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Honey Baked Ham

Honey baked ham with a crackly honey-sugar crust made by layering spiced sugar over a brushed honey-butter glaze. Baked low-and-slow to 120F, then finished at 400F until deep golden and crackly.
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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: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ham glaze
  • 1 fully cooked bone-in spiral-sliced ham Use an 8–9 lb ham for even baking.
  • 0.5 cup honey For the honey-butter glaze and brushing between bakes.
  • 0.25 cup butter Melt with honey to create the glaze base.
  • 1 cup granulated sugar Combined with brown sugar and spices for the crust layer.
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar Adds caramel color and flavor to the spiced sugar crust.
  • 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

Method
 

Bake low and slow
  1. Preheat the oven to 325F, place the ham cut-side down in a roasting pan, and cover tightly with foil. Bake 12–14 minutes per pound until the center reaches 120F, watching the ham stay covered for steady heating.
Make spiced sugar and honey-butter
  1. Melt the honey and butter together. Mix the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and paprika in a separate bowl to form the spiced sugar crust.
Build the crust and finish at high heat
  1. Remove the foil, brush the ham generously with the honey-butter, and pat on a layer of the spiced sugar. Raise the oven to 400F and bake 5 minutes.
  2. Brush the ham again with the honey-butter and pat on another layer of the spiced sugar. Bake 5 minutes at 400F.
  3. Brush the ham again with the honey-butter and pat on the final layer of the spiced sugar. Bake until the crust is deep golden and crackly and the ham reaches 140F inside.
Rest before slicing
  1. Rest the honey baked ham 15 minutes before serving to let juices set and keep slices moist. Serve warm with the crackly crust intact.

Notes

For the best crackly crust, press the spiced sugar onto the brushed areas so it adheres before the high-heat finish. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze for up to 2 months. For a lower-sugar option, replace the granulated and brown sugars with a 1:1 baking substitute designed to caramelize.