Make Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders For Your Party

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A Classic Sandwich Reinvented As An Appetizer

These Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders are the kind of thing people hover over at a party—warm, cheesy, and gone before you know it.

If you’re feeding a crowd (Derby, graduation, or just hungry people), this is one to keep in your back pocket.

The original Kentucky Hot Brown comes from the Brown Hotel in Louisville. This slider version keeps all that rich flavor—but makes it easy to serve a crowd.

Why You Will Love These Sliders

• Feeds a crowd without extra work
• Make-ahead friendly (always a relief when you’re hosting)
• Classic Kentucky flavor in an easy format
• Perfect for Derby parties, game day, or potlucks

The original Kentucky Hot Brown is an open-faced sandwich layered with turkey and bacon, covered in a rich Mornay sauce, and baked until golden and bubbly. It’s the kind of knife-and-fork dish you sit down for.

These sliders take all that flavor and turn it into an easy, handheld version—perfect for parties and feeding a crowd.

How To Make Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders

These sliders come together quickly and are easy to assemble ahead—perfect when you’re feeding a crowd.

1. Cook the bacon

Cook the bacon until crisp, then drain on paper towels. Set aside.

2. Slice the rolls

Without separating them, slice the entire package of Hawaiian rolls horizontally in half. Place the bottom half in a baking dish.

3. Layer the sliders

Top the rolls with:

• sliced turkey
• crispy bacon
• a generous layer of cheese sauce
• thinly sliced tomatoes

Place the top half of the rolls back on.

4. Add the topping

In a small bowl, mix:

• melted butter
• Worcestershire sauce
• a little brown sugar
• poppy seeds

Brush over the tops of the rolls.

5. Bake

Cover loosely with foil and bake at 375°F for about 15 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake another 5 minutes, until golden and heated through.

6. Serve

Use a serrated knife to separate the buns into twelve individual Kentucky Hot Brown sliders, then stand back and watch a whole pan of them disappear!

Make this a full Derby party spread!

Cool and creamy Benedictine Spread - Cream cheese, cucumber, and onion are the main ingredients! It's perfect as a spread or a dip for your Kentucky Derby party!

Something to sip: Cranberry Bourbon Slush - An easy, festive frozen cocktail that's easy to make ahead. Pretty and a great flavor combination!

Something sweet: Sawdust Pie - Sawdust pie became famous when Patti Tullar allowed Bon Appétit magazine to publish her "secret" recipe in 1983. It is delightfully gooey with a crunchy, nutty top.

Pick a couple of favorites, and you’ve got an easy Derby spread without a lot of extra work.

PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD

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Yield: 12 sliders

Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders

Print

This recipe makes the famous kentucky Hot Brown sandwich into sliders so they can be a grab and go delight!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• One package of King's Hawaiin Sweet Rolls (one dozen)
• One pound thinly sliced oven roasted deli turkey
• 8-12 slices of crisply cooked bacon
• Two Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced into 12 slices
• One cup milk or light cream
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp flour
• Up to one cup of shredded cheese, your choice *
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp or more of poppyseeds

Instructions

1. Turn oven to 375 degrees.
2. Split the Hawaiin rolls across to make a top and a bottom, but keep the buns attached.
3. Put the bottom part of the rolls in an 11 x 7 pan.
4. Put a layer of turkey on top of the buns, staying within the bun's edges.
5. Top the turkey with the bacon, crumbled or cut into pieces as desired.
6. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and cook over medium heat until well combined and bubbly.
7. Add the milk and cook until thickened. Taste the sauce to check if it still tastes "floury," and if it does, cook for another three minutes or so,
8. Add the grated cheese to the sauce and stir until it's melted. Spread it on top of the bacon, staying inside the edges of the rolls.
9. Put a tomato slice on each roll and put the top of the rolls back in place.
10. Melt butter with Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and poppyseed in a microwave-safe cup or small bowl.
11. Brush the butter mixture lavishly on the rolls and let them soak it up for five minutes or so,
12. Cover lightly with foil and bake for 5 minutes, then bake uncoveredfor an additional 5 minutes to brown.
13. Use a serrated knife to separate the sliders.
14. Tightly wrap and refrigerate any leftovers and reheat in the oven or microwave.

Notes

* The original recipe calls for Pecorino Reggiano cheese or Gruyere, but you can use whatever you have: cheddar, Swiss, Mozzarella, Parmesan, etc.

FAQs About Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders

Can I make Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble the sliders without the buttery topping, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours. Add the topping just before baking, so the rolls don’t get soggy.

What kind of turkey works best?
Thinly sliced deli turkey works great and keeps this recipe easy. You can also use thinly sliced leftover roasted turkey if you have it.

Do I have to use tomatoes?
Tomatoes are traditional in a Kentucky Hot Brown, but you can leave them off if your crowd prefers. Thin slices of Roma tomatoes work best, so the sliders don’t get watery.

What should I serve with Hot Brown Sliders?
For a Derby-style party spread, serve them with Benedictine Spread, Bourbon Slush, and Sawdust Pie. They’re also great with chips, pickles, or a simple salad.

More Easy Slider Recipes

If you’re feeding a crowd, these are always a hit too:

• Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders
• Cheeseburger Sliders

If you make this recipe, I'd love to hear how it turned out.

If you enjoyed a post, I'd love it if you would leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review or a comment. It really helps me reach other folks who love "farm food" recipes like these!

Love, GB (Betty Streff)

Real food. Real kitchen. Real easy.

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