This easy Glazed Ham recipe is a spiral ham recipe that is incredible for holiday gatherings or special entertaining occasions. The ham is slathered in a simple honey butter mixture combined with a swoon-worthy, brown sugar glaze. A quick stovetop glaze featuring zesty and warm spices, layers of sweet caramelized pineapple, and more cling to the ham. Baked to perfection, this brown sugar-crusted, juicy ham is brimming with well-rounded flavor. It’s sooo succulent and delicious!

glazed ham in baking dish

Real talk, glazed ham just might be one of my top favorite mains to make for special occasions or holidays. My smothered turkey wings are a real delight, followed by my braised short ribs or this creamy pork tenderloin situation. Those are my traditional moves to whip up a dinner where I’m trying to flex my home cook chops, ha.

I’ve added this baked glazed ham recipe into my flex bag and cannot get enough rave reviews about it. We all know a spiral ham has to have that certain oomph that hits and my goodness, I’ve nailed it!

glazed ham slices on plate with mashed potatoes and green beans

Brown Sugar Glazed Ham 😋

Ham on its own already has that deep richness and distinctively savory bite to it. However, when you add the right combinations of flavors to complement all that, it further sends it into orbit! Listen, brown sugar and ham go together like spaghetti and meatballs, mmmkay.

The molasses-laced sweetness meets the ultra savoriness, whew. Then we’ll add in a few other elements like citrus notes, warm/zesty spices, and tangy dijon to add more flair and depth. It’s a glazed ham recipe that is the perfect showstopping centerpiece for all of your cozy dinners, holiday table, and more!

ingredients for glazed ham in small bowls

Ingredients Needed For This Recipe:

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.)

  • Bone-in spiral sliced ham: One gorgeous hunk of ham, about 10-11 pounds.
  • Chicken broth: Just a bit for the pan to keep things moist.
  • Butter: For the honey butter mixture + sugar glaze.
  • Honey: For the honey butter mixture.
  • Brown sugar: I recommend dark brown sugar.
  • Spices: Cajun seasoning (homemade or store-bought), garlic powder, ground allspice, ground cloves, and ground cinnamon.
  • Crushed pineapple: In 100% pineapple juice.
  • Dijon mustard: Smooth, whole grain, or a mix of both.
  • Orange juice: Love the orange essence here!
honey butter glazed ham in baking pan

How To Make This Glazed Ham Recipe:

(Note: please see the recipe card directly below for the complete written instructions.)

  • Preheat the oven to 275°F.
  • Using a roasting pan fitted with a wire rack, place the ham, flat/cut-side down, onto the rack. Then pour the broth onto the bottom of the roasting pan.
  • Brush ham with honey butter. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of butter and ¼ cup of honey. Microwave the mixture for 30-45 seconds or until melted, and stir well to combine. Use a pastry brush to brush the outside of the ham with the honey butter. Then cover the ham loosely with foil.
  • Bake the ham at 275°F for 12-15 minutes per pound (about 1 ½ – 2 hours) or until the internal temperature of the ham reaches 120°F when inserted into the thickest part of the ham.
dry spice rub mixed in glass bowl
glazed ham mixture in saucepan

Dry Spice Rub & Sugar Glaze:

  • Prep the dry spice rub. In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon. Use your hands to stir the dry rub/seasonings until well combined. Then grab a ½ measuring cup and set aside ½ cup of the dry spice rub.
  • Prep the sugar-glaze. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining brown sugar mixture, the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, crushed pineapple, dijon mustard, and orange juice. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and then reduce to a simmer. Continue cooking the glaze, stirring often, until slightly thickened and fragrant, about 8-10 minutes. Then remove from the heat.
dry spice rub on baked ham in baking pan
glazed ham in baking pan with basting tool on the side

Season & Glaze Ham:

  • Glaze the ham. After the ham’s first bake, remove it from the oven and increase the heat to 425°F. Brush or spoon the prepared saucepan glaze over the ham and between slices.
  • Caramelize ham. Place the ham in the oven, uncovered, and continue baking for 25-30 minutes, until golden and deeply caramelized.
  • Pat ham with dry rub mix. Remove the ham from the oven and use disposable gloves to pat the remaining ½ cup of the dry spice rub mix over the ham, the outside and between slices. Then continue baking the ham for 10-15 minutes. Baste the ham with the pan juices during the cooking process.
  • Rest ham & serve. Remove the ham from the oven and baste a few more times with pan juices/glaze. Tent the ham with foil and let it stand for at least 10-15 minutes before serving.
spiral glazed ham on platter with orange and pineapple slices

Supremely succulent, the ham is drenched and sopped up in the flavorful glaze…it’s all sooo unbelievably good, peeps! It’s a must-make for holiday-centered celebrations like Easter, Juneteenth, Thanksgiving, and Christmas! 💛

