How to Cook a Honey Glazed Spiral Ham (Easy Recipe)
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Baking a ham in the oven doesn’t have to be time consuming.. This easy Honey Glazed Ham recipe takes the guesswork out of cooking ham and removes the need to baste it constantly! I’ll show you exactly how to make a flavorful glaze and roast this ham to perfection WITHOUT opening the door every 30 minutes.
I developed this recipe to take the guesswork out of cooking a spiral ham. Instead of traditional methods that have you basting every 30 minutes, I tested a simpler approach that keeps the ham covered and hands-off while it bakes.
One issue I kept running into during testing was the glaze burning too early, so this version is added at the end. That timing creates a sticky, flavorful coating on every slice without burning—or setting off the smoke detectors (been there).
The result is a juicy, foolproof ham that feels completely doable, even if it’s your first time making one.
Why You’ll Love Honey Glazed Ham
- Easy to prepare – With little hands-on time, it’s a perfect beginner recipe. Super moist and flavorful ham, without basting every 30 minutes.
- Minimal effort – The ham is precooked, so you’re just warming it up and brushing on a tasty glaze.
- A classic – A glazed ham is a staple centerpiece at Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving. It’s also a great weekend meal that offers tasty leftovers for the week’s meal prep.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Use fresh ingredients for the most flavorful results.
- One fully cooked spiral cut ham – I like to use a hickory smoked, bone-in ham around 8–10 pounds. I don’t recommend going much larger, since hams are bulky and can get too close to the oven’s heating element.
- Pineapple juice – You can also use orange juice (I like oranges around Thanksgiving time) or water. I don’t recommend using syrupy beverages like cola or Dr. Pepper here, the long cooking time can cause them to burn.
Ham Glaze Ingredients
- Honey – I like honey for this recipe because it gives the ham a big flavor, within a reasonable budget. But if you want to add a New England spin to this recipe, use pure maple syrup instead.
- Light brown sugar – I prefer light brown, but dark brown sugar can also be used for a more pronounced sweetness and smokier flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce
- Dijon mustard – I love the mustard in this recipe. It adds a nice flavor, but more importantly, cuts the richness from the ham, butter, and sugar.
- Spices – Cinnamon, powdered ginger, and ground cloves
- Unsalted butter– This helps keep the glaze from burning!
What You Need to Know Before Starting
If you’ve never made a ham before, here are the basics of what you’ll need to know:
- Bring the ham up to room temperature first. This shaves off the baking time.
- Bake at 350°F and plan for about 20 minutes per pound.
- Keep it covered in the beginning so it stays juicy.
- Add the glaze during the last 20–30 minutes.
- This ham is already fully cooked, you’re safely reheating it to an internal temp of 145°F
How to Cook a Spiral Ham in the Oven
Full instructions are located in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1
Prep ahead: 90 minutes to two hours before baking, remove the ham from the fridge, and place it in a roasting pan lined with foil.
15 minutes before baking, move the oven rack to the lower level to accommodate the ham and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 2
Pour the fruit juice or water on the bottom of the roasting pan. Add the ham, cut side down, to the roasting pan.
Cover the pan with foil. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 100–110°F on a meat thermometer (this is just the initial warming stage before glazing).
Note: for my 9lb ham, it takes about 2 ½ hours in my oven to reach 100°F.
Step 3: Make the ham glaze
While the ham is baking, make the honey brown sugar glaze.
Combine all the glaze ingredients except the butter in a small saucepan.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat, and simmer until the sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes.
Add the butter and stir until melted. Remove the glaze from the heat and set aside.
Step 4
After the ham has reached between 100-110°F, remove the foil.
Brush half of the glaze on the outside of the ham. Get into all the nooks and crannies and in between the exposed slices. Return the ham to the oven and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
Take the ham out and brush on the remaining glaze. Return to the oven for the final time and bake for another 15-25 minutes or until the ham reaches an internal temperature of 145°F on an instant-read meat thermometer.
Note: Make sure to test the thickest part of the ham to ensure an accurate temperature reading.
Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest 20 minutes before carving.
Tips & Tricks for the Best Spiral Ham
- The glaze can be made the day before and warmed until loose enough to brush on the ham.
- Line the roasting pan well with foil for easy clean up
- Take the ham out of the fridge and place it in the roasting pan 90 minutes to 2 hours before baking to bring to room temp and cut down the cooking time.
- Apply any glaze during the last 20–30 minutes of cooking. This prevents the sugars in the glaze from burning.
- Use a meat thermometer to test the internal temperature in the thickest part of the ham.
- Let the ham rest 20 minutes before carving. This will let the juices redistribute throughout the ham and allow the glaze to form a tasty crust.
Substitutions & Variations
- Swap the honey in the glaze for pure maple syrup for a smoky and classic New England flavor.
- I prefer Dijon mustard, but you can also use coarse ground or a spicy brown mustard.
- Double the glaze. Use half on the ham and serve the other half in a gravy boat as a sauce for the table.
- Water can be used in place of the orange juice or pineapple juice while the ham is cooking.
