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Florida Orange Juice Cranberry Orange Turkey Sliders Recipe

4.7 from 77 reviews

Florida Orange Juice Cranberry Orange Turkey Sliders combine a flavorful cranberry orange sauce with tender turkey and melted Swiss cheese on sweet Hawaiian rolls, enhanced by a garlic Dijon herb butter. Perfect for holiday gatherings or casual entertaining, these sliders offer a delightful balance of sweet, savory, and citrusy flavors with fresh herb notes.

Ingredients

Scale

Cranberry Orange Sauce

  • 1 cup Florida Orange Juice
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 small bundle fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs, optional (34 sprigs each, tied together with kitchen twine)
  • 3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

Sliders

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 package (12 count) sweet dinner rolls (Hawaiian rolls)
  • 3/4 cup cranberry orange sauce
  • 7 ounces thick-sliced deli turkey or leftover holiday turkey
  • 4 ounces (about 6 slices) Swiss cheese
  • Additional fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Make Cranberry Orange Sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine Florida orange juice, orange zest, granulated sugar, and the herb bundle over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in cranberries and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce thickens and most cranberries burst, approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove herb bundle and let sauce cool completely; it will thicken further as it cools.
  2. Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the sliders.
  3. Prepare Garlic Dijon Herb Butter: In a small bowl, whisk together melted unsalted butter, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, black pepper, chopped rosemary, thyme, and parsley until well combined. Set aside.
  4. Assemble Sliders Base: Using a sharp serrated knife, slice the Hawaiian rolls horizontally in half, keeping bottom and top halves intact as one unit. Place the bottom half on a rimmed baking sheet.
  5. Butter the Rolls: Brush about half of the garlic Dijon herb butter evenly over the bottom half of the rolls using a pastry brush.
  6. Add Cranberry Orange Sauce: Spread 3/4 cup cranberry orange sauce evenly over the buttered bottom rolls.
  7. Layer Turkey: Evenly arrange 7 ounces of thick-sliced deli or leftover holiday turkey across the bottom rolls to cover all 12 slider sections.
  8. Add Swiss Cheese: Layer about 4 ounces (approximately 6 slices) of Swiss cheese over the turkey, overlapping slightly as needed to cover all slider sections.
  9. Top and Butter Rolls: Place the top half of the rolls over the cheese, then brush with the remaining garlic Dijon herb butter.
  10. Bake Covered: Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 15-20 minutes to heat through and melt cheese.
  11. Finish Baking Uncovered: Remove foil and continue baking 5-10 minutes until tops are golden brown and cheese is fully melted.
  12. Rest and Garnish: Remove sliders from oven and let rest for 2-3 minutes. Cut into individual sliders along roll perforations and garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving.

Notes

  • Sliders can be assembled up to 4 hours in advance and refrigerated. Add 5 extra minutes to covered baking time if baking from cold.
  • The cranberry orange sauce can be made ahead and stored refrigerated; allow it to cool completely before assembling sliders.
  • Use sweet Hawaiian rolls for the best flavor and texture balance.
  • Leftover holiday turkey or thick-sliced deli turkey works well in this recipe.
  • Fresh herbs add vibrant flavor but are optional in the cranberry sauce.

Keywords: cranberry orange sauce, turkey sliders, holiday appetizers, Florida orange juice, garlic Dijon herb butter, sweet Hawaiian rolls, turkey sandwich