Funeral Sandwiches (Ham and Cheese Sliders Recipe)
These funeral sandwiches are sweet, savory, cheesy little miracles—aka the ultimate ham and cheese sliders—and they’ve been perfected in my Southern kitchen more times than I can count. Made with soft Hawaiian sweet rolls, salty ham, nutty Swiss cheese, and a buttery brown sugar glaze, they’ve earned their place at everything from game days and potlucks to those comforting gatherings at the funeral home when words just aren’t enough.
Ingredients
Brown Sugar Dijon Sauce
- 1 stick Salted Butter melted
- 2 tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 3 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
Funeral Rolls
- 1 pack Hawaiian Rolls (12 rolls)
- ¾ lb Virginia Ham sliced thin
- ½ lb Swiss Cheese sliced thin
- Poppy Seeds optional
Instructions
- FOR SERVING RIGHT NOW: If you’re short on time, add a stick of butter, brown sugar, dijon mustard and worcesthershire sauce to a simmer over medium heat in a small saucepan. Once it starts to bubble and thicken, turn off the heat and set aside. This helps the sauce caramelize onto the bread faster and means you don’t have to marinate the sandwiches.
- FOR SOAKING OVER NIGHT: If you want the original recipe just grab a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce and set aside - this will be the method you'll use if you want to prep them the night before.
- Once the sauce is ready, grease a baking dish and pour in about 3–4 tablespoons of the sauce to coat the bottom.
- Slice the rolls in half horizontally and lay the bottom half in the dish.
- Layer half the Swiss cheese, then the ham, then the rest of the cheese.
- Add the top half of the rolls and pour the remaining sauce evenly over the top of the rolls, making sure they’re well-coated. (Sprinkle with poppy seeds, if using.)
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. OR If sauce was simmered, skip the chill and go straight to baking.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the cheese has melted.
- Slice and serve warm.
Video
Notes
I've included two versions of this recipe - personally, I ALWAYS just simmer the sauce so I don't have to soak the sandwiches over night. Both are delicious and both are tried and true methods so feel free to use whatever suits you!
Additionally, these sandwiches are known for their "soggy" texture with a slightly crispy top. If you aren't into them being soggy, do not put any glaze on the bottom half of the rolls - simply spray with some nonstick spray or even use parchment paper.
Did you make this recipe?Tag me on instagram @grilledcheesesocial so I can see it!