Cranberry Turkey Sliders Recipe

You know that moment the day after Thanksgiving when you open the fridge and see all those containers of leftovers? That's when I make these Cranberry Turkey Sliders! I discovered this recipe three years ago when Amy asked if we could have "tiny sandwiches" for lunch the day after Thanksgiving. Bradley rolled his eyes at first, but after one bite, he grabbed three more. Now it's our official post-Thanksgiving tradition.

These sliders are seriously the perfect way to turn your Thanksgiving leftovers into something everyone actually gets excited about. We're talking tender turkey, tangy cranberry sauce, melted cheese, all on sweet Hawaiian rolls with this amazing poppyseed butter that gets brushed on top. The whole thing bakes together until the tops turn golden and everything gets all melty and delicious.

What I love most is how quick this comes together. When I'm tired from cooking the day before, the last thing I want is another complicated meal. These sliders take maybe 10 minutes to assemble, then the oven does all the work. Plus, they make your kitchen smell incredible.

If you're looking for more ways to use up those Thanksgiving leftovers, you'll want to check out my perfect homemade pancake recipe – I sometimes fold leftover turkey into the batter for a savory breakfast twist!

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love These Cranberry Turkey Sliders
• Ingredients For Your Turkey Sliders With Cranberry Sauce
• How To Make The Best Cranberry Turkey Sliders
• Storage And Reheating Your Thanksgiving Sliders
• Smart Tips For Making Turkey And Cranberry Sliders
• Cranberry Turkey Sliders FAQs
• Recipes You May Like
• Wrapping Up These Delicious Turkey Sliders
• Cranberry Turkey Sliders

Why You'll Love These Cranberry Turkey Sliders

• Super quick assembly – Honestly, this takes less time than making regular sandwiches because you're building one big slab instead of individual servings. I timed myself last year and it was 8 minutes from fridge to oven.
• Uses up multiple leftovers at once – Turkey, cranberry sauce, even that extra cheese you bought for the appetizer board. It all comes together in one dish.
• The poppyseed butter is a game-changer – This was John's addition to the recipe. He suggested adding Dijon mustard and brown sugar to the butter, and wow, it makes such a difference. Sweet, tangy, and slightly crunchy from the poppy seeds.
• Perfect for feeding a crowd – I've made these for Black Friday movie marathons with the neighbors. Everyone loves them, and you can easily double the recipe.
• Kids actually eat them – Amy, who usually picks at her Thanksgiving dinner, devours these sliders. Something about the sweet rolls with the tangy cranberry sauce just works.
• Leftovers that don't feel like leftovers – This is key for me. I don't want to eat the exact same meal two days in a row, and these sliders feel completely different from Thanksgiving dinner.

Ingredients For Your Turkey Sliders With Cranberry Sauce

For the sliders:

• 1 package Hawaiian slider rolls (12 rolls) – The sweetness of these rolls is what makes the recipe special
• 2-3 cups leftover turkey (8 to 10 slices) – I use a mix of white and dark meat
• 2 cups cranberry sauce – Homemade or canned both work great
• 6-8 slices provolone cheese – Swiss or Havarti are good substitutes

For the poppyseed butter:

• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

I always use leftover turkey from our Thanksgiving dinner, but honestly, deli turkey works too if you're making these at a different time of year. The cranberry sauce can be homemade or the canned kind – I've used both and they're equally delicious. Bradley actually prefers the jellied canned version because it spreads more easily.

How To Make The Best Cranberry Turkey Sliders

Prep your baking dish and rolls:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. This is important – don't skip preheating or the cheese won't melt properly.
2. Grab your 9x13 inch baking dish and spray it with cooking spray. I learned this the hard way when the butter mixture made everything stick to an ungreased pan.
3. Take your Hawaiian rolls and slice the entire sheet in half horizontally. Try to keep all the buns connected – it makes everything so much easier. Place the bottom half in your prepared baking dish.

Layer the fillings:

4. Distribute the leftover turkey evenly over the bottom buns. I like to tear larger pieces into smaller chunks so every slider gets a good amount. Don't be shy with the turkey – pile it on!
5. Layer the provolone cheese slices on top of the turkey. I usually tear the cheese slices to make sure they cover all the turkey. This creates a nice barrier between the turkey and cranberry sauce.
6. Spread the cranberry sauce over the cheese layer. Here's my tip: don't go too heavy or the sliders get messy. About 2-3 tablespoons per slider is perfect. Amy likes to help with this part because she says it's like frosting a cake.
7. Place the top half of the rolls over the cranberry layer. Press down gently so everything sticks together.

