HoneyBaked Ham (Copycat) made with honey, sugar, and delicious spices is crispy, sweet, smoky, and delicious without the price tag!
This recipe falls under the beloved Holiday Dinner Recipes category. Nothing complements a special occasion better than a juicy, perfectly glazed ham. Similar star dishes that shine at your holiday dinner could be the classic German Sauerbraten, the delicious Stuffed Leg of Lamb, and the Ultimate Beef Wellington.
The Honey Baked Ham recipe we’re showcasing will surely tantalize your taste buds. This dish is not only incredibly delicious, with its savory ham melting under a sweet, slightly spiced glaze, but it’s also surprisingly easy to prepare. The success of this dish relies on the unique blend of spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and clove, creating a symphony of sweet and smoky flavors that elevates the humble ham to a gourmet delight with perfect balance.
There’s a charming nostalgia attached to this Honey Baked Ham, a dish often associated with holiday gatherings, festive moods, and heart-warming family meals. Moreover, the main ingredient—a pre-cooked, bone-in, spiral-sliced ham—makes it remarkably easy to prepare. So, even if you’re not an experienced cook, you can present this fantastic centerpiece at your next holiday meal.
A unique aspect of this recipe is the combination of spices and honey glaze. This blend introduces a sweet, warm, and slightly spicy flavor profile that perfectly complements the savory ham. The method of broiling the glaze onto the ham ensures a crispy, caramelized exterior that contrasts beautifully with the juicy interior.
A big plus is that this dish can be served warm, at room temperature, or even cold, making it very versatile. Additionally, it pairs well with a range of side dishes. If you’re looking for a perfect side to accompany this Honey Baked Ham, consider trying our Cheesy Garlic Scalloped Potatoes. Whether it’s a holiday feast or a special Sunday dinner, honey-glazed hams will make any meal a memorable one. Enjoy this sweet and savory delight!
How to Make HoneyBaked Ham
Preparing a homemade Honey Baked Ham at home might sound daunting, but with this straightforward recipe, you can recreate the magic in your kitchen. By following these steps and tips, you’ll be sure to serve a Honey Baked Ham that’s as delicious as it is impressive. See the recipe card for more details. Check it out!
- Step One: Begin by placing your pre-cooked ham in the slow cooker or crock pot and drizzling it with honey. Dry the top of the ham well with a paper towel so the honey you add to the top adheres best. Fan out the slices a bit when adding the honey so it gets between the slices, then you can press it back together before cooking.
- Step Two: Allow the ham to cook on low for 2-3 hours. A good rule of thumb is bake for about 15 minutes per pound,
- Step Three: While the ham is cooking, preheat your oven to broil and prepare the glaze.
- Step Four: The glaze is made by combining sugar, onion powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, paprika, and some liquid from the slow cooker.
- Step Five: This mixture is then brought to a gentle simmer and poured over the cooked ham. Don’t let the topping boil longer than written, the less liquid the harder it will be to pour evenly over the ham and the drier the topping will be when cooked.
- Step Six: The ham is finally placed under the broiler to allow the glaze to caramelize and bubble, creating that irresistible HoneyBaked crust.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, although a bone-in, spiral-sliced ham is recommended for the best flavor and ease of serving, you can also use a boneless ham.
Leftover ham can be used in a variety of dishes, from soups and sandwiches to salads and quiches. We recommend Cheesy Ham and Hash Brown Casserole, Ham Salad, and Ham Balls with Brown Sugar Glaze as a few options!
Yes, brown sugar will give a slightly more molasses-like flavor to your glaze.
Ground spices are preferred for this particular glaze as they combine more smoothly, but fresh spices can be used as well
Yes, but they use a powdered honey mixture. For the purposes of a side-by-side taste comparison, you can make this dish taste EXACTLY the same without powdered honey.
Put in a large covered Dutch oven at 225 degrees for 3 hours before glazing and broiling.
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Key Ingredients in HoneyBaked Ham
This delightful HoneyBaked Ham recipe is easy to make, thanks to its minimal and easily accessible ingredients. The unique blend of spices and honey gives the ham a savory-sweet profile, making it a crowd-pleaser.