How Long To Cook Oven Baked Ham
Per the FDA safety guidelines, precooked ham should be reheated to an internal temperature of 145°F.
For planning purposes, spiral hams take about 20 minutes per pound at 350°F. If you skip bringing the ham to room temperature first, add about 5 extra minutes per pound.
Note: Each ham brand is different, and cooking time depends largely on the size of the ham and how accurately your oven is calibrated.
How to Carve a Spiral Ham
Place baked ham on a stable, large cutting board with the pre-sliced side facing up (like a hasselback potato).
You’ll see the spiral cuts already made in the ham. Use a sharp carving knife to slice along the natural curve of the spiral cut, gently separating the slices from the bone. Carefully lift each slice away from the ham.
If the slices are still attached at the bone and won’t lift away easily, use the tip of the knife to cut carefully along the base of the slice. Work your way around the ham, removing slices one by one.
What to Serve with Honey Glazed Ham
I highly recommend serving this Apple and Walnut Salad alongside the ham instead of as a starter. The flavor pairing of the apples and ham is just so good. Also, be sure to have plenty of Homemade Dinner Rolls on hand!
Here are some other great sides that go perfectly with your glazed ham:
- Scalloped Potatoes with Cheese
- Broccoli Cheddar Bake
- Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts (love this for Thanksgiving).
- Pan Fried Lemon Parmesan Asparagus (perfect for Easter!)
- Oven-Roasted Cauliflower
- Macaroni and Cheese (baked or stovetop)
Storage and Reheating Instructions for Ham
Allow leftover honey baked ham to cool completely to room temperature before storing. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 6 months. Save and freeze the ham bone too to make delicious soup, broth, or add to homemade baked beans.
Best Tips for Freezing Ham
Allow the fully cooked ham to cool completely before carving the ham slices off the bone and freezing them in a freezer safe bag or airtight container. Properly stored, ham can be frozen for up to 6 months. Thaw frozen ham before reheating slices or adding to other dishes.
Top tip for freezing: Place the ham slices on a parchment lined sheet in the freezer for an hour before placing in the ziploc bag so the pieces don’t stick together while freezing.
Reheating:
Reheat in the oven at 350°F in an oven safe container. Drizzle a few tablespoons of extra glaze, pineapple juice, or water over the ham slices. Cover with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes, until heated through.
How to Use Leftover Ham
Use leftover ham in Ham And Cheese Roll Ups or as a topping for Ham and Pineapple pizza. Or dice it up and add to dishes like Corn Chowder or Homemade Baked Beans.
Leftovers are great for Breakfast Sandwiches, scrambles and hashes, or even Breakfast Pizzas. You can also fry up some of the leftover ham and serve it as a great morning protein with any of my Easy and Delicious Breakfast Recipes.
FAQs
If ham is the star of the show (think Christmas or Easter ham) About 3-4 slices per person or ½ a pound per person. Cut this portion in half if the baked ham is served alongside another protein (like at Thanksgiving).
Yes. Keep the ham covered with foil for most of the cooking time so it stays juicy. You’ll uncover it during the last 30 minutes when you add the glaze.
Keep the ham covered and add a little liquid (like pineapple juice or water) to the bottom of the roasting pan. This creates steam and helps keep everything moist during long cooking periods.
No problem. Just keep it covered with foil and let it rest. Your ham will stay warm for a while.
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How to Cook a Honey Glazed Spiral Ham (Easy Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 Fully cooked spiral cut ham 8-10 lbs in size
- 6 ounces of pineapple juice or ¾ cup orange juice or water
- Ham Glaze
- 3/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 5 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/16 th teaspoon ginger I do about half 1/8th teaspoon
- Pinch ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
Instructions
- Prep ahead: 90 minutes to two hours before baking, remove the ham from the fridge, and place it in a roasting pan lined with foil. If the ham comes with a plastic disc, discard the disc.
- 15 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350°F and move the oven rack to the lower third level.
- Pour the fruit juice or water in the roasting pan. Place the ham cut side down in the roaster.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes per pound, until the internal temperature of the ham reads 100°F-11o°F on a meat thermometer. Note: for a 9lb ham, it takes about 2 ½ hours in my oven to reach 100°F internally.
- While the ham is baking, make the glaze by combining all the ingredients except the butter in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved.
- Once the sugar has melted, add the butter and stir until melted. Remove the glaze from the heat and set aside.
- After the ham has reached between 100-110°F on an instant read meat thermometer, remove the foil. Use a pastry brush to brush on half of the glaze on the outside of the ham. Get into all the nooks and crannies and in between the exposed slices. Return the ham to the oven and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, take the ham out and brush on the remaining glaze. Return to the oven for the final time and bake for another 15-25 minutes until the ham reaches an internal temperature of 140°F. Note: carryover cooking will finish cooking the ham to 145°F.
- Remove the ham from the oven and let rest 20 minutes before carving.
Notes
- Always insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the ham, away from the bone, for an accurate internal temperature.
- The glaze can be made the day before and warmed until loose enough to brush on the ham.
