Honey Baked Spiral Ham
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Today, we’re sharing the BEST recipe for a Classic Honey Baked Spiral Ham, with a quick and easy honey brown sugar ham glaze that will transform a basic store-bought ham into a glossy, show-stopping holiday main that everyone will want second servings of!
Glazed Honey Baked Ham Recipe
Hands down, ham is by and far my favorite holiday main. While I have great recipes for roasted turkey (including a sage and bacon roasted turkey), roasted leg of lamb and even roast duck, I always find myself looking the most forward to all those yummy side dishes and a generous slice (or three) of juicy, succulent ham.
A spiral ham is also probably the easiest, most low-prep holiday main to serve! They are usually already cooked through and just need to be warmed – so spend 5 minutes whipping up a flavorful glaze and move on to the rest of your holiday recipes.
Yet despite being so low-maintenance, this honey baked spiral ham is still a show-stopper. The lacquered surface catches the light, each slice already fanned and ready, the edges caramelized into a glossy, amber crust. As it warms, the glaze settles into the grooves, carrying honey’s floral sweetness and the deep molasses note of brown sugar, lifted gently by spice. The interior stays supple and juicy, with the spiral cut doing much of the work for you, inviting the glaze into every crevice and making serving almost effortless.
This honey baked spiral ham recipe delivers a perfectly glazed, tender centerpiece ideal for Easter, Christmas or holiday dinners. Made with a rich honey brown sugar glaze and warm spices, this easy oven-baked ham is a reliable choice for entertaining.
Why You’ll Love This Honey Baked Ham Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Honey Baked Ham Recipe- The glaze strikes a balanced sweetness with layered spice, so it’s not overly sugary.
- The recipe (and glaze) scales beautifully for gatherings and produces reliable, impressive results – so you have one less thing to worry about when entertaining for a crowd!
- The glaze gives the ham a picture-perfect, gourmet-quality gloss that makes the ham look just as appealing as it tastes!
Snackable History Fact: The spiral-cut ham was invented by Harry J. Hoenselaar in the 1930s to simplify carving, using a prototype machine made from a tire jack, pie tin and washing machine motor. He founded The Honey Baked Ham Company in 1957 in Detroit, pairing his patented spiral-sliced technique with a secret sugar and honey glaze.
Recipe FAQs
Most spiral hams are pre-cooked. This recipe reheats and glazes the ham rather than cooking it from raw. Always check the packaging.
Covering loosely with foil during the first bake and avoiding overcooking helps retain moisture.
Yes, prepare it up to 2 days in advance and reheat gently before using.
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, leftover ham keeps well for 3 to 5 days.
In the freezer, it can be kept for up to 3 months.
You can baste once or twice during the final heating phase for extra flavor, though the spiral cut already helps distribute the glaze.
Let the glaze cool completely before storing
Transfer to an airtight container or freezer-safe jar, leaving a little space for expansio
Freeze for up to 2 to 3 months
To use after freezing:
Thaw overnight in the fridge
Reheat slowly over low heat, stirring until smooth
If it feels too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water or orange juice to loosen it
Honey Glazed Ham Ingredients
Honey Glazed Ham Ingredients- Spiral Cut Ham – choose a well-marbled ham for better moisture and flavor throughout reheating.
- Honey – choose a decent quality honey as it is the primary flavor for the glaze
- Brown Sugar, packed
- Salted Butter
- Ground Nutmeg
- Ground Cinnamon
- Ground Ginger
- Ground Cloves
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: while this honey brown sugar glaze can be used for other cuts of ham, the spiral cut makes serving simple and ensures every slice is coated in glaze.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Roasting Pan
- Tin Foil
- Small Saucepan
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Pastry Brush
How to Make Honey Baked Ham
How to Make Honey Baked HamPreheat the oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit. Line the inside of a roasting pan or large casserole dish with tin foil.
Remove the ham from the packaging and place it cut-side down in the middle of the prepared pan.
Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, covered with tin foil. (10 minutes per pound of ham.)
About 15 minutes before the ham is finished, place the brown sugar, honey, butter, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and cloves in a small pot. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes or until ingredients are fully combined.
Remove the ham from the oven (remove the juices from the pan at this point if you want ham gravy) and drizzle 1 cup of the honey mixture all over the top of the ham so that it runs down and coats every bit of the ham.
Place the ham back in the oven for another 15 minutes, uncovered.
Remove ham from the oven and pour or baste the leftover glaze on the ham. I prefer to use a pastry brush and ensure that I get some glaze on each spiral cut.
