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Honey Baked Ham

Honey baked ham with a crackly honey-and-spiced sugar crust, baked low for doneness then finished hot for caramel color. Spiral-sliced, bone-in, and repeatedly glazed for a glossy, deep golden crackle.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Resting 15 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 14 servings
Course: Dinner Recipes
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ham and glaze
  • 1 fully cooked bone-in spiral-sliced ham (8-9 pounds)
  • 0.5 cup honey
  • 0.25 cup butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground cloves
  • 0.5 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp allspice
  • 0.5 tsp paprika

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Bake the ham low and slow
  1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Place the ham cut-side down in a roasting pan and cover tightly with foil.
  2. Bake for 12-14 minutes per pound, checking for the target temperature. Continue baking until the ham reaches 120F inside, keeping it covered with foil as it cooks.
Make the honey butter and spiced sugar
  1. Melt the honey and butter together. Stir until smooth and glossy.
  2. In a separate bowl, mix the granulated sugar and brown sugar with the cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and paprika. Stir until evenly speckled.
Glaze, caramelize, and finish
  1. Remove the foil and brush the ham generously with the honey butter. Make sure glaze pools lightly in the spiral grooves.
  2. Pat on a layer of the spiced sugar so it adheres to the glaze. Spread it over the exposed cut surfaces.
  3. Raise the oven to 400F. Bake for 5 minutes, until the sugar begins to set and smell caramelized.
  4. Brush again with honey butter over the browned sugar. Focus on areas where the crust looks thin.
  5. Pat on another layer of spiced sugar to rebuild the crust. Press lightly so the topping sticks.
  6. Bake again at 400F for 5 minutes. Look for deep golden color and early crackling.
  7. Brush with the remaining honey butter once more, covering the top and spiral ridges. Coat evenly for a uniform crust.
  8. Pat on the final spiced sugar layer. Aim for full coverage without bare spots.
  9. Bake until the crust is deep golden and crackly and the ham reaches 140F. Use the internal thermometer at the thickest part.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest the ham for 15 minutes before serving. This helps the juices settle and keeps the crust intact.

Notes

Pro tip: if the crust browns too quickly during the 400F steps, tent loosely with foil while keeping the sugar-coated side covered as much as possible. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; rewarm slices gently in the oven or microwave. Freezing is yes: wrap well and freeze up to 2 months, then thaw in the refrigerator. For a lighter version, swap the butter for a lower-fat butter substitute while keeping the sugar ratios the same.