This Maple Glazed Ham is dripping with flavor, wonderfully moist and beautifully caramelized with the BEST glaze!
This Maple Glazed Ham recipe only takes minutes of hands on prep and feeds a crowd making it the perfect impressive, hassle free main dish for Christmas and Easter! I’ve also included detailed instructions on How to Bake a Ham so you are guaranteed a perfectly deliciously, perfectly beautifully baked ham every time!
Maple Glazed Ham Recipe
Christmas is NEXT WEEK! Can you believe it?! Although my parents will be in Europe (serving for our Church), my older brother from NY is coming to stay with me and my sister and her family just got back from 4 ½ months in Europe so it will be a fun family filled holiday!
And just like Christmas is a time for family and to celebrate our Savior, to me, it also is a time for a Christmas feast. Whether you celebrate with Brown Sugar Glazed Ham, Oven Roasted Turkey, Baked Pot Roast, Pork Tenderloin, Beef Tips and Gravy or Christmas ham, the centerpiece should be spectacular.
As early as I can remember, our family Christmas dinner centerpiece has always been a big juicy glazed ham. I looked forward to it for weeks in advance along with funeral potatoes (now replaced with Sweet Potato or Original Scalloped Potatoes Au Grain with Bacon and Gruyere!). So in anticipation of the upcoming Christmas feast, I’ve been experimenting with Glazes, because, what really sets a ham apart (aside from cooking it correctly so it remains juicy), is the Glaze. It’s all about the Glaze. It’s all about this Maple Glazed Ham.
Maple Glazed Ham Ingredients
This baked ham recipe is so easy to make! Here’s what you’ll need for the ham and the maple glaze:
- Ham: You want to get a smoked, spiral-cut ham.
- Butter: I prefer using unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt in the dish.
- Apple cider: You want to buy non-alcoholic apple cider without any spices added to it.
- Maple syrup: Use pure maple syrup, not imitation pancake syrup.
- Light brown sugar: Pack the brown sugar when measuring it.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds some tanginess to the homemade ham glaze.
- Mustard: I used a blend of Dijon and yellow mustards.
- Cornstarch: Helps thicken the maple glaze quickly.
- Spices: I flavored the maple syrup ham glaze with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, thyme, pepper, and chili powder.
WHAT KIND OF HAM SHOULD I BUY?
For the best maple glazed ham, you want to purchase a fully cooked, bone-in, spiral cut ham. It is easy to find fully cooked hams at the grocery store, just look for “Fully Cooked” and not, “Cook before eating” on the label.
Fully cooked hams have been soaked in brine (tender!) and either smoked, baked or boiled before packaging. This means they are completely cooked and therefore completely safe to eat without even warming up!
How Much Ham Per Person?
Assuming you are going to serve your baked ham with a few sides, I would estimate about ¾ pound of bone-in ham per person. So, a 10-pound bone-in honey glazed ham will serve 13 people.
HOW TO BAKE A Maple Glazed HAM
Set the ham out on the counter. But before we get to the delectable Apple Cider Maple Glaze, let’s talk ham. Not only is a baked ham one of the easiest dinners to prep for the holidays, it serves loads of people and is extremely economical. To achieve the juiciest ham, it is important to use a bone-in ham and to not overcook it, because after all, the spiral smoked ham is already cooked, we are just warming it through. A helpful trick to cook the ham evenly and not overcook the outside while trying to heat the inside, is to remove the ham from the refrigerator at least 2 hours before cooking and let it come close to room temperature.
Make the maple syrup ham glaze. Meanwhile, you make your heavenly Apple Cider Maple Glaze. It’s sweet with just a slight tang and is just plain lick the pan DE-licious. The Glaze is a concoction of apple cider, pure maple syrup (please, no imitation Aunt Jemima here), Dijon mustard, yellow mustard apple cider vinegar and a pinch of aromatic cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, dried thyme, pepper, chili powder. HEAVEN. I’ve also added 2 teaspoons cornstarch to help the Glaze thicken so you only have to simmer and reduce the Glaze for about 20 minutes instead of an hour. And believe me, 20 minutes is much more conducive to not only weak knees but weak will power as the smell of this Glaze is incredible.
Slather the ham with glaze. After your Apple Cider Maple Glaze has thickened, you slather about ⅓ of it all over your ham, in between the slices and every nook and cranny. Next, tightly wrap your ham in foil so it doesn’t dry out while roasting.
