• RECIPES
    • All Recipes
    • KETO/LOW CARB
    • Appetizers/Drinks
    • Breads
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Main Courses
    • Soups
    • Side Dishes
    • Casseroles
    • HOLIDAYS/SEASONAL
      • Rosh Hashanah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
      • Chanukkah
      • Christmas
      • New Year’s Eve
      • St. Patrick’s Day
      • Super Bowl/Game Day
      • Easter
      • Passover
      • 4th of July
      • Cinco de Mayo
      • Memorial Day
    • Jewish Recipes
    • Asian Cooking
    • INSTANT POT
      • All Pressure Cooking
      • Dump and Push
      • Pot in Pot
      • Freezer Recipes
    • AIR FRYER
  • SHOP ESSENTIALS
    • Shop All Categories!
    • This Old Gal Pressure Cooker Cookbook
    • Shop My Favorites
    • What’s In My Kitchen!
    • Instant Pot & Pressure Cooker Stuff
    • TOG’s Gift Guide
    • Shop My Amazon Store
  • GET NEWSLETTER
  • BUY MY COOKBOOK

Work with TOG

  • RECIPE INDEX
    • All Recipes
    • Keto & Low Carb Recipes
    • Holidays/Seasonal
    • Jewish Recipes
    • Asian Recipes
    • Freezer Meals
  • BY METHOD
    • Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker
    • Air Fryer
    • Slow Cooker
  • SHOP ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS
    • Shop All Categories
    • What’s In My Kitchen!
    • Shop My Amazon Store
    • Buy My Cookbook!!!
  • SELKATZ TONKINESE
  • WORK WITH THIS OLD GAL
    • Contact This Old Gal
  • ABOUT TOG
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions & User Agreement
    • Recipe Photo Use Policy
    • Website Accessibility Statement

↑

This Old Gal

Delicious homemade recipes with step by step instructions

Restaurant Quality Meals From My Home To Yours

  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Low Carb
    • Appetizers/Beverages
    • Breads
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Soups
    • Sides
    • Main Courses
    • Holidays/Seasonal
      • Rosh Hashanah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
      • Chanukkah
      • Christmas
      • Super Bowl/Game Day
      • New Year’s Eve
      • Passover
      • Easter
      • St. Patrick’s Day
      • Cinco de Mayo
      • Memorial Day
      • 4th of July
    • Casseroles
    • Jewish Recipes
    • Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
      • Pot in Pot & One Pot
      • Dump and Push
    • Air Fryer
    • Freezer
  • Low Carb Recipes
  • Shop Essential Products
    • Shop All Categories!
    • Favorite Instant Pot Accessories
    • Shop My Amazon Store!
    • Favorite Pressure Cooker Accessories
    • Kitchen Tools Gadgets & Essentials
    • TOG’s Gift Guide
    • Instant Pot Mini 3 Quart Accessories
    • Favorite Baking Cooking Air Fryer Accessories & Bread Making Tools
    • Small Electric Kitchen Appliances & Pressure Cookers
    • Coupons, Brands & Reviews
  • About
    • Selkatz Tonkinese
    • Contact This Old Gal
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms & Conditions & User Agreement
    • Recipe Photo Use Policy
    • Website Accessibility Statement

Home / Recipes / Sandwiches / Southern Baked Ham Buns [Ham & Cheese Sandwiches]

Southern Baked Ham Buns [Ham & Cheese Sandwiches]

March 31, 2016 By Jill Selkowitz / 5 Comments Updated February 19, 2020 / As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs I earn from qualifying purchases; see all disclosures.

Southern Baked Ham & Cheese Buns
Holiday Party Ham Buns (Southern Baked Ham & Cheese Sandwiches)
Jump to Recipe

Southern Baked Ham Buns as they are called in the South are warm ham and cheese sandwiches made with a delicious sauce and baked until perfection.

Southern Baked Ham Buns

Southern Baked Ham Buns

Don’t know what to do with your leftover Instant Pot Thanksgiving or Christmas Ham or Turkey? Make these delicious Southern Baked Ham Buns, which I like to also call “Holiday Southern Ham Sandwiches.”

In 2003, I up and left my beautiful house in Tarzana, California. I discovered after moving that all I needed was a vacation, not a total Coast to Coast relocation. It is a decision I regret to this day (because I missed LA and my home). However, while living in Charleston, I learned about a lot of delicious Southern cooking and recipes, so it was not all bad. 🙂 My Pressure Cooker Southern Style Green Beans are fantastic and my Air Fryer Southern Fried Catfish {Louisiana Cajun Style} is truly recipe you will make over and over again.

