This easy Baked Ham with pineapple brown sugar glaze is delicious, beautiful, and perfect for anytime from a simple Sunday dinner to holiday entertaining for Easter or Christmas. It’s always a crowd favorite!

Some of our other favorite holiday meals include Rack of Lamb, Baked Crab Legs, and Prime Rib.

A spiral baked ham with a pineapple brown sugar glaze poured on top, ready to serve.

Why I love this recipe:

  • Pineapple Glaze – Adds the perfect amount of sweetness to really compliment the baked spiral ham.
  • Easy – Since the ham is already precooked, we are just warming it and adding a glaze. It feels fancy, but it couldn’t be easier!
  • Leftovers – The best thing about this meal is taking advantage of the leftovers! I always freeze the ham bones for Ham Bone Soup then enjoy the ham in Ham and Cheese Sliders, chopped on a Baked Potato, in Ham Fried Rice, Charro Beans, and Chicken Cordon Bleu!

How to make Baked Ham:

Bring to room temperature: Remove from the fridge for 1-2 hours. This will decrease the amount of time it needs in the oven, ensuring the ham doesn’t dry out while warming.

Make the Glaze by combining all the ingredients in a saucepan and stir until smooth. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened, with a syrup consistency.

Two images showing a homemade pineapple brown sugar glaze for ham being made in a stainless steel saucepan.

Bake: Place ham in a foil-lined roasting pan or baking dish. Brush a little glaze all over the outside of the ham then cover it well with foil and bake at 300 degrees for 1 ½ to 2 hours.

The best baked ham recipe in a baking dish, covered with tinfoil before it's baked.

Add more glaze: Remove ham from oven then brush rest of glaze over it. Increase oven temperature to 400 and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and tent with foil for 15 minutes before serving.

Serve with funeral potatoes or mashed potatoes, a wedge salad, and homemade rolls!

A baked spiral ham with a simple brown sugar glaze for ham on top, fresh out of the oven.

Tips for the Perfect Ham:

  • What Ham To Buy: My favorite ham is a pre-cooked, bone-in, spiral sliced ham. The bone-in hams are usually more flavorful, and I love how the slicing is already done. Since it’s pre-cooked, you can enjoy it cold on a homemade roll sandwich or warm it in the oven with a glaze. Make sure to use the leftovers for Ham Bone Soup.
  • Where To Buy: I recommend buying the Kirkland hams at Costco. They are delicious and such a great price!

Storage and Freezing Instructions:

To Store: Place leftover ham in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Use the leftovers in roll sandwiches, Ham Bone Soup, Ham Asparagus Rolls, or Ham Fried Rice!

To Freeze: Store leftover ham in an airtight container for 1-2 months. Thaw completely overnight in refrigerator.

Serve Baked Ham with:

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Recipe

A spiral baked ham with a pineapple brown sugar glaze poured on top, ready to serve.
Prep 30 minutes
Cook 2 hours
Total 2 hours 30 minutes
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Ingredients
 
 

Instructions
 

  • Remove ham from refrigerator 1-2 hours before baking, to allow it to come to room temperature. 
  • Make Glaze: Meanwhile, make the glaze. In a saucepan combine pineapple tidbits, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until mixture has thickened.
  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Remove ham from packaging and throw away the glaze packet and the plastic disk that covers the bone. 
  • Glaze ham: Place the ham flat/cut side down, in a deep baking dish or roasting pan. I like to line my pan with aluminum foil to make for easier clean-up. Brush just a few spoonfuls of the glaze onto the ham, all over the outside. Reserve the remaining glaze for later. Cover the ham tightly with a tent of aluminum foil. This will help keep the ham from drying out.
  • Bake at 300 degrees F for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until internal temperature reaches 110 degrees. Note, the ham is already cooked, so we’re just just trying to reheat it.

  • Remove the ham from the oven and remove foil tent (set it aside for later). Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Brush the remaining glaze all over the ham. Return to the oven and continue to bake for another 15 minutes.
  • Rest: Remove from oven, tent with foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Ham: My favorite ham is a pre-cooked, bone-in, spiral sliced ham. The bone-in hams are usually more flavorful, and I love how the slicing is already done.
Storage Instructions: Place leftover ham in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Use the leftovers in roll sandwiches, Ham Bone Soup, Ham Asparagus Rolls, or Ham Fried Rice!
Freezing Instructions: Store leftover ham in an airtight container for 1-2 months. Thaw completely overnight in refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 38gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 147mgSodium: 2331mgPotassium: 618mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 16IUVitamin C: 50mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 2mg

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I originally shared this recipe March 2018. Updated August 2019 and December 2021 and November 2023.

