This honey glazed ham recipe creates a sweet and savory, holiday-worthy centerpiece from a simple store bought ham. The glaze is so easy to make and caramelizes beautifully for a glossy, irresistible tasting entree.
Sweet Savory Glossy Perfection
- Flavor: Each bite is tender and juicy with a sticky, caramelized glaze that’s sweet and tangy, warmed with cozy hints of cinnamon and cloves.
- Skill Level: This beginner friendly recipe uses a fully cooked ham that’s easy to warm, and a simple homemade glaze, so it is a great option for first-time holiday hosts.
- Tools Needed: You’ll need a roasting pan with a rack, a small saucepan, a basting brush, and a digital thermometer.
- Serving Suggestions: This impressive entree is delicious paired with pineapple stuffing or a marshmallow salad for a festive touch. I like to reserve a bit of glaze for the table so everyone can spoon some extra glossy goodness over their ham.
What’s In Honey Glazed Ham
- Ham: A fully cooked, bone-in ham tends to stay juicy and taste rich. A spiral cut works well too, just be sure to baste gently so the slices do not separate.
- Glaze: This simple homemade glaze is easy to make and modify to suit.
- Apple juice brings a light and fruity flavor plus it helps thin the glaze. You can sub in apple cider, pineapple or orange juice with a bit of zest.
- Honey and brown sugar create that rich, glossy sweetness. Omit the honey and double up the brown sugar for a deeper caramelized flavor.
- Dijon mustard cuts sweetness and adds delicious tang. Sub in a spicy brown or deli mustard, or use yellow mustard for a mellow flavor profile.
- A touch of cinnamon and cloves provides cozy and warm flavors. Sprinkle a touch of cayenne for a bit more heat!
How to Make Honey Glazed Ham
- Score the outside of the ham and bake (full recipe below).
- Combine glaze ingredients and cook until sugar has dissolved.
- Baste ham, bake 10 minutes, and then baste again.
- Let ham rest before serving with reserved glaze.
Pro Tips For Zero Stress
- For the best, juicy ham use a thermometer, not just a timer! A fully cooked ham needs only to be warmed, so be careful not to over-cook.
- If you are cooking a spiral-sliced ham, spoon glaze between slices. Don’t pry slices apart because they may dry out.
- Glaze ham toward the end of cooking and watch carefully to prevent it from burning.
- For extra glossy glaze, simmer until sugar fully dissolves and glaze lightly coats a spoon.
- No rack? Make a foil ring and place ham on top to ensure the ham does not sit in the juices to cook.
- Prep the glaze up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Warm gently before using for quick and easy meal prep!
Store, Freeze, Reheat
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Slice and freeze in flat, meal-size bags for easy thawing, up to 3 months for best quality. To reheat, place slices in a baking dish with a splash of water or apple juice, cover tightly with foil, and warm at 300°F until hot. I love to save the bone to make soup, or use leftovers to create easy meals like sliders, breakfast hash, and omelets all week.
Leftover Ham, Reinvented
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Honey Glazed Ham Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 pound ham fully cooked, bone in
Honey Glaze
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1 cup honey
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325˚F.
- Score ham, ½ inch deep, in a diamond pattern. Place ham on a rack in a shallow roasting pan and bake uncovered for 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours.
- Meanwhile, make glaze. In a small saucepan, mix together apple juice, honey, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add, mustard, cinnamon, and cloves and cook for 5 minutes. Reserve half of the honey glaze for serving.
- After 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours, or when ham reaches 130˚F on a digital thermometer, baste with ¼ of the glaze. After 10 minutes, baste again with ¼ of the glaze. Remove from the oven once the ham reaches 135˚F.
- Allow to rest 10 minutes (the temperature will rise to 140˚F). Slice and serve with reserved glaze.
Notes
- Ham will take approximately 15 to 18 minutes per pound at 325˚F
- Make sure the brown sugar is fully dissolved and keep warm to glaze.
- Check internal temperature of the ham frequently and remove it once it reaches 130°F. It will rise to the required 140°F degrees as it rests.
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.
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I could drink the glaze with a straw! Candace’s husband