Cast of Ingredients for Southern Baked Ham Buns [Ham & Cheese Sandwiches]

Cast of Ingredients for Southern Baked Ham Buns [Ham & Cheese Sandwiches]

My travels took me to Charleston, South Carolina and it is a charming and beautiful City. I learned all about “Ham Buns,” and a party gathering was not complete without Ham Buns. In Miami, where I am originally from, the Cuban Bakeries have Pasta de Bocaditos {Cuban Deviled Ham Sandwiches}, which are super delicious and perfect for Christmas and Easter parties, as well as New Year’s Eve parties.

Jump to Section

  • Ingredients to Southern Baked Ham Buns
  •  
  • Why Use Whole Ham?
  • Does Mayonnaise Make a Difference?
  • Ingredients to Special Sauce
  • Southern Baked Ham Buns [Warm Ham and Cheese Sandwiches]

Ingredients to Southern Baked Ham Buns

  • Ham – Instant Pot Maple Glazed Ham recipe
  • Swiss Cheese
  • Kings Hawaiian Buns
  • Special Sauce – find on recipe card below

 

Place Ham on Trivet

Place Ham on Trivet

Why Use Whole Ham?

Ham that comes sliced in packages is most always processed and filled with a lot of water. When you first prepare my Instant Pot Maple Glazed Ham, you are adding tons of flavor and using better ham. It is nice to bite into a solid piece of ham, rather than paper thin sheets of the processed stuff.

That being said, if you are in a time crunch and have to used the pre-sliced packaged stuff, go a head, but the taste difference will be noticeable.
 

Slice Buns Horizontally

Slice Buns Horizontally

Carefully, slice the whole bag of Kings Hawaiian Buns in half and place the bottom half in a Pyrex Baking Dish.

 

Place Bottom Buns in 9x12 Baking Dish

Place Bottom Buns in 9×12 Baking Dish

This looks like a plain ole ham and cheese sandwich, but it’s not, just wait! One of the key ingredients is to use Duke’s Mayonnaise, which is found in the South. Luckily, now that I am back living in Los Angeles, I can purchase on line here.

Does Mayonnaise Make a Difference?

  • I think so. Mayonnaise is not always just mayonnaise. A high quality brand is best to use for any recipe.
  • It has been said that the key ingredient to making a successful Instant Pot Hawaiian Macaroni Salad IS the mayonnaise. That recipe has so few ingredients and using a high quality mayo totally can make or break the recipe.

I grew up with Hellmann’s on the East Coast. It’s called Best Foods Mayonnaise on the West Coast. Those are both good brands. However, since being introduced to Duke’s Mayonnaise while living in Charleston, Duke’s has become my mayonnaise of choice.

From the photo above, these Southern Ham Buns still look ordinary, but wait, the best is yet to come. The next step is cause for the transformation from ordinary to spectacular.

 

Melt Butter in Medium Saucepan

Melt Butter in Medium Saucepan

Grab your saucepan and start to prepare the magic. If you want to use an Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker rather than using your stove, that is fine. Use the warm setting and you are good to go!

 

Whisk in the Seasonings

Whisk in the Seasonings

When we make my Instant Pot Maple Glazed Ham recipe, we make sure to buy a bigger ham than needed, just so we have leftover for these delicious Southern Baked Ham Buns. Forget what you know about a ham and cheese sandwich or even a warm ham and cheese sandwich, as these ham buns are something out of this world. The flavor sauce and the sweet buns take regular ham and cheese to a whole other level.

Another yummy recipe to make with your leftover ham is my Pressure Cooker Split Pea Soup.

Ingredients to Special Sauce

  • Worcestershire
  • Dijon Mustard
  • Minced Onions
  • Poppy Seeds

The sauce is whisked up really well, until frothy. I like to use this Rösle Stainless Steel Flat Whisk as it does a great job of whisking.

 

Whisk Sauce until Well Combined

Whisk Sauce until Well Combined

If you like this sauce and I know you will, it is super fabulous to use with my Instant Pot French Dip Sandwich [Italian Drip] recipe. Before adding the meat to the buns, dunk the cut side of the buns into the the sauce and put it under the broiler or toast it in the air fryer for a few seconds! Talk about a fantastic sandwich and taking a French Dip up another level!

