My Pineapple Honey Glazed Ham is a holiday dinner favorite. This homemade honey baked ham recipe is super easy and uses just 7 ingredients. The juicy ham tastes as good as it looks and my family love to use the leftovers in so many unique ways.
I love to make macaroni and cheese with ham and this recipe for ham tetrazzini with the delicious ham.
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Why this Honey Glazed Ham Recipe is a Keeper
This pineapple honey glazed ham recipe is a keeper for a multitude of reasons, making it a reliable and impressive centerpiece for any gathering:
- It Is Delicious: The sweet and savory combination in this honey mustard glazed ham is very enjoyable. Perfect for a holiday.
- Sweet and Savory Balance: The combination of sweet pineapple and honey with the savory ham creates a perfectly balanced and irresistible flavor profile.
- Visually Stunning: The glossy, golden-brown glaze and the decorative pineapple rings make for a beautiful presentation to the cooked ham.
- Crowd-Pleasing Appeal: Baked honey-glazed ham recipe with pineapple is a classic dish that’s universally loved, making it perfect for holidays, celebrations, and family meals.
- Relatively Easy Preparation: Despite its impressive appearance, this pineapple glazed ham recipe is a relatively straightforward recipe that’s accessible to home cooks.
- Versatility: The glaze for this pineapple and cherries on ham recipe can be customized with various spices and flavorings to suit any tastes. This ham is perfect.
- Flavorful Leftovers: Leftover ham with pineapple and cherries is incredibly versatile and can be used in numerous dishes.
- Festive and Celebratory: It adds a touch of elegance and celebration to any occasion.
What Type of Ham Should I Use?
Feel free to use either a boneless or bone-in ham for this glazed ham with cherries. You could also use a spiral-cut ham if you’d prefer.
Pro Tip to Make Honey Glaze for Ham
Cover the ham with foil while it bakes: To prevent your ham from drying out, cover it with foil during most of the baking time. Remove the foil while basting this Pineapple Glazed Ham and pineapple begins to brown.
Ham Ingredient Notes and Variation Suggestions
All of the required ingredients for this easy glazed ham recipe can be found at the store, but some of the ingredients may be around the kitchen already. If I don’t have them, I use different ingredients to substitute. The ham is easy and I serve with honey glaze.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Pineapple: It’s best to use a can of sliced pineapple as you will also need the juice that it’s in.
- Fruit Variations: Use other fruits like peaches, apricots, or cherries in the glaze.
- Liquid Variations: Use pineapple juice, apple juice, or orange juice in the glaze. Add a splash of rum or bourbon to the glaze for added depth.
- Flavor Variations: Try adding ginger, dijon mustard or rosemary to the glaze.
- Garnish Variations: Use fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme for garnish. Add candied cherries or cranberries for a festive touch.
- Glaze Thickening: A cornstarch slurry can be used to thicken the glaze.
How to Make Honey Ham
This recipe comes together in just 5 quick and easy steps. This holiday ham is so good, I make this for every holiday feast.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Prepare the Ham and Pineapple: Score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern. Save the juice from the pineapples and stick 6 cloves in each pineapple ring.
- Add the Fruit: Arrange pineapple rings evenly around the surface of the ham, affixing them with toothpicks. Stick a single cherry in the center of each ring.
- Bake the Ham: Place the ham in a roasting pan and add the soda. Tent it with foil, and bake for 2 hours in preheated oven.
4. Make the Glaze: Put the honey, mustard and reserved pineapple juice in a saucepan. Cook over medium high heat until it becomes thick.
5. Baste the Ham: After 2 hours of baking, remove the foil and brush the glaze over the ham. Brush ham every 10 minutes until the ham is fully cooked. Remove the ham from the oven, baste with remaining glaze and let it rest.
Prep Ahead Suggestions for Easy Honey Ham
Prepping ahead of time can really help to save time and kitchen space if hosting a get together.
- Ham Selection: Purchase your ham a few days in advance. If using a frozen ham, thaw it completely in the refrigerator (allow ample time—several days for a large ham).
- Glaze Preparation: The honey glaze can be made in a saucepan over medium heat 1-2 days ahead. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
- Pineapple Rings: If using fresh pineapple rings for garnish, you can slice and store them in the refrigerator.
- Scoring: Scoring the ham can be done a day ahead, and stored covered in the refrigerator.
How to Store Honey Ham, Reheat and Use Leftover Ham
- Storing: Store the ham in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Return the ham to the oven to reheat. It can also be reheated in the air fryer or microwave.
