Honey Baked Ham Recipe with Brown Sugar Glaze
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Are you looking for a honey baked ham recipe that’ll make your dinner guests ask for seconds (and thirds)? This oven-roasted spiral ham with a homemade brown sugar glaze is exactly what you need!
Forget spending big bucks at the store – you can make a tender, juicy, perfectly glazed ham right in your own kitchen. Whether it’s Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or just a special Sunday dinner, this easy spiral ham will steal the show every single time.
The best part? This recipe uses simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. The sweet and tangy glaze creates that beautiful caramelized coating that everyone loves, and your whole house will smell absolutely amazing while it cooks!
Ingredient Notes & Tips
Let’s talk about what makes this honey glazed ham so special:
Spiral Ham: I used an 8-10 pound bone-in spiral ham for this recipe. The spiral cut makes serving so much easier – no fancy carving skills needed! You can find these at any grocery store, especially around the holidays. If you prefer boneless ham, that works too, but the bone adds extra flavor.
Light Brown Sugar: This is the base of our glaze and gives it that rich, caramel-like sweetness. Want an even deeper molasses flavor? Swap it for dark brown sugar instead.
Honey: The star ingredient! Honey adds natural sweetness and helps the glaze stick to the ham beautifully. If you don’t have honey on hand, maple syrup works great too and gives you a more earthy, autumn-style flavor.
Orange Juice: This might surprise you, but orange juice adds a bright, fruity note that cuts through all that sweetness. It keeps the glaze from being too heavy.
Dijon Mustard: Trust me on this one! The mustard adds a tangy kick that balances the sweet honey and sugar perfectly. You can use yellow mustard for more tang, or honey mustard if you want it extra sweet.
Spices: The cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and black pepper create a warm, cozy flavor that reminds you of the holidays. These spices make your ham taste fancy without any extra work!
Pro Tip: Make sure your ham is fully thawed before cooking. A frozen ham won’t cook evenly and you’ll end up with dry edges and a cold center – not good!
How to Make This Oven Roasted Ham
Making this holiday ham recipe is easier than you think! Here’s how it all comes together:
Prep Your Ham Start by preheating your oven to 300°F. Take your ham out of the package and give it a good rinse under cold water. Pat it dry with paper towels and place it in a 9×13-inch baking pan. Pour 2 cups of water into the bottom of the pan – this keeps everything moist while it cooks.
The Slow Cook Cover the ham tightly with aluminum foil. This is super important! The foil traps all that steam and keeps your ham tender and juicy instead of dry. Cook for 1½ to 2 hours, depending on your ham size. The rule is about 10-12 minutes per pound. You’re looking for an internal temperature of 120°F.
Make That Amazing Glaze While your ham is cooking, it’s time to make the magic happen! Combine the brown sugar, honey, orange juice, both mustards, and all your spices in a saucepan. Heat it over medium heat, stirring until everything melts together. Bring it to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes until it thickens up nicely. Save about ¼ cup of glaze in a separate container for later – you’ll thank me when you reheat leftovers!
Glaze and Caramelize Once your ham hits 120°F, take it out and crank your oven up to 425°F. Now comes the fun part! Brush or spoon that gorgeous glaze all over your ham. Don’t use all of it yet – you’ll glaze again! Pop it back in the oven (uncovered this time) for 15 minutes. Glaze it again, cook for another 15 minutes, and watch it turn into a beautiful, caramelized masterpiece. Keep an eye on it because that sugar can go from perfect to burnt pretty quickly!
Rest and Serve Let your ham rest for 15 minutes before slicing. This helps all those juices settle back into the meat. Transfer it to a cutting board, slice, and get ready for the compliments!
Delicious Variations to Try
Once you master this basic baked ham recipe, try these fun twists:
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Spicy Honey Ham: Use hot honey in your glaze or add a teaspoon of chili powder or red pepper flakes. The sweet-heat combo is incredible!
Maple Bourbon Glaze: Replace the honey with maple syrup and add 2 tablespoons of bourbon to the glaze for a grown-up version.
Pineapple Brown Sugar Ham: Add ½ cup pineapple juice instead of orange juice and top with pineapple rings in the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Cola Glazed Ham: Replace the water in the pan with cola for extra moisture and use cola in the glaze instead of orange juice for a Southern twist.
Herb-Crusted Ham: Add fresh rosemary and thyme to your glaze for a more savory flavor profile.
How to Store Your Leftover Ham
Good news – this easy ham recipe makes amazing leftovers! Once your ham cools down completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. It’ll stay fresh in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
To reheat, place slices in a pan or air fryer at 300°F for 3-4 minutes. Use that reserved glaze you saved to brush on top for extra moisture and flavor!
You can also freeze leftover ham for up to 2 months. Wrap individual portions in plastic wrap, then place in freezer bags. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
What to Do with Leftovers?
Honestly, we really look forward to the leftovers when we bake a ham. Dice up leftover ham and add it to omelets, breakfast casserole, mac and cheese, fried rice, ham and cheese sliders, creamy scalloped potatoes, or grilled cheese sandwiches. Don’t throw away that ham bone! It makes the most incredible ham and bean soup.
Related Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoyed this honey baked ham recipe, you’ll also love these other crowd-pleasing dishes:
- Smashed Potatoes: (shown here) – The perfect no-fuss side for ham unless you’re looking for mashed potatoes that are over the top!
- Sweet Potato Casserole: Sweet and savory, with a crunchy pecan topping
- Homemade Dinner Rolls: Soft, brown bread rolls with molasses are our choice for soaking up that delicious glaze
- Frozen Cranberry Salad: Fruity and tangy, cuts through the richness beautifully
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts: We have a unique twist. Add shallots and mushrooms!
Your Turn!
Now you have everything you need to make an amazing honey-baked ham! This recipe is perfect for beginners and experienced cooks alike. The homemade brown sugar glaze is seriously better than anything you can buy at the store, and it is so easy to make.
Have you tried this recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Drop a comment below and let me know what you thought. Did you try any of the variations? And if you loved it as much as my family does, please give it a 5-star rating – it helps other home cooks find this recipe too!
Honey Baked Ham Recipe with Brown Sugar Glaze
Ingredients
- 8-10 pounds bone-in spiral ham
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup honey
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- Unpack the ham and rinse thoroughly.
- Pat dry with a paper towel and place in a 9×13 pan.
- Pour 2 cups of water into the baking dish.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil and cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours, depending on the size of your ham. The rule of thumb is approximately 10-12 minutes per pound at 300 degrees F.
- Cook until the internal temperature of the ham reaches 120 degrees F.
- While the ham is cooking, make the brown sugar glaze.
- In a saucepan, add the brown sugar, honey, orange juice, mustard, and spices.
- Place over medium heat. Mix until all ingredients are combined.
- Bring to a boil, mixing occasionally, and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until desired thickness.
- NOTE: I put ¼ cup of the glaze aside, and I used it when I reheated the ham for added moisture.
- Once the ham has reached the internal temperature of 120 degrees F., take it out of the oven and increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
- Glaze the ham using a spoon or pastry brush. Don’t use all the glaze; you will glaze again.
- Place the ham back in the oven once at temperature and cook for 15 minutes, uncovered.
- Glaze the ham again and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Keep an eye on it, with the high concentration of sugar, it will caramelize quickly.
- NOTE: If the bone of the ham is browning too quickly, cover it with a small piece of aluminum foil.
- Take the ham out of the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Transfer to a cutting board.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
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