Make the most of your Thanksgiving leftovers with these Turkey Cranberry Sliders! Ready in just 15 minutes of prep, these sliders combine leftover turkey, tangy cranberry sauce, and melty cheese on sweet Hawaiian rolls. They’re perfect party food for game day or a crowd, but just as good on a random Tuesday. Baked to golden perfection in just 45 minutes, they’re a must-try!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Michelle raved, “This is so brilliant! I never know what to do with leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving, but my kids LOVE these sliders!”
Why I Make These Turkey Sliders on Repeat
I’ve made a lot of slider recipes over the years. These turkey ones are still one of my favorites, especially when I’m staring down a fridge full of Thanksgiving leftovers. My trick? Brush the rolls with a buttery herb mix, then cover them while they bake so they stay soft and gooey instead of drying out.
These are some of the most saved recipes on my whole site, and this one holds its own right alongside them. I’ve tested it enough times to promise it turns out the same way every time you make it.
What is it about a leftover turkey cranberry sandwich with all the fixings that hits different the day after Thanksgiving? It’s all the best parts of your holiday meal. I’m always finding new ways to use up that turkey: in these turkey and cheese sliders, my leftover turkey tacos, or this turkey divan. Pick your favorite.
Why you’ll love these Turkey Sliders
- Perfect for Leftovers: They transform leftover turkey and tart cranberry sauce into a cozy, new meal.
- Reader-Approved: My slider recipes have thousands of saves, making them some of the most popular on my site.
- Family-Friendly: The mix of sweet rolls, savory turkey, and melty cheese makes them a hit with everyone.
- Customizable: Add gravy, try different cheeses, or even include leftover stuffing for a twist.
- Great for a Crowd: This recipe doubles easily and disappears fast, perfect for game day, potlucks, or any get-together where you need to feed a hungry group.
Ingredients for Turkey Cranberry Sliders
- Dinner rolls | I use King’s Hawaiian Sweet Rolls; use leftover small, soft dinner rolls!
- Cream cheese | Soften the cream cheese to room temperature to spread on the rolls.
- Cranberry sauce | I prefer whole cranberry sauce, not jellied. Freshly made is the best, but if you must canned will do the trick! Make this easy homemade cranberry sauce.
- Turkey | This is the perfect chance to use your leftover turkey! Try my Air Fryer Turkey Breast, or use sliced deli turkey breast.
- Cheese | Use your favorite melty cheese slices for this recipe, but I prefer Havarti. Cheddar cheese or creamy brie are also great!
- Butter | Top the rolls with seasoned melted butter. If using unsalted butter.
- Garlic and onion | Mix fresh garlic, pressed, and dried minced onion to the buttery topping.
- Salt | Toss in a pinch of kosher salt.
- Worcestershire sauce | Don’t skip this ingredient; it adds amazing salty flavor! Use Lea & Perrins if you are gluten-free
- Poppy seeds | Sprinkle the buttery rolls with poppy seeds, if desired.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
How to Make Turkey Sliders
- First, preheat the oven to 350°F (175 °C) and lightly grease the baking pan.
- Slice the soft Hawaiian rolls in half using a serrated knife without separating and place the bottom half in the prepared baking dish.
3. Spread the softened cream cheese onto the cut side of the bottom half of the rolls.
4. Then, spread the cranberry sauce evenly over the cream cheese with a rubber spatula or offset spatula.
5. Now, place the layers of turkey and cheese on top of the cranberry cream cheese and place the top half of the buns on the turkey.
6. Mix the melted butter, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and salt in a pourable container like a measuring cup, to make the pouring easier. If you only have a small bowl, it will do fine.
7. Stir the butter mixture well and pour it evenly over the tops of the buns, using a brush to brush the sides with the decadent butter sauce. Finally, if desired, sprinkle the poppy seeds evenly over the tops of the rolls. Now they are ready for the oven.