- Using Leftovers: Serve ham slices leftovers in Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole or Mac and Cheese with Ham.
Frequently Asked Questions About This Baked Ham Glaze Recipe
Yes, easily morph this recipe into being Crock Pot Spiral Ham or Glazed Air Fryer Ham.
Basting every-so-often helps to prevent dryness. It’s also great for enhancing flavor.
Yes, try ingredients like chili powder, cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the sweet honey.
Yes, try a dark brown sugar or light brown sugar glaze. You can also try maple syrup instead of honey for this honey-glazed ham.
A great rule to follow is that for boneless ham you should plan on ¹⁄₃ to ½ pound per person. For bone in ham you should plan on ½ to ¾ pound per person. Remember ham needs to cook for 20 minutes per pound.
Expert Tips for Making this Holiday Dinner Recipe
- Use a Meat Thermometer: Ham is done when a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the ham reaches an internal temperature of 140℉.
- Basting: Brush the ham frequently with the honey brown sugar glaze during the last 30-45 minutes of cooking to build up a beautiful, flavorful crust.
- Resting: Keep the ham in the dish and allow the ham to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing. This helps the juices redistribute, resulting in a more tender ham.
- Flavor Infusion: Add spices like cloves, cinnamon, or star anise to the glaze for extra depth of flavor.
- Glaze Consistency: If your glaze is too thin, simmer it on the stovetop to reduce it.
- Use the Ham Bone: Save the ham bone for making flavorful soups or stocks.
- Serve With: Serve this honey ham dinner with Make Ahead Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes, Sourdough Stuffing or Instant Pot Glazed Carrots.
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Pineapple Honey Glazed Ham
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Ingredients
- 15 pounds Cooked ham, bone in or boneless
- 20 ounces Whole pineapple rings, 1 can
- 60 Cloves
- 10 Maraschino cherries, stems removed
- ½ cup Honey, or ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cups Lemon lime soda, can substitute ginger ale
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325℉.
- Score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern about ⅛-inch deep.
- Drain the juice from the pineapples and save.
- Stick 6 cloves in each pineapple ring.
- Arrange pineapple rings evenly around the surface of the ham, affixing them with toothpicks.
- Affix a single cherry in the center of each ring with a toothpick.
- Place the ham in a large roasting pan and add soda.
- Tent it with foil, and bake for 2 to 2½ hours (as per the package directions).
- Meanwhile, put the honey or brown sugar, mustard and reserved pineapple juice in a sauce pan.
- Cook over medium high heat until reduces and becomes thick, about 15 minutes.
- After 2 hours of baking, remove the foil and brush the glaze all over the ham. Leave foil off of the ham for the remainder of the baking time.
- Repeat baste every 10 minutes until the ham is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 140℉.
- Remove from the oven, baste with remaining glaze and allow to rest 15-20 minutes before carving.
Christina’s Notes
- Use a Meat Thermometer: Ham is done when a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the ham reaches an internal temperature of 140℉.
- Basting: Brush the ham frequently with the honey brown sugar glaze during the last 30-45 minutes of cooking to build up a beautiful, flavorful crust.
- Resting: Keep the ham in the dish and allow the ham to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing. This helps the juices redistribute, resulting in a more tender ham.
- Flavor Infusion: Add spices like cloves, cinnamon, or star anise to the glaze for extra depth of flavor.
- Glaze Consistency: If your glaze is too thin, simmer it on the stovetop to reduce it.
- Use the Ham Bone: Save the ham bone for making flavorful soups or stocks.
- Serve With: Serve this honey ham dinner with Make Ahead Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes, Sourdough Stuffing or Instant Pot Glazed Carrots.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
Does the soda go onto the ham or just in the baking pan?
Place the ham in a roasting pan and pour the soda around it. This way, the soda acts as a braising liquid, keeping the ham moist without washing off your glaze or seasoning. Baste the ham with the sofa liquid.
This was so flavorful and will now be our go-to for special events!
IMHO a pineapple glaze is the only way to make ham! We did this for Easter and it was amazing.
This looks so amazing!! I can’t wait to try this recipe!! Thank you so much!
I am drooling over this pineapple ham! It looks so good!
This ham looks so delicious. It will be great for New Years Day. I love all the tips you gave also.
It looks so good~ My mouth is watering. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
You are completely right, this ham does look tempting with that glistening exterior. Loving the flavours here.
This is the best ham ever. So sweet, and juicy and tender. M’mm…. I’m drooling just thinking about it!