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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. 3 stars
    I hate to say I did not like this recipe that much. I don’t know if I simply didn’t do it correctly or not. The glaze never seem to really thicken, and when I went to coat the ham with the pineapple glaze the pineapple simply fell off the ham and into the dish. I used pineapple tidbits which I would not suggest substituting for crushed pineapple. Also, the ham used in the video is more flat on top and the ham that I used so the pineapple was able to stick to it more. I also added a little bit of cornstarch to thicken it up in the end. It might worth another try sometime to see if it goes better.

  2. 5 stars
    I don’t remember the last time I baked a ham, but I bought one for Easter this year and found this recipe.
    Absolutely delicious and easy. I only had a 10 Oz can of pineapple and it worked well.

    Only modification I did was use parchment paper in my oven roaster (with the lid on for not only easy clean up, but the parchment paper is compostable)….

    Will make this again. Great recipe!

  3. 5 stars
    Have made many hams over the years but none as delicious as this recipe. My family could not stop eating “just one more slice.” Glaze is a game changer. Thank you.

  4. 5 stars
    It was a success! Received many compliments this year. Used pineapple bits left over from cutting up a fresh one and pulsed in food processor. Ground cinnamon from a stick. Worth the extra effort. Flavors were great and ham fell off the bone.

  5. 3 stars
    Hello, I’m cooking thanksgiving dinner for my first year in my recently purchased first home!! I’ve never cooked a ham before, so this will be my first time, I’m so excited. Anyhow I was wondering if I could use this exact recipe for a 9 pound boneless fully cooked ham? Or if there would need to be any changes with the recipe since I’m making a different kind of ham then used. Thank you so much for any info. Happy holidays. 🥰

  6. Added a little Kentucky Bourbon and some half & half to your glaze recipe, on our ham for Easter. Outstanding!!

  7. 5 stars
    Although my glaze never thickened, this was the best “sweet” Ham I’ve ever made. I used a fresh pineapple so maybe that was the problem. The ham was very moist and with just the right amount of sweetness!

  8. Making it tonight, but using the regular bone in not spiral, used spiral only twice and found 1st day great but leftovers dry. Also doing roasted potatoes, small red ones. Doing your glaze . Yummy

  9. 5 stars
    Very tasty !!!
    Hi, I have made that ham today for ThanksGiving dinner and it was a hit. My daughter, son and wife; all have approved the tasty, juicy, perfect cooked ham.
    I have added some cherries to the glaze and it brought sweetness and color to it.
    Definitely this will be favorite for future.

    Thank you so much..!!

  10. Hi! I made this last year and everyone loved it! I made it the day of, though, and this year I’m wondering whether the glaze can be made ahead of time…? Or do you think it might harden? Thanks!

    1. Do you mean make the glaze but don’t glaze the turkey yet? Yes I think that would work but you may need to reheat it beforehand.

  11. 5 stars
    Just the recipe I was looking for. My late mother-in-law used to make it like this and my husband approved this version. Thank you

  12. I made this ham and liked it so much I am baking another one tomorrow. Am in the process of moving , this is so easy
    and makes great sandwiched for quick lunch . Thanks for sharing the recipe.

  13. Hi Lauren quick question do you use the juice from your pineapple tidbits when making your glaze? Thanx, Happy Thanksgiving.🦃

  14. Thanks for the sharing, I used pineapple ring on the top, and it’s beautifully done,
    only thing is some said the ham is too salty, which I have no control, because it’s precooked,
    Do they sell “light salt” ham? or is there anyway we can do to reduce the salty taste?

    1. Did you add all of the sugar? Continue to cook it even longer. It will eventually thicken 🙂

  15. 5 stars
    Beeler ham and this recipe was amazing. Soooo moist. Bringing it to room temperature was a good idea. I didn’t tent it, I used my mom’s old roasting pan and it came out perfect!!!

  16. I’ve been looking for a good pineapple glaze, and this looks perfect. My question is do you think it would be okay with pineapple rings instead of the tidbits? Maybe I could chop up a couple for the glaze and then add the rigs before covering it? My family with freak out without rings.
    Thanks so much.

    Jeri

    1. No, just follow the directions as stated. The ham will get basted again when it’s removed from the oven in step 9 and 10.

  17. What’s wrong with the glaze that comes with the ham? Just throw it away? Why that waste. Don’t they sell spiral hams without the glaze pockets.