Allow ham to rest for about 10-15 minutes before serving.
Glazed Spiral Ham Recipe Variations:
- Citrus Honey Glaze: Add orange zest and a few tablespoons of fresh orange juice for brightness and a touch of acidity that will help cut through the sweetness.
- Maple-Spiced Version: Replace half the honey with pure maple syrup and add a pinch of black pepper for contrast.
- Bourbon Honey Glaze: Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons bourbon to the glaze for warmth and depth.
- Mustard-Honey Finish: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard for a sharper, more savory edge.
- Pineapple-Clove Twist: Brush with pineapple juice before glazing and increase cloves slightly for a classic sweet-tangy profile.
Tips for the Perfect Glazed Spiral Ham
- Balance the spice by keeping measurements precise, especially cloves, which can quickly overpower. Taste and adjust the glaze before adding to the ham.
- Before adding the glaze the first time, remove the juices from the bottom of the pan for ham gravy!
- If your ham is a little smaller or a little larger than our 9lb ham, the rule of thumb is 10 minutes of baking time per pound of ham, so adjust as needed.
- Before adding the glaze, warm the ham covered with tin foil to prevent it from drying out. After adding the glaze, leave the ham uncovered to allow the glaze to caramelize.
Recipes for Leftover Ham:
Pin this Classic Honey Baked Ham with Honey Brown Sugar Glaze:
Printable Recipe Card:
Printable Recipe Card:Grab your free printable recipe card for our Honey Baked Spiral Ham recipe.
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Honey Baked Spiral Ham
How to Make a Classic Honey Baked Spiral Ham with a honey brown sugar glaze, perfect for Easter or Christmas. This low-maintenance recipe takes minutes to prep, so you can spend your time on other holiday recipes or spending time with loved ones
Ingredients
- One 9-Pound Spiral Cut Ham
- 1 Cup Honey
- ¾ Cup Brown Sugar, packed
- 2 Tablespoons Salted Butter
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit. Line the inside of a roasting pan or large casserole dish with tin foil.
- Remove the ham from the packaging and place it cut-side down in the middle of the prepared pan.
- Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, covered with tin foil. (10 minutes per pound of ham.)
- About 15 minutes before the ham is finished, place the brown sugar, honey, butter, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and cloves in a small pot. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes or until ingredients are fully combined.
- Remove the ham from the oven (remove the juices from the pan at this point if you want ham gravy) and drizzle 1 cup of the honey mixture all over the top of the ham so that it runs down and coats every bit of the ham.
- Place the ham back in the oven for another 15 minutes, uncovered.
- Remove ham from the oven and pour or baste the leftover glaze on the ham. I prefer to use a pastry brush and ensure that I get some glaze on each spiral cut.
- Allow ham to rest for about 10-15 minutes before serving.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Circulon 56539 Nonstick Roasting Pan / Roaster with Rack - 17 Inch x 13 Inch, Gray -
MCOMCE Pastry Brush, 2 Pack Basting Brush, One-Piece Seamless Design Cooking Brush, Basting Brush for Cooking, Food Grad Silicone Basting Brush, Green Food Brush, Blue Kitchen Brushes for Food
-
PEDERSON NATURAL FARMS No Sugar Added Bone In Spiral Sliced Ham
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
18Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 95Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 14mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 0gSugar: 22gProtein: 0g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
I hope your family loves this easy glazed ham recipe as much as mine did!
For more ways to enjoy pork, check out our full pork recipe collection here:
For more exciting Easter recipes, check out our full Easter recipe collection here:
Or, if you’re making this for Christmas, check out our full Christmas Recipe collection here:
What if the ham is not spiral cut?
Hi Mary,
I have a regular honey ham recipe here: https://sugarspiceandglitter.com/honey-caramel-ham-recipe/
But you can just adjust the above recipe by:
1. Scoring the surface with a sharp knife – cutting a crosshatch pattern across all of the fat, about 1/4″ deep. (This gives the glaze somewhere to settle – you can see an example of how to do it in the link above.)
2. Brush or spoon some glaze over the ham earlier in the cooking process, not just at the end. Plan for 2 to 3 bastes.
3. Adjust cook time by weight to 10-15 min at 325°F for a pre-cooked ham.
I like that this recipe does not overcomplicate a spiral ham and actually explains how to keep it juicy while adding flavor. The honey, brown sugar, Dijon, and garlic glaze sounds like the right mix of sweet and savory, and brushing it on as it bakes makes a big difference. Honestly, this is the kind of holiday dish that would distract me from Escape Road 3 for a solid hour.