Smash Burger Sliders
Crispy bacon hot honey smash burger sliders are juicy caramelized smash-style beef patties with melted Havarti cheese, thick-cut bacon, dill pickles, and red onion stacked on garlic butter buns with burger sauce and a sweet-and-spicy hot honey drizzle. Bold, addicting, and impossible to put down. Perfect for game day, cookouts, tailgates, or any party where you want a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Ready in 35 minutes, makes 12 sliders using simple ingredients.
These crispy bacon hot honey smash burger sliders are the ultimate party food!
Smash burgers have taken over for good reason – those thin, caramelized patties with crispy edges are everything. Now imagine that in slider form, stacked with thick-cut bacon, melty cheese, dill pickles, red onion, and a generous drizzle of sweet-and-spicy hot honey. All on a garlic butter bun slathered with homemade burger sauce.
The smash technique is the game changer here. You press the beef balls down hard onto a screaming hot cast iron skillet for 6-8 seconds and get these thin patties with yummy seared, crispy edges that you just can’t get any other way.
The hot honey drizzle at the end ties everything together with a sweet heat that keeps everyone reaching for another one.
I brought these to our last tennis match and they were gone in minutes. Make a double batch – I’m serious!
More Slider Recipes
- Cowboy Sliders – BBQ beef with bacon
- Sliders Roundup – 16 easy slider variations
- Cheeseburger Sliders – Classic beef with pickles, special sauce
- Big Mac Sliders – Special sauce, lettuce, pickles
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Ground Beef (80/20) – The fat ratio is essential for smash burgers. Leaner beef won’t give you those crispy caramelized edges. Don’t substitute if you can!
Slider Buns – Hawaiian rolls or brioche slider buns work best. The soft, slightly sweet bun is perfect with the spicy hot honey.
Thick-Cut Bacon – Use thick-cut or center-cut for more meat and better texture. Cook until crispy and drain on paper towels.
Havarti Cheese – Creamy and melty with mild flavor that doesn’t compete with the hot honey. Substitute American or pepper jack if needed.
Red Onion – Thinly sliced for crunch and bite. Soak in cold water for 5 minutes for milder flavor.
Dill Pickle Chips – Essential for tang and crunch. Don’t skip or you will miss the whole experience.
Hot Honey – Store-bought or homemade. Warm it slightly before drizzling so it pours easily.
Butter – For garlic butter buns. Melted with garlic powder and flaky salt. Use unsalted butter.
Garlic Powder – Mixed into the melted butter for the buns. Substitute minced garlic for more garlic flavor.
Flaky Salt – Sprinkled on buttered buns for finishing touch. I like to use Kosher salt in a pinch.
Mayonnaise – Duke’s is my favorite mayo because it’s so creamy!
Dijon Mustard – Adds tang to the burger sauce. Swap for whole grain mustard for more texture!
Pickle Juice – Secret ingredient in the burger sauce! It cuts through the burger sauce and gives it a tangy flavor!
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How To Make Smash Burger Sliders
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice all 12 rolls horizontally, keeping them attached. Butter the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon butter.
- Stir garlic powder into remaining melted butter. Brush generously over tops of slider buns and sprinkle lightly with flaky salt.
- Bake 5-7 minutes until lightly golden and glossy. Set aside.
- Whisk together mayo, Dijon mustard, pickle juice, and black pepper in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Place bacon strips in a cold frying pan. Raise heat to medium and cook on both sides until crispy. Don’t overcook!
- Remove and slice in halves or large chunks. Set aside. Slice red onion thinly while bacon cooks.
- Divide ground beef into 12 loose balls, about 2 ounces each. Don’t overwork the meat!
- Heat a large cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat until very hot.
- Place beef balls onto the hot pan, spacing apart. Immediately press down firmly with a burger press or spatula – place a small square of parchment paper over the balls first for easier pressing! Smash for 6-8 seconds until edges are thin.
- Season with salt and pepper. Cook 1-2 minutes until deeply browned and crispy at the edges. Flip and top each patty with half a slice of Havarti. Cook another minute until cheese melts. Remove and set aside.
- Spread burger sauce over cut sides of both top and bottom buns. Layer smashed patties with melted cheese on bottom buns.
- Add crispy bacon, dill pickle chips, and thin red onion rings. Drizzle generously with warm hot honey.
- Top with buttered buns and sprinkle lightly with flaky salt.
- Cut sliders apart and serve immediately while hot and melty.
- Drizzle with extra hot honey if you like!
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Best Fresh: These are best served immediately while hot, melty, and crispy. The sauce can make the slider buns soggy after a little bit.
Make-Ahead Components: Cook bacon, make burger sauce, and prep garlic butter buns up to a day ahead. Store separately in the fridge until ready to bake.
Leftovers: Store assembled sliders in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes to crisp back up.
Smash Patties Ahead: Cook patties ahead and reheat on a hot skillet for 1 minute per side before assembling. Keep warm until ready to bake.
Variations
Different Cheese: Use American for classic melty, pepper jack for more heat, or smoked gouda for a smoky flavor.
Make Your Own Hot Honey: Mix honey with red pepper flakes and a pinch of cayenne. Warm slightly before drizzling.
Spicier: Add sliced jalapeños or use extra hot honey.
Different Sauce: Try Homemade Ranch Dressing, BBQ sauce, or Bloomin’ Onion sauce instead of burger sauce.
No Bacon: Skip bacon for a simpler hot honey smash burger slider.
