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Honey Baked Ham

Honey Baked Ham with a crackly honey-sugar crust baked in stages for deep caramel flavor. Spiral-sliced, glazed, then reheated until juicy and hot through for effortless holiday-style slicing.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
resting 15 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 14 servings
Course: Dinner Recipes
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520

Ingredients
  

Ham glaze and coating
  • 1 fully cooked bone-in spiral-sliced ham 8-9 pounds, spiral-sliced and bone-in
  • 0.5 cup honey
  • 0.25 cup butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground cloves
  • 0.5 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp allspice
  • 0.5 tsp paprika

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Preheat and bake covered
  1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Place the ham cut-side down in a roasting pan, cover tightly with foil, and bake until it reaches 120F inside, about 12-14 minutes per pound, watching for steam buildup under the foil.
Make honey butter and spiced sugar
  1. Melt the honey and butter together in a small saucepan or microwave-safe container until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix the granulated sugar and brown sugar with the cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and paprika until evenly combined and speckled.
Glaze in stages and finish
  1. Remove the foil and brush the ham generously with the honey butter, then pat on a layer of the spiced sugar so it adheres to the surface. Return to the oven at 400F and bake for 5 minutes, until the glaze starts to set and look slightly glossy.
  2. Remove and repeat: brush with more honey butter, pat on another layer of spiced sugar, and bake again at 400F for 5 minutes. Look for areas of caramelization that begin turning deep golden on the ridges of the spiral.
  3. Brush one final time with honey butter and pat on the remaining spiced sugar. Bake until the crust is deep golden and crackly and the ham reaches 140F, using the thermometer in the center between slices to confirm.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest the ham for 15 minutes before serving. This lets the juices settle so slices stay tender and the crust stays crisp.

Notes

For the crackly crust, keep the spiced sugar dry and press it onto the sticky honey butter firmly on every glazed pass. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freeze for up to 2 months for best texture. If you want a lower-sugar option, use a 1:1 sugar substitute blend for the granulated and brown sugar while keeping the same honey-butter ratio.