Homemade Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets

Make your own ham and cheese hot pockets with a buttery white or healthy wheat-option crust, and all the gooey cheese filling with thin-sliced ham. Homemade hot pockets are healthier than the store bought ones, are cheaper to make and are even more delicious than others that you've had. 

Homemade hot pockets are also quick and easy to make with store-bought dough or from scratch. The possibilities are endless, giving you control over what goes into your hot pockets and how you make them.

You can add extra cheese, choose different types of meats, or even give it a kick by adding some spices. Homemade hot pockets can be prepped ahead of time and frozen for when you need something fast and delicious for lunch or dinner.

Why this recipe works

This hot pockets recipe is so easy to make, there's no reason to buy the boxed version.

You can make these warm pockets of portable joy with real ingredients, and for a fraction of the cost.

The recipe for the homemade pizza dough crust is an adjustment to this Whole Wheat Pizza Crust recipe. However, you can stick to the tender, flaky white flour crust if you prefer.

The small amount of yeast used in the hot pocket dough is perfect: it's just enough to get the job done, resulting in a chewy thin crust that isn't overly puffy.

Either hot pocket dough recipe will yield a delicious crust, but I tend to prefer the wheat crust version.

They're freezer-friendly too. Just like the frozen boxed brand, these can be made ahead and stored in the freezer for months. To heat, microwave on high for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, or bake at 350°F (177°C) for 15-18 minutes.

Ingredients

Get all the info on these simple ingredients in the ingredient list in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. 

Ham- Smoked ham from your deli sliced thin (you can even ask them to slice it for you!)

Cheese- a blend of medium or sharp cheddar, or both, along with a small amount of American cheese makes for a creamy sauce like consistency. Use cheese on the block, and shred by hand; don't use pre shredded cheese.

Flour- all purpose, bread flour are both fine, and you can substitute a portion of whole wheat flour as well, if desired.

Yeast- use instant or bread machine yeast as it doesn't require being activated. See recipe notes for using active dry yeast.

Making the dough for the crust

As I mentioned above, this recipe calls for a portion of whole wheat flour, but you can use all white in the same quantity, and follow the recipe the same.

Using whole wheat makes it a healthy hot pocket alternative, but I do think the sweet, nutty flavor of the crust goes better with the rich cheese sauce and salty ham.

Start by combining the dough ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer using the dough hook on the lowest speed. Continue to run the mixer for 5 minutes until dough begins to pull away from the edges as shown below (photo 1). Then, transfer the ball of dough to a greased bowl and rotate it a few times to coat in the shortening or butter (photo 2). Cover, and allow to rest in a warm location for 1 hour (or in the fridge overnight).

Make the filling

While the dough is resting/rising make the ham and cheese sauce filling.

In a medium sauce pan, on medium high heat, melt the butter and add the flour (photo 3). Whisk this until smooth to create a roux, which will thicken the cheese sauce. Add the spices, and whisk until blended (photo 4), sautéing for a minute to lightly toast.

Reduce the heat to medium, and add the shredded cheese, cream cheese and water (to aid in melting) to the pot, and allow to melt, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes until completely smooth (above, photo 5).

Add sliced ham pieces (photo 6, above). Stir to combine, and remove from heat. Ham and cheese filling should be thick.

Cut the dough

On a floured surface, use your finger tips to press the dough flat. Roll the dough out into ⅛ inch thickness.

Use a pizza wheel, pasta cutter or just a sharp knife to cut 2-inch by 4-inch rectangles. You can collect the scraps together and repeat with remaining dough until it has all been cut.

Fill the pockets

Transfer rectangles onto a parchment lined or non stick baking sheet, leaving an inch of room in between. You'll likely need two baking sheets, or to work in batches.

Spoon 3-4 tablespoons of filling onto each rectangle and spread lengthwise, leaving about ½-inch space. Filling will be thick if it's cooled down a lot. Repeat until all rectangles are topped with filling.

Once the filling is spread on, dip your finger in a cup of water, and run over the edges all the way around. This will help create a seal when the top dough is placed on.

Place a top rectangle over the filling, matching up the edges. Press around the perimeter of each pocket with the tines of a fork to further seal them.

Create vents for steam

For a shiny, golden crust that is more attractive looking, brush the pockets with beaten egg before baking. An egg wash is simple to make, just pop an egg in a small bowl and whisk until frothy then use a pastry brush to brush on the top of the dough.

Before baking, cut slits using a sharp butcher knife, or poke holes using the tines of a fork to allow steam to escape.

If they close up, the filling might burst out the sides, so keep an eye on them, especially if you've brushed them with egg wash.

Bake the pockets

Bake the ham and cheese pockets in a 350°F (180°C) for 20-26 minutes until edges are golden brown and bottoms appear cooked when lifted with a spatula.

Check the ham and cheese hot pockets 10 minutes into cooking time to see if they need to be re-pierced.

Allow ham and cheese hot pockets to cool for at least 10 minutes before eating, and be careful because they will be hot!

Recipe notes

• When baking, the steam vents are very important. Check them 10 minutes into the cooking time to see if they need to be re-pierced, as sometimes they can close up (especially when using egg wash).
• Do not substitute the water in the cheese sauce with milk (the addition of water in the cheese sauce is to aid in melting, and most of it evaporates), because the milk won't evaporate. You'd end up with exploded hot pockets, as the filling will bubble too much inside the crusts as they bake.
• For freezer friendly ham and cheese hot pockets, follow the recipe as is and bake 5 minutes short of regular baking time. Then flash freeze your hot pockets for later. Once frozen, place frozen hot pockets in a freezer safe container or freezer safe bag for up to 3 months.
• To reheat ham and cheese pockets from frozen, cook on high power in the microwave for 3 minutes on 50% power (or 1 ½ minutes on high power); or bake in the oven for 25 minutes at 350°F, or until heated throughout.

Storage

Homemade ham and cheese hot pockets can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store them in an airtight container or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

To freeze, place the hot pockets in a freezer safe bag and store for up to 3 months. When ready to eat your hand pies, reheat according to the instructions above.

​What other hot pocket filling can I use? 

Another common homemade hot pocket filling would be a pizza filling to create a pizza pocket. For this, you can use your favorite marinara sauce or pizza sauce. You can add some finely shredded mozzarella cheese and maybe a few small, diced up pepperoni, mushroom or green peppers for the inside.

Use your favorite pizza toppings in small amounts and diced up or crumbled up finely. These are great ideas to fill your homemade hot pockets recipe with. 

You could make breakfast homemade pizza pockets by making an egg and crumbled sausage with cheese mixture to go inside as well. The options are endless. Feel free to use your creativity to experiment until you find your favorite combination.

If you make a double or even triple batch of your homemade dough or get enough pre-made dough, you can easily make a bunch of different kinds of homemade hot pockets to have on hand that will please even the picky eaters in your family.

Making your own homemade version is insanely easy when using this simple recipe. Feel free to share with us your favorite combination in the comments below.  

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