This easy honey glazed ham is sweet, sticky, and always a hit at the table. It’s made with a fully cooked ham, so there’s no stress, no complicated steps, and it’s ready in under an hour.
The simple honey glaze with brown sugar and mustard turns into that glossy holiday finish everyone loves. Perfect for Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, or even a cozy Sunday dinner.
Best-Ever Honey Glazed Ham with Brown Sugar and Mustard
It comes out juicy in the center with caramelized edges on the outside, and the flavor is balanced instead of overly sweet. This is the kind of ham that looks impressive, tastes homemade, and feels completely doable even if it’s your first time making ham.
In this post
- How To Make This Recipe Step By Step
- Ingredient Swaps That Work
- Storage Tips
- Expert Cooking Tips
- How To Level It Up
Why This Recipe Works
This easy honey-glazed ham works because of three simple things:
- Flavor balance. Honey adds sweetness. Brown sugar brings caramel depth. Dijon mustard cuts the sweetness so it doesn’t taste heavy. Garlic powder adds subtle savory warmth.
- Texture contrast. Warming the ham covered keeps it juicy inside. Baking it uncovered with glaze creates a sticky, caramelized outside. You get tender slices with glossy edges.
- Proper timing. The ham is already cooked, so you’re just reheating and glazing. This prevents dryness. Most people overbake it. That’s where things go wrong.
The result is a glossy, flavorful ham that tastes fresh and balanced, with tender slices instead of dry, overly sweet meat.
🛒 Ingredients
- Cooked ham joint - Use a fully cooked ham, about 2–2.5 kg or 4–5 lbs. That’s important. We’re reheating and glazing, not cooking raw pork. This makes it so much easier, especially for beginners.
- Honey - This is the base of the glaze. It gives that classic sweet, sticky finish you expect from a holiday honey glazed ham.
- Brown sugar - Adds depth and a little caramel flavor. Dark or light brown sugar both work, but dark gives a slightly richer taste.
- Dijon mustard - This balances the sweetness and creates a proper honey and mustard glaze. If you only have yellow mustard, it works, but Dijon gives a better flavor.
- Butter - Melted into the glaze for shine and richness. It helps the glaze coat the ham beautifully.
- You can also add pineapple slices on top before the final bake if you love that sweet and salty combo. It’s a fun variation for Easter or Christmas.
- If you like more easy oven baked dinners, try baked chicken meatballs, roasted sweet potatoes, or baked chicken with cherry tomatoes next.
👩🍳 You'll find the complete list of ingredients below the recipe card.
🥘 How To Make Easy Honey Glazed Ham Step By Step
- Preheat the oven: Set it to 170°C (325°F) so it’s ready while you prep the ham.
- Warm the ham: Place the cooked ham in a large roasting tray and wrap it tightly with foil. Bake for 20–30 minutes, until heated through.
- Make the glaze: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and garlic powder. Cook and stir until smooth ang glossy.
- Glaze the ham: Remove the ham from the oven and carefully unwrap the foil. Brush the glaze generously all over the surface.
- Bake uncovered: Return the ham to the oven without foil. Bake for another 25–30 minutes, brushing once more with glaze if you want it extra sticky.
- Rest and slice: Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
👨🍳 Rita's Equipment
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Always start with a fully cooked ham and warm it wrapped in foil first so it stays juicy before adding the glaze.
📋 Tips
- Don’t skip the resting time. Ten minutes helps the juices settle so slices stay moist.
- Brush the glaze on generously. That’s what gives you that classic brown sugar honey-glazed ham look.
- If you like a thicker glaze, let it simmer an extra minute before brushing it on.
- Pineapple slices can be added before the final bake for a sweet holiday twist.
- If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil during the second bake.
- This works great in a slow cooker too. Just heat the ham on low and add the glaze at the end.
❌ Don’t Make These Honey Glazed Ham Mistakes
- Skipping the foil step is how the ham dries out. Keep it covered while warming.
- Overbaking is unnecessary since the ham is already cooked. You’re just heating and glazing.
- Using too much sugar without enough mustard makes the glaze taste flat and overly sweet.
- Slicing straight from the oven causes the juices to run out. Let it rest so the slices stay moist.
🍱 Storage Instructions
- 🍱To Store. Store sliced ham in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- 🥶Freezing. Freeze sliced ham in freezer-safe bags for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly to prevent freezer burn.
- 🔥To Reheat. Reheat slices gently in the oven covered with foil, or microwave in short bursts so they don’t dry out.
What To Serve With Easy Honey Glazed Ham
These easy sides turn this honey glazed ham into a full, cozy holiday meal.
- Scalloped potatoes or mashed potatoes – Creamy and comforting, they soak up the sweet honey glaze perfectly.
- Roasted green beans or glazed carrots – A simple veggie side to balance the sweetness of the ham.
- Fresh dinner rolls – Soft rolls are perfect for mopping up extra glaze or making mini ham sandwiches.
- Simple side salad – Something fresh and crisp keeps the plate from feeling too heavy.
- Pineapple slices – Adds a sweet, juicy touch that pairs beautifully with the brown sugar glaze.
More Family Dinner Recipes You'll Like
- Slow Cooker Mississippi Pork Roast
- One-Pot Pork Rice
- Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole
- Grilled Cheese With Tomato Sandwiches
📖Recipe
Best-Ever Honey Glazed Ham with Brown Sugar and Mustard
This easy honey-glazed ham is quick, healthy-ish, and perfect for Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving. Learn how to cook and glaze a fully cooked ham with a simple brown sugar honey mustard glaze.
Ingredients
- 1 cooked ham joint, 2–2.5 kg (4–5 lbs)
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set it to 170°C (325°F) so it’s fully heated before the ham goes in.
- Warm the ham: Place the ham in a large roasting tray and wrap it tightly with foil. Bake for 20–30 minutes, until heated through.1 cooked ham joint
- Make the glaze: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and garlic powder. Cook and stir until smooth.½ cup honey, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Glaze the ham: Remove the ham from the oven and carefully unwrap the foil. Brush the glaze generously over the surface.
- Bake uncovered: Return the ham to the oven without foil. Bake for a further 25–30 minutes, brushing once more with glaze if desired.
- Rest and serve: Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 153kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 4gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 331mgPotassium: 89mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 134IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg
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