Derby Hot Brown Sliders (Printable Version)

Mini sliders combining turkey, bacon, and creamy sauce on soft brioche for festive bite-sized enjoyment.

# What You’ll Need:

→ For the Sliders

01 - 12 brioche slider buns
02 - 12 slices roasted turkey breast
03 - 12 slices cooked bacon
04 - 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

→ For the Mornay Sauce

06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
08 - 1 cup whole milk
09 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
10 - 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese or sharp white cheddar
11 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ For Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
16 - 1/4 cup extra Parmesan cheese, optional

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add milk and cream, whisking constantly until smooth and thickened, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Gruyère, Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until cheese is melted and sauce achieves a smooth consistency.
03 - Slice the brioche buns in half horizontally. Place the bottom halves on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Layer each bun bottom with one slice of roasted turkey, one tomato slice, one spoonful of Mornay sauce, and one slice of crispy bacon in that order.
05 - Place the bun tops on each slider. Brush the tops lightly with melted butter.
06 - Sprinkle extra Parmesan cheese over the sliders if desired.
07 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the buns are golden brown and the filling is warmed through.
08 - Remove from oven and garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Serve warm.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • They look fancy enough to impress guests but honestly take less time than you'd expect.
  • The Mornay sauce is ridiculously creamy and rich without feeling heavy—it's the kind of thing you'll find yourself thinking about days later.
  • You can prep everything the night before and just pop them in the oven, which means you're actually enjoying the party instead of sweating in the kitchen.
02 -
  • The Mornay sauce needs to be made fresh—it doesn't reheat well, so don't try to make it hours ahead unless you enjoy a broken, grainy mess.
  • Slice your tomatoes thin and pat them dry with a paper towel, or all that juice will make your buns soggy before they even hit the oven.
  • Don't skip the nutmeg; it's barely noticeable but its absence is absolutely noticeable, and people will taste something missing without knowing what.
03 -
  • Grate your own cheese instead of using pre-shredded; the difference in how smoothly it melts into the sauce is genuinely noticeable and worth the extra thirty seconds.
  • If your Mornay breaks or gets grainy, add a splash of cold milk and whisk it off the heat—panic is optional, fixing it is not.
  • Toast your brioche buns lightly before assembling if you made them a day or two ago; it brings back their life.
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