The best honey-glazed ham for Easter

A honey-glazed ham with brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and warm spices — caramelized to a lacquered amber finish. The Easter centrepiece your table has been waiting for.

by: HF Kitchen

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Honey-glazed ham

The Easter ham is the table's anchor — the dish everything else is arranged around, the one that comes out of the oven smelling exactly where you want to be on a Sunday afternoon. A good glaze is the difference between a ham that is simply warm and one that is genuinely magnificent: caramelized at the edges, sticky and lacquered on the surface, balanced between sweet, tangy, and faintly spiced.

This version takes a bone-in spiral ham — which does most of the work for you by arriving pre-cut — and transforms it with a five-ingredient glaze that you will want on everything you cook for the rest of the season.

Honey Glazed Ham Recipe

INGREDIENTS

Serves 10–14 · Prep 15 min · Cook 2.5–3 hrs

• 1 bone-in spiral-cut ham (8–10 lbs / 3.6–4.5 kg), fully cooked

• 1 cup honey

• ½ cup packed light brown sugar

• ¼ cup Dijon mustard

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp ground cloves

• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg

• 1 cup water or apple juice (for the pan)

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring the ham to room temperature. Remove it from the refrigerator at least 45 minutes before you plan to cook it. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Line a deep roasting pan with two sheets of heavy-duty foil — long enough to wrap the ham completely.

2. Position the ham. Place it cut-side down in the lined pan and pour the water or apple juice into the base of the pan. Fold the foil up and over the ham and seal it well. This traps moisture and prevents the ham from drying out during the long first cook.

3. Slow-roast until warmed through. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes per pound — approximately 2 to 2.5 hours for a 9-pound ham. You are aiming for an internal temperature of 120°F (49°C) when you unwrap it. A meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part, away from the bone, is non-negotiable here.

4. Make the glaze. While the ham bakes, combine the honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, butter, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until the butter melts, then simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the glaze thickens and darkens slightly. It should coat the back of a spoon and smell extraordinary.

5. Glaze and finish. Increase the oven to 400°F (200°C). Open the foil and fold it back. Brush half the glaze generously over the ham, working it into the spiral cuts. Return to the oven uncovered for 15 minutes. Brush with the remaining glaze and bake for a further 15 minutes, watching closely. The surface should caramelize to a deep amber. If it threatens to burn, tent loosely with foil.

6. Rest before carving. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before bringing it to the table. This is not optional — the rest allows the juices to settle, and the glaze to firm into that lacquered finish you have been waiting for. Serve with any remaining glaze, warmed, spooned alongside.

   
   

NOTE

If your ham comes with a packaged glaze sachet, discard it. The homemade version requires five extra minutes and tastes incomparably better. Make-ahead tip: The glaze can be prepared up to three days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Warm it gently before applying.

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