Caramelized Onions: Swap raw red onion for caramelized onions for sweeter flavor.
Add Lettuce and Tomato: Add a small leaf of butter lettuce and sliced tomato for classic burger vibes.
Turkey: Use ground turkey for lighter version, but you’ll lose some of that crispy edge.
Serve These With
- Southern Macaroni Salad – Classic BBQ side
- Frito Corn Salad – Crunchy and creamy
- Amish Broccoli Salad – Fresh and crunchy
- Crispy Celery Slaw – Light and tangy
What Is a Smash Burger?
A smash burger is made by placing a loose ball of ground beef on a screaming hot surface and immediately pressing it down hard into a thin patty. The high heat and direct contact create the Maillard reaction – that deeply browned, caramelized, crispy-edged crust that makes smash burgers so irresistible.
The key is pressing immediately when the beef hits the pan and not moving it until it’s time to flip. That contact is everything!
Frequently Asked Questions
The smashing technique creates thin patties with deeply caramelized, crispy edges from maximum contact with the hot surface. You can’t get that texture any other way!
A burger press makes it easier, but a heavy spatula works too. Place parchment paper over the beef ball before pressing so it doesn’t stick.
Cast iron skillet or griddle work best because they hold heat well. Don’t use nonstick – it won’t get hot enough for proper caramelization.
Mix regular honey with red pepper flakes and a pinch of cayenne. Warm slightly before using.
Prep components ahead but assemble and serve fresh for best results.
Havarti melts beautifully and has mild flavor that complements the hot honey. American cheese is the classic smash burger choice so choose your favorite!
Assemble in a baking dish, cover with foil, and keep in a 200°F oven until ready to serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use 80/20 ground beef – the fat ratio is essential for crispy caramelized edges.
- Don’t overwork the meat when forming balls. Loose balls smash better!
- Get the skillet screaming hot before adding beef. This is crucial for the smash burger crust.
- Place parchment paper over beef balls before pressing for easier smashing without sticking.
- Smash immediately when beef hits the pan. Don’t wait!
- Press hard and hold for 6-8 full seconds for thin crispy edges.
- Season AFTER smashing, not before.
- Add cheese right after flipping so it melts perfectly from the residual heat.
- Warm hot honey slightly before drizzling so it pours easily.
- Toast buns before assembling so they don’t get soggy.
- Serve immediately! Smash burgers wait for no one.
- Make a double batch. They disappear fast.
This hot honey smash burger sliders recipe is bold, craveable, and impossible to stop eating! Make them for your next game day and watch them disappear.
Smash Burger Sliders Recipe
Ingredients
Smash Burgers
- 1½ pounds ground beef 80/20
- 12 slider buns
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon cooked, halved
- 6 slices Havarti cheese halved
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 12 dill pickle chips
- 3 tablespoons hot honey store-bought or homemade
Garlic Butter
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- pinch of flaky salt
Burger Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon pickle juice
- pinch black pepper
Instructions
Prepare the Buns
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Slice all 12 rolls horizontally, keeping them attached.
- Butter the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet using 1 tablespoon butter.
- Stir garlic powder into melted butter.
- Brush generously over the tops of the slider bunsand sprinkle lightly with flaky salt.
- Bake 5–7 minutes until lightly golden and glossy. Set aside.
- Slice red onion thinly.
Burger Sauce
- In a small bowl, combine the ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon pickle juice, and a pinch black pepper. Stir to combine and chill until ready to use.
Smash Burgers
- Place bacon strips in cold frying pan or on griddle. Raise heat to medium and cook on both sides until crispy. Don’t overcook.
- Slice in halves, or large chunks.
- Divide ground beef into 12 loose balls (about 2 ounces each). Do not overwork the meat.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat until very hot. I like to use the same skillet I cooked the bacon in.
- Place beef balls onto the hot surface, spacing apart. Immediately press down firmly with a burger press or spatula (better to place a small square of parchment paper over the burger balls) to create thin patties.
- Smash 6-8 seconds until edges are thin.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook 1–2 minutes until deeply browned and crispy at the edges. Flip and cook other side, topping each patty with half a slice of Havarti, and cook another minute, until cheese melts. Remove and set aside.
Assemble the Sliders
- Spread burger sauce over the cut sides of the bottom buns and top buns.
- Layer smashed patties with melted cheese over bottom buns.
- Sprinkle Crispy bacon over hamburgers.
- Layer pickles over bacon.
- Layer thin red onion rings over pickles.
- Drizzle generously with warm hot honey.
- Top with buttered buns, and sprinkle lightly with flaky salt.
- Cut sliders apart, and serve immediately while hot and melty. Drizzle with extra hot honey if desired.
Notes
- Use 80/20 ground beef – the fat ratio is essential for crispy caramelized edges.
- Don’t overwork the meat when forming balls. Loose balls smash better!
- Get the skillet screaming hot before adding beef. This is crucial for the smash burger crust.
- Place parchment paper over beef balls before pressing for easier smashing without sticking.
- Smash immediately when beef hits the pan. Don’t wait!
- Press hard and hold for 6-8 full seconds for thin crispy edges.
- Season AFTER smashing, not before.
- Add cheese right after flipping so it melts perfectly from the residual heat.
- Warm hot honey slightly before drizzling so it pours easily.
- Toast buns before assembling so they don’t get soggy.
- Serve immediately! Smash burgers wait for no one.
- Make a double batch. They disappear fast.
Nutrition
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