My brown sugar ham glaze strikes a perfect balance of sweet and tangy—just right for the holiday table this season.
Sweet brown sugar and honey combine with brown mustard, fruit juices, and warm spices to create a glaze that complements the saltiness of ham. The result is a simple but impressive finishing touch that will have guests reaching for seconds.
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A holiday ham is easy to prepare and makes a striking centerpiece. The aroma of a glazed ham roasting in the oven builds anticipation and sets the tone for a memorable meal.
We used a pre-cooked spiral-cut ham this year and were delighted with the juicy, tender slices. Brushing the brown sugar glaze over the ham just before it finished cooking produced those sticky, caramelized edges everyone loves.
For this glaze I used common pantry items: butter, packed brown sugar, honey, brown mustard, pineapple juice (from a can of rings), and a splash of apple juice. A sprinkle of cinnamon and a pinch of ground cloves round out the flavor. If you only have whole cloves on hand, a quick grind in a mortar and pestle works perfectly.
⏲️ How to cook a ham
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Unwrap the ham and place it in a large baking dish. Pour any juices from the packaging into the dish to help keep the ham moist. If your ham isn’t spiral-cut, score the surface with ¼” deep diamond cuts to help the glaze penetrate and caramelize. Place the ham in the oven and bake.
🕐 How long to cook a ham
A pre-cooked ham needs gentle reheating. Plan for about 10 to 15 minutes per pound; for a 10-pound ham, expect roughly 2 hours. After about an hour, check the internal temperature in the thickest part without touching the bone. The ham is done when it reaches 130°F. Begin the glaze about the one-hour mark so it’s ready to baste toward the end of cooking.
🧾 Ingredients
- Pre-cooked ham
- Salted butter
- Light brown sugar
- Honey
- Brown mustard
- Pineapple juice
- Apple juice
- Cinnamon
- Ground cloves
See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
🍲 Make the ham glaze
Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, honey, mustard, pineapple juice, apple juice, cinnamon, and cloves, then whisk until smooth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let the glaze cool for 5 to 10 minutes before brushing onto the ham.
👩🏻🍳 Expert tips
- Don’t overcook the glaze—if it simmers too long it can become too thick and overly caramelized.
- Dark brown sugar will yield a richer, more molasses-forward glaze compared with light brown sugar.
- Save the ham bone and trimmings to make a flavorful soup or stock.
- Use a little cornstarch mixed with pan juices to make a smooth, thick gravy.
🥄 How to glaze the ham
When the ham is approaching 130°F and has about 30 minutes remaining, baste it with half of the glaze. After 15 minutes, brush on the remaining glaze and return the ham to the oven until the internal temperature reaches 130°F. Let the ham rest a few minutes before slicing to allow the juices to redistribute.
Serve and enjoy. Be sure to collect the pan juices and any extra glaze—those drippings make excellent gravy and are perfect for leftovers.
🥔 Ideas for side dishes with ham
- Potatoes — baked, mashed, scalloped, or in potato salad.
- Asparagus — fresh spring asparagus is a bright, tender side.
- Roasted carrots — sweet and caramelized to complement the ham.
- Green bean casserole — a classic that pairs well with glazed ham.
- Cornbread — warm cornbread with butter is always welcome.
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Did you make this Brown Sugar Ham Glaze recipe? Let us know in the comments below!
📝 Recipe
Brown Sugar Ham Glaze
Ingredients
- 10 pound pre-cooked ham (approximate weight)
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon brown mustard
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- ¼ cup apple juice
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Unwrap the ham and place it in a large baking dish. Pour any juices from the packaging into the dish to keep the ham moist.
- If not spiral-cut, score the surface in a diamond pattern with ¼” deep cuts to help the glaze soak in.
- Place the ham in the oven and bake. A pre-cooked 10-pound ham needs about 10–15 minutes per pound. After 1 hour, check the internal temperature in the thickest part without touching the bone. The ham is done when it reaches 130°F.
- Around the 1-hour mark, prepare the glaze: melt butter over medium heat, then add the brown sugar, honey, mustard, pineapple juice, apple juice, cinnamon, and cloves. Whisk until combined.
- Bring the glaze to a simmer, cooking about 5 minutes while whisking occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool 5–10 minutes.
- When the ham has about 30 minutes left, baste with half the glaze. Fifteen minutes later, brush on the remaining glaze and continue cooking until the ham reaches 130°F.
- Let the ham rest briefly, slice, and serve. Reserve pan juices for gravy or leftovers.
Notes
- Do not over-reduce the glaze; it can become too thick and intensely caramelized.
- Dark brown sugar will make a richer, sweeter glaze than light brown sugar.
- Save the bone and trimmings to make a flavorful ham broth or soup.
- To thicken pan juices into gravy, whisk a small amount of cornstarch into cold water and stir into the simmering juices until thickened.
Ideas for side dishes
- Potatoes — baked, mashed, scalloped, or in a potato salad.
- Asparagus — a fresh spring vegetable that pairs well with ham.
- Roasted carrots — sweet and caramelized to complement the glaze.
- Green bean casserole — a classic holiday side.
- Cornbread — warm, buttery, and comforting.
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Carbohydrates: 16g
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Protein: 43g
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Fat: 17g
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Sodium: 2626mg
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