8. Then, cover the dish with foil and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the hot and cheese melts. Remove the foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the tops are crispy and golden. Allow the sliders to cool briefly, then serve while hot and melty! Enjoy!
Make These Turkey Cranberry Sliders in Advance
To avoid soggy rolls, make turkey sliders as directed, but hold off on the butter sauce until just before baking. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, or freeze for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge, brush on butter sauce, then bake as directed, adding 2-3 minutes. Remember to remove your plastic wrap and replace it with foil.
Tips for Turkey Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls
- Slice the bottoms slightly thicker than the tops to avoid soggy buns.
- Remember to soften the cream cheese so it spreads easily. You can also use whipped or spreadable cream cheese if preferred.
- For an even crispier roll top, remove the foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking.
Sliders are easy to make and are always a hit! For more slider recipes, try my delicious Philly Cheesesteak Sliders, buttery Cheeseburger Sliders, and Easy Meatball Sliders, all made with fluffy Hawaiian rolls!
Variations for this Turkey Sliders Recipe
- Cheesy Turkey Sliders: If you’d like, swap the cheese for melty Swiss cheese, provolone cheese, brie or another favorite type of cheese. Use cheese leftover from your Thanksgiving charcuterie board.
- Add Stuffing: Take this turkey slider recipe to the next level by including leftover stuffing or mashed potatoes!
- Apple Cranberry Crunch: Top the turkey with a few thin slices of Granny Smith apple for a tart, crisp bite against the sweet cranberry sauce.
- No Thanksgiving Turkey? No Problem: You can still enjoy these delicious and easy turkey sliders without having leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Grab pre-roasted turkey or deli meat from the grocery store, make it with ground turkey, or even use rotisserie chicken for this recipe.
- Cranberry Allergy? No Problem: Swap the cranberry sauce for your favorite jam instead. Cherry, raspberry, or mixed berry all work great. Feeling adventurous? A savory onion jam or bacon jam is fantastic too.
- Garlic: If necessary, use garlic powder instead of the fresh garlic cloves.
- Brown Sugar: I don’t use brown sugar in this recipe, like in my Ham and Cheese Sliders or my Roast Beef Sliders. If you’d like to have a sweet sauce, add 1-2 tablespoons of brown sugar to the butter sauce.
- Seasoning: Try sprinkling bagel seasoning on the top instead of poppy seeds.
Recommended Tools
- I love this set of three bakers; bakes evenly and cleans up like a dream!
How to Store Turkey Hawaiian Roll Sliders
Refrigerator: After the sliders cool, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days to enjoy later.
Freeze: Let the sliders cool completely, then move them to an airtight, freezer-safe container or plastic baggie for storage to keep for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat Cranberry Turkey Sliders
To reheat or keep sliders warm for a game-day gathering, wrap them in aluminum foil and reheat in a crockpot on warm or low. You can also reheat the sliders in the oven at 350° F (175° C) by returning the leftover sliders to the baking dish and covering them with foil. Then, bake them for 5 to 10 minutes, removing the foil for the last few minutes.
While you can microwave individual leftover turkey sliders, it tends to make them overly tough and chewy, so my preference is one of the two ways above.
Can I keep turkey sliders warm in a crock pot?
Yes! Using your crockpot is a great way to keep them warm, grab-and-go style. Allow the sliders to cool for about 10 minutes, then wrap each slider individually in aluminum foil, place in a crockpot, lay some paper towels or a clean tea towel between the lid and the crock (this catches any condensation), and place the lid on; turn the slow cooker on warm.
Turkey and Cheese Sliders FAQ
Sliders are small sandwiches typically made with rolls or mini buns. They are miniatures of larger sandwiches, like hamburgers, Phillys, ham sandwiches, and many more.
Slider buns are usually small, bite-sized, and soft. They are often sweeter than a traditional sandwich bun, like the famous Hawaiian rolls. However, mini burger buns, small sub rolls, brioche rolls and dinner rolls are also common.
