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Honey Baked Ham

Honey baked ham with a crackly spiced sugar crust, glazed in quick honey-butter layers for deep golden caramelization. Spiral-sliced, fully cooked ham is baked to precise internal temperatures for juicy slices and a firm, glossy crust.
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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: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ham
  • 1 fully cooked bone-in spiral-sliced ham 8-9 pounds
Honey butter and sugar crust
  • 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

Method
 

Bake the ham low and covered
  1. Preheat the oven to 325F, then place the ham cut-side down in a roasting pan and cover tightly with foil so the surface steams instead of browns.
  2. Bake at 325F for 12-14 minutes per pound until the ham reaches 120F inside, watching for consistent internal temperature rather than surface color.
Make the honey-butter glaze and spiced sugar
  1. Melt the honey and butter together until smooth and glossy, stirring until no butter streaks remain.
  2. In a separate bowl, mix the granulated sugar and brown sugar with the cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and paprika until evenly speckled.
Build the crackly honey sugar crust
  1. Remove the foil, brush the ham generously with the honey butter, and pat on a layer of the spiced sugar so it adheres as a dry, sandy coating.
  2. Raise the oven to 400F, then bake for 5 minutes until the sugar begins to melt and tighten with visible bubbling at the edges.
  3. Repeat by brushing with honey butter and patting on more spiced sugar, then bake again for 5 minutes until the crust looks deeper golden and shinier.
  4. Repeat one more time—brush, pat on spiced sugar, and bake at 400F until the crust is deep golden and crackly and the ham reaches 140F.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest the ham for 15 minutes before serving, letting the glaze set so the crackly crust stays intact when slices are fanned open.

Notes

Pro tip: Use a meat thermometer and chase the internal targets (120F, then 140F) rather than relying on color—this prevents drying while keeping the crust crackly. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; freeze for up to 2 months for best texture. For a lighter twist, replace the butter with an equal amount of reduced-fat butter substitute and keep the honey-butter brushing technique the same.