Maple Brown Sugar Glazed Ham

Making your own holiday ham is much easier than you think! Skip the pricey, pre-made honey glazed ham and make this 3 ingredient maple brown sugar glaze for your ham for your next Christmas, Easter, or New Year's dinner! (dairy-free, gluten-free)

A big, beautiful spiral sliced ham is super popular for family holiday celebrations. We usually enjoy ham on New Year's Day and sometimes Easter, and this has become my go-to recipe for a lightly sweet, juicy, flavorful ham that's perfect every time. If your family has a holiday tradition of serving ham, skip the expensive specialty glazed ham and try making it yourself instead!

Why You'll Love This Maple Brown Sugar Glazed Ham

A glazed holiday ham is something that sounds intimidating but is really incredibly easy. And it is waaay less expensive than the ones bought from specialty shops. It can also be way more delicious (and not filled with questionable ingredients) when made at home.

With a simple 3-ingredient maple brown sugar glaze, this baked spiral sliced ham gives you a moist, flavorful ham that is perfect for Christmas, New Year's Day, Easter, or any holiday meal! Or just a random Tuesday.

How To Make an Oven-Baked Glazed Ham

A homemade glazed ham is super easy! Start with a spiral-sliced ham from your local grocery store. Toss out that glaze packet that comes with it. We're making a better one. Hams are already pre-cooked, so you just have to heat it to the proper temperature without drying it out, and then add a delicious, flavorful glaze. Here's the breakdown:

How To Cook a Spiral Cut Ham In The Oven

The best way to cook a spiral sliced ham without drying it out is to wrap it tightly in heavy-duty foil. Place the ham in a baking dish with the cut-side down on top some large pieces of foil and wrap it up completely. Cook low and slow at 325°F for 15 minutes per pound, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 140°F.

While the ham is cooking, make your glaze.

How To Make the Easy Maple Brown Sugar Ham Glaze

Grab some brown sugar, pure maple syrup, and spicy brown mustard. Whisk them together. Boom. Ham glaze.

How To Glaze a Ham

Take the heated ham out of the oven and unwrap the foil from the top. Crank then heat on your oven to 400°F. Spoon the glaze evenly over the outside of the ham and stick in back in the oven for about 10 minutes. The high heat gives the glaze a nice color and sticky consistency.

Can This Glazed Ham Be Made In The Slow Cooker?

Yes! You won't get the quite the same sticky, browned exterior, but it is convenient. Place the ham cut side down in a slow cooker. Evenly spread the glaze over the outside of the ham, then cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours (more or less depending on the size of your ham). Spoon the liquid from the bottom over the ham every hour or so while it's cooking, and again at the end before serving.

How Much Ham Do I Need To Buy?

Accounting for the weight of the bone, you can estimate about ½ lb per person for a bone-in spiral sliced ham. So a 10 lb ham would yield about 20 servings. Of course, appetites vary, so consider who and what else you're serving when determining what size ham to buy. When in doubt, buy more than you think you need. That way, you can enjoy leftovers if you have too much!

What To Do With Leftovers

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container up to 5 days. Or freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Some ideas for using leftovers:

• Make a delicious sandwich, like my Apple White Cheddar Hot Ham and Cheese, or my Leftover Ham Sandwich with Spicy Apple Chutney.
• Add to a breakfast casserole, like my Ham and Swiss Strata or Eggs Benedict Quiche.
• When in doubt, you can never go wrong with breakfast tacos or a breakfast sandwich!
• Add to a snack tray with crackers, cheese, fruit, veggies, and dips.

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a star rating in the comments below!

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