A beautiful glazed ham is one of those dishes that instantly makes the table feel like Thanksgiving. This version keeps things easy with a fully cooked spiral ham and a simple brown sugar glaze made with honey, Dijon mustard, orange juice and just a touch of warm spice.

The best part is that most of the cooking time is hands-off. Keeping the ham covered while it warms helps it stay juicy, then the glaze goes on toward the end so it can turn glossy, sticky and caramelized around the edges. It’s an easy holiday main dish that leaves plenty of oven time and attention for all those Thanksgiving sides.

Servings: 10–12
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1½–2 hours

Ingredients

• 1 fully cooked bone-in spiral sliced ham, 8–10 lbs
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Place the ham cut-side down in a large roasting pan. Pour about ½ cup water into the bottom of the pan and cover tightly with foil.
3. Bake for approximately 10–12 minutes per pound, or until the ham is heated through.
4. While the ham is heating, add the brown sugar, honey, Dijon mustard, butter, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon and cloves to a small saucepan.
5. Cook over medium-low heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the butter has melted and the glaze is smooth and slightly thickened.
6. About 30 minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil. Brush the ham generously with the brown sugar glaze, allowing some of the glaze to run between the slices.
7. Return the ham to the oven uncovered. Brush with additional glaze about every 10 minutes until the outside is glossy and caramelized.
8. For extra caramelization, broil the ham for 1–2 minutes at the very end. Watch it closely because the sugar can burn quickly.
9. Remove from the oven and let rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Spoon some of the glaze and pan juices over the sliced ham.

Tips

Because spiral sliced ham is already fully cooked, you’re really just warming it through. Keeping it covered for most of the baking time helps prevent it from drying out.

If your ham comes with a glaze packet, you can simply discard it and use the homemade brown sugar glaze instead.

For an easy holiday shortcut, the glaze can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated. Warm it gently before brushing it over the ham.

Estimated Nutrition (Per Serving)

Based on approximately 12 servings. Nutrition will vary depending on the size and brand of ham.

Calories: ~475
Protein: ~38g
Net Carbs: ~21g
Fat: ~26g
Fiber: ~0g