Add water to the roasting pan. Next, if you have a roasting rack, I suggest placing 2 cups water in the bottom of your roasting pan then placing your rack on top. This creates an even moister ham, but if you don’t have a rack, you can just skip this step and your ham will still be delish.
Bake the spiral ham. Bake your maple glazed ham for about 2 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches about 110 degrees F, because remember, we are just heating the ham, not cooking it. Remove the ham from the oven, envelop in Apple Cider Maple Glaze again, then continue to cook at 400 degrees F, with the ham exposed for 20 more minutes as the edges brown and the Glaze caramelizes. If you want even deeper caramelization, you can broil your ham for a few minutes, but I didn’t find this necessary as the sugary Glaze caramelizes quickly just from baking at the high heat.
Add more glaze, then serve! Then all that’s left is to remove the ham from the oven, Glaze once more and spoon the flavorful juices from the bottom of the pan all over the ham. Cover the ham loosely with aluminum foil and let sit for 15 minutes to reabsorb the juices then carve away your gorgeous, caramelized Maple Glazed Ham to the oohs and ahs of your family as they drool at your gorgeous, masterfully cooked ham. As everyone sinks their teeth into the wonderfully moist ham, the oohs and ahs will transform into mmmmmm…..mmmmmm…..mmmmmm…..
That’s a Christmas ham!
WHAT TEMPERATURE SHOULD I BAKE MY HAM?
This Honey Baked Ham recipe starts with a fully cooked, ready-to-eat ham. Remember, we are not cooking the ham, we are reheating the ham so we want to cook it at the lower temperature of 325 degrees F. This warms our ham without drying it out. We will then increase the temperature to 400 degrees F just for 20 minutes or so to caramelize the outside.
How Long to Cook a Spiral Ham
This maple glazed ham needs to cook at 325 degrees F for 2 hours, and then another 20 minutes at 400 degrees F.
HOW to CHECK THE TEMPERATURE OF BAKED HAM
To check the temperature of baked spiral ham, insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the ham without touching the bone, as the bone conducts heat and will be a much higher temperature than the meat. Also, only check the ham after 90 minutes and limit the amount of times you check the temperature to prevent the ham from drying out.
Tips for Making Maple Glazed Ham
- Let it rest. You can let your ham with maple glaze rest just for 15 minutes to reabsorb the juices and serve warm, or rest closer to an hour if that fits your schedule better and serve it at room temperature.
- To decorate. Your gorgeous caramelized baked spiral ham deserves a gorgeous presentation. Want to know my EASY secret? Purchase a bouquet of flowers or use flowers from your garden and place them around your ham on platter – that’s it for a stunning presentation!
- Roasting pan. If you don’t own a roasting pan, you can purchase a disposable aluminum foil pan at the grocery store for just a few dollars – they even sell them at the dollar store – for only a dollar! Disposable pans are quire flimsy, so always transfer with two hands firmly gripping each side.
Recipe Variations to Try
- Change the glaze. Another delicious way to make this baked spiral ham recipe is to use a honey glaze.
- Serve cold or warm. You can certainly serve your maple ham cold, but I find this temperature more enjoyable and appropriate when using cold ham for sandwiches and not with hot sides.
- Use other mustards. I love the blend of Dijon and yellow mustard in this baked spiral ham recipe, but you can experiment with other kinds of mustard, if desired.
Can I Prep Maple Glazed Ham in Advance?
Yes! You can cook the entire ham ahead of time and serve it cold. You can also whisk together the maple syrup glaze for the ham ahead of time, but it comes together so quickly I don’t think it’s necessary!
HOW LONG IS LEFTOVER HAM GOOD FOR?
Leftover baked ham should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When properly stored, ham is good up to 5 days. Beyond, that, freeze any uneaten ham.
CAN I FREEZE HAM?
Yes! I love having leftover baked ham just so I can freeze it for a rainy day! You can freeze ham in slices for sandwiches or chop it up for future eggs, omelettes, casseroles, soups, enchiladas, etc. Frozen ham should be used within 3-4 months.
