This cheesy, baked appetizer will be a fan favorite at your next potluck, game day, or holiday celebration. The best part, they come together quickly and effortlessly!
Yield: Approximately 36 bites
Finding a delicious appetizer that will please a crowd can be a daunting task, especially during the holiday season. These budget-friendly ham and cheese bites take just a few minutes to make and can be prepped ahead of time, making them a stress-free option that won’t break the bank. Add these to your holiday table, gift some to a neighbor, or enjoy them while cheering on your favorite team on game day!
To make this recipe you will need:
Diced Cooked Ham
This is a great recipe to use leftover ham. You can also use a store-bought ham steak or
prepackaged diced ham.
Flour
You can absolutely use gluten-free flour for this recipe; however, I used standard, all-purpose. To ensure accurate flour measurements, use a spoon to add the flour to your measuring cup and level it off with a flat edge, like the back of a butterknife.
Baking Soda, Baking Powder, & Sugar
Spices
Garlic Power, Onion Powder, Ground Black Pepper, and Chives
If you like heat, add in some crushed red pepper flakes to your desired taste preference.
Butter
We love the richness real butter adds to baked goods, but you can certainly replace the butter with a neutral oil like olive oil or avocado oil. For this recipe, you’ll need about ¾ cup plus 2 Tablespoons of oil.
Buttermilk
Do not skimp out on this ingredient! Buttermilk has been found to activate baking soda which produces the gas to make dough or batter rise. If you use regular milk or even the DIY trick of adding vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk, your final product will likely be flat discs rather than the ideal ball shape. The tangy flavor of buttermilk also gives a great background flavor to all of those wonderful spices!
Cheese
This recipe calls for sharp cheddar and pepper jack. You can certainly use all cheddar or all pepperjack. Swiss would also be a great option here.
Let’s get started!
Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix your dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Add buttermilk and melted butter to the dry ingredients. Mix well to combine.
Gently add ham and cheese into the dough mixture but do not overmix.
Begin forming dough into 1-inch balls and placing them on prepared baking sheet.
Once you have shaped your dough balls and have them on your baking sheet, place them in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Chilling the dough first will help the balls keep their shape.
Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 22-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
Ingredients
2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons chopped chives
4 Tablespoon + 1 Tablespoon butter, melted
1 ½ cups buttermilk
2 cups cooked ham, diced
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, add dry ingredients and gently mix together to combine.
Add buttermilk and 4 Tablespoons of melted butter to dry ingredients. Mix well to combine into dough.
Using your hands, gently work ham and cheese into dough. Do not overwork the dough.
Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, place dough balls 2 inches apart onto baking sheet lined with
parchment paper or sprayed with non-stick spray.
Refrigerate prepared balls for at least 1 hour before baking.
Brush the tops with the remaining melted butter.
Bake for approximately 22-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
Brush the tops with the remaining melted butter.
For an extra cheesy bite, dip into my Homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce!
Did you enjoy this easy, Baked Ham & Cheese Bites recipe? Let us know in the comments below!
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