 

Brush Buns with Sauce

Brush Buns with Sauce

So that the sauce gets into every nook and cranny, I use this Silicone BBQ Basting Brush to paint it on. If you pour the sauce right over, it’s going to find the fastest route to the bottom of the pan and the tops of the buns won’t get the benefit of the sauce.

Never break the buns into individual pieces until after they are baked and ready to serve. The sauce should mostly stay on the top buns and penetrate. Brush the sauce into all the gabs in between the buns and along the side.

 

The Sauce will Soak into the Buns - Delicious!

The Sauce will Soak into the Buns – Delicious!

Doesn’t that look delicious!!!! The buns won’t be at all soggy as the sauce magically sinks into the buns and after baking, the tops are nice and brown and a bit toasty with a wonderful flavor.

 

Cover Pan with Foil

Cover Pan with Foil

One of the nicest features about this Southern Baked Ham Buns recipe is that it can be made in advance. After covering the pan with tin foil, they can be placed in the refrigerator overnight. In fact, they need to sit and absorb all the flavors at least 30 minutes, but seriously, the longer they sit before baking, the better.

An hour before your party, just take them out, let them rest and then bake according to the instructions found on the recipe card below. They will be the hit of the party.

 

Sprinkle with Brown Sugar

Sprinkle with Brown Sugar

But wait, there is one more tiny step to this already incredible recipe. The last few minutes of baking, a little brown sugar is sprinkled on top. You will want to keep an eye on them to make sure the brown sugar melts into the buns, but does not burn.

 

Holiday Party Ham Buns {Southern Baked Ham & Cheese Sandwiches}

Holiday Party Ham Buns {Southern Baked Ham & Cheese Sandwiches}

Yum! You won’t believe how good these ham buns are; there are no words! Must try NOW! Serve along with my Pressure Cooker Carrot Tail Wieners {Cocktail Weenies}, Orange Ginger Cranberry Sauce, Pressure Cooker Cocktail Sausage Weenies at your next holiday party.

All this goodness comes from my mistake of moving! 🙂

More Wonderful Sandwich Recipes to Make:

  • Air Fryer Simple Grilled American Cheese Sandwich
  • Air Fryer Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich {Copycat Recipe}
  • Instant Pot Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
  • Pecan Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Kitchen Equipment and Essentials

  • J.A. Henckels Classic 8 inch Chef’s Knife
  • Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
  • Simply Gourmet (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
  • Anchor Hocking Glass (Liquid) Measuring Cups
  • Rösle Stainless Steel Flat Whisk– a MUST have, probably my most used utensil
  • My FANTASTIC Teak Cutting & Charcuterie Board & Compartments
  • 1-1/2 Quart Stainless Steel Saucepan
  • Pyrex Oblong Glass Baking Dish
  • Silicone BBQ Basting Brush

Caring is sharing! If you would like to support This Old Gal, please share this recipe on Social Media, so that I can continue to bring you more wonderful recipes! 

If you share a picture of something you make from our blog, tag it with #thisoldgalcooks so we can see it. We might feature it on Instagram! It makes my day when I see you’ve made one of our recipes!

Here is the handy printable recipe:

Southern Baked Ham Buns

Southern Baked Ham Buns [Warm Ham and Cheese Sandwiches]

5 from 1 vote
Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate
Course: Appetizer, Lunch
Cuisine: American, Southern
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 392kcal
Author: Jill Selkowitz

Ingredients

  • 12 Kings Hawaiian Bread Buns (Sweet) (or other mini soft buns)
  • 1 pound Ham thin cut/shaved
  • 1 pound Swiss Cheese thinly sliced
  • 3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
  • 1 Tablespoon Light Brown Sugar

Sauce

  • 1/4 cup Butter
  • 1.5 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
  • 1.5 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1.5 teaspoons Minced Onions
  • 2 teaspoons Poppy Seeds
US Customary - Metric

Recommended Products

J.A. Henckels Classic 8 inch Chef's Knife
J.A. Henckels Classic 8 inch Chef's Knife
Duke's Mayonnaise
Duke's Mayonnaise
1-1/2 Quart Stainless Steel Saucepan
1-1/2 Quart Stainless Steel Saucepan
Rösle Stainless Steel Flat Whisk
Rösle Stainless Steel Flat Whisk
Pyrex Oblong Baking Dish
Pyrex Oblong Baking Dish
Silicone Basting Brush
Silicone Basting Brush