Make the magic butter:

8. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, and poppy seeds. This takes maybe 30 seconds but makes such a difference.
9. Use a pastry brush to coat the entire top of the rolls. Get into all the crevices between the buns. The butter mixture will soak in a bit and create this amazing golden crust.

Bake to perfection:

10. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes. This helps everything heat through without the tops getting too brown.
11. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes. You're looking for golden tops and melted cheese. Sometimes I give it an extra 2-3 minutes if the cheese isn't quite melted enough.
12. Let the sliders rest for about 2 minutes before cutting. This helps the cheese set slightly so they're easier to serve.

The first time I made these, I forgot to cover them with foil and the tops got too brown before the cheese melted. John still ate four of them, but I've learned my lesson!

Storage And Reheating Your Thanksgiving Sliders

I'll be honest – these sliders are so good that we rarely have leftovers. But when we do, here's what works:

Storing: Place leftover sliders in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. I separate them with small pieces of parchment paper so they don't stick together.

Reheating: The oven is your best friend here. Wrap the sliders in foil and reheat at 300 degrees for about 10 minutes. You can also use the microwave for 30-45 seconds, but the rolls won't be as crispy.

Freezing note: I don't recommend freezing assembled sliders because the cranberry sauce makes everything soggy when thawed. However, you can freeze the components separately – the turkey, cranberry sauce, and even the butter mixture all freeze well for up to 2 months.

One trick I learned from my cooking school days: if you're reheating in the microwave, place a damp paper towel over the sliders to keep them from drying out. Bradley discovered this works perfectly for his after-school snacks.

Smart Tips For Making Turkey And Cranberry Sliders

Choose your cheese wisely. While I usually go with provolone, I've experimented with other options. Swiss adds a nice nutty flavor, and Havarti makes everything extra creamy. Amy once convinced me to try cheddar, and honestly, it was pretty good too!

Don't skip the mustard. The Dijon in the butter mixture balances the sweetness of the rolls and cranberry sauce. I tried making these without it once, and they were just too sweet.

Make them ahead for easy entertaining. You can assemble these completely, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Just add 5 extra minutes to the covered baking time since they'll be cold from the fridge.

Use kitchen shears for easier slicing. After baking, I use kitchen shears to cut between the individual sliders. It's much easier than a knife and keeps everything intact.

Try different cranberry sauces. I've made these with homemade cranberry-orange sauce, jellied canned sauce, and whole berry sauce. They all work great, so use whatever you have!

Add extra flavor layers. Sometimes I spread a thin layer of cream cheese under the turkey, or add some fresh arugula on top before serving. John likes to add a few drops of hot sauce to his – it cuts through the sweetness nicely.

Watch your oven. Every oven is different. Mine runs a little hot, so I usually check the sliders at 18 minutes total baking time instead of 20. You want golden tops, not burnt ones!

Honestly, the best tip I can give you is to make these the day after Thanksgiving when you're tired and don't want to cook. They're filling, delicious, and everyone in my family looks forward to them as much as the Thanksgiving meal itself.

Cranberry Turkey Sliders FAQs

Recipes You May Like

Looking for more ways to use up those Thanksgiving leftovers or create crowd-pleasing meals? Try these favorites:

• The Best Meatloaf Recipe – This is another family favorite that uses simple ingredients and feeds a crowd. It's become our go-to Sunday dinner.
• Homemade Corn Dogs – If you love making fun, shareable foods like these sliders, you'll love these corn dogs. Amy requests them for every birthday party.
• Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp – Since you're already loving Hawaiian rolls with these sliders, this Hawaiian-inspired dish is another winner for your recipe collection.

Wrapping Up These Delicious Turkey Sliders

These Cranberry Turkey Sliders have become such a special part of our post-Thanksgiving tradition. What started as a quick lunch idea has turned into something my whole family looks forward to every year. There's just something about those sweet Hawaiian rolls, the tangy cranberry sauce, melted cheese, and that incredible poppyseed butter that makes everyone happy.

The best part? You probably already have everything you need sitting in your fridge right now. No special trip to the store, no complicated techniques – just simple assembly and 20 minutes in the oven.

I really hope you'll give these a try! Whether you're using actual Thanksgiving leftovers or just recreating that flavor any time of year with deli turkey, I think you're going to love how easy and delicious these sliders are.

Make them for your family, share them with neighbors, or bring them to a Black Friday potluck. However you serve them, save this recipe to Pinterest so you can find it again next year. Trust me, once you make these, they'll become part of your tradition too!

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