HOW TO USE LEFTOVER HAM
This maple glazed ham is the gift that keeps on giving! It reheats well for leftovers or can be transformed entirely into something new! Try it in:
- sandwiches (Cubano) or ham and cheese sliders
- breakfast croissants
- Cubano quesadillas
- salad
- grilled cheese
- soups
- breakfast enchiladas
- breakfast casseroles
- pasta
- pasta casseroles like macaroni and cheese
- cold pasta salad
- ham and rice casserole
- rice (like Hawaiian fried rice)
- scrambled eggs
- omelettes
- frittata, quiche or stratta
- potato hash
- hashbrowns
- scalloped potatoes
- Hawaiian pizza or stromboli
- substitute ham for ANY RECIPE with chicken!
What to Serve with Baked Ham
This maple glazed ham recipe pairs beautiful with all your favorite sides! It goes with:
- Pasta Salads: Creamy Bacon Pea Pasta Salad, BLT Pasta Salad with Lemon Chive Dressing,Strawberry Avocado Pasta Salad, Greek Pasta Salad
- Green Salads: Spinach Berry Salad,Strawberry Avocado Broccoli Salad, Wedge Salad, Apple Cranberry Salad, Cucumber Tomato Salad, Corn Salad, Strawberry Salad
- Fruit Salads: Perfect Fruit Salad, Creamy Grape Salad, Pina Colada Fruit Salad, Berry Salad in Honey Mascarpone Dressing, Winter Fruit Salad
- Breads: Cheesy Pull Apart Pesto Bread, Award Winning Cornbread, Perfect Dinner Rolls, Buttery Breadsticks
- Potatoes: Company Mashed Potatoes, Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes, Smashed Potatoes, Twice Baked Potatoes, Au Gratin Potatoes, Scalloped Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Pesto Potatoes
- Classics: Million Dollar Macaroni and Cheese, Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
- Veggies: Roasted Broccoli, Roasted Broccolini, Roasted Cauliflower, Roasted Carrots, Sauted Brussels Spouts, Glazed Carrots
Looking for More Holiday Entrees?
- Best Baked Pork Tenderloin
- Homemade Lasagna
- Braised Short Ribs
- Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
- Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Crockpot Pot Roast
- Herb Butter Roast Turkey
- Pork Chops with Apples
- All of my holiday recipes!
Looking for more holiday Side recipes?
- Apple Cranberry Candied Walnut Salad
- Million Dollar Macaroni and Cheese
- Herb Scalloped Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Gruyere
- Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots
- Perfect Soft and Fluffy Dinner Rolls
Want to try this Maple Glazed Ham?
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Maple Glazed Ham
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Ingredients
- 1 bone-in smoked spiral-sliced ham (8-11 pounds)
- Aluminum foil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
Apple Cider Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup NOT imitation
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp EACH ground nutmeg, ground cloves, dried thyme, pepper, chili pwder
Instructions
- Remove ham from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature 2-3 hours.
- Whisk together all of the Apple Cider Maple Glaze ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often, until thickened and reduced, approximately 15-20 minutes. Stir in butter until melted. Glaze will thicken more as it stands.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Adjust oven rack to lowest position. Pour 2 cups water into bottom of roasting pan IF you have a roasting rack. Place roasting rack inside pan. (Skip step if you don’t have a roasting rack.)
- Roll out 2 large pieces of foil to wrap your ham in. Place ham on foil and brush all over with some of the Glaze, including in between slices. Tightly wrap ham with foil and place on its side on the roasting rack (or bottom of pan). Bake ham until the center registers 100-110 degrees F, about 2 hours (about 12 minutes per pound).
- Remove ham from oven and increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
- Carefully unfold foil to expose ham and brush ham all over with Glaze (if Glaze has become to thick to brush, return to heat to loosen). Leave ham exposed and bake for 20-30 minutes or until edges are golden brown and caramelized.
- Remove ham from oven and brush again all over with Glaze. Spoon juices from bottom of pan all over ham. Loosely cover with foil. Let rest for 15 minutes then spoon more juices over ham and serve with any remaining Glaze.
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Erica says
This is the most gorgeous ham I have ever seen and your glaze sounds incredible! I can’t wait to make it for Christmas this year, I know it will be amazing because we all LOVE all your recipes!
Jen says
You are too nice Erica, thank you! It can be hard for a ham to be “pretty” so I’m glad the pics turned out well 🙂 But more importantly, thank you for trying my recipes- I think you will love this one too 🙂 I absolutely love hearing that you are enjoying my recipes so much, thank you thank you! Merry Christmas!
