Touchdown Brat Sliders (Printable)

Juicy bratwurst patties with beer cheese sauce, caramelized onions, and pickles on soft slider buns.

# What You'll Need:

→ Brat Patties

01 - 1 pound uncooked bratwurst sausages, casings removed
02 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
03 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Beer Cheese Sauce

04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
06 - 1 cup lager beer
07 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
08 - 2 ounces cream cheese
09 - 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - Salt to taste

→ Caramelized Onions

11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
12 - 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
13 - Pinch of salt

→ Assembly

14 - 12 slider buns
15 - 1/3 cup sliced dill pickles
16 - 2 tablespoons melted butter
17 - 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion slices with a pinch of salt, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and golden brown, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - Combine bratwurst meat, black pepper, and smoked paprika in a bowl and mix gently. Divide mixture into 12 equal portions and shape each into a small patty.
04 - Arrange patties on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until cooked through and lightly browned.
05 - In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add beer while whisking constantly until smooth. Reduce heat to low and add cheddar cheese and cream cheese, stirring until melted. Stir in Dijon mustard and season with salt. Keep warm.
06 - Split slider buns and place bottom halves in a baking dish. Top each with a brat patty, a spoonful of caramelized onions, pickle slices, and generous beer cheese sauce. Cover with bun tops.
07 - Brush bun tops with melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes until buns are toasted and cheese is bubbling. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They taste like stadium food but come out of your own oven, warm and actually satisfying.
  • The beer cheese sauce is silky, sharp, and the kind of thing you'll want to eat with a spoon when no one's looking.
  • You can prep the patties and onions ahead, then just assemble and bake when people arrive.
  • Even people who don't love bratwurst get won over by the caramelized onions and pickles.
02 -
  • If you skip caramelizing the onions properly, they'll taste raw and sharp instead of sweet and mellow.
  • Let the beer simmer for a full minute before adding the cheese, otherwise the sauce can separate and turn oily.
  • Don't overbake the assembled sliders or the buns will turn hard, 7 to 8 minutes is all you need.
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale to divide the bratwurst meat evenly, it keeps the patties uniform so they cook at the same rate.
  • Brush the bun tops with butter right before baking, not earlier, or they'll soak it up and turn soggy instead of crisp.
  • If the beer cheese sauce thickens too much while sitting, whisk in a tablespoon of warm beer or milk to bring it back to life.
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