Savory Poppy Seed Ham and Cheese Cracker Bites

These quick, crowd-pleasing bite-sized appetizers come together in just 30 minutes, with a sticky sweet-savory glaze that makes them irresistible for game days, holiday parties, or last-minute casual gatherings.

| Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time | Servings |

|-----------|-----------|------------|----------|

| 10 minutes | 20 minutes | 30 minutes | 12 appetizer portions |

Ingredients

  • 48 round buttery crackers (such as Ritz®), split into two equal portions

  • 12 slices Swiss cheese, cut into quarters, divided

  • ½ pound extra-thin sliced deli ham

  • ½ cup butter, melted

  • 1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard

  • 1 ½ tablespoons packed brown sugar (light or dark both work well)

  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder

  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C), then lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish or quarter sheet pan to prevent sticking.

  2. Lay the first half of your crackers flat-side up across the bottom of the prepared pan. Place one quartered cheese slice on top of every cracker, then fold a piece of ham to fit neatly over the cheese. Top the ham layer with the remaining cheese quarters, then add the second half of crackers on top flat-side down to form individual small sandwiches.

  3. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together melted butter, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, salt, and poppy seeds until combined into a smooth glaze. Spoon roughly ½ teaspoon of the glaze evenly over every top cracker.

  4. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the tops of the crackers turn lightly golden and the cheese inside is fully melted and bubbly around the edges. Let the bites rest for 10 minutes before serving to let the glaze set slightly, which makes them easy to pull apart and enjoy.