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Imagine: it’s the holidays, and the smell of a sweet, salty, slightly smoky, honey glazed ham is wafting in your kitchen. Your mouth is watering, you are ready to sit down with your family, your friends, or whoever you’re celebrating the holiday with and enjoy some honey glazed ham along with all your favorite holiday sides.

It’s the ultimate moment. The memories we cherish.

I have this honey glazed ham especially in mind for Thanksgiving, but it would be perfect for Christmas, or Easter as well. Any holiday where you need to feed a crowd – this ham will check all the boxes.

Really, we should just call this THE Holiday Ham! Period.

Because, it’s the only baked ham recipe you will ever need again.

You’re gonna love this honey glazed ham, it’s tender, moist, and the perfect balance of salty, savory, and sweet. That honey glaze is just the right amount of sweetness that clings to the ham and forms a caramelized crust.

This ham recipe is super easy to make. It’s the perfect holiday meat recipe for a beginners – trust me. It only requires 9 ingredients, and 2 hours and 30 minutes of total time from start to finish. There is very little prep involved before the ham bakes, and it’s an incredibly impressive dish that will be the center piece to any holiday table.

I will give you all of my tips and tricks to prevent your ham from drying out on you. You’ll be a ham pro in no time!

Is your mouth watering yet?!

Let’s do this!!!

Ingredients for honey glazed ham

As always, the full list of ingredients, along with their measurements are in the recipe card below – be sure to check it out.

honey glaze

dark brown sugar – the brown sugar adds a nice depth of flavor while helping the glaze to caramelize nicely.
zest of 1 large orange – a hint of orange flavor is a nice surprise that goes well with all the other flavors.
honey – this is a honey glaze, after all!
apricot jam, or preserves – the little bit of jam adds more sweetness with a little fruity flavor, but also helps to add a lovely glossy finish to the glaze.
Dijon mustard – the mustard may sound unexpected, but it adds a hint of tang, pepperiness, and savory element to balance out the flavors.
ground cloves – sticking whole cloves into a ham is a classic move, but instead of having to spend all of that time, let’s simply add some ground cloves for a nice warming flavor that’s not overpowering.
unsalted butter – a hint of butter adds a little richness to the glaze, while giving it just the right texture.
freshly squeezed orange juice – just a hint of orange juice at the end adds a bit of citrus freshness, and acidity to the glaze that really makes the ham pop.

Ham

spiral ham – a spiral ham makes carving the ham extra easy. Plus, it’s easy to find, and so delicious. It’s usually smoked, and fully cooked, making it even easier to work with.

Is this honey glazed ham recipe easy to make?!

Yes!!!

At least as far as cooking large quantities of meat for a holiday meal is concerned – it is very easy to make.

It takes less preparation, and less time to cook than a turkey. And, since a spiral ham is already fully cooked, there is no concern of contaminating your hands, or kitchen, or any other food when working with it.

Of course, it still requires almost 2 hours to bake the ham, possibly longer, depending on the size of the ham – but, it still takes a lot less time than a turkey, which can easily take 4 to 5 hours to cook. I

If you’re looking for a beginner friendly holiday meat to feed a crowd, this honey glazed ham is just for you.

What kind of ham should I buy?

A bone-in spiral ham.

Spiral hams come in 8 to 11 pounds. The spiral just means that it is partially cut, making it easier for you to carve the ham once it’s cooked.

Is a spiral ham pre-cooked?

Yes. A spiral ham is fully cooked.

Essentially, all we are doing in this recipe is heating the ham up, and adding a yummy glaze, of course.

You can technically enjoy your spiral ham cold, without heating it up at all. Which is also delicious, and great for ham sandwiches, and everything else.

But, we are talking about warm ham with a lovely sticky glaze to make it extra special.

How do I prevent my ham from drying out?

I am very passionate about this topic. There is nothing I dislike more than overcooked, dried out meat.

6 tips for making a juicy ham, every time:

use a room temp ham – allowing your ham to sit at room temp for a few hours before baking will allow the ham to cook more evenly, and more quickly, so that it doesn’t dry out.
use an oven safe meat thermometer – this is essential. Inserting a digital, oven safe meat thermometer into the thickest part of the ham will tell you exactly when it reaches the internal temp you are wanting your ham to be at. That way you know exactly when to take it out of the oven so it doesn’t cook longer than it needs to, which is how it gets dried out.
don’t overcook the ham – remember, the ham is fully cooked, so we are just heating it up. An internal temp of 130 degrees Fahrenheit is warm enough for serving, without drying out the meat. This is why the oven safe meat thermometer is so helpful here. I’ll say it once, I’ll say it again – overcooking = drying out your ham!!!
Cover the ham with foil – during the bulk of the baking, cover the ham with foil so that we are locking moisture into the ham.
Cook low and slow – Most of the cooking is done at a low temp – 325 degrees Fahrenheit. This helps to bring the temp of the ham up very slowly, keeping it juicy.
Allow the ham to rest – I know it’s annoying, but allowing the ham to rest for 30 minutes before carving it will help the juices redistribute into the ham, instead of leaking out, which results in a juicier ham.

