Baked Turkey and Cranberry Sliders on Hawaiian rolls have melted cheese, sliced deli ham, and cranberry sauce tucked inside the rolls with buttery sauce brushed on top! They’re gooey, crusty, sweet, and savory! It’s the BEST combination of comforting flavors!
Baked sliders are a perfect way to use Thanksgiving leftovers. But, you don’t have to wait until the holidays to make them, they’re for dinner or appetizers all year! Plus, in minutes you can easily make enough to feed a crowd, or just enough for a small family!
Cranberry sauce and turkey are a match made in heaven! The sweet and tangy cranberry sauce pairs perfectly with savory turkey.
Sliders are quick and easy which makes them perfect for serving as easy dinners or party appetizers. They’re the perfect Christmas sliders, too!
Kids love these other easy slider ideas. Pizza Sliders and Hotdog Sliders, such an easy way to serve hotdogs. We are also crazy about Hot Ham and Cheese Party Sliders and Ham and Egg Breakfast Sliders!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy! I’ll show you how to assemble these sliders in minutes!
- Make ahead recipe! These sliders can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen until you’re ready to bake them! It’s a lifesaver when you’re hosting!
- Customizable! Use your favorite cheese. Use leftover smoked turkey, deli turkey, or you can even add ham! It’s a great recipe for using what you already have on hand!
Ingredients
As usual, I’m going to give you suggestions for substituting so you can make turkey and cranberry sliders with whatever you have on hand. No extra trips to the grocery store today!
Sandwiches
- Hawaiian Rolls: Hawaiian rolls are sweet rolls and work great in this recipe. I also really like using homemade rolls, or baking and using frozen rolls from the grocery store. Rhodes rolls are my favorite.
- Turkey: Deli turkey is the easiest. We also like using sliced turkey, especially if we have it left over from Thanksgiving.
- Cheese: Swiss cheese gives these rolls fantastic flavor. Gouda, havarti, mozzarella (great melting cheese), and cheddar are all good options too.
- Cranberry sauce: Jellied or whole. Homemade or canned. Use your favorite!
Butter Sauce
- Butter
- Poppy seeds: Everything bagel seasoning is great too
- Dijon mustard
- Onion powder
- Brown sugar
Instructions
This turkey and cranberry recipe is so easy to make! There are a few little tricks that make it faster and even easier! I’ll show you what I’ve learned from making these a million times!
NOTE: The recipe is written for 12 sandwiches, but the pictures only show 6. It’s really easy to double this recipe though!
STEP 1: Without separating rolls into individual rolls, cut the whole slab in half. Carefully lift off the tops of the rolls. Leaving the bottom halves in one piece, set in the prepared baking dish.
STEP 2: Spread cranberry sauce over the rolls.
STEP 3: Arrange sliced deli turkey, or leftover turkey, over the cranberry sauce. If you’re using leftover turkey slice it thin! Then add plenty of layers!
STEP 4: Add a layer of sliced or shredded cheese. Shredded cheese melts faster, but sliced cheese is so much easier.
STEP 5: Carefully place the top halves of the rolls back on the sliders.
STEP 6: To make the butter sauce, melt the butter in a small bowl. Add dijon mustard, poppy seeds, onion powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk together. Brush over the rolls.
STEP 7: Cover the sliders with aluminum foil and bake until warmed through, usually about 20-25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes to toast the tops.
- Leave the baked turkey sliders in one piece and cut them altogether. It’s easier than cutting each roll individually.
- Line baking pan with parchment paper. After they’ve baked lift the sliders out of the pan and place on a cutting board. Slice into individual sandwiches with a long knife.
- Be sure to add plenty of meat and cheese! That’s the good stuff!
- Cover sliders with foil while baking to keep them from drying out. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of baking to get golden brown tops.
FAQ’s
Yes! Assemble and refrigerate the sandwiches without the butter topping for up to 24 hours before baking. Remove from the fridge about an hour before baking. Top with butter topping and bake as directed.
They’re a great freezer meal. I like making and baking sliders. Cut in individual sandwiches. Wrap in foil and place in an airtight freezer bag. Freeze for up to three months. To thaw, remove from the freezer and place in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight. Reheat for a few minutes in an air fryer, or the oven, or until warmed through in the microwave.
Variations
It’s fun to play around with ideas for customizing these hot sandwiches! Here’s a couple of ideas to get you started!
- Add a few jarred jalapenos to make them spicy!
- In addition to turkey add sliced deli ham or cooked bacon!
- Leave out the cranberry sauce and spread mayo or ranch on the rolls. This would be amazing with crispy bacon!
What to Serve with Sliders
Anything you’d serve with other sandwiches will work great with turkey and cranberry sliders. Here are some of our favorites.
- Baked Potato Chips
- Veggie Skewers or a veggie tray
- Smashed Potatoes
- A green salad with honey mustard or French dressing
- Cake Mix Cookie Bars
Baked Turkey and Cranberry Sliders
Ingredients
Sandwiches
- 12 King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
- 1 pounds sliced deli turkey
- 3/4 pound Swiss cheese I like Swiss
- 1 cup cranberry sauce
Butter:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9" x 12" baking dish with aluminum foil or parchemnt paper.
- Without separating rolls into individual rolls, cut the whole slab in half. Carefully lift off the tops of the rolls. Leaving the bottom halves in one piece, set in the prepared baking dish.
- Spread cranberry relish over the rolls. Arrange sliced deli turkey over the cranberry sauce. Add a layer of sliced or shredded cheese.
- Carefully place the tops halves of the rolls back on the sliders.
- To make the butter sauce, melt the butter in a small bowl. Add dijon mustard, poppy seeds, onion powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk together. Brush over the rolls.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake until warmed through, usually about 20-25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes to toast the tops.
- Let rest for 5 minutes then lift sliders out of the pan and set on a cutting board. Slice into individual pieces using a long serrated knife. Serve with additional cranberry sauce for dipping if you want!
Erin Dee says
What a great idea for Thanksgiving leftovers!
Amy Engberson says
Thanks! We actually end up eating them way more often than just for Thanksgiving!
Abeer Rizvi says
This would be a great way to enjoy leftovers after Thanksgiving!
Megan Ancheta says
These sound so amazing! I seriously would eat the whole pan!
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
The leftovers are my favorite part of Thanksgiving! These looks great!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
This is such a great way to make use of leftover turkey!
Jen says
I look forward to leftovers almost as much as the main meal on Thanksgiving! These sliders are a must!! To me, it’s the cranberry that really pulls it all together!