This copycat Honey Baked Ham is incredibly delicious and a great way to save on holiday meals. A fully cooked spiral ham becomes juicy and tender with a caramelized, sticky coating of butter and a spiced honey glaze.
This recipe can be prepared three ways: oven, slow cooker, or Instant Pot. Directions for each method are included below.
âïž Honey Baked Ham Recipe
The first time I tried Honey Baked Ham I was hooked. Iâd buy their ham for holidays like Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving. With this copycat version you can make a similarly irresistible honey-glazed spiral ham at homeâcrispy, sweet edges and a tender interiorâusing simple ingredients.
âïž Why Youâll Love this Baked Ham Recipe?
- Budget Friendly: Making your own honey-glazed ham costs far less than store-bought specialty hams.
- Flavorful: Butter, honey and sugar combine with warm spices to create a rich, caramelized crust.
- Versatile: Choose oven, slow cooker, or Instant Pot methods depending on your schedule and equipment.
âïž Copycat Honey Baked Ham Ingredients
See the recipe card below for exact amounts and the full ingredient list.
- Ham: A fully cooked half spiral-cut ham (bone-in or boneless). I prefer bone-in to use the bone later for soups.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted, melted for the glaze base.
- Honey: Use your preferred honeyâlocal works great.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is used here, but brown sugar can also be substituted for a deeper flavor.
- Spices: Nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, onion powder, paprika, ginger, and allspice make up the spiced sugar coating.
đ What Kind of Ham Should I Buy?
- Buy a fully cooked spiral-cut ham, bone-in or boneless. A 7â8 pound ham is a good size for a half spiral.
- I prefer bone-in for convenience and juiciness, and because the bone adds flavor for future dishes.
- A higher-quality ham without added water will have better textureâavoid overly injected hams that can be spongy.
đ Bone-In vs Boneless
Bone-in spiral ham is pre-sliced around the bone and stays juicier; the bone is useful for soups and beans. Boneless spiral ham has the bone removed and the slices reshaped, which can slightly change the texture.
đ How Much Ham Per Person?
- Bone-in: plan 3/4 to 1 pound per person (to allow for the bone and generous servings).
- Boneless: plan about 1/3 to 1/2 pound per person (6â8 ounces).
đ How To Make Homemade Honey Baked Ham
These highlights summarize the process. Refer to the recipe card for detailed steps and exact timing.
- Prep: Preheat oven to 325°F and position the rack in the lower third. Line a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray the wire rack. Place the ham flat-side down on the rack.
- Honey-Butter: Mix melted butter and honey. Pat the ham dry and brush or massage the mixture over the exterior and between slices.
- Bake: Add about 1 cup of water to the pan to keep the oven moist. Cover and bake ~20 minutes per pound (about 2.5 hours for a 7â8 lb ham) until an instant-read thermometer reads 140°F in the thickest part.
- Spice Coating: Mix the spiced sugar. Uncover, baste with pan juices if needed, and press about half the spice mixture onto the ham.
- Caramelize: Broil until the sugar caramelizes and becomes bubbly (or use a kitchen torch).
- Make Glaze: Combine the remaining sugar mix with about 1/3 cup pan juices or water in a small saucepan. Boil briefly until glaze thickens (about 1â2 minutes).
- Finish: Brush or pour the glaze over the ham, broil again briefly until bubbly, then let rest 5â10 minutes before serving.
đ Covered or Uncovered?
Bake the ham covered to prevent drying. Adding liquid to the pan creates steam that helps keep the meat juicy; uncover only near the end to add the sugar coating and caramelize the glaze.
đ Cooking Time
Bake about 20 minutes per pound or until the center reads 140°F. A 6-pound ham needs roughly 2 hours; larger hams require proportionally more time. The ham is precooked; this step warms it through and develops the glaze.
đ Oven Temperature
This recipe uses 325°F for even heating and a tender result.
