Cheesy Apple Ham Grill

A grilled ham and cheddar sandwich built on cinnamon-raisin bread with a chopped apple-walnut filling that takes a simple lunch into something you’d order at a cafe. The combination of sweet bread, sharp cheese, salty ham, and crisp apple with a hint of ground cloves is the kind of flavor pairing that sounds unusual but works beautifully.

The apple mixture gets bound with mayo-style dressing, which also does double duty. Part of it goes into the filling, and the rest gets spread on the outside of the bread before grilling, like butter on a grilled cheese. It gives you a golden, crispy crust without the mess of softened butter.

Two slices of sharp cheddar per sandwich, one on each side of the apple-ham filling, melt into everything and hold the whole stack together.

Kitchen Tips

• Use a firm apple like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp. Soft apples turn mushy when they hit the warm sandwich.
• Grill over medium heat, not high. You need enough time for the cheese to melt before the bread burns. The cinnamon-raisin bread browns faster than plain bread because of the sugar.
• Press the sandwich gently with a spatula while grilling. This helps the cheese melt into the layers.
• Chop the walnuts fairly fine so they don’t fall out when you bite into the sandwich.

Variations

• Swap sharp cheddar for Brie or Gruyere for a more luxurious melt.
• Use turkey instead of ham for a lighter option.
• Add a thin layer of whole grain mustard to the bread before assembling for a tangy kick.