Name: Cheeseburger Sliders
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef (90/10 or 93/7 are best); 1/2 tablespoon olive oil; ¼ yellow onion (finely diced); 1½ teaspoons steak seasoning; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 3 tablespoons cream cheese; ⅛ cup bone broth or water; 8 slices medium cheddar cheese; 3 oz mozzarella (shredded (or just more sliced cheese)); 12 dinner rolls; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (melted, plus more for greasing the baking sheet); ½ tablespoon sesame seeds

Cheeseburger sliders are one of those recipes that works for absolutely everything. Game day, weeknight dinner, birthday party, random Saturday afternoon when you need something everyone is going to love. You start by browning the ground beef with diced onion, steak seasoning, and garlic powder until it is perfectly cooked and flavorful. Then you stir in cream cheese and a splash of bone broth until the whole thing turns creamy and rich. Layer it onto dinner rolls with cheddar on the bottom and mozzarella on top, brush the rolls with butter, add sesame seeds, and bake until golden and melty. Thirty minutes and twelve sliders that disappear faster than almost anything else I make.

A tray of golden-brown slider sandwiches with sesame seed buns, melted cheese, and beef, served with a small bowl of creamy dipping sauce on parchment paper.

A Quick Look At This Recipe

Recipe Name: Cheeseburger Sliders
Ready In: 25 minutes
Serves: 12 sliders
Calories: 266 cal
Main Ingredients: ground beef, olive oil, yellow onion, 1½ teaspoons steak seasoning, garlic powder, cream cheese, bone broth or water, medium cheddar cheese
Why You'll Love It: These cheeseburger sliders fill dinner rolls with a creamy seasoned ground beef and cheddar mixture topped with melted mozzarella and baked until golden for an easy crowd-pleasing appetizer or weeknight dinner ready in 30 minutes.

Why You’ll Love Cheeseburger Sliders

Thirty minutes from start to finish and twelve sliders come out of the oven at once. This is one of the most efficient crowd-feeding recipes you can make.

The cream cheese stirred into the beef filling keeps everything moist, creamy, and cohesive…. which means no dry crumbly beef falling out of the rolls when you pick them up.

– Lyuda

Ingredients Needed to Make Cheeseburger Sliders

The Beef Filling

Lean ground beef cooked with finely diced yellow onion, steak seasoning, and garlic powder. Cream cheese and bone broth stirred in at the end make the filling creamy and moist. Lean beef is specifically recommended so the filling is not greasy.

The Cheese

Medium cheddar slices layered under the beef add a classic cheeseburger flavor foundation. Shredded mozzarella or additional cheddar over the beef adds the melty, gooey element that makes every bite satisfying.

The Rolls

Twelve dinner rolls sliced as a single connected unit horizontally. Brushed with melted butter and topped with sesame seeds before baking for that classic slider bun finish.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

How to Make Cheeseburger Sliders

Step 1: Prep and Preheat

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a rimmed baking sheet with butter.

Step 2: Cook the Beef

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the diced onion for 2 to 3 minutes until soft. Add the ground beef, steak seasoning, and garlic powder. Break apart and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until fully browned and cooked through.

Ground beef and chopped onions cooking in a pan, with seasonings and a block of cream cheese added to the center.

Ground beef and chopped onions cooking in a skillet, with the meat browned and the onions partially softened.

Step 3: Make It Creamy

Reduce the heat to low. Add the cream cheese and bone broth. Stir until the cream cheese is completely melted and the filling is smooth and creamy. Remove from heat.

Step 4: Build the Sliders

Slice the entire roll package horizontally without separating the rolls. Place the bottom half on the baking sheet. Layer the cheddar slices over the rolls then spread the beef filling evenly over the cheese. Scatter the mozzarella or additional cheddar over the beef.

Open sandwich on brown parchment paper topped with ground beef, cheddar cheese slices, and a generous layer of shredded mozzarella cheese, ready for baking. The sandwich bun tops are visible in the background.

Cooked ground beef is being spread onto buns with a spatula on parchment paper.

Step 5: Top and Bake

Place the top half of the rolls over the filling. Brush generously with melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden and the cheese is fully melted. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes if the tops need more color.

Four slices of yellow cheese are neatly placed on top of a piece of white bread, with the bread and cheese both cut into four squares.

A close-up of several pull-apart slider sandwiches with golden brown tops, filled with cheese and ground beef on a baking tray.

Step 6: Rest and Slice

Let rest for 2 to 3 minutes then cut between the rolls and serve warm.

How to Store Cheeseburger Sliders

Store in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 325°F oven covered with foil for 10 minutes or in the air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 4 minutes to restore the golden tops. The microwave works but softens the rolls significantly.

More Appetizer Recipes to Check Out

Serving Suggestions

Serve warm directly from the baking sheet with extra condiments on the side, ketchup, mustard, mayo, and pickles all work naturally alongside the classic cheeseburger flavor. A simple green salad or a bowl of potato chips alongside turns these into a complete meal.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cheeseburger Sliders

Why use lean ground beef specifically?

Higher fat ground beef releases significantly more grease during cooking and produces a greasy filling that soaks into the bottom rolls during baking and makes them soggy. Lean 90/10 or 93/7 ground beef produces a flavorful, well-browned filling with minimal excess grease that keeps the rolls from getting soggy during the bake. If you only have 80/20 available drain the excess grease thoroughly after browning before adding the cream cheese.

Why add cream cheese to the beef filling?

Plain seasoned ground beef inside a slider can be dry and crumbly and tends to fall out of the roll when picked up. Cream cheese stirred in with a small amount of liquid produces a creamy, cohesive filling that binds the beef together and adds a subtle richness and moisture that keeps every slider juicy from the first bite to the last. It is the ingredient that makes these specifically better than a standard slider.

Can I assemble these ahead of time?

Yes. Assemble the sliders completely through the butter and sesame seed step, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate for up to 8 hours before baking. Bake directly from the refrigerator adding 3 to 5 extra minutes to the bake time since they are starting cold. This makes them an excellent make-ahead option for parties or game day gatherings.

Can I use Hawaiian rolls instead of dinner rolls?

Yes. Hawaiian rolls produce a slightly sweeter, softer result that many people love for sliders. The slightly sweet roll pairs naturally with the savory seasoned beef and cheddar filling. The assembly and baking process stays identical. Hawaiian rolls are slightly smaller than standard dinner rolls so the filling may need to be distributed a little more thinly across the rolls.

More Appetizer Recipes

Crispy Potato Pizza Cups

Honey Roasted Carrots with Whipped Feta (Easy 30-Minute Side Dish)

Easy Homemade Guacamole Recipe

The Easiest 5-Minute Boursin Cheese, Cranberry & Pistachio Dip

If you make this, I’d love to hear how it turned out – a star rating or a note in the comments helps others find the recipe and helps me know what’s working in your kitchen. Tag me @gracefilledkitchen in your photos on social media so I can see your creations.