Honey-Glazed Ham (Perfect For Holidays!)
One of my favorite parts of a holiday meal is watching everyone gather around the table, ready to dig into all the food we’ve been looking forward to. And a beautiful Honey-Glazed Ham sitting in the middle of the table just makes the occasion feel a little more special! You’ll love the combination of salty, savory ham with that sweet, sticky honey-orange glaze and just a hint of cinnamon and cloves.
One of my gifts to my husband and family (when we aren’t hosting extended family) is that I do the majority of the holiday cooking, so I’m a huge fan of holiday recipes that don’t require hours upon hours in the kitchen.
Since this recipe starts with a fully cooked ham, most of the work is simply warming it in the oven and brushing on that delicious glaze until the outside is glossy and caramelized.
Whether you’re making it for Christmas dinner, Easter, or a Sunday meal with the family, this ham is an easy way to serve something everyone will look forward to.
And you won’t hear me complaining about having leftovers for sandwiches, breakfast casseroles, and quick lunches later in the week!
If you want more main dish protein recipes, try my Easy Lemon Roasted Chicken or Easy Bang Bang Salmon.
Ingredients Needed For Honey-Glazed Ham Recipe
- Boneless Fully Cooked Ham – approximately 6 to 8 lbs
- Whole Cloves – enough to stud, approximately 40 – 70 cloves, and optional for decoration
- Orange Juice – for pan liquid and glaze
- Water – helps to retain the moisture in the ham
- Honey
- Brown Sugar – optional
- Ground Cinnamon
- Black Pepper
- Orange Slices or Squares – fresh or canned, optional as a garnish
- Fresh Rosemary/Thyme Sprigs – optional for garnish
How to Make Honey-Glazed Ham
- Preheat and Prepare – Begin by preheating the oven. Then place the ham in a roasting pan or baking sheet. Use paper towels to pat the ham dry.
- Stud the Ham – Push the whole cloves into the outside of the ham making a pattern of rows or a diamon pattern. Do not push them in to deep, just enough to break the surface of the ham.
- Add Liquid – Add orange juice and water (if desired) to the bottom of the pan.
- Cover and Bake – Loosely cover the ham with foil and bake until hot throughout the whole ham. The cooking time guideline is 10 to 15 minutes per pound.
- Prepare the Glaze – Whisk together the orange juice, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon and black pepper in a small saucepan on low heat.
- Simmer – Allow the mixture to simmer for approximately 3 to 5 minutes until the glaze is a smooth consistency. Keep warm until ready to use.
- Apply Glaze – Remove the foil from the ham. Liberally apply the glaze with a spoon or brush over the top of the ham.
- Bake – Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush or spoon more glaze on the ham. Bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the ham is glossy and caramelized.
- Rest and Serve – Remove the ham from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Finally, spoon the juices from the pan over the ham and over the orange slices, if used).
Honey-Glazed Ham Notes And Expert Tips
- You will know the ham is done cooking when the internal temperature reaches 140°F/60°C.
- If using a meat thermometer, start checking the temperature at 60 minutes into cooking. Larger chickens may take longer to cook.
- If the bottom of the pan looks as if it is drying out during the cooking process, add another splash of orange juice.
- If the ham begins to brown too quickly after applying the glaze, loosely tent the ham with aluminum foil.
- Top the ham with fresh orange slices during the last 15 minutes of baking for a beautifully glazed finish and a burst of citrus flavor.
- If you have extra glaze leftover, mix with the juices from the pan for a delicious serving sauce.
How To Serve Honey-Glazed Ham
Round out your dinner with healthy pairings like our Easy Oven Roasted Vegetables With Brown Sugar and Rosemary or Easy Green Beans Almondine for a fresh, well-balanced meal.
Roasted Balsamic Brussel Sprouts With Cranberries or our Easy Broccoli Salad Recipe with the Best Homemade Dressing will add a little sweetness which will pair perfectly with the honey-glazed ham.
Wrap up the meal with a mouthwatering dessert like an Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake With Blueberries or our Easy Peach Dump Cake Recipe.
Variations Of Honey-Glazed Ham To Try
- For a sweet and flavorful twist, use maple syrup instead of honey for the glaze.
- Add a little zip!!! Add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the glaze for a little extra spice!
- Zest an orange into the glaze for an added citrusy flavor.
- Feel free to swap the orange juice for pineapple juice. It’s actually the traditional choice for ham glazes since the sweet and tangy flavor pairs perfectly with pork.
Honey-Glazed Ham Storage
Store leftover the honey-glazed ham in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in foil or plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
This honey-glazed ham can also be frozen for up to 1 – 2 months. Remove the ham from the bone, portion it into smaller amounts, wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep out the air and prevent freezer burn.
Honey-Glazed Ham FAQs
You can absolutely make this ahead of time and store it in the fridge. It will thicken up in the refrigerator, but a quick 30-seconds in the microwave will bring it right back to the correct consistency.
That’s a great question and totally depends on your preference.
Bone-in hams will tend to stay juicier and moister during the cooking process. The bone also has oodles of flavor and is great to use in soup recipes.
If you prefer cooking a smaller portion and want to avoid carving around the bone, choose a boneless spiral ham.
Allowing the ham to rest gives time for the juices to redistribute as it sits and rests. This will ensure serving a juicy ham instead of it being dry.
Studding a ham with whole cloves is important because it deepens the flavor and makes the ham look beautiful and appetizing.
During cooking process the heat draws warm, spicy oils out of the cloves and directly into the meat and fat. The cloves also like tiny pins to secure the top fat layer of the ham so it doesn’t curl or separate while baking.
More Savory and Flavorful Main Dishes To Try
- Easy Baked Caesar Chicken
- Hot Honey Chicken (Easy, Lighter Version)
- Simple Pan-Fried Cajun Blackened Catfish Recipe
- Gouda And Grilled Chicken Salad
- Honey Garlic & Pineapple Shrimp Skewers
Honey-Glazed Ham
A beautiful Honey-Glazed Ham combines salty, savory ham with a sweet, sticky honey-orange glaze and just a hint of cinnamon and cloves.
Ingredients
Ham
- 1 boneless, fully cooked ham, about 6–8 lb
- 40 - 70 whole cloves, depending on size
Pan Liquid
- 2 cups orange juice
- 1/2 cup water, optional, helps ham retain moisture
Glaze
- 1 cup honey
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 2–3 tbsp brown sugar, optional, deeper caramel
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Garnishes - Optional
- orange slices or squares, fresh or canned
- extra whole cloves, for decoration
- fresh rosemary/thyme sprigs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Place ham on a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet.
- Pat the surface dry with paper towels.
- Stud the ham on the outside by pressing whole cloves into the outer fat/caramelized areas.
- Make a light pattern (rows or a diamond). Don’t embed them deep, just enough to stay on the surface.
- Pour 2 cups orange juice into the bottom of the pan. Add 1/2 cup water if using.
- Cover ham loosely with foil.
- Bake until hot throughout, using the timing guidelines of 10–15 minutes per pound (covered)
- Combine the honey, orange juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, and black pepper for the glaze in a saucepan on low heat; whisk together.
- Simmer 3–5 minutes until smooth. Keep warm.
- Remove the foil from the ham.
- Brush/spoon glaze generously over the ham.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Brush again.
- Bake for an additional10–15 minutesuntil glossy and caramelized.
- Remove from oven when done and allow the ham to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Spoon pan juices over ham (and over orange slices if using).
- Check for internal doneness with a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should be about 140°F.
