Cowboy Sliders stuff seasoned ground beef, cheese, bacon, french fried onions, and jalapeno slices between the top and bottom layers of cowboy buttered buns. Packed with even more flavor than its big burger counterpart, I give you permission to use your fingers for any filling that falls out!

a stack of Cowboy Sliders with ground beef , melted cheese, bacon and jalapeno slices served on toasted buns.

Our Cowboy Sliders recipe starts by brushing the bottom half of Hawaiian buns with cowboy butter and covering it with a flavorful meat mixture, shredded cheese, crispy crumbled bacon, peppers, and onions. Top it all with bread and brush with more butter, then bake the ground beef sliders until golden brown.

This cowboy sandwich shortcut recipe is an easy way to make sliders: I skip making individual portions and instead layer all the components in between the top and bottom bun, then bake it as a single sandwich.

These cowboy butter sliders may be miniature in size, but when you can make multiple mini-meals all at once, there’s more to feed your crowd. It’s the perfect way to serve comfort food for game day, party appetizers, hand-held sides for soup or salad, or as part of the main dish with dinner.

Ingredients Notes

Salted butter: The butter is the base of the cowboy butter recipe.
Honey Dijon mustard: Adds a tangy, slightly sweet flavor that balances the richness of the butter. Some recipes use lemon juice to provide a subtle acidity, which helps to cut through the fat, but I prefer the taste of mustard.
Fresh chopped chives: Provide a mild onion-like flavor and a pop of color to the butter mixture.
Fresh parsley: I used curly parsley, but you can use flat-leaf parsley if you prefer.
Fresh thyme leaves: Adds an earthy, slightly peppery flavor with a hint of mint to the butter.
Minced garlic: Feel free to substitute garlic powder for the minced garlic.
Kosher salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness from the honey Dijon mustard.
Fresh cracked black pepper: Adds a mild heat and a sharp, pungent flavor that cuts through the richness of the butter.
Paprika: Provides a mild, sweet pepper flavor and a rich red color.
Ground chipotle powder: Brings a smoky, spicy kick to the butter.
King Hawaiian Rolls: I love using these rolls because of their soft, sweet, and slightly tangy taste. If King Hawaiian Buns are unavailable, you can substitute regular premade dinner rolls or regular slider rolls. Just make sure to keep the rolls connected for easy assembly and baking.
Ground beef: I used an 80/20 mixture, but you can use 88/12 or 90/10. Feel free to use ground chicken or turkey for ground beef for a lower-fat meat mixture.
Sweet yellow onion: This onion adds sweetness and depth of flavor to the ground beef. If preferred, you can substitute plain yellow onion for the sweet yellow onion.
Hamburger seasoning: I used McCormick’s brand seasoning blend. You can make your own using a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder, or other spices that add a savory and slightly smoky flavor to the meat.
Worcestershire sauce: The combination of vinegar, molasses, and anchovies in the sauce enhances the meatiness of the beef.
Freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese: Adds a rich, tangy flavor and a creamy texture to the sliders.
Smoked bacon: Adds a smoky, salty, and crunchy element to the sliders.
French fried onions: Add a crunchy texture and a slightly sweet, oniony flavor
Jalapeno: Gives the sliders a spicy kick.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Cowboy Sliders

Make The Cowboy Butter: Melt the butter in a saucepan and remove from the heat. Whisk in the mustard, chives, parsley, thyme, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, and chipotle powder.
Butter The Buns: Slice rolls in half horizontally and place the bottom half of the bread in the baking dish. Brush with cowboy butter.
Make The Meat Mixture: Cook the ground beef, onions, and garlic until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink. Drain any excess oil. Stir in the hamburger seasoning and Worcestershire sauce.
Assemble: Spoon the ground beef mixture over the buttered buns. Sprinkle with cheese, then the crumbled bacon, followed by the french fried onions, and finally add 1 jalapeno ring on top for each slider.
Cover And Coat: Cover the sliders with the top half of the buns and coat with the remaining cowboy butter.
Bake: Cover the sliders with aluminum foil and bake covered at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 10 minutes until the tops are a golden brown.
Slice And Serve: Rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Slice and serve while hot. Enjoy!

Spoon the ground beef mixture over the buttered buns. Sprinkle with cheese. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon over the shredded cheese layer. Sprinkle the french fried onions, place 1 jalapeno ring on top of the french fried onions for each slider. Top the sliders with the top half of the buns.

Serving Suggestions

These hamburger sliders pair perfectly with many of my other slider recipes on a party table. For the ultimate spread, serve them beside my French Dip Sliders, Big Mac Sliders, Buffalo Chicken Sliders, Chicken Sliders, Philly Cheesesteak Sliders, and more!

Leftover cowboy butter is a great condiment to enhance the flavor of many dishes. Use it as a finishing sauce for steaks, chicken, pork chops, or grilled fish. Drizzle it over baked potatoes or corn on the cob. Spread it on warm bread. Serve it as a dipping sauce for breadsticks or grilled vegetables. It also pairs well with steak bites or chicken tenders.

Tips & Variations

Don’t burn The Buns: I recommend checking the sliders after baking for 8 minutes to prevent the tops from burning.
Serve It Spicier: Add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the cowboy butter for a spicier version.
Serve Steak Sliders: You can easily make cowboy butter steak sliders by swapping the ground beef for a choice-grade steak. A premium cut like ribeye, filet mignon, NY strip will work great.

Proper Storage

To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

More Appetizer Recipes

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