Ham and Cheese Pockets
Ham and Cheese Pockets are so easy to make with flaky puff pastry, sliced ham and cheddar with some mustard for extra flavor. Feel free to switch up the meats or cheese to customize your own hot sandwich.
When I worked in a bakery, we made more than just the sweet stuff. We would make these easy Ham and Cheese Pockets (or Turkey and Swiss Pockets) for catered events and things. We actually used danish dough instead of puff pastry, but it’s easier to find the puff pastry in regular grocery stores and it’s so flakey good!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Basically all you need is:
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- frozen puff pastry sheets
- cheddar cheese slices
- ham slices
- mustard
The mustard is optional. This time we used dijon, but you can use yellow or honey mustard as well.
How to Make Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets
Start by cutting a pastry sheet into fourths and roll them out just a little bit so you have room for your meat and cheese.
Add your meat, cheese, and mustard, then brush a whisked egg on the edges of half the square so you can fold it over and seal the dough together.
Fold over the top half of dough and pinch the edges or use a fork to seal them together. Cut a few slits on top for ventilation and brush the tops with the whisked egg.
Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 25 minutes. It’s honestly going to depend on how juicy the ham is. If it leaks juices it will take longer to get the tops and bottoms brown. Make sure you peek underneath the pockets to check that the puff pastry is not doughy. The dough should rise and get flakey.
These ham and cheese pockets are one of my husband’s favorite things to eat! Have fun with them! They are like homemade hot pockets! The possibilities are endless!
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating
- You can store these ham and cheese pockets in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 1 month.
- I recommend reheating these in the air fryer for a crispy crust. Preheat the air fryer to 350˚F. Place 1 pocket in the air fryer basket. Reheat for 4–6 minutes if refrigerated, or 13-15 minutes from frozen.
Ham and Cheese Pockets
Ingredients
- 17.3 oz box Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets, (2 pack)
- 7 oz or larger pkg thinly sliced black forest ham
- 8 slices mild cheddar cheese
- Dijon/Yellow/Honey Mustard, (about 1 tsp per pocket)
- 1 large egg, whisked
Instructions
- Cut each pastry sheet into fourths and roll each square slightly thinner so there is room for the meat and cheese.
- Add 3 slices of ham, 1 slice of cheese (folded in half), and a squirt of mustard (smeared) to half of each square. Then brush a whisked egg on the edges of the half of the square with meat and cheese, so you can fold over the top and seal the edges.
- Fold over the top half of the dough and pinch the edges or crimp them with a fork to seal the dough together. Place pockets on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. Cut a few slits on top of each pocket with a knife for ventilation, and then brush the tops with the whisked egg.
- Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 25 minutes. Make sure you peek underneath the pockets to check that the puff pastry is brown, and not doughy. The dough should rise and get flakey. The time will depend on how juicy the ham is and if it leaks out of the pocket while baking. Serve hot.
Notes
- You can store these ham and cheese pockets in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 1 month.
- I recommend reheating these in the air fryer for a crispy crust. Preheat the air fryer to 350˚F. Place 1 pocket in the air fryer basket. Reheat for 4–6 minutes if refrigerated, or 13-15 minutes from frozen.
Did you make this?
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Do you think these would be good cold? My kids don’t have a microwave at school?
Yes, they can be eaten cold just fine.
Hey these look super easy! What are some ideas for sides? I am trying to get away from chips and processed foods for my son and husband as much as possible.
When I switch out chips I just do raw crunchy vegetables and ranch to dip them in. You could also do a side salad, steamed veggies, or fruit.
I’m looking for something to bring to a potluck where there will be a lot of different dishes. I’ve never worked with pastry puffs before, so I don’t know how this will work, but what if I made them as above (8 pieces) and then cut each one in half and crimped the new edges? Would I need to change the baking time?
The bake time will probably still be about the same. The puff pastry needs to be crisp and brown, not wet looking at all, or the dough will be raw and you will lose those crispy layers.
Kaitlin, how did they do frozen and thawed?
I just made a huge batch to freeze for easy work lunches for my husband and I. I can’t wait to see how they do thawed and reheated, but they look great! I used up several leftover cheeses from the fridge, and sauteed a bunch of vegetables I had lying around for a vegetarian version. I also made some onion and cheese ones inspired by a delicious Argentinian empanadas place I love. Finally, I made pepperoni ones for my husband! I can’t wait to try them!
Way to go Kaitlin! That’s a smart idea putting your leftovers to good use in these pockets! I hope you love them!
Can you freeze them?
Pre-baked, yes. You will have to thaw them for 20+ minutes or in the refrigerator overnight before baking them though.
I made these for the family tonight and they were a big hit! I used Provolone cheese and no mustard just because of personal preference, but this is a great concept! My son LOVES anything ham and cheese.
Love it! They are totally customize-able. Thanks for your comment Marsha! Enjoy!
I am going to try this with my middle school cooking class. We have been talking about making healthy choices and this sounds so much better than the frozen stuff they tend to like. Can’t wait for them to try it!
I hope it goes well! Thanks for your comment!
I made this tonight from leftover Easter ham and my husband asked me to put it on our monthly menu. Thanks for this yummy, easy recipe!
That’s awesome! So glad y’all liked them enough to put them on the menu! Thanks for your comment!
I’m a novice with puff pastry. How many sheets do you being with, before cutting the sheets into fourths?
The box comes with two sheets. Cut each sheet into fourths, so you get 8 squares. Good luck!
It’s not filo dough which is many thin sheets of paper-like dough. You are using puff pastry which is a flaky dough but the package comes with 2 pieces of dough. You unfold the dough & cut it into 4 pieces. The whole package will therefore make 8 squares/sandwiches.