Cheeseburger Sliders with Hawaiian Rolls

🍞 Ingredients to Have on Hand

Ground Beef: One pound of ground beef is plenty regardless of whether you make 12 or 16 sliders.

American Cheese: This creates the melty, cheesy, bottom layer for the sliders. It's pre-sliced, easy to handle and once heated, it spreads evenly. It's also a somewhat nostalgic cheese. American cheese has been a top choice for many folks for hamburgers and classic grilled cheese sandwiches for decades!

Bacon: This is an optional ingredient, but it adds that distinctive salty, savory flavor that makes the cheeseburger sliders irresistible. The bacon flavor is especially delicious with the subtle sweetness of the Hawaiian Sweet Rolls.

📖 Substitutions

Just like a classic cheeseburger, sliders are easily customizable for your taste and preferences. Here are a few substitutions to make your perfect slider!

Cheese: When the goal is a melty cheese that doesn't separate or get greasy when heated, American cheese is pretty much foolproof. But you could swap it for slices of Havarti, Provolone, Monterey Jack or Colby-Jack cheese - all of which also melt easily when heated.

Rolls: I'm a big fan of the King Hawaiian Sweet Rolls for this recipe, but as long as you are using pre-baked dinner rolls that aren't separated into individual rolls, the result will be great. Just slice down the middle (see photo above) to create a top and bottom layer.

Sesame Seeds: While you don't have to sprinkle sesame seeds on top of the sliders with the melted butter, it's a nice touch and adds to the eye appeal of these mini cheeseburgers. You could use (affiliate link) Everything Bagel Seasoning instead if that's what you have on hand. Or skip the topping altogether.

Step 1: Place a medium-sized skillet on the stove and spray with Pam or add a few teaspoons of vegetable oil. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. (Photo #1)

Step 2: Drain the beef and return it to the skillet. Add the dried onion flakes, Worcestershire sauce and cooked bacon bits (bacon is optional). Sprinkle a few tablespoons of water on top of the ingredients in the skillet. Cook and stir for a minute or two or until the onion flakes have softened and the water evaporates. (Photo #2)

Step 3: Slice the entire package of Hawaiian Sweet Rolls in half, creating a bottom and top layer. The bottom layer is shown above. (Photo #3)

Step 4: Place the slices of American cheese on top of the bottom layer. (Photo #4) If you use more than 5 slices - which is especially delicious - overlap the additional cheese slices to cover the rolls evenly. This will add to the cheesiness of the sliders!

Step 5: Spoon the cooked ground beef mixture from the skillet onto the cheese slices. (Photo #5)

Step 6: Spread the cooked meat across the cheese slices to evenly distribute the beef. This ensures that each slider will have plenty of meat. Don't worry if some of the ground beef falls off the edge of the sweet rolls. Those pieces can be scooped up when it's time to serve. (Photo #6)

Step 7: Sprinkle the grated Cheddar cheese on top of the beef. (Photo #7)

Step 8 Spread the cheese across all of the ground beef. (Photo #8)

Step 9: Place the top half of the Hawaiian Sweet Rolls on the beef and cheese layer and brush each roll with melted butter. (Photo #9)

Step 10: Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of the butter - and take a second to check out those layers of beefy, cheesy goodness! (Photo #10)

Step 11: Check the sliders after 10 minutes of baking. Since all of the ingredients are already cooked or baked, we just need to make sure the cheese is melted and the tops of the rolls are lightly browned. (Photo #11)

Step 12: Remove the sliders from the oven and use a serrated knife - or any sharp slicing knife - to gently separate the rolls. This will make it easier for folks to dish up each slider. (Photo #12)

🥓 What to Serve with Cheeseburger Sliders

Condiments: Any condiment that you would normally serve with hamburgers is delicous with sliders. I recommend ketchup, mustard, Homemade Fry Sauce and mayonnaise. But it's fun to change it up a bit and also share your favorite BBQ sauce or a variety of spicy and sweet mustards.

Classic Cheeseburger Sides: No matter the time of year, any side dish that you would serve with burgers from the grill will be a welcome side for sliders. Sweet Corn Pasta Salad is delicious, Crunchy Cole Slaw, English Pea Salad or my favorite Red Potato Salad.

Pickles and Tomatoes: Sliced pickles, a crispy cucumber salad or big slices of fresh tomatoes are a wonderful side with sliders!

French Fries: As a food blogger in Idaho, I would be remiss not to mention potatoes in this recipe.

🍽 Other Recipes for Game Day

Cheeseburger Sliders with Sweet Hawaiian Rolls are hearty, cheesy and a crowd favorite. If you are planning a meal for a game day crowd, here are more recipes I know you'll enjoy!