How long should I bake my honey glazed ham?

About 1 1/2 to 2 hours – or, 10 to 11 minutes for every pound.

Plus, an extra 20 minutes at a higher temp to add the glaze so that it caramelizes.

When should I put honey glaze on my ham?

For this recipe, I brush 1/3 of the honey glaze onto the ham at the very beginning.

After the ham has reached an infernal temp of 100 degrees Fahrenheit, I increase the oven temp, remove the foil, and brush on another 1/3 of the glaze and bake for 10 minutes. This part is what makes that caramelized, glossy glaze on the ham. You will repeat that glaze process one more time.

When to serve this honey glazed ham?

I was tempted to call this ham “holiday ham” because it could be made for any holiday that you need to feed a crowd for. it’s so versatile.

I think it would be especially ideal served for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter.

Coordinating holiday side dishes to go with honey glazed ham

Thanksgiving and Christmas

Easter

What can I do with all the leftover ham?

There are so many ways to make use of leftover ham. It’s so versatile – here are a few ideas:

cold ham sandwiches
ham salad
add the ham to scrambled eggs, or omelets
add it to soups – such as a potato soup, broccoli cheddar soup, or spilt pea and ham soup, etc.
potato crust quiche with ham and broccoli – a recipe for leftover ham.

Turn the ham bone into ham broth

Use the ham bone to make a delicious ham broth. It’s way easier than you may think.

You can follow the same recipe for my instant pot chicken broth to make a ham broth.

Then, you can use the leftover ham, plus the ham broth to make an extra delicious soup!

Tip: not ready to make the broth right away? Freeze the ham bone for 6 to 8 months!

Equipment I used to make this recipe

9 x 13 baking dish with handles -This worked great for this recipe. You can also use a roasting pan instead. Just make sure it has good handles you can grab onto to lift the very heavy pan out.
Zester – for zesting the orange.
2 QT sauce pot – this one is my go to. It’s great that it’s heavy bottomed for this recipe.
whisk – for whisking the glaze while it’s cooking.
silicone pastry brush – great for brushing on that sticky glaze – easy to clean.
oven safe meat thermometer – THIS is essential to making sure you don’t overcook your ham. AKA, making sure it stays juicy.
Carving fork – not only helpful when carving the ham, but it’s helpful for transferring the heavy ham from the baking dish to the cutting board, while it’s still hot. I recommend having 2 for the transfer job.
Plastic cutting board – A plastic cutting board is ideal for allowing the the ham to rest. It’s also great for carving the ham on, allowing for an easy cleanup.
Chef’s knife – my trusty chef’s knife for carving the ham.
fat separator – This is great for separating the fat from the pan drippings, if you want to serve the ham with said pan drippings – highly recommended.

Reasons you’ll love this honey glazed ham

Great for any holiday – Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter.
Easy to make – minimal prep, and only 9 ingredients!
It’s delicious – savory, salty, and sweet.
It’s juicy – see my 6 tips above for how to avoid drying out this ham!
It’s impressive – it will be the star of your holiday table!
It’s versatile – use the leftover meat in so many ways!

Holiday side dishes to serve with honey glazed ham

More ham recipes

potato crust quiche with ham and broccoli (a great way to use up leftover ham)
sheet pan Easter dinner (serves 4 people)

Honey Glazed Ham (Easy)

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Author: Emily
Prep Time: 15 mins
rest time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 1 hour 50 mins
Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
Yield: 16 to 23 (depending on size of ham) 1x
Category: holiday, meat
Method: bake
Cuisine: gluten free, dairy free
Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

This honey glazed ham will be the center piece of your Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter table! The honey glaze creates a beautiful caramelized ham that is savory, sweet, and salty. Plus, it’s so easy to make!

