5-Star Reader Comment
I’ll never buy a Honey-Baked Ham again. This was so easy and delicious!! Thanks for the recipe.
Edna
No Lines. No Fuss. Just Real Good Ham.
Over the years, I’ve had so many readers write and ask if I could come up with a recipe for a “honey baked ham” like the one everyone picks up for the holidays. I’ll be honest — I wasn’t sure I could pull it off. But after a little testing in my kitchen (and a few taste tests from family and friends), this version turned out absolutely delicious.
It’s sweet, caramelized, and has that crispy, golden glaze everyone loves. Best of all, it’s easy to make right at home — no need to spend extra time or money ordering one. I make this ham every year for Easter, Christmas, and even Sunday suppers when I’m cooking for a crowd. Every time, it brings the same thing — smiles around the table and a little “wow” when the first slice hits the plate.
Enjoy!
Donya’s Tips and What You Need To Know
- Pat the ham dry before you do anything else. Ham comes sealed in a bag full of liquid. That moisture is the enemy of a good glaze. Pat every surface dry with paper towels before adding the honey butter, and the coating will actually stick and caramelize instead of sliding right off.
- Pure honey only. A squeeze bottle blend is mostly corn syrup. Real honey caramelizes into something deeper, richer, and slightly floral that a blend simply cannot replicate.
- Three glazes beat one every time. Most copycat recipes do a single sugar coating. This one layers three: honey butter Dijon brushed into every spiral slice, a spiced sugar crust caramelized under the broiler, and a reduced pan glaze poured over the top. Each layer builds on the last.
- The broiler moment is everything. Watch for the sugar to bubble, shift from pale gold to deep amber, and take on a crackled glass look. That is when you pull it. Thirty seconds past that and it burns. Stay at the oven.
- Save the bone. Drop the ham bone in a freezer bag after dinner. It turns a pot of beans or Southern green beans into something that tastes like it simmered all day. That bone is worth more than people realize.
Ingredients To Make a Honey Baked Ham at Home
Ham. Choose a fully cooked, bone-in spiral ham. Look for “fully cooked” or “smoked” on the label before you buy. If it does not say either, ask the butcher. The bone keeps the meat juicy during baking and gives you something worth saving for beans or greens later in the week.
Glaze. Melted butter, pure honey, and Dijon mustard. This mixture soaks into every spiral slice and creates the base layer of flavor before the sugar crust even goes on.
Spice Blend. Granulated sugar, salt, onion powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and paprika. The sugar is what caramelizes into that crackly crust. Cinnamon and nutmeg bring warmth, ginger cuts through the sweetness, and paprika adds a hint of color and smoke.
What Kind of Ham Do You Need? (Quick Guide)
Not all hams are the same, and picking the right one makes everything easier. Here is what you need to know before you shop.
| Ham Type | Bone-In or Boneless | Best For | Oven Temp | Cook Time | Serves |
| Spiral Half Ham | Bone-In | Holidays, big tables | 325°F | 13 min per lb | 8-12 |
| Spiral Half Ham | Boneless | Easy slicing, crowd | 325°F | 13 min per lb | 8-10 |
| Whole Ham (bone-in) | Bone-In | Very large gatherings | 325°F | 15-18 min per lb | 18-25 |
| Ham Steak | Boneless | Small family dinner | 375°F | 20-25 min total | 2-4 |
My recommendation: bone-in spiral half ham, 8 to 10 pounds. It stays juicy, the slices practically fall apart, and the bone gives you something to cook with all week.
Plan on ¾ pound per person for a bone-in ham and ½ pound per person for boneless. When in doubt, go bigger. Leftover honey baked ham is never a problem.
How To Make Copycat Honey Baked Ham
Step 1. Pat the ham dry, place it cut side down in a foil-lined roasting pan, and brush the honey butter Dijon mixture into every spiral slice. Cover tightly and warm in a low oven until heated through.
Step 2. Uncover the ham, turn it on its side, and press the spiced sugar coating over every exposed surface. Slide it under the broiler and watch until the sugar bubbles and turns deep amber. That crackly crust is the whole point.
Step 3. Combine the remaining sugar and a few spoonfuls of pan juices in a small saucepan, bring to a boil until thick and glossy, then pour it over the ham. Return to the broiler just until the edges crisp and darken.
Step 4. Let the ham rest for 10 minutes before slicing. The glaze sets, and the juices settle. Every slice will be better for the wait.
Make-Ahead Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday Table
This ham is built for hosting. Here is how to break the work into manageable steps so you are not scrambling the day of.
- Up to 4 days ahead: Mix the spice blend and store it in an airtight container on the counter. That is the most time-consuming prep step done before the week even starts.
- The day before: Bake the ham through the covered warming stage, cool it completely, and refrigerate. Pull it out an hour before you need it so it comes back to room temperature.
- Right before serving: Do the sugar crust and the final glaze fresh. The crackle and the glossy finish are at their best straight from the broiler. This takes about 15 minutes, and it is worth every second.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerator. Store leftover ham in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The glaze softens in the fridge, but the flavor only gets better.
- Reheating slices. Place slices in a covered baking dish with a spoonful of pan juices. Warm at 325°F until hot. The microwave works in a pinch — cover the plate and go low and slow.
- Reheating the whole ham. Set it on a rack in a roasting pan, add a splash of water or broth to the bottom, cover tightly, and warm at 300°F until heated through. The edges may dry slightly, but the center stays juicy.
- Freezer. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The ham bone freezes beautifully too — keep it sealed in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Must-Make Holiday Classics
Ingredients
- 1 8-10 pound bone-in, spiral cut full cooked ham
- 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 cup water
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 325 degrees and move the oven rack to the lower third of the oven.
