Hanky Panky Sliders

Hanky Panky's are a delicious, old-fashioned appetizer served at potlucks, get-togethers and holidays. This slider spin is super easy and will be a crowd- pleaser for sure!

In my opinion, the best things in life are easy to make and delicious. This recipe for Hanky Panky Sliders checks both boxes. If you've never had Hanky Pankys, you're in for a real treat! The combination of sausage, beef, cheese and spices is a magical thing! Variations of the recipe have also been known to be called Party Pizzas, Polish Mistakes, Polish Disasters and S*%& on a Shingle.

I've been in love with this appetizer for 30 years. I don't have a clue of it's origin, but for me it began with my aunts throwing Home Interior parties (home decor in the 1980s). These little numbers would always be included in the spread of goodies.

Traditionally, the cheesy meat filling is spread on cocktail rye bread slices and baked in the oven (see recipe below). To be honest, I went to 3 stores and cocktail rye bread slices were nowhere to be found. They're more plentiful in the bakery department around Thanksgiving and Christmas. My usual plan B is to use regular rye bread slices cut in half, but they're just not as cute. Plan C, which might be my new favorite, is King's Hawaiian Pretzel Slider Buns!

The combination of the savory filling, salty pretzel exterior and sweet bread is a beautiful thing! Obviously, they're great in their classic rye bread form, but these just might become your new favorite way of making them too! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does!

What You'll Need

• Breakfast Sausage
• Hamburger
• Cayenne Pepper
• Oregano
• Garlic Powder
• American Cheese
• King's Hawaiian Pretzel Slider Buns

Tools You'll Need

• Meat Chopper
• Scoop
• Skillet

How to Make this Recipe

1. Cook and crumble the meat in a skillet on medium-high heat until no longer pink and cooked through. Drain any excess grease in a colander or with a paper towel.

2. Turn the heat to medium, and add the spices. Stir until combined well.
3. Lay the cheese slices on top of the meat, and allow it to warm for 3 minutes. Stir the mixture until the cheese has fully melted and it's a cohesive mix.

4. Separate the tops from the bottoms of the buns. To each of the bottom buns, add 2 tablespoons of the cooked filling. Add the top buns to the top and serve. (Optional: butter and toast the inside of the buns in a skillet prior to adding the filling.) These sliders are best served warm.

Tips and Substitutions

• Velveeta can be substituted for the American cheese. You can also use a combination of the two. Substituting with cheddar will not yield the creaminess that makes this recipe so delicious, but you can use it as well.
• You can use ground turkey, mild, hot or homemade breakfast sausage.
• Leftover filling is also excellent used as a filling for a grilled sandwich, quesadilla or over tortilla chips.
• This can be an easy gluten-free appetizer by using corn tortilla chips or gluten-free bread as the base.
• For a low carb version, halve and remove the membrane from mini sweet peppers, fill with the filling and bake in the oven or air fry.
• If you want to make this a dip, add a can of Rotel, ¼ pound more American and/or Velveeta cheese and a splash of milk to your desired consistency. This is great to serve in a slow-cooker with tortilla chips and raw veggies.
• You can make the filling ahead of time and reheat before your get-together.

Storage

• Store any leftover filling mixture in an air-tight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days
• The filling can be frozen in an air-tight container up to 3 months.

More Recipes like This

• Hanky Pankys
• Spicy Sausage Balls
• Buffalo Chicken Sliders
• Everything Roast Beef Sliders