Cameron says
We are trying this for Christmas this year. I found your website looking for recipes that my daughter could eat that has been diagnosed with gastroparesis. I’ve been sending all the links to the fabulous recipes to my husband and he is drooling. He said “Where do they live? I want to go live with them!” LOL! That is the best praise and I can’t wait to try out your million dollar mac n cheese and lime cilantro rice for my daughter. Keep up the awesome recipes- I can’t wait to try all the ones we’ve bookmarked so far out!
Jen says
Hi Cameron, so nice to meet you, I am so happy you stumbled upon my blog! It is such a small world because I actually have moderate gastroparesis as well (just did another stomach emptying study last month). I had a flare up 6 years ago when I was throwing up all the time (at work, while driving, etc.) but thankfully it is well controlled with medication at this time so there IS HOPE your daughter’s condition will improve! In the meantime, I hope you enjoy lots of my recipes! My thoughts and prayers are with your family! xo
Jackie says
Hi Jen
Can I use this glaze on a regular smoked bone-in ham. Those spiral-sliced hams are a little too expensive for me.
Jen says
Hi Jackie, you absolutely can use the glaze on a regular smoked bone-in ham, it will be delish! Just be sure to scored it first in a diamond pattern and then apply the glaze before cooking. Merry Christmas!
Nadine Bukovic says
This ham looks amazing! I have been looking for a special glaze for my spiral ham and this sounds wonderful.
I have tried many of your recipes and they do not disappoint! Looking forward to a tasty ham this Christmas!
Jen says
Thank you so much Nadine! I am so happy you are enjoying my recipes, that means so much to me! I am excited for you to try this glaze as well, I think you will love it. Merry Christmas!
Natasha @ Salt & Lavender says
Oh my goodness… does this ever look delicious!! That glaze! I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas, Jen! 🙂
Jen says
Thank you so so much Natasha! Sorry I am super behind with the holidays, but thanks for taking time to comment! I hope you had a very Merry Christmas as well and have the Happiest New Year!
Therese says
Having never made a Ham before I decided i would go for it this year for Christmas. The next day your post for this Ham was in my inbox. 🙂 I was so excited!! I knew it would be good because EVERYTHING we’ve tried has been GOOD!! OMG this was awesome!!!!! I won’t be standing in those long lines for that other EXPENSIVE Ham anymore. We had ourselves a Carlsbad Cravings Christmas dinner. We also made for the first time the Million Dollar Mac and cheese, the Herbed Gruyere Scalloped Potatoes & Bacon Au Gratin and the Roasted Green Beans with Cremini Bacon Mushroom Sauce!!! All of these were SOOOO good that my family said these dishes are now our new Christmas Dinner Tradition. 🙂 I agree!!!!!
Side Note: We made the Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes Christmas Morning. They’ve been our new breakfast addiction:-)
Jen says
Hi Therese, thank you so much for such an awesome comment/review! It makes me so happy thinking of your “Carlsbad Cravings Christmas Dinner” – seriously the ultimate compliment! I am so glad your first ham turned out awesome and that all the recipes are your new tradition -wahoo! Thank you so much Therese, I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and wish you the Happiest New Year! xo
Samuel Ler says
One question: do I have to remove the skin first before doing the glazing?
Jen says
Hi Samuel, nope, it should be ready to go! enjoy!
Julie says
Wow..this looks amazing and the ingredients and instructions are dead easy…I’ve seen a ton of food blogs and yours is hands down one of the best with some of the most delicious and yet easy recipes…big props!
Jen says
Wow, what an incredibly nice comment, thank you so much Julie, that means so much to me! Happy Sunday!
Maia Riley says
Do you know how to convert this to a crockpot? I really want to try it, but I need the oven for baking the same day!
Jen says
Hi Maia, I’d have to do some experimenting to perfect the recipe for the crockpot but here is an article that should give you the how to: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-thankgiving-honey-ham-in-the-slow-cooker-237814
Emily Wanless says
Thoughts on mixing the glaze ingredients together ahead of time?? TIA!
Jen says
Hi Emily! You can definitely mix them together in advance but I wouldn’t simmer them beforehand as the glaze can get very thick and sticky in the refrigerator. Good luck!
