You may know these as ham and cheese sliders, but where I grew up we called them ham biscuits or poppy seed party ham biscuits. They are small, comforting, and honestly some of the best little sliders you’ll ever taste.
These retro appetizers were a party staple at my house—my mom made them often alongside other favorites like cheese olive puffs.
For convenience, I keep a collection of appetizer recipes in one place for easy browsing. Thanks for stopping by!
Ham Biscuits, At a Glance
✔️Skill Level: Beginner
✔️Skills: mixing, slicing, heating
✔️Type: Appetizer sandwiches
✔️Number of Ingredients: 9
✔️Prep Time: 15 minutes
✔️Cook Time: 15 minutes
✔️Yield: 24 sliders
Jump Straight to the Recipe
All I can say is, if you haven’t made these yet then why not? They are awesome. Seriously awesome. Put the ingredients on your shopping list and go make them.
Reader Deon
Poppy Seed Party Ham Biscuits
These little sliders are enjoying a comeback, and I’m here for it.
While they may be new to some readers, they were a neighborhood tradition at our Christmas Eve party for decades.
This is a retro recipe, but it remains timeless. I’ve tried other versions, and this one—what I grew up with—remains my favorite.
What Makes These the Best?
There’s no single secret, but a few elements make them stand out:
- The balance of mustard and butter
- A touch of Worcestershire for umami
- Finely minced onion for gentle aroma and texture
- A generous helping of poppy seeds for flavor and character
Try them and you’ll understand why they’re so beloved.
Reader Rave
I wasn’t sure at first, but the mustard/butter ratio won me over. These are a massive crowd pleaser—I make them with soup and salad and everyone goes bonkers.
Reader MaggieToo
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make a full tray of these party ham biscuits:
- Butter: Salted or unsalted; this is the main flavored spread so use good quality butter
- Minced onion: Finely minced sweet onion (Vidalia when available)
- Poppy seeds: Use fresh poppy seeds; they can go rancid and will affect flavor
- Yellow mustard: Classic yellow is what I use, though you can experiment
- Worcestershire sauce: Adds depth and umami
- Salt: Omit if using salted butter
- Deli ham: Boiled or honey ham works well
- Swiss cheese: Sliced Swiss melts beautifully
- Hawaiian rolls: King’s Hawaiian or similar small soft rolls; Savory Butter variety is my preference
Making Party Ham Biscuits in the Oven
Oven baking is my preferred method. Here’s a concise summary of the process:
- Slice an entire flat of Hawaiian rolls horizontally; remove the top as one slab.
- Mix the butter, mustard, poppy seeds, onion, Worcestershire, and salt until even, then spread it evenly across all cut surfaces.
- Layer Swiss cheese on the bottom, then add ham, and finish with more Swiss on the top slab.
- Return the top slab, align the edges, and slice between the rolls with a bread knife while still in the tray for easier serving.
- Place the filled rolls back in their paper tray, set them on a baking sheet, cover loosely with foil, and bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes, rotating halfway. If needed, microwave briefly to finish melting the cheese.
- Serve warm and enjoy.
Process Shots
If you prefer to jump to the recipe, go right ahead. For visual learners, here are some photo collages showing the process.
Making the Poppy Seed Spread
Cube softened butter (it can be slightly warmed but not melted). Mix the butter with mustard, poppy seeds, minced onion, Worcestershire, and salt until smooth. Spread liberally and evenly over each cut side of the rolls so the butter soaks into the bread.
Building the Biscuits
I like one layer of Swiss on the bottom and two on the top. Add the ham in an even layer—don’t fold slices when possible. Reposition the top slab and slice between rolls before baking so each slider is easy to remove after heating.
Store filled biscuits in their original wrapper in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Heating/Baking
Remove the number of rolls you plan to serve, place them on a baking tray spaced about an inch apart, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, rotating halfway. If cheese needs extra melting, a quick microwave finish works well.
How To Keep These Guys Warm for Serving
These usually disappear fast, but if you need to hold them for a buffet, use a lidded warming tray or an electric warming server set to low. That keeps them warm without drying out.
Reheating Ham Biscuits In the Microwave
Microwaving reheats a single serving quickly and keeps the rolls soft and squishy. For a crisper exterior, reheat in the oven or toaster oven. I often start in the oven and finish with a few seconds in the microwave for ideal texture.
More Retro Appetizer Recipes
Some favorites to pair with these sliders include smoked pimento cheese, spicy queso dip, and bread pretzels with beer cheese—classic, shareable crowd-pleasers.
Ready to make them? You don’t have to share if you don’t want to!
Questions?
If you have questions about the recipe or technique, leave a comment or send an email. I’m happy to help and will respond when I can.
Email Jenni: [email protected]
The Best Ham Biscuit Recipe
This poppy seed ham biscuit recipe makes enough for a flat of 24 King’s Hawaiian rolls. The original recipe makes a flat of 12; this version doubles the quantities for a larger crowd. Feel free to halve the recipe for a smaller batch.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (8 oz), softened (or salted butter and omit added salt)
- 5 Tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
- 4 Tablespoons poppy seeds
- 2 Tablespoons finely minced sweet onion
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Heavy pinch of salt (1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon)
- 1 flat of 24 King’s Hawaiian Rolls (or two flats of 12)
- About 18 slices Swiss cheese
- About 1 pound deli ham (approximately 16 oz)
Instructions
- Make sure the butter is very soft. Mix butter, mustard, poppy seeds, minced onion, Worcestershire sauce, and salt until evenly combined.
- Cut the flat of rolls in half horizontally and remove the top slab.
- Spread the butter-poppy seed mixture evenly across all cut surfaces. Use all the mixture so every inch is coated.
- On the bottom slab, arrange one even layer of Swiss cheese, then top with ham. On the top slab arrange two even layers of Swiss cheese.
- Return the top slab, align the edges, and use a bread knife to slice between each roll while still in the tray.
- You can refrigerate the assembled rolls for up to a week or freeze well wrapped for several months (thaw before baking).
- When ready to bake, space rolls about 1″ apart on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, rotating halfway through.
- Alternatively, microwave individual servings until cheese is melted. For best texture, you can start in the oven and finish in the microwave.
- I dare you to eat only one. Enjoy!
Notes
Smaller Batch Recipe
- 1 stick butter
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1 Tablespoon minced onion
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- Small pinch of salt
- Package of 12 King’s Hawaiian Rolls
- 9 slices Swiss cheese
- 9 slices deli ham (about 1/2 pound)
Storing
Store assembled rolls in the refrigerator for up to a week. Reheat in the oven, or combine oven and microwave methods to get a soft interior and slightly crisp exterior.
Freezing
Wrap assembled rolls well in heavy-duty foil and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake or microwave-then-bake to serve.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: ~263 kcal; Carbohydrates: ~16 g; Protein: ~11 g; Saturated Fat: ~9 g; Cholesterol: ~56 mg; Sodium: ~447 mg; Sugar: ~4 g.
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