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.
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.
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.
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!
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:
- Funeral Potatoes (Cheesy Potatoes)
- Au Gratin Potatoes
- Best Homemade Rolls
- Gourmet Baked Mac and Cheese
- Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
- Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Wedge Salad
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Recipe
Baked Ham
Ingredients
- 8-10 pounds bone-in fully-cooked, spiral-cut ham
- 20 ounce can pineapple tidbits , or crushed pineapple
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
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
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe March 2018. Updated August 2019 and December 2021 and November 2023.
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Thank-You so much for this recipe! Dinner was totally delicious!!! Lisa
I followed the recipe, and the pineapple glazed ham came was delicious for our Christmas dinner! Thanks!
Doubled the glaze and added crushed. Delicious. Thank you
Moist and tender, delicious flavor. We loved our Easter ham!
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.
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!
Do I make any changes to the recipe if I use an electric roaster?
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.
I have not used the recipe yet, I will for Christmas dinner. It sounds wonderful!
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.
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. 🥰
Do you drain the pineapple to make glaze..I didn’t and mine seemed runny
JUST the pineapple or the juice from the can as well??
Everything in the can 🙂
My sauce didn’t thicken much either but overall a great tasting sauce
Wonderful glaze, easy to make. We liked the cinnamon with the pineapple.
I only have pineapple rings… Do you think I should chop them up or puree them? Thanks!
Either would work!
Added a little Kentucky Bourbon and some half & half to your glaze recipe, on our ham for Easter. Outstanding!!
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!
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
Husband said is the best ham he had ever eaten!
This was excellent! Thank you for sharing this. My husband and I loved it!
Thank you for this ham recipe is so easy to do and taste amazing
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..!!
How would this be without the cloves? I’m worried picky kids may object to the strong clove flavor.
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!
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.
Yes, sorry, that’s what I meant—just the glaze. Thanks for the reply!
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
Instead of pineapple, can you use another fruit like peaches and use the same recipe?
Yes, definitely.
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.
Can you put pineapple slices on top of them ham before baking? If so, when should you put them?
Question: May I use this recipe with a “non-spiraled” ham???
Sure!
Can I use this for a ham that’s not spiraled cut & not pre cooked?
All ham is precooked. It is cooked during the process of becoming ham.
Hi Lauren quick question do you use the juice from your pineapple tidbits when making your glaze? Thanx, Happy Thanksgiving.🦃
Yes, with juice! Best of luck!
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?
I used this recipe for our Easter ham and plan on using it again during the holidays. Thanks for sharing!
I followed the recipe but my glaze didn’t thicken what do you suggest?
Did you add all of the sugar? Continue to cook it even longer. It will eventually thicken 🙂
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!!!
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
Definitely–just chop some of them up!
Do I need to baste the ham once it’s in the oven?
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.
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.
Most pre-sliced spiral hams usually have the glaze packet. You’re welcome to use it–I think homemade is better.
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.
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.
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!!
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 🙂
Made this recipe and there were no leftovers. Everyone loved it. Thank you for sharing.
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?
Hi Brenna,
It should thicken slightly as it cools but it won’t be that thick! Hope it turned our well for you!
First time making ham! Do I need to soak or boil it to remove excess salt or is that a false belief? Thank you!
My husband raced that this was one of the best hams that he ever ate….flavorful and moist.
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!
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?
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.
When you add the tidbit pineapple did you also add the juice, or did you drain the juice?
Undrained 🙂
Trying this for Christmas dinner. Looks good so far.
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!!!
What an amazing compliment! Thanks so much!!
Silly question but when putting the pineapple in, do you keep the juice or drain some or all?
You don’t need to drain it 🙂
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.
Can I use this recipe on a bone-in country ham if I cook it through first?
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.
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!
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 😉
Hi Valerie, here is a good resource for cooking times (based on if yours is bone in or not). I’m assuming it’s precooked so you just need to warm it. https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/hamcookingchart.html Enjoy!
Has anyone made this in the crockpot? It sounds delicious (Lauren’s recipes never disappoint).
Can I make this in a roasting pan and what would I do different?
Yes that’s fine–nothing different 🙂 Enjoy!
Has anyone tried this recipe using a crock pot? It sounds delicious, but I’m trying to save oven space for other dishes.
Sure, that would work! Cook for about 3-4 hours on low heat (for an 8lb ham), or until warmed to 140 degrees.
I’m a ham virgin looking forward to glazing and enjoy the sweet morsels
In my mouth!!!
Wish me luck
Why do you take the ham out for 2hours before cooking
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).
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
I used this recipe tonight for dinner family loved it. I wish the ham was more caramelized any suggestions? Thanks again.
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.
This will be my 2nd time making baked ham in 7 yrs. Recipe looks awesome for an xmas dinner =)