Instructions

Prepare the ham – If you ham is frozen, be sure to defrost it completely a day or two in advance from when you plan to cook it. 2 hours prior to cooking, remove the ham from the fridge and allow it to come to room temp. This is important as it helps the ham to cook evenly.
Preheat the oven – preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prepare the baking dish – Line a 9×13 baking dish, or roasting pan well with foil. I like using a baking dish that has handles so that it’s easier to lift the heavy ham out of the oven. You will want to use several pieces of foil. At this time, you can unwrap the room temp ham, and drain any of it’s liquid. Transfer it to the prepared baking dish, cut side down. Set aside.
Make the honey glaze – To a heavy bottomed 2 qt sauce pot, add the dark brown sugar, then zest the orange right into the brown sugar – use your fingers to rub the orange zest and the brown sugar together until the orange is fragrant. Add the honey, apricot jam/preserves, ground cloves, and unsalted butter to the sauce pot. Place the pot on medium high heat, and use a whisk to stir occasionally until everything is melted, and well combined. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer, and allow it to simmer, whisking frequently, for 2 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat. The consistency should cling to the back of a spoon, but be pourable. NOTE: reserve the orange that was zested for later.
Add the first layer of glaze to the ham – Use a silicone pastry brush to brush about 1/3 of the glaze all over the ham. Then, insert an oven safe, instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the ham – make sure it’s not touching the pan, or the ham bone. Set the thermometer so that the timer will go off once the ham reaches 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
First bake – Tightly cover the entire baking dish with foil – you will need several pieces. Place the ham in the oven to bake for about 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours, or until the internal temp reaches 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It usually takes about 10 to 11 minutes per pound.
Second bake & second glaze – Once the ham has reached 100 degrees, remove the ham from the oven and increase the oven temp to be 425 degrees Fahrenheit – keep the ham covered until the oven comes to temp. In the mean time, gently reheat your glaze on the stove top so that it becomes runny again. At this squeeze in 1/4 to 1/2 of that reserved orange. This does two things: 1. it loosens the glaze a bit, and 2. it adds a lovely fresh orange flavor. Once the oven has reached 425 degrees Fahrenheit, remove the foil from the ham, and brush on anther 1/3 of the glaze over the entire ham. Change the setting on your oven safe meat thermometer to beep at 130 degrees Fahrenheit (remember, the ham is fully cooked, we are just heating it up). Place the ham into the oven, uncovered, and cook 10 minutes.
Final bake & final glaze – After the 10 minutes, remove the ham from the oven and brush another 1/3 of the glaze onto the ham – being sure to get into all the crevices. Bake uncovered, for another 10 minutes – or until the internal temp of the ham reaches 130 degrees Fahrenheit – and the ham looks shiny, and the glaze has browned nicely. Note: if using a smaller ham, you might not use all of the glaze.
Rest – Transfer the ham to a cutting board, and tent it with foil (I re-use the foil that was previously covering the ham) – allow the ham to rest for 30 minutes. This helps to prevent the juices from running out of the ham – creating a juicier ham.
Reserve the cooking juices (optional step) – if you want, you can serve the cooking juices with the ham, for drizzling – it’s really good. To do this, transfer the cooking juices from the pan to a fat separator – allow the fat to rise to the top. Then, carefully poor the juice into a serving dish, leaving behind as much of the fat as possible. Serve the juice warm.
Serve – After the ham has rested for 30 minutes, you can use a chef’s knife to cut off semi pre sliced pieces of ham and transfer them to a serving dish. Serve immediately. If you want to add a nice garnish, you can add orange slices, and fresh rosemary/sage around the ham. Other options could be sliced apples, or wedges of pomegranate. I know these aren’t in the recipe, but they are an easy, and classic way to dress up the platter of a ham for the Holidays.

Equipment

carving fork

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oven safe meat thermometer

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silicone pastry brush

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Notes

Spiral ham – You want to make sure to get a high quality spiral ham. They are fully cooked, and usually smoked. Spiral ham just means that the ham is partially pre cut into slices for you – making the final carving process easier. You could do a whole ham that is not pre cut, but the spiral hams are easier to find, and easier to work with in the end. An 8 pound spiral ham should cost you around $50. Anything less than that, and you are probably not getting a good quality ham.

Tips to avoid a dry ham – 1) use an oven safe meat thermometer, so that you know the exact temp of the ham. 2) don’t allow the ham to cook over 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Residual heat, after the ham is pulled from the oven, will continue to rise by 5 degrees. 3) Allow the ham to rest for the full 30 minutes, before cutting into the meat. This allows the juices to re-distribute back into the ham, rather than running out. Note: a spiral ham is fully cooked, we are simply re-heating it, and giving it a yummy glaze. So, there is no need to heat it up to 160 degrees, like you would a raw piece of ham. 130 degrees will ensure the ham is warmed all the way through, without drying it out.

Leftovers – I recommend cutting the ham while it’s still warm, if possible, it’s easiest to get all of the meat off this way. Once it’s cut, allow the leftover ham to cool completely before transferring it to an air tight container. Store the ham in the fridge for up to 5 to 7 days. Use the ham in sandwiches, soups, eggs, omelets, casseroles, or just re-heat it as is – the sky is the limit. The ham will freeze nicely for 3 to 6 months.

Ham bone – If you want, you can save the ham bone to make ham broth with for soups. If you don’t plan to make the broth right away, then you can freeze it for up to 6 to 8 months. You can use the same method as my instant pot chicken broth recipe here to make the ham broth.

Recipe is adapted from baked ham from Natasha’s kitchen

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Honey Glazed Ham (Easy)