Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets ($10 Family Dinner Idea)

Are you looking for the convenience of a freezer meal with the price tag and clean ingredients of a home-cooked meal? You’ll love these homemade ham and cheese hot pockets! This is such a great, frugal meal that your whole family will enjoy! And did I mention that it is easy?

This post is part of our $10 Dinner Ideas series, brought to you by Brigette on our team! Each week, she will be sharing easy, delicious, and affordable family-friendly dinner ideas that cost less than $10 to make, use everyday ingredients, and are super quick meals.

Homemade ham and cheese hot pockets on a black plate. There is a side of green peas, and bold text above reads “Homemade Ham & Cheese Hot Pockets.”

Why You’ll Love Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets

I love making these hot pockets on nights that my son has baseball games because they are a perfect grab-and-go meal. My boys also take them as leftovers in their school lunches. You can use any kind of pre-cooked meat and any kind of cheese you have on hand — which means they are a perfect way to use up leftovers! The dough is also super cheap since it doesn’t use any kind of butter, oil or eggs!

Ham and Cheese Pockets Dinner Menu:

Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets (I doubled this recipe)
Peas

A variety of ingredients are laid out on a wooden surface, including powdered milk, all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, instant yeast, sliced ham, Colby Jack and provolone cheese slices, and three bags of frozen sweet garden peas.

Ingredients for Cheese and Ham Hot Pockets:

6 cups flour (Harris Teeter – $1.97 for 5lbs) – $0.60
1/2 cup dry milk (Walmart – $8.86 for 10 2/3 cups) – $0.42
7 Tablespoons sugar (Aldi – $2.86 for 4lbs) – $0.13
4 Tablespoons yeast (Sam’s Club – $7.57 for 2lbs) – $0.36
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups warm water
Sliced ham or other sliced, cooked meat (Aldi – 16oz for $3.86) – $3.86
Shredded or sliced cheese (Harris Teeter – 2 8-oz bags of sliced cheese for $2.98) – $2.98
2 bags of frozen sweet peas (Aldi – $0.96 each) – $1.90

Grand Total for Dinner: $10.25 (Makes 18 large pockets. Freeze extras for later!)

A black plate holds two sliced ham and cheese hot pockets with melted cheddar and ham layered inside soft, golden bread, served alongside a portion of bright green peas.

How to Make Hot Pockets with Ham and Cheese:

1. Follow the directions here for making Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets. I doubled the recipe and made the dough in my 2-lb bread machine (the doubled ingredients fit easily). I made 18 large hot pockets using the doubled recipe, which means I made mine significantly larger than the recipe suggests. We prefer this larger size – please note that I also have teenage boys.

The recipe card below is for the doubled version with larger pockets, but you can make them whatever size your family prefers!

An open bread machine reveals a loaf pan filled with ingredients, ready to be mixed and kneaded.

A ball of freshly kneaded dough sits on a dark wooden surface dusted with flour.

A round piece of rolled-out dough is topped with folded slices of ham and a slice of Colby Jack cheese, ready to be folded into a homemade hot pocket.

2. Steam the peas (or vegetables of your choice) in the microwave and serve alongside the hot pockets.

A black plate holds two golden-baked cheese and ham hot pockets alongside a serving of bright green peas. In the background, a tray is filled with more freshly baked pockets, and a floral bowl contains additional peas.

A close-up of sliced homemade hot pockets filled with cheese and ham wrapped in soft, golden-baked dough, served with a side of green peas on a black plate.

Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets ($10 Dinner Idea)

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword bread, bread machine, easy dinner, family favorite, freezer meal, homemade, quick snack, snack, weeknight dinner

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 15

Servings pockets

Calories 354kcal

Author Brigette

Cost $10.25

Ingredients

6 cups flour Harris Teeter – $1.97 for 5lbs – $0.60
1/2 cup dry milk Walmart – $8.86 for 10 2/3 cups – $0.42
7 Tablespoons sugar Aldi – $2.86 for 4lbs – $0.13
4 Tablespoons yeast Sam’s Club – $7.57 for 2lbs – $0.36
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups warm water
16 oz sliced ham or other sliced cooked meat (Aldi – 16oz for $3.86) – $3.86
16 oz shredded or sliced cheese Harris Teeter – 2 8-oz bags of sliced cheese for $2.98 – $2.98
2 bags frozen sweet peas Aldi – $0.96 each – $1.90

Instructions

To make dough in bread machine:

Add ingredients in the bread machine in the order listed and run on the dough cycle.
Check about halfway through to see if you need to add a little extra water or flour to make a soft dough.

To make dough by hand:

Dissolve yeast in warm water.
Stir in salt, sugar, and dry milk.
Add flour and stir until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Dump dough onto a floured surface and knead for around 5 minutes, until a soft dough forms.
Add a little more flour, if needed.

To make Ham & Cheese Pockets:

Divide dough into 18 balls.
Roll each ball into a rectangle.
Put ham and cheese on half of the rectangle.
Fold dough over and pinch sides to seal tightly.
Bake pockets on a greased cookie sheet at 350º for 15-18 minutes, until lightly browned.