Jennifer says
So do you slice the ham before you put it in the oven??? I’m confused in that one haha
Jen says
Hi Jen! You buy a smoked spiral-sliced ham so it will already be sliced for you – so much easier!
Chauncey says
Do you wrap the whole ham in foil and then place it onto the roasting rack, or do you place the ham on the rack and then cover the ham and roasting pan with foil?
Jen says
Hi Chauncey, yes you wrap the whole ham in foil not just the rack. Enjoy!
Liz says
Can you use an uncured in-bone spiral cut ham for this recipe?
Jen says
Absolutely! Cured hams typically have more flavor but I’m sure uncured would also be delicious.
Lydia white says
I have a honey ham instead of smoked can infuse this glaze on it?
Jen says
It might be a tad sweeter but should still be delicious. Enjoy!
Chauncey says
I made this last night for Christmas dinner. It was the first time I have ever made a ham and glaze. Everything turned out delicious! I also made your roasted green beans in the gruyere sauce, they were so simple and tasted amazing! My grandma said it was the best ham and green beans she has ever had and insisted I send her the recipes. Thank you so much for the great recipes!!
Jen says
You are so welcome Chauncey, thanks for the thanks! I’m thrilled both the ham and the green beans were such a hit! Merry Christmas!
VickieG says
Can only get apple “cider” in the fall. Can I use apple juice. I did see Hard Cider in the liquor store. Can I use that???
Jen says
Hi Vickie! Yes, I wrote this for a Christmas ham so sorry about the unavailability of cider! You cannot directly swap apple juice for apple cider as apple juice is much sweeter. To accommodate for the extra sugar in apple juice, I would reduce the brown sugar and add some acidity such as lemon juice. Sorry I can’t give you exact amounts as I would have to taste it to be sure.
Jill says
This looks delicious, but I have a question. I have a roasting rack. If I put two cups of water in the bottom, is it the water plus the drippings that I spoon over the ham at the end? Or if I’m going to spoon drippings over, the water shouldn’t be in the pan?
Jen says
Hi Jill, yes it is the water plus drippings that you spoon over the ham. Enjoy!
Curtis says
The glazed ham looks awesome. I was wondering if I could substitute the maple syrup with honey?
Thank you
Jen says
Absolutely! It will obviously give it a more floral honey taste vs maple but still delicious.
Jessica says
I’ve made this ham several times and it’s always fabulous! My tastes run more sour than sweet, so I add about a tablespoon of Worcester sauce to the glaze ingredients and it’s just perfect. The whole family loves it!!
Jen says
I love hearing this maple glazed ham is a favorite, thanks Jessica!
Gary Edwards says
I’ve made this recipe more than once and everybody loves it, One comment I’m not into ham but I sure like yours!!!
Jen says
LOL! Well, that’s what I like to hear, thanks Gary!
Charlene says
Wanting to make this for Thanksgiving. Is it possible to make ahead? I’ll have so much going on that day. Would be nice to be able to simply reheat.
Jen says
Yes! You can cook the entire ham ahead of time and reheat in a 325-degree F oven for no more than 10 minutes per pound, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees F. I also like to lightly wrap the ham in foil to prevent drying – especially when reheating individual slices. Enjoy!
Jamie says
Hello Jennifer I am buying a whole raw 30Lb bone in smokes ham from my butcher for Christmas, May you help me? I am very much a novice cook and I have never cooked a ham before. May you scale up your apple cider maple glaze recipe for my ham as I am not good at math? Also at what temperature do I cook it at and how long may you let me know please? Thank you very much take care and stay safe.
Jen says
Wow Jamie! That sounds amazing! What a wonderful Christmas! You can definitely scale up the glaze recipe. With a 30 lb ham you would want to triple the recipe. Follow the instructions for getting the ham to room temp. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the ham on its side in a shallow roasting pan, with the fat side up. Follow steps 2-4 from the recipe instructions. Cook until the ham is heated through, which usually takes about 18–20 minutes per lb. which for a 30 lb ham would be up to ten hours. The meat thermometer is your friend. The ham should reach an internal temperature of 140–160°F. Continue following the instructions from the recipe at step 5. To lock in the juices, let the ham rest for 15 minutes before slicing. I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any more questions! I hope it turns out delicious for you!