Instructions

  • With a sharp bread knife, carefully cut the rolls horizontally in half, making sure to keep the bottoms attached to each other and the tops attached to each other.
  • Prepare ham using my Instant Pot Maple Glazed Ham recipe.
  • Place the bottom half into a 9x12 baking dish and spread with 1/2 of the mayonnaise. 
  • Slice ham very thin.
  • Divide ham over bottom half.   
  • Divide cheese over bottom half.
  • Spread mayonnaise on the inside of the top buns and place on top of the ham and cheese on the bottom buns.
  • In a small saucepan on low, melt the butter and then remove from heat.
  • Whisk in the mustard, onion flakes, Worcestershire and poppy seeds.
  • With a basting brush, brush sauce over tops of rolls. 
  • Cover with foil and let sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
  • Uncover and sprinkle the brown sugar over the top and place back in oven for 5 more minutes, or until the top buns are slightly brown.  Serve warm.

Notes

This can be prepared the prior day. After covering the buns, place in refrigerator overnight and then allow to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
The Southern Baked Ham Buns are best made with real ham cut from a ham like in my Instant Pot Maple Glazed Ham recipe, as opposed to using pre-sliced packaged ham, which is most likely processed ham. However, if you are in a crunch, you can use the packaged ham, but you will note the flavor difference in using real ham. Make sure to squeeze out the excess water from the processed stuff.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Southern Baked Ham Buns [Warm Ham and Cheese Sandwiches]
Amount Per Serving
Calories 392 Calories from Fat 234
% Daily Value*
Fat 26g40%
Saturated Fat 13g81%
Cholesterol 80mg27%
Sodium 704mg31%
Potassium 158mg5%
Carbohydrates 19g6%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 22g44%
Vitamin A 432IU9%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 313mg31%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @ThisOldGalCooks or tag #thisoldgalcooks!
© ThisOldGal.com - Sharing the recipe link to any of my recipes posts are both encouraged and appreciated. Unauthorized and improperly attributed or non-attributed use of this material, including screen shots, copy/paste of full recipes to any social media site, website, mobile application or service (e.g., copymethat, recipe keeper, pepper) or cookbook, without the requisite attribution or otherwise with express written permission from Jill Selkowitz is strictly prohibited. You may share a photo with a link back instead.

PIN this Holiday Party Ham Buns Southern Baked Ham Cheese Sandwiches!

Southern Baked Ham & Cheese Sandwiches

Southern Baked Ham & Cheese Sandwiches

1.2K shares
  • 354

March 31, 2016

About Jill Selkowitz

Hi, I'm Jill. I'm a mom to Tonkinese cats and enjoy sharing restaurant quality meals, easily made at home. With my easy step by step photos and directions, new cooks will be able to follow along and cook like rock stars.

Welcome To My Kitchen

An image of Jill Selkowitz
Hi, I'm Jill, cooking enthusiast. Here you'll find top chef quality recipes with step by step photos and directions. More About Me

Memorial Day Recipes

My Favorite Baby Back Ribs Recipe

Baby Back Carolina Style BBQ Pork Ribs…

Sweet Vidalia Onion Salad Dressing Marinade

Sweet Vidalia Onion Salad Dressing and…

Pecan Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Pecan Chicken Salad Sandwiches…

4 Bottles of Purple, Blue, Red and Green Sugar Free Shave Ice Syrup with two Shave Ice Cups in White Bowls

Sugar Free Shave Ice Syrup + Video…

Air Fryer

[facetwp facet="air_fryer"]

Instant Pot

[facetwp facet="instant_pot"]

Main

[facetwp facet="main"]

Popular

Instant Pot Greek Yogurt (Thick and…

Instant Pot New York Cheesecake #1 Best…

Instant Pot No Boil Yogurt [Cold Start…

Instant Pot No Knead Bread (Dutch Oven)…

Latest

20+ Superbowl 2024 Instant Pot Party…

Instant Pot Low Carb Wonton Soup [Recipe…

Sesame Garlic Noodles [w/Asian Flair]…

Instant Pot Low Carb UNStuffed Cabbage…

Seasonal

Claim Jumper Green Pea Salad Bar…

Instant Pot Sloppy Joes (Pressure…

Instant Pot Greek Meatballs {Keftedes}…

Healthy Pressure Cooker Potato Carrot…

Featured on:

About | Contact | Work With Me | Privacy Policy | Sitemap
Copyright ©2025, This Old Gal. All Rights Reserved.
1.2K shares