đ Slow Cooker Method
Yesâyou can make this ham in a slow cooker. Trim to fit, brush with melted butter and honey, then cook on low 4â5 hours. Afterward, transfer to a rack, apply the spice coating, and broil or torch to caramelize. Make the glaze with crockpot juices and finish as above.
âïž Instant Pot Method
- Trim the ham to fit the pot. Pour 1 cup apple juice into the Instant Pot and set a trivet inside.
- Brush the ham with the melted butterâhoney mix and place it on the trivet (on a small rimmed pan if needed to catch drips).
- Seal and cook on high for 16 minutes. Allow 15 minutes natural release, then finish the glaze and caramelize under the broiler.
âïž Make Ahead, Storage, Freezing and Reheating
- Make Ahead: Prepare the spice mix 3â4 days ahead, but bake and glaze close to serving to avoid drying.
- Store: Leftovers keep 4â5 days refrigerated in an airtight container.
- Reheat: Reheat a whole glazed ham covered in a 300°F oven with a little water or broth in the pan until warm through. Slices reheat well in the microwave covered.
- Freeze: Cooked glazed ham freezes well when tightly wrapped or in an airtight container.
- Ham Bone: Refrigerate the bone 3â4 days or freeze it tightly wrapped for later use in soups and beans.
đ What To Serve With Glazed Ham?
- Cauliflower gratin
- Roasted Brussels sprouts
- Roasted fingerling potatoes
- Mashed potatoes (slow cooker or stovetop)
- Blanched green beans
đȘ Glazed Ham Recipe Tips For Success
- Pat the ham dry before applying the honey-butter so the glaze adheres instead of sliding off.
- Use a ham labeled âfully-cookedâ or âpre-cookedâ spiral-cut ham.
- Although precooked, bake until the internal temperature reaches 140°F so the center is hot.
- Serve the glazed ham warm or at room temperature.
- This recipe adapts well to slow cookers and pressure cookers.
Below are some popular holiday mains that pair well with glazed ham.
- Beef tenderloin roast
- Rack of lamb
- Roasted turkey with gravy
- Slow cooker turkey breast
- Pan-seared scallops
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Copycat Honey Baked Ham
Ingredients
- 1 (8-pound) half spiral-cut ham, bone-in or boneless
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/3 cup honey
Spice Mix:
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ÂșF and place rack in the lower third. Line a roasting pan with foil and spray the wire rack. Remove ham from packaging and place flat-side down on the rack. If bone-in, remove any plastic cap over the bone.
- Combine melted butter and honey. Pat the ham dry, then brush or massage the mixture over the outside and between slices. If glaze pools in the pan, scoop and spread it back on the ham.
- Add about 1 cup water to the bottom of the pan to maintain moisture. Cover and bake about 20 minutes per pound, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 140ÂșF in the thickest part. Remove and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Mix the spiced sugar. Uncover the ham, baste with pan juices if needed, and pat roughly half the sugar mixture (about 3/4 cup) onto the surface. Alternatively, roll the ham through the sugar on a sheet pan to coat.
- Broil until the sugar caramelizes and bubbles, watching carefully to avoid burning. A kitchen torch may be used instead of the broiler.
- Combine the remaining sugar mix with about 1/3 cup pan juices or water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook about 1â2 minutes until glaze thickens.
- Brush or pour the glaze over the ham and broil 1â2 minutes more until bubbly. Remove, rest 5â10 minutes, then slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Pat the ham dry before glazing so the honey-butter adheres better.
- Use a ham labeled fully-cooked or pre-cooked.
- Bake until the internal temperature reaches 140°F so the ham is warmed through.
- Nutrition estimates assume an 8-pound bone-in ham and include the full glaze; actual intake will vary.
- Slow Cooker: Trim to fit, brush with butter-honey, cook on low 4â5 hours, then broil with the spice coating and finish with the glaze.
- Instant Pot: Add 1 cup apple juice, place ham on a trivet, cook on high 16 minutes, natural release 15 minutes, then finish in the oven as directed.