Easy festive holiday glazed baked ham is juicy, tender, succulent and so flavourful, coated in a brown sugar honey glaze with warm spices and baked until caramelized and golden brown. This delicious classic holiday main dish is super easy to make and the perfect way to celebrate a special occasion like Christmas or Easter.
Glazed holiday ham is surprisingly so easy to make. It may look like it is hard but it really takes just 5-10 minutes to prep. The rest of the time, the oven is doing all the work while you wait until the ham is ready. This is because the ham is already pre-smoked and fully cooked. All you are doing is adding glaze and flavour, warming it to the centre, and creating a delicious caramelized crust.
Ingredients
- bone-in ham - I used a spiral cut ham, which makes it a lot easier to slice. Man also come pre-sliced, which is super convenient.
- brown sugar
- honey
- Dijon mustard
- apple cider
- cumin powder
- ground cinnamon
You will also need a roasting pan and a meat thermometer.
How to Make the Best Holiday Glazed Baked Ham
- Prepare the ham: Add ½ cup water to the bottom of a roasting pan and place the rack on top. Place ham flat side down on top of the rack. Score the ham with a knife to make shallow cuts, about ¼-inch deep. This helps the ham soak in the sweet glaze. Cover the pan with foil to keep the ham from getting overcooked and dry.
- Bake the ham: Bake the ham covered for 2 hours in a preheated 275 F oven until the internal temperature at the thickest part registers at 135F on a meat thermometer.
- Prepare the glaze: Increase the oven temperature to 425 F. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, honey, mustard, apple cider, cumin powder and cinnamon. Whisk until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add the glaze in two intervals: Remove the pan from the oven and generously brush half of the glaze over the ham to coat. Return the pan to the oven and bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Then repeat, applying the remaining glaze and baking for another 15 minutes until the ham caramelizes and turns brown.
- Serve: Transfer to a serving platter and pour pan drippings on top. Slice and serve with cranberry sauce.
How to Serve Baked Ham
This holiday glazed baked ham is a showstopper piece to include on your holiday table on Christmas or Easter, along with our favourite sides such as the best creamy mashed potatoes, roasted garlic parmesan baby potatoes, sautéed garlic green beans, stovetop mac and cheese, and herb-roasted sweet potatoes. Or browse all our side dishes and find your favourite.
Tips
- How much ham per person: For bone-in ham like this, you will want to serve about ¾ lb. of ham per person, or more if you are hoping for leftovers such as creamy ham and potato soup.
- How to cook ham in the slow cooker: Place the ham into the slow cooker with half of the glaze over top. Cook on low heat for 3-4 hours. Then, transfer to a roasting pan and brush on the remaining glaze. Bake in a 425F preheated oven for 15 minutes until caramelized and browned.
- How to store: Store leftover ham in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- How to freeze: Wrap leftover ham tightly in a layer of plastic cling wrap and aluminum foil over top. Freeze for up to one month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
How to Use Leftover Baked Ham
One of the best parts of big holiday dishes are the leftovers. My favourite ways to use leftover ham are:
- Pasta. Cube the leftover ham and add it to creamy alfredo with spinach and mushrooms.
- Pizza. Make ham and pineapple pizza by adding it on top of a classic easy skillet neapolitan margherita pizza along with pineapple, or try it on a salami and mushroom skillet pizza.
- Soup. Make creamy Chinese-style borscht soup with ham or try a creamy ham and potato soup.
- Casserole. Make an easy ham and potatoes au gratin for a comforting meal.
- Breakfast. Add it to an egg and potato breakfast casserole or a frittata.
More Main Course Recipes
- Honey Glazed Roast Pork with Vegetables
- Easy Juicy Roasted Turkey Breast
- Greek Lemon Garlic Whole Roast Chicken
- Easy Roast Lamb with Vegetables
- Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken
- The Juiciest Whole Roast Turkey
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Recipe
Holiday Glazed Baked Ham
- Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 servings
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Easy festive holiday glazed baked ham is juicy, succulent and flavourful, coated in a brown sugar honey glaze with and baked until caramelized and golden brown.
Ingredients
- 7-8 lb. bone-in ham, spiral cut
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup apple cider
- 1 tablespoon cumin powder
- ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Bake the Ham:
- Preheat oven to 275 F. Add ½ cup of water to the bottom of a roasting pan and place the rack on top.
- Place ham flat side down on top of the rack. Score the ham with a knife to make shallow cuts, about ¼-inch deep. This helps the ham soak in the sweet glaze. Cover the pan with foil to keep the ham from getting overcooked and dry.
- Bake the ham covered for 2 hours until the internal temperature at the thickest part registers at 135F on a meat thermometer.
Add Glaze:
- Increase the oven temperature to 425 F.
- In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, honey, mustard, apple cider, cumin powder and cinnamon. Whisk until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Remove the pan from the oven and generously brush half of the glaze over the ham to coat. Return the pan to the oven and bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Then repeat, applying the remaining glaze and baking for another 15 minutes until the ham caramelizes and turns brown.
- Transfer to a serving platter and pour pan drippings on top. Slice and serve with cranberry sauce.
Notes
How much ham per person: For bone-in ham like this, you will want to serve about ¾ lb. of ham per person, or more if you are hoping for leftovers such as creamy Chinese-style borscht soup.
How to cook ham in the slow cooker: Place the ham into the slow cooker with half of the glaze over top. Cook on low heat for 3-4 hours. Then, transfer to a roasting pan and brush on the remaining glaze. Bake in a 425F preheated oven for 15 minutes until caramelized and browned.
How to store: Store leftover ham in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to freeze: Wrap leftover ham tightly in a layer of plastic cling wrap and aluminum foil over top. Freeze for up to one month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Pork
- Method: Roasted
- Cuisine: American
Diana says
I love trying other family's traditional recipes and this one looks delicious! I can't wait to get my ham in the oven.
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Yay let me know what you think!
Lisalia says
You had me at caramelized ham.... I can smell it through my computer screen!! lol
Looking forward to making this for our family's Easter meal. ALL your recipes turn out perfectly. And with your photos it's just like having you here in my kitchen helping me along. Thanks Sam! Another winner!
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Thanks so much Lisalia! You are too kind!