but it will soak into the rolls and help them from drying out while air frying.
- If the butter is pooling up in between the sweet rolls, you can use a knife to gently cut along the top edges of each roll so the butter can seep down and around the sliders.
- As the tops of the sliders will brown quickly, start checking on them at around 8 minutes.
- There is no need to cover with foil or line the air fryer basket with parchment. In order to cook these sliders quickly, you want the hot air to easily flow around them.
- You might have trouble removing the slab of sliders out of the air fryer basket. Once they’re cooked, I like to cut the slab in half and use a spatula to lift each half out of the air fryer and onto a cutting surface.
- Be sure to check out the other sections above the recipe card for more detailed advice and suggestions for making this recipe.
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