Absolutely! This is an excellent recipe to make ahead. Just prepare all the fillings and assemble the sliders to keep in the fridge until you’re ready to serve them. Then, add the buttery sauce, pour it over the rolls, and bake as directed. See the details below on how to make ahead.
Trimmings and pieces of leftover Thanksgiving turkey stay fresh in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days. So, don’t forget to sneak in this delicious roasted turkey leftovers recipe before the Monday after Thanksgiving! Or place in freezer for optimal freshness.
Havarti is my go-to. It melts smoothly and doesn’t fight with the cranberry sauce. Swiss, provolone, and brie all work well too if you want to switch it up. I’d steer clear of a sharp cheddar here; the sharpness competes with the sweetness instead of playing nice with it.
What to Serve with Turkey Sliders
More Leftover Turkey Recipes
- Turkey and Wild Rice Casserole – good and super easy!
- Turkey Divan Recipe (or chicken) – Delicious!!
- Leftover Turkey Tacos Recipe
More Sliders Recipes
Sliders are kind of my thing; enjoy these other popular slider recipes.
- Breakfast Sliders
- Meatball Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls
- Philly Cheesesteak Sliders Recipe
- Pizza Sliders Recipe with Hawaiian Rolls
- Ham and Cheese Sliders
- Cheeseburger Sliders with Hawaiian Rolls
More Popular Recipes from The Fresh Cooky
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Ingredients
- 1 package Hawaiian Rolls such as King's, or use gluten-free, Keto, brioche slider buns
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 ½ cups whole cranberry sauce not jellied, fresh or canned
- 2 cups leftover turkey cut into bite-size pieces or shredded, or use sliced deli turkey
- 6 slices havarti cheese or your favorite cheese, Swiss, cheddar, Muenster all work well
- ½ cup salted butter 1 stick, melted (salted or unsalted, if using unsalted add ¼ teaspoon kosher salt)
- 1 clove garlic minced or replace with 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried minced onion
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Pinch kosher salt
- ½ tablespoon poppy seeds optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175° C) and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Without pulling the rolls apart, slice them in half lengthwise, so you have a bottom half and a top half of attached buns. Slice the bottom slightly thicker than the top1 package Hawaiian Rolls
- Place the bottom half of the rolls in the baking dish and spread the cream cheese over them. Next, spoon on the cranberry sauce and gently spread over the cream cheese.8 ounces cream cheese, 1 ½ cups whole cranberry sauce
- Evenly distribute the turkey on top of the sauce, finish with a layer of cheese, then put the top half of the buns on top.2 cups leftover turkey, 6 slices havarti cheese
- Combine the melted butter, garlic, onion, Worcestershire sauce, and salt in a measuring cup or another pourable container. Stir well, then pour over the tops of the sandwiches. Sprinkle the poppy seeds all over the top.½ cup salted butter, 1 clove garlic, ½ teaspoon dried minced onion, ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, Pinch kosher salt, ½ tablespoon poppy seeds
- Cover with foil, and bake for 20-30 minutes, until cheese is melted. If a crisper top is desired, remove the foil during the last 10 minutes of baking.
Notes
Nutrition
kathy
What could I substitute for the cranberry sauce? I have someone that is allergic to them.
Hi Kathy, That’s a great question! You can either omit it or use a jam (think cherry, raspberry, mixed berry) even a savory jam would be delish! Such as an onion jam, bacon jam, etc.
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
These sliders were delicious. I used leftover chicken from a roast and the whole family devoured them. Definitely making these again.
Yay! So glad you loved them so!!
Michelle
This is so brilliant! I never know what to do with leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving, but my kids LOVE these sliders!
Yay!!! Mom dinner win is always a win!
Dannii
These are going to be great for serving up to a hungry crowd.
They really are!
Saif
The turkey slider is absolutely delicious. I made it for my family and they all loved it.
Thank you so much. So glad everyone loved it.