→ Epic sides to pair with this juicy glazed ham:

spiral glazed ham on platter

Recipe Tips + Tricks:

Here are some extra notes to ensure that your glazed ham comes out beautifully…

  1. Room temperature ham– Remove the ham from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking to allow the ham to come to room temperature. This helps the ham to cook evenly.
  2. Baste the ham often– Baste the ham with the pan juices every so often to help retain moisture. We want to keep the ham extra moist and retain all that juiciness.
  3. Tent with foil as needed– If the ham is browning too quickly during the cooking process, cover loosely with foil.
sliced glazed ham on plate with mashed potatoes and green beans

There is nothing like a Spiral Glazed Ham that you can serve for nearly any occasion, friend. Can’t wait for you to recreate it! Be sure to tag @butterbeready in your BBR recipe creations, I sure love to see it when you do. Until next time! 🤟🏾

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glazed ham in baking dish

Baked Honey Butter Brown Sugar Glazed Ham

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  • Author: Quin Liburd
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes
  • Yield: 12-16
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Baking, Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

This easy Glazed Ham recipe is a spiral ham recipe that is incredible for holiday gatherings or special entertaining occasions. The ham is slathered in a simple honey butter mixture combined with a swoon-worthy, brown sugar glaze. A quick stovetop glaze featuring zesty and warm spices, layers of sweet caramelized pineapple, and more cling to the ham. Baked to perfection, this brown sugar-crusted, juicy ham is brimming with well-rounded flavor. It’s sooo succulent and delicious!

Ingredients

  • 1 bone-in spiral sliced ham, about 10–11 lbs 
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • ¼ cup pure honey
  • 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons Creole Cajun Seasoning– homemade or store-bought
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple in 100% pineapple juice
  • 3 tablespoons dijon mustard (smooth, whole grain or a mix of both)
  • ½ cup orange juice

Instructions

  1. Prep the ham. Remove the ham from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking to allow the ham to come to room temperature.
  2. Position an oven rack in the center. Preheat the oven to 275°F.
  3. Remove all of the ham packaging materials, including the clear, plastic button/guard on the bone area if present. Using a roasting pan fitted with a wire rack, place the ham, flat/cut-side down, onto the rack. Then pour the broth onto the bottom of the roasting pan.
  4. Brush ham with honey butter. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of butter and ¼ cup of honey. Microwave the mixture for 30-45 seconds or until melted, and stir well to combine. Then use a pastry brush to brush the outside of the ham with the honey butter. Then cover the ham loosely with foil to help retain moisture.
  5. Bake the ham at 275°F for 12-15 minutes per pound (about 1 ½ – 2 hours) or until the internal temperature of the ham reaches 120°F when inserted into the thickest part of the ham.
  6. Prep the seasonings & glaze. In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon. Use your hands to stir the dry rub/seasonings until well combined. Then grab a ½ measuring cup and set aside ½ cup of the dry spice rub.
  7. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining brown sugar mixture, the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, crushed pineapple, dijon mustard, and orange juice. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and then reduce to a simmer. Continue cooking the glaze, stirring often, until slightly thickened and fragrant, about 8-10 minutes. Then remove from the heat.
  8. Glaze the ham. After the ham’s first bake, remove it from the oven and increase the heat to 425°F. Now carefully position the ham on its side. Brush or spoon the prepared saucepan glaze over the ham and between slices. Be sure to hit every nook, cranny, and crevice of the ham with the glaze.
  9. Bake again to caramelize ham. Place the ham in the oven, uncovered, and continue baking for 25-30 minutes, until golden and deeply caramelized. Baste the ham with the pan juices every so often to help retain moisture.
  10. Pat ham with dry rub mix. Remove the ham from the oven and use disposable gloves to pat the remaining ½ cup of the dry spice rub mix over the ham, the outside and between slices. We want the dry spices to take on a crispy/crackly effect on the ham’s surface and texture. Then continue baking the ham for 10-15 minutes. Again, baste the ham with the pan juices during the cooking process. For extra caramelization, broil the ham for 2-3 minutes- be careful not to walk away if broiling, as the ham can burn quickly! Note: if the ham is browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
  11. Rest ham & serve. Remove the ham from the oven and baste a few more times with pan juices/glaze. Tent the ham with foil and let it stand for at least 10-15 minutes before serving. Then slice and serve the glazed ham alongside your favorite sides- be sure to collect some of the pan juices/glaze on ham servings. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Please read blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.

Recipe by: Quin Liburd- Butter Be Ready

Photography by: Camera Eats First

sliced glazed ham on platter with oranges