    1. Most pre-sliced spiral hams usually have the glaze packet. You’re welcome to use it–I think homemade is better.

      1. I like to use part of the glaze mix, then add my own “oomph!”. It’s the best of both worlds. Then, I save the remaining mix for later.

    2. The reason you throw the glaze packet away is because you have no idea what is in it. I’ve been a cook and baker for over 40 years and I jump at the chance to get rid of “pre-packaged” crap every chance I get as should everybody.

  18. Is there a way to make some of this (or all of it) a day ahead of time? What steps could I do a day early and then how would you reheat it the day of?
    Thanks!!

    1. Hi Shauna, I’d suggest making the glaze ahead of time. There’s no reason to heat the ham ahead because it’s already pre-cooked. It should be heated just before eating 🙂

  19. I am making this now… I have had the glaze simmering for about half an hour is the pineapple supposed to boil down? Mine doesn’t seem to thickening. Should I keep it going?

    1. Hi Brenna,
      It should thicken slightly as it cools but it won’t be that thick! Hope it turned our well for you!

  20. 5 stars
    We LOVED our variation of this! I used a fresh, cored pineapple from the produce department of the grocery store. Not a lot of juice with it, so I added the juice of one fresh orange and some cranberry juice cocktail (100% juice blend). I sliced the pineapple (leave the core inside while you’re slicing or the rings will collapse). First, I ate a broken slice, just to make sure the pineapple was good, haha. I minced a few slices very finely and added them to the liquid mixture. Didn’t have any ground cloves, so I counted out 8 whole cloves and tossed them in the liquid. OMG the stuff smells SO GOOD while you’re reducing it. Because one of our diners was diabetic, I didn’t want to let the glaze get syrupy and sticky, I wanted her to be able to shake the liquid off the ham if she preferred. I wanted to use part of the ham for pea soup and salads later, so I didn’t want a spiral sliced ham, and didn’t want to glaze the whole ham. So I sliced enough fairly thin slices for about 6 people, and layered them in a glass casserole dish. Covered the ham with pineapple slices. Fished the whole cloves out of the liquid (LOL, IMPORTANT), and poured the thin liquid over the ham and pineapple. Put the cover on the casserole so nothing dries out, and bake about 325 degrees for about an hour, depending on thick your ham layer is and whether you’re cooking something else at the same time. You only have to warm the ham up, it’s already cooked. Our result: wonderfully moist ham, plenty of “juice” for dipping, yummy pineapple rings in an artful arrangement. No sticky cleanup, either!

  21. You say cover the ham tightly with a tent of foil. Isn’t renting supposed to be loose? Like a literal tent just covering it to reflect heat and allow circulation?

  22. 5 stars
    Made this for Christmas dinner today and it was DELISH!!! Even though I accidentally turned off the oven early (hahaha), it worked out great. We all loved it. Thanks for the clear explanations.

  23. 5 stars
    Another perfect recipe from Tastes Better from Scratch; my only source for delicious recipes!!! The ham was tender and the glaze was the best that I ever made!!!

  24. 5 stars
    Amazing flavor and the ham was so moist and juicy! Used a boneless ham, cooked for 20minutes per pound at 325F, and didn’t change the temperature for the last 12 minutes with the glazed.

    1. Top the ham with the glaze just like you would with a spiral cut ham. Maybe reserve a bit of the glaze for the last 5 minutes of warming.

  25. 5 stars
    This is the only spiral ham glaze I will ever use! I have used several and they didn’t touch this glaze. Thanks so much for making my ham SING!

  26. 4 stars
    Hi! Rather than buying a spiral ham (the least I could find was 8 lbs which was too much) I bought 4 lbs of pre-sliced ham tonight from the deli for Christmas dinner. Would this same recipe with a cooking time of 1.5 hours still work in this situation? I really appreciate any advice; we aren’t ham connoisseurs 😉

  27. Has anyone tried this recipe using a crock pot? It sounds delicious, but I’m trying to save oven space for other dishes.

    1. You want to take it out 1 -2 hours beforehand to let it come to room temperature so that it cooks evenly. (Rather than the outside cooking faster than the inside).

    2. To keep it from drying out when you cook it!
      If you was to place a cold ham into hot oven will take longer to get ham hot and with that it drys out the ham…
      Therefore having ham at room temp will take anywhere from an hour to 2 hours to heat and ham will remain moist!!!
      Hope that helps you.
      Chef Sue

  28. 5 stars
    I used this recipe tonight for dinner family loved it. I wish the ham was more caramelized any suggestions? Thanks again.

  29. 5 stars
    Made this for Easter this year and it was a big hit. Great recipe- easy to follow and very clear instructions for us first-timers. Thanks so much.