There is nothing improper about this Hanky Panky Recipe for old-fashioned, delicious cocktail rye bread appetizers.
Sometimes called a Polish Mistake, Hanky Pankies are topped with a combination of sausage, hamburger meat, and, what else, lots of gooey cheesy goodness!
If you have never had a Hanky Panky appetizer, you are in for a treat! They only take a few minutes to prepare and even less time to heat up and serve. They are perfect for the holidays, game nights, or even a great light lunch or dinner.
Hanky Pankies are a make-ahead wonder, and they freeze beautifully, which means you can always have them stockpiled in your freezer for impromptu guests or just when you want a little snack.
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Ingredient notes:
- Ground beef: there are many different types of ground beef available. I usually look for an 80/20 mixture for this recipe, meaning it’s 80% meat and 20% fat. A higher percentage of fat means that there is more flavor, and the meat will be juicy. You can also use ground chuck.
- Hot pork sausage: this sausage is also called breakfast sausage, and it usually comes in rolls wrapped in plastic wrap. Jimmy Dean’s is a common brand. It also is usually labeled hot, regular, and mild. For this recipe, I like to use the hot. You can, however, use medium or mild if you don’t want any heat. I will say that the cheese tones down the heat, but it is spicy.
- Processed cheese: if you were around in the ’90s, I’m sure you remember processed cheese. It doesn’t have to be refrigerated and comes in big blocks or loaves. Velveeta is a common brand, and it’s often used to make queso dip. The big plus with processed cheese is that it melts easily and is smooth and creamy when melted.
- Party Rye or Cocktail Rye Bread: these thin slices of bread only measure about two inches by two inches and are the perfect size for appetizers.
- Spices and Seasonings: oregano, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, and fennel seeds all come together to add maximum flavor to these party rye bread appetizers.
Step-by-step directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Add ground beef and sausage to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir and cook until browned.
- Use a potato masher or large fork to break up any large clumps of meat.
- When the meat has browned, drain off any excess fat.
- Add oregano, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, and fennel seeds. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 20 minutes.
- Cut the cheese into cubes and add to the meat mixture.
- Stir until the cheese has melted and everything is thoroughly blended, and then remove from the heat.
- Use a small ice cream scoop (about one and a quarter inches in diameter) or a tablespoon to add a dollop of the meat and cheese mixture to each piece of bread.
- Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. Or, bake until the bread is toasted and the topping is bubbling. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Recipe variations:
This hanky panky recipe is extremely versatile, and you can change it up to suit your family’s preferences:
- You can transform it into Hanky Panky Dip by adding a can of Rotel and cooking everything in a crockpot or slow cooker until the cheese is melted. Serve with sturdy chips like Frito scoops.
- This recipe is spicy. If you prefer less spice or heat, substitute regular sausage for hot sausage and leave out the crushed red pepper flakes. On the other hand, if you want to make the Hanky Pankies spicier, use spicy Veelveta cheese or add a bit more crushed red pepper flakes.
- You can also substitute turkey sausage or Italian sausage for the breakfast sausage.
Recipe FAQs:
Hanky Pankies are a filling appetizer, so you might want to serve something a little lighter with it, such as Redneck Dip or Easy Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms.
If you are serving them as a light lunch or dinner, you could just add a salad such as my Southern Cucumber and Tomato Salad or my Southern Broccoli Salad.
Yes, and this is one of the best things about this recipe. You can make the topping up to 48 hours ahead, and then top your bread and bake it when you are ready to serve it. Or, you can make the recipe as directed and freeze the hanky pankies until you are ready to bake and serve them.
Place the prepared un-baked Hanky Pankies on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for an hour or so until they are frozen. Remove from the baking sheet and store in a gallon-size plastic freezer bag in the freezer. To bake, place the frozen Hanky Pankies on a baking sheet and bake as directed above.
Hanky pankies are best eaten immediately after they are baked. Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for several days and reheated in the oven or air-fryer, but because the bread is so thin, they do tend to dry out.
Sharon’s tips:
- If you can’t find cocktail rye bread, cocktail pumpernickel bread is a good substitute. Also, thinly sliced rye or pumpernickel bread cut into quarters can be substituted.
- I have been able to find loaves of party or cocktail rye bread at Publix and Walmart. They are usually easier to find around the holidays.
More appetizer recipes:
If you need more appetizer menu ideas or recipes, check out my collections of 40+ Quick and Easy Game Day Snacks and Appetizers or 47 Christmas Party Appetizer Recipes.
Or, here are links to all of my appetizer or snack recipes.
★★★★★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones! I hope you come back soon!
📋 Recipe:
Quick and Easy Hanky Pankies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pounds ground beef
- 1 pound hot pork sausage I used Jimmy Dean’s
- 1 pound processed cheese I used Velveeta
- 1 teaspoon ground oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 pinch fennel seeds
- 1 loaf thinly sliced party rye bread sometimes called cocktail rye bread
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Add ground beef and sausage to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir and cook until browned. Use a potato masher or large fork to break up any large clumps of meat.
- When the meat has browned, drain off any excess fat.
- Add oregano, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, and fennel seeds. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 20 minutes.
- Cut the cheese into cubes and add to the meat mixture. Stir until the cheese has melted and everything is thoroughly blended, remove from the heat.
- Use a small ice-cream scoop (about 1¼ inches in diameter) or a tablespoon to add a dollop of the meat and cheese mixture to each piece of bread.
- Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the bread is toasted and the topping is bubbling.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Pepperidge Farms discontinued their Jewish Rye Party Loaves sometime late 2021 or early 2022, but the S. Rosen’s Bakery offers a Rye Party Loaf that’s similar, a mix of dark & light rye swirled. I found it at one grocery chain in my metro area.
Can’t find party Rye bread any more, help. What’s a good substitute??
It does seem to be hard to find these days. Hopefully, it might become more available as the holidays get closer. I have used thinly sliced regular rye, or pumpernickel bread cut into quarters. I hope this helps!
Sharon
Pepperidge discontinued the Cocktail Party Rye. I would love to make these, but cannot find a substitute
How about their Cocktail Party Pupernickle? That would work. Also, I have bought thin sliced pumpernickel and rye and then cut the slices into quarters and used that. I don’t know where you live, but I also found another brand of cocktail rye bread advertised at Publix.
I hope this helps!
Sharon
https://www.srosens.com/carawaycocktailrye/ is the only one I find. Check your local grocers.
We make and freeze these every year. They’re an integral part of the holidays! You can heat up just a few for a wine snack, or take a tray full to a get together. Don’t turn your nose up at the Velveeta. It’s the “glue” that holds them together without being oily.
My son in law makes these for gatherings, only he calls them polish mistakes, everyone goes crazy over them. So good and tasty with lots of flavor.
These are so yummy! I will make them again and again.
What a GREAT recipe for Holiday appetizers. I love the fennel seeds and the little bit of heat from the crushed red pepper. And it’s so awesome that you can freeze these. Thanks so much for sharing.