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Family-friendly meals made easy!
Make everyday family moments count, with easy recipes that everyone will love. Join our email community to receive tested recipes and tips.
Make everyday family moments count, with easy recipes that everyone will love. Join our email community to receive tested recipes and tips.
We first published our easy baked ham recipe in 1963, and since then, this moist, smoky, honey-sweet ham has become a fan favorite, making its way onto dinner tables as the star of the show for any occasion—particularly for holidays.
Over the years, we’ve experimented with different glazes, landing on this combination of honey, brown sugar, and mustard, but the method we use to prepare our baked ham has remained basically the same. We decided to leave this classic recipe unchanged, because it's easy, delicious, and perfect for cooks of all levels.
You don’t even need your thumb to count on one hand how many ingredients it takes to make this showstopping ham recipe!
Ham: For the best honey-glazed ham, we call for a fully cooked, smoked, bone-in ham as they tend to have more flavor and retain more moisture than a boneless ham. You can estimate needing somewhere between 1/3- to 1/2-pound per person.
Honey: Honey provides a natural sweetness and helps the glaze stick to the baked ham.
Brown Sugar: Adds a rich molasses flavor and contributes to the caramelization of the glaze.
Dijon Mustard: Mustard brings a tangy acidity to the glaze and balances out the sweetness of the honey and brown sugar.
You’ll only need a few key pieces of kitchen equipment to make our showstopping baked ham.
Roasting Pan with Rack: A 16-inch roasting pan works well for this baked ham recipe. They typically come with either flat
racks or v-shaped racks.
Sharp Knife: Cooking is much quicker and easier with a good-quality, sharp knife. Use for scoring the ham.
Carving Knife: Ideal for cutting the ham away from the bone and for slicing.
Other Cookware You’ll Need: Small bowl, whisk, and pastry brush.
Here’s how to make a honey-glazed ham you’ll be proud to serve.
The ham is partially cooked before adding the honey glaze, so the glaze doesn’t burn in the longer cooking process.
Use a sharp knife to cut through the fat layer on top of the ham to create a diamond-shaped pattern.
In a small bowl, combine the honey, brown sugar, and mustard. Brush the glaze onto the ham before putting it back in the oven to finish baking.
Place baked ham, pre-cut side down, on a cutting board, and cut the boneless sections of the ham away from the large bone. Then, cut those sections into thin slices.
Although one reviewer said, “Absolutely wonderful. The whole family loves it, even the ones that don't like mustard of any kind or honey!”, this ham recipe has room for variations. One that we especially enjoy is adding 1/2 cup of well-drained, crushed pineapple to the glaze.
You can also mix up the type of honey you use. The darker the color, the more pronounced the flavor. You can also try swapping the light brown sugar in the recipe for dark brown sugar—again, for a deeper flavor.
If you’d like to try another recipe, here is our brown sugar-based ham glaze.
Our ham recipe goes with just about any side dish, but we do have a few favorites.
Ham and sweet potatoes are a natural pairing, and if marshmallows are involved, too, all the better! That’s why we love our marshmallow topped sweet potatoes on the table. Of course, our rich and indulgent mashed potatoes are another great choice.
If you’re serving your baked ham for Christmas or Easter and need some inspiration, check out our Christmas Appetizers or Easter recipes. Just pick your favorites, or try something new!
Here’s the best way to store and reheat your baked ham leftovers.
Place the sliced ham in a tightly-sealed food-storage container or resealable food-storage bag. Refrigerate for up to 3 or 4 days.
Place sliced ham in freezer food-storage bags, and store in the freezer for up to 1 or 2 months. Place the ham bone in a freezer food-storage bag, and store in the freezer for up to 1 or 2 months. Move the frozen slices to the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
While you don’t need to reheat your leftover ham, if preferred, you can either reheat in the oven on a baking sheet, covered with foil, or in the microwave on a microwave-safe plate, covered with a damp paper towel until hot.
Our users have weighed in on our best ham recipe, and here is what we’ve heard.
They love how few ingredients it takes to make such a moist and flavorful ham. The glaze itself has only 3 ingredients, and they’re all pantry staples.
Our users also tell us how much they love serving this showstopping centerpiece for almost any holiday. Whether this is an Easter, New Year’s, or Christmas ham, it has become a family favorite that reminds many reviewers of the ham their mother made when they were kids, adding a touch of nostalgia to their own family feasts.
Using a sharp knife, cut through the fat layer on the top of the ham to create a diamond-shaped pattern.
In small bowl, mix honey, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard; brush on ham. Roast uncovered about 20 minutes longer or until thermometer reads 135°F. Cover ham with tent of foil; let stand about 10 minutes or until thermometer reads 140°F.
Place ham on carving board or platter face down. Using a sharp carving knife, cut in half next to bone to loosen the large section of boneless meat.
Place boneless side of ham fat side up; cut slices. Cut remaining slices from bone-in portion, cutting away from bone. Plate ham slices, and serve immediately.
We like to make our ham extra special with a delicious twist, adding our favorite fruit preserves or juice to the glaze.
We call for a bone-in ham for our baked ham recipe. We’ve found that bone-in hams tend to have more flavor than boneless hams. And, as a bonus, you can use the bone to make soup, like our Easy Slow-Cooker Ham Bone Soup!
| Food Component / Nutrient | Amount | % , Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | 7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 2&½g | 11% |
| Trans Fat | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3&½g | % Value Not Available |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | ½g | % Value Not Available |
| Omega-3 | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Cholesterol | 65mg | 22% |
| Sodium | 1520mg | 63% |
| Total Carbohydrate | 12g | 4% |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g | 0% |
| Soluble Fiber | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Insoluble Fiber | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Sugars | 12g | % Value Not Available |
| Protein | 26g | % Value Not Available |
| Vitamin D | Value Not Available | 10% |
| Calcium | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Iron | Value Not Available | 10% |
| Potassium | 370mg | 11% |
| Vitamin A | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Vitamin C | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Vitamin E | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Thiamin | Value Not Available | 60% |
| Riboflavin | Value Not Available | 15% |
| Niacin | Value Not Available | 25% |
| Vitamin B6 | Value Not Available | 25% |
| Folic Acid | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Vitamin B12 | Value Not Available | 15% |
| Pantothenic Acid | Value Not Available | 6% |
| Phosphorus | Value Not Available | 25% |
| Magnesium | Value Not Available | 4% |
| Zinc | Value Not Available | 25% |
| Manganese | Value Not Available | 4% |
| Selenium | Value Not Available | 35% |
| Copper | Value Not Available | 6% |
| Beta-Carotene | Value Not Available | % Value Not Available |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | ||
