This hanky panky recipe is one of my favorite old-fashioned appetizers. This crowd-pleasing dish is so quick and easy to make!
Hanky Panky Recipe
This is a delicious appetizer recipe that’s perfect for any holiday gathering! It tastes just like the version my Grandma used to make. I especially love having a batch out at Thanksgiving or at Christmas so that guests have something to snack on while I finish making dinner.
It’s made with a combination of ground beef, ground pork, delicious seasonings, and Velveeta cheese. That mixture is then used to top little slices of rye party bread. It’s flavorful, cheesy, creamy, savory, and just oh so good.
Ingredients
Ground Pork and Ground Beef: The combination of ground beef and ground pork adds so much flavor to this recipe. For ground beef, I like using 80/20 because the extra fat adds more flavor.
Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire sauce is a great pairing with meat because it adds a tangy, rich, complex flavor that balances the other flavors in the dish.
Fine Sea Salt and Garlic Powder: Salt enhances all of the other flavors in this recipe. Garlic powder adds a savory, aromatic flavor.
Italian Seasoning and Ground Cumin: Italian seasoning is a quick and easy way to add lots of flavor and depth to a dish because it contains so many herbs. Cumin adds a rich and warm flavor to this dish, which pairs well with the cheese.
Velveeta Cheese: This is the best cheese choice for this recipe because it has incredible melting qualities. It melts so easily and the texture of the melted cheese is silky smooth, which makes it perfect for this dish.
Party Rye Bread or Pumpernickel Bread: Party rye bread is ideal for this dish because it’s the perfect size, sturdy enough to hold up to the weight of the toppings, and has a flavor that balances out the rich flavor of the cheese topping well.
Alternative Ingredients
- Meat: Feel free to switch up the meat in this recipe to match your taste preferences or dietary restrictions. Ground chicken or ground turkey are both great options here.
- Spice: If you like things spicy, you could always add in some ground cayenne pepper or some diced pickled jalapenos.
- Bread: If you’re having a hard time finding party rye bread, I’d suggest using 1/4” thick slices of baguette.
How To Make Hanky Panky
Brown the Meat: To a large nonstick skillet, add the ground pork and beef. Saute until browned, breaking the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Once browned, reduce the heat and drain any excess grease. (See the recipe card below for the full printable instructions.)
Season: Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, fine sea salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and ground cumin. Mix well to combine.
Add the Cheese: Mix the cubed Velveeta cheese into the meat mixture, stirring until the cheese is fully melted and evenly blended.
Assemble: Spoon some of the meat and cheese mixture onto each slice of bread, placing them on a baking sheet (you may need two sheets).
Bake and Serve: Place in the oven and bake until the bread is toasted and the cheese is bubbly and browned. Remove from the oven and enjoy it warm! See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, and helpful tips, etc.
Pro Tips
- Break Up the Meat: Be sure to break up any large chunks of ground meat into small crumbles. Since this is served as an appetizer, you really want the meat to be broken up into small crumbles so that it has a consistent texture and is easy to enjoy as finger food.
- Drain the Grease: After you’re finished browning the meat, be sure to drain off any excess grease. If you don’t, you’ll end up with a greasy taste and texture for the final dish.
- Let it Rest: After baking, let these rest for a few minutes before serving them. This gives the cheese a chance to set a bit, which makes them easier to eat.
What Is Hanky Panky Made Of?
Hanky panky is a simple dish made with just a few ingredients. Ground beef, ground pork, Worcestershire sauce, spices, Velveeta cheese, and party rye bread are all you need to make this incredibly delicious and easy appetizer recipe.
Why Is Hanky Panky So Popular?
This recipe is honestly a no-brainer. It’s so incredibly easy to make, it makes a large batch to feed lots of people, it has bite-sized pieces that are easy to eat, and it’s delicious, flavorful, and creamy. Overall, it’s just the perfect crowd-pleasing party food.
What Can I Substitute For Party Rye Bread?
If you’re having a hard time finding rye party bread, try cutting a baguette into 1/4” thick rounds, small 2”x2” squares of pumpernickel bread, or use it as a dip for tortilla chips or mini naan.
Storing Leftovers
Even though this recipe is really best enjoyed fresh, you can store the leftovers for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Just be sure to let them fully cool before transferring them to the storage container. To reheat them, place them on a baking sheet and pop them into a preheated 350F oven for a few minutes until they’re warmed through and bubbly.
Keep In Touch
I’d love to hear what you thought of this recipe in the comments or on Instagram! @KeyToMyLime #KeyToMyLime
Appetizer Recipes
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out all of our other appetizers. Some reader favorites are:
- Sausage Balls
- Cheeseburger Sliders
- Rotel Dip
- Whipped Feta Dip
- French Onion Dip
- Dry Rub Chicken Wings
- Ham and Cheese Sliders
- Christmas Wreath Dip
BEST Hanky Panky Recipe (Quick and Easy Appetizer)
This hanky panky recipe is one of my favorite old-fashioned appetizers. This crowd-pleasing dish is so quick and easy to make!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 pound Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes
- 1 loaf of party rye bread or pumpernickel bread (2”x2” pieces)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the ground pork and beef. Saute until browned (about 8 minutes). While browning, break the meat up into small pieces so there are no visible large clumps. Once the meat has browned, turn the heat down to medium-low, and discard any excess grease from the pan.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and cumin to the meat. Mix together.
- Next, add in the cubed Velveeta cheese. Mix until the cheese has fully melted and combined with the meat.
- Using a Tablespoon, spoon a heaping mound of the mixture on top of each slice of bread, then place each piece on the baking sheet (you might need two baking sheets depending on the size).
- Bake in the preheated oven until the bread is toasted and the cheese is bubbly and browed, about 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1/40Amount Per Serving: Calories: 117Total Fat: 5.7gCarbohydrates: 6.8gFiber: 0.5gSugar: 0.1gProtein: 8.7g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
I hope you enjoy this hanky panky recipe as much as I do! It’s the perfect easy appetizer for Christmas, for Thanksgiving, or for game day.
