Grilled Ham and Cream Cheese Sandwich

A Grilled Ham and Cream Cheese Sandwich is like nothing you've ever tasted before, but the flavor is reminiscent of the iconic cream cheese dill pickle dip everyone loves. Here, let me show you what I mean -

If you're like me and enjoy recipes that feature cream cheese, I've got plenty of other tasty offerings for you to enjoy. Recipes like my Aloha Pineapple-Shaped Cheese Ball, Malted Milk Ball Cheesecake, Crab Rangoon Jalapeno Poppers, and Cream Cheese Cookies with Cheesecake Topping.

The ingredient list:

Ingredient information:

WHOLE GRAIN BREAD - I chose to use a bread with a bit heft, a good hearty chew, and plenty of whole-grain goodness.

I wanted the bread to be grilled to crispy, golden perfection, providing a nice contrast to the soft, warm cream cheese and ham center. Feel free to use your favorite variety of bread. I got mine from the bakery section of the grocery store.

BUTTER - Salted. Always salted. Salted butter is perfectly fine to leave at room temperature (no need to refrigerate) for optimal flavor and desired spreading consistency.

CREAM CHEESE - Allow a block (8 ounces) of cream cheese to sit at room temperature for a couple of hours (longer if you have the time) so it's soft and easily mixed with a spatula or wooden spoon.

I didn't want to drag out a hand mixer for this, but in a pinch, if you forget to soften the cream cheese on the counter, you can always use a hand mixer to speed up the process.

DEHYDRATED ONION - When I want to impart onion flavor but don't want to chop or mince a real onion, minced dehydrated onions are my go-to!

I used one tablespoon for the 8 ounces of cream cheese, but if you'd like to add more (or less), feel free to adjust the quantity depending on how much oniony flavor you desire.

DILL WEED - Since this grilled cream cheese sandwich is my riff on the '70s dill pickle and ham roll-up appetizers, dill weed is a must in this recipe.

The dill adds a fresh brightness that livens up the cream cheese and complements all the other ingredients well.

DILL PICKLE RELISH - This ingredient helps to balance the richness of the cream cheese, not to mention pack a punch of flavor and contrast to this delicious grilled cheese sandwich.

GARLIC POWDER - Adding a touch of garlic powder to the cream cheese filling highlights the savory notes in this sandwich like nothing else can.

Adjust the quantity of garlic powder if you feel that one teaspoon is too much or not enough, depending on how much garlic flavor you prefer.

BLACK PEPPER - Using freshly cracked black pepper is always your best option for bringing the best flavor to any savory dish, in my opinion.

I didn't use any salt in this recipe because of the salty components of the dill pickle relish and the ham. That said, ensuring the black pepper in the cream cheese spread was well-balanced was critical.

SLICED HAM - I used a relatively thick-sliced ham from the deli for this sandwich, but you can use any thickness of sliced ham you prefer. Alternatively, if you choose to use an alternative to ham, please refer to the suggestions below for substitutions.

Kitchen tools and equipment needed:

A large skillet, grill pan, indoor griddle pan, panini maker, or outside flattop griddle are all excellent for making a grilled ham and cream cheese sandwich.

You'll also need a medium-sized mixing bowl and a wooden spoon or spatula to mix the softened cream cheese with the herbs and seasonings.

A small offset spatula works wonders for spreading the softened butter and the cream cheese filling onto opposite sides of the bread before sandwiching them together. A butter knife will also work, but once you have an offset spatula at your disposal, you'll wonder how you lived without it!

Measuring spoons are handy if you're not comfortable eye-balling ingredients (such as the dehydrated minced onion, dill weed, garlic powder, and black pepper), and they're excellent to use for ensuring personal confidence when cooking (or baking).

As you'll see in the video, I used a sheet of parchment paper on the countertop to minimize the mess. While this isn't completely necessary, it does help when you're dealing with buttered-side-down bread for grilled cheese sandwiches.

Add-in or substitution suggestions:

• If you want to stick true to the original dill pickle roll-up appetizers, then by all means, use salami in place of the ham in this sandwich. Or why not try prosciutto, turkey, sliced chicken, or even roast beef?
• Sweet pickle relish can be used in place of dill pickle relish for a delicious, sweet, and savory combination of flavors,
• Rye or pumpernickel bread would make a delightful alternative to the hearty whole-grain wheat bread, as would a few slices of sourdough bread.
• Feel free to add capers in place of the dill pickle relish or finely chop dill pickles and pickles onions for something truly special.
• Want to cut back on calories just a little? Use lower-calorie Neufchatel cheese in place of the cream cheese.
• And, because you can (especially for breakfast), why not use your favorite flavor of fruity whipped cream cheese?
• If you're not a fan of cream cheese but enjoy a tangy goat's cheese, then by all means, swap goat's cheese as a replacement for the cream cheese. Or, try a mix of half cream cheese and half goat's cheese for a blend of creamy, cheesy goodness.
• Yes, you may use mayonnaise in place of butter for spreading the outside slices of bread. Both softened butter and mayonnaise will give the bread a lovely golden crisp, but I'm a butter gal. You do you.

To butter the bread or the skillet?

I prefer buttering the entire outside of the bread when making a grilled cheese sandwich as opposed to melting butter in the skillet and then adding the sandwich.

Of course, how you add butter to your grilled cheese is a personal choice, and you can do it either way.

That said, in the words of the Food Network's sandwich king (and fellow Chicagoan), Jeff Mauro, "Butter from crust to crust - is a must!" and buttering the bread before adding it to the skillet is the easiest way to ensure complete butter coverage.

Can this grilled cheese sandwich be made inside in a skillet?

You bet. As you already know, a large skillet is ideal for making grilled cheese sandwiches.

These delicious sandwiches can also be made on the stovetop using an indoor grill pan or a stovetop griddle.

But did you know that you can also cook these sandwiches (or anything else for that matter) outside in a skillet on top of a flattop (also known as a Blackstone) griddle?

Yep, it's a true story, and one of the many benefits of cooking in a pan or skillet on an outdoor flattop griddle is that you don't have to clean the entire outdoor griddle surface when the cooking is complete.

Can these sandwiches be cooked in an air fryer?

Sure, I don't see why not although depending on the size of your air fryer you may need to cook them individually.

Can the cream cheese filling for these sandwiches be made in advance?

You bet!

Mix up the savory cream cheese filling and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

How many sandwiches does this recipe make?

As written, this recipe makes 4 sandwiches.

How to easily adjust the serving size of this recipe

Should you need to increase (or decrease) the serving size for this recipe you can easily adjust the ingredient quantities using the sliding scale shown in the recipe card by hovering over the number in the serving size.

What to serve alongside a grilled cream cheese and ham sandwich?

You'll notice in the photos that I added tater tot crowns to the plate to accompany this savory griddle sandwich.

However, serving these other popular side dishes, which can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator, would make for a fantastic meal when paired with this sandwich!

• Copycat Sunflower Crunch Kale and Cabbage Salad
• Old-Fashioned Red Kidney Bean Salad
• Creamy Dijon Potato Salad
• No-Mayo Sweet and Sour Coleslaw
• Cold Cucumber Salad with Apple and Pear

I sincerely hope you'll enjoy making (and eating) this crunchy and creamy griddle grilled ham and cream cheese sandwich as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you!

Should you have any questions or comments regarding anything you've seen on my site, please don't hesitate to reach out to contact me. It is always my distinct pleasure to get back with you just as soon as I possibly can!

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Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!