- Line a deep roasting dish with foil. Unwrap the ham and discard the glaze packet. Place ham and water in the baking dish.
- In a small bowl, mix the melted butter, honey, and dijon mustard. Spoon the mixture over the ham and in between the slices. Turn the ham to cut side down in the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake the ham for 13 minutes per pound or until an instant-read thermometer reads 140 degrees.
- Make the sugar coating by mixing the sugar, salt, onion powder, cinnamon, ginger and paprika in a small bowl. Remove the foil from the ham and turn it on its side. Sprinkle half of the sugar mixture over the ham. Set the oven to broil and place in ham in oven until the sugar has caramelized.
- Add the remaining sugar mixture and 3 to 4 tablespoons of the ham juices from the pan to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until thick. Brush or pour the glaze over the ham. Place back under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes until the edges are crispy and the glaze is a dark golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Ham Help Desk: Answers for Home Cooks
That’s where the magic happens! A quick broil gives you that signature caramelized crust. If you’d rather skip it, a small kitchen torch works just as well.
Definitely. Cool the slices completely, then store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Cover slices in a baking dish with a splash of broth or water and warm at 275°F until just heated through — or enjoy it cold for sandwiches and salads.
Cover every exposed surface — the top and the cut face. Leave the underside alone since it sits in the pan. The recipe is forgiving, so do not stress over perfection.
You can warm the ham in a slow cooker on low for 4 to 5 hours, but transfer it to a broiler-safe pan for the sugar crust and final glaze. That broiler step is non-negotiable for the crackly coating.
The foil traps steam and keeps the meat from drying out during that long, low warming stage. It is the difference between juicy spiral slices and dry ones. The ham goes uncovered only when it is time for the sugar crust.
Three Ways To Make It Your Own
Bourbon Glaze. Stir a splash of good bourbon into the pan glaze before reducing. It adds a warm, smoky depth that feels made for a holiday table.
Spicy Maple Glaze. Swap honey for pure maple syrup and add a pinch of cayenne to the sugar coating. The heat is subtle but it makes people reach for another slice.
Pineapple Brown Sugar Glaze. Add pineapple juice and brown sugar to the pan glaze and simmer until thick. Bright, tangy, and beautifully caramelized.
What To Serve With Baked Ham
One of my go-to menus is this beautiful ham with Stuffed Baked Potatoes, Cinnamon Apples and Roasted Asparagus for family birthdays and Sunday supper. And if you are lucky enough to have leftovers, you’ve got to make my Southern Ham Salad!
If you tried this Copycat Honey Baked Ham Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
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Bonjour j,ai adorée cette recette un gros merci pour tout vos bonne recette bonne et douce journée
THIS is a keeper!! I have tried all kinds of spiral ham recipe but this recipe has beat them all hands down!!
So glad to hear it! I love knowing this spiral ham recipe stood out — there’s just something special about finding the one that finally beats out all the rest. Thanks for taking the time to share your success — sounds like it’s a new holiday (or anytime!) favorite.
~Donya
Wow, Donya — you’ve done it again! I always know that when one of your recipes shows up in my inbox, it’s going to be a winner. The directions were a bit tricky at first — I accidentally missed adding the honey butter mustard glaze but caught it an hour in, and it turned out perfectly! I saved the broth before adding the sugar and plan to use it to make some beans with the ham bone. I’m so glad I did because the ham made even more flavorful broth when I broiled it. My husband couldn’t get enough! I served it with green bean casserole and your cinnamon apples — total home run!
Oh wow — thank you so much for this amazing note! I’m thrilled the recipe turned out so well for you (even with the glaze hiccup — sounds like it still came out perfectly in the end!). I love that you saved the broth to use with beans and the ham bone — talk about smart and flavorful planning. You made my day with this one — thank you for cooking along with me and sharing your kitchen magic!
~Donya
Hi MS Donya
Your ham is beautiful and looks so great.
I got your recipe and know that it will make our ham for the holidays too.
If you don’t mind my asking, your ham is so perfectly sliced right to the end with no bone that I can see. How did you do this and what brand of ham did you purchase? I would like to find one of these for our holiday. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
And thank you also for all the delicious recipes you have and the info you share.
This is a lovely site to visit.
Did you mean to sprinkle the sugar mixture on just one side of the ham and did you mean to broil only one side of the ham ? I want to verify before I try please
I sprinkle the sugar over the sides of the ham that are “exposed” and not underneath. However, you can do it however you wish, 1 side or over the whole ham. This recipe is very forgiving.
Enjoy!
~Donya
I’m anxious to try this but I’m not understanding the instructions ie why place ham on side to apply the sugar mixture? Is it supposed to go into the slices? I assume you apply to both sides so I’m wondering why not drizzle it over the top, broil, apply the thickened sugar sauce, and broil again?
Sorry if I’m making this too difficult 🙄
Is it possible to do this in a slow cooker??
I’ve not tested it in the crock pot. Let me know how it turns out.
~Donya
I’ll never buy a Honey-Baked Ham again. This was so easy and delicious!! Thanks for the recipe.
Hey there Edna!
I am thrilled to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, I totally agree with you it’s better than any of the store bought version! If you enjoyed this Ham recipe, you should check out my Brown Sugar Mustard Baked Ham, it’s just as simple to make and the flavors are outstanding! Thank you so much for your kind words of support, if you ever have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out and ask!
~Donya
And you’re so right, i would never think of buying something i could put together myself. Plus dear Lady, with your wonderful recipe , what else could i ask for.
And Happy Thanksgiving, and Blessings to you and family!
Hey there Mary!
Wow! I am so happy to hear that you’re giving tis recipe a try, I totally agree with you that it’s always better to make it yourself instead of buying it! I really hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know if you have any questions, I’m always happy to help. Thank you so much for your kind words and support, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
~Donya