Honey Glazed Ham
This honey glazed ham is the Christmas centrepiece that looks impressive and asks very little of you — a fully cooked ham, scored and studded with cloves, brushed with a brown sugar and honey glaze, and baked until the outside is sticky, caramelized, and shining. The glaze soaks into the scored cuts, so every slice has that sweet, glossy edge.
Because the ham is already cooked, you are really just heating it through and building the glaze — about 15 minutes of active work, then the oven does the rest. It is easy to make ahead too: glaze it, bake it, and let it rest while you finish the sides, which makes it ideal when the table is already crowded with dishes.
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 1 hour 45 minutes Servings: 12 servings
What You’ll Need
- Large roasting pan with a rack
- Aluminum foil
- Sharp knife
- Basting brush
- Meat thermometer
A sturdy roasting pan with a rack is essential for a ham this size — see our guide to the best roasting pans for turkey for pans that handle big holiday roasts and clean up easily.
Ingredients
- 1 fully cooked bone-in ham (8–10 lbs), spiral-sliced or unsliced
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- Whole cloves, for studding (optional)
- 1 cup water or apple juice, for the pan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Place the ham cut-side down on a rack in a large roasting pan and pour the water or apple juice into the bottom of the pan.
- Score and stud. If the ham is unsliced, score the fat in a diamond pattern about 1/4 inch deep. Stud the intersections with whole cloves if using.
- Cover and bake. Tent the ham loosely with foil and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or about 10 minutes per pound, until the internal temperature reaches 120°F (49°C).
- Make the glaze. While the ham bakes, whisk together the honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, and ground cloves in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the glaze is smooth.
- Glaze and finish. Remove the foil, brush the ham generously with the glaze, and return it to the oven uncovered. Bake for another 25–30 minutes, brushing with more glaze every 10 minutes, until the ham is glossy and caramelized and the internal temperature reaches 140°F (60°C).
- Rest and serve. Transfer the ham to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 15 minutes before carving. Spoon any pan juices over the slices when serving.
Tips for the Best Honey Glazed Ham
- Don’t skip the rest. Fifteen minutes of resting lets the juices redistribute and the glaze set — carve too soon and the slices dry out.
- Watch the sugar. The glaze caramelizes fast in the last stretch of baking, so check every 10 minutes while basting. If the edges start to darken too much, tent the ham loosely with foil for the remaining time.
- Make-ahead friendly. The glaze can be mixed a day ahead and kept in the fridge, and leftover ham keeps for 4–5 days — it is excellent sliced cold for sandwiches or diced into soups and fried rice.
Sweet, sticky, and golden — this honey glazed ham is the Christmas centrepiece worth gathering around.
