Apple Ham Panini

A Little Fall Between Two SlicesApple Ham Panini cut in half on a platter with kettle chips and sliced apples

There's something about fall in Minnesota that makes apples taste crisper, cheese taste meltier, and lunch deserve a little more attention.

This easy Apple Ham Panini brings together salty ham, crisp Honeycrisp apple, sharp cheddar, and a sweet-tangy maple Dijon spread, all grilled between slices of sourdough.

Sweet. Salty. Crispy. Very fall.

The Recipe (Serves 4)

Ingredients

For the Paninis

8 slices sourdough bread
12 oz sliced ham
1 Honeycrisp apple, thinly sliced
8 slices sharp cheddar cheese
2 tbsp softened butter
Handful of arugula, optional

For the Maple Dijon

2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tbsp mayonnaise

Directions

  1. Mix the Maple Dijon: Stir together the Dijon, maple syrup, and mayonnaise until smooth.
  2. Build the Paninis: Spread Maple Dijon on the inside of each slice of bread. Layer with cheddar, ham, thinly sliced apple, and a little arugula if using. Add another layer of cheddar before closing the sandwich.
  3. Butter Up: Lightly butter the outsides of each sandwich.
  4. Get It Golden: Grill in a panini press until the bread is crisp and golden and the cheese is melted, about 3–5 minutes. No panini press? A skillet works, too—just press the sandwich down with another heavy pan while it cooks.
  5. Slice & Serve: Cut in half and serve while everything is still warm and melty.

Hen House Tips

Slice the apple really thin. You want crisp apple in every bite without fighting your sandwich
Honeycrisp gives you that Minnesota crunch, but any crisp, slightly tart apple will work
Put cheese on both sides of the fillings. Besides being delicious, it helps hold everything together once it melts
Don't rush the grill. Medium heat gives the cheese time to melt before the bread gets too dark

The Secret Ingredient? The Apple.

Ham and cheddar already know they belong together.

The apple is what wakes everything up—fresh, crisp, a little sweet, and just tart enough to cut through all that melty cheese.

Add maple Dijon and suddenly your everyday ham sandwich has plans for fall.

Best Served With

Tomato basil soup
Kettle chips
A crisp green salad
Apple cider
A sunny fall lunch outside

And when you'd rather let someone else make lunch, our Hen House Boxed Lunches are packed and ready for pickup or delivery.