- Ham: A pre-cooked, bone-in, spiral-sliced ham is the star of this dish. The bone imparts additional flavor to the ham during the cooking process, while the spiral slicing makes serving a breeze. We’re using an 8-10 pound ham. You can use two 4-5 pound hams as well. If it’s 10-17 pounds, you might want to be sure to cook it up to an hour longer. Carefully place the ham into your slow cooker. If it is too big for your slow cooker trim the bottom of the ham as needed.
- Honey: The honey adds a touch of sweetness and helps the sugar-based glaze adhere to the ham, resulting in a beautifully caramelized crust. You can use the normal honey that you have at home.
- Sugar: White granulated sugar forms the base of the glaze. It caramelizes under the broiler, creating a wonderfully crisp and sweet exterior to the ham.
- Spices: The blend of onion powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, and paprika gives the glaze a complex flavor that sets this HoneyBaked Ham apart.
Can HoneyBaked Ham Be Made Ahead of Time?
Absolutely! This is one of the reasons why it’s such a favorite for holiday meals. You can cook and glaze the ham a day before serving. Just ensure it is properly wrapped and refrigerated. When ready to serve, if you prefer it warm, gently reheat it in the oven at a low temperature for 15- 20 minutes – about 5 minutes of baking per pound to not dry it out. Adjust as needed.
Substitutions in HoneyBaked Ham
- Ham: While a bone-in, spiral-sliced ham is ideal, a boneless ham or even a picnic shoulder can be used if necessary.
- Honey: If honey is not available, you can substitute it with maple syrup or agave nectar. You can also use a full cup honey if you prefer not to use white sugar and would like extra glaze. The crust consistency might be a bit different if you only use honey.
- Spices: If you’re missing any of the spices, don’t fret. The glaze is flexible and can be made with just a few of the listed spices. Also, allspice can be a suitable replacement for cloves.
Variations on HoneyBaked Ham
HoneyBaked Ham is a classic recipe, but there’s always room for a bit of creativity. Depending on your personal preferences, there are several variations you can try.
- With Pineapple: Add a tropical touch by adding pineapple rings to the ham before glazing. The sweetness of the pineapple pairs well with the savory ham.
- With Brown Sugar Glaze: Substitute the white sugar with brown sugar for a deeper, molasses-like flavor in the glaze.
- With Mustard Glaze: Add a tablespoon of Dijon mustard to the glaze for an extra tangy kick.
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How to Store HoneyBaked Ham
- Serve: HoneyBaked Ham can safely be left at room temperature for up to two hours during serving. Beyond this, it should be refrigerated to prevent bacterial growth.
- Store: Leftovers should be tightly wrapped and refrigerated in an airtight container within two hours of cooking. They can be kept in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Reheat in a preheated oven at 325°F (165°C) until warm, or in slices on the stovetop.
- Freeze: If you have a significant amount of leftovers, consider freezing them. Tightly wrapped in freezer-safe material, cooked ham can be frozen for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat as suggested for stored leftovers.
Ingredients
- 1 pre-cooked ham 8-9 pounds, bone-in and spiral sliced
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 cups sugar , white granulated
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Put the ham in the slow cooker (with aluminum insert) and drizzle with honey.
- Cook on low for 3 hours.
- Preheat the oven to broil.
- In a saucepan add the sugar, onion powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, paprika and 6 tablespoons of liquid from the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Heat on high heat, to a rolling boil and boil for 1 minute.
- Pour half the topping onto the skin side of the ham.
- Put the aluminum insert (if you don’t have one with an aluminum insert, remove the ham to a cookie sheet and use that in the oven) in the oven.
- With the door open watch for bubbling and when it starts to inflate a little and get bubbly (20-30 seconds), pull it out of the oven.
- Pour over the remaining glaze and cook for another 20-30 seconds.
- If you want the slices to be glazed individually, pull them apart before the sugar sets into a crust.
- You can serve warm, room temperature or cold.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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This is so good. I was looking for a crockpot ham recipe to free up oven space. This was perfect! Easy and tasty!
So glad you found our recipe and thanks for the 5 star vote of confidence Chasity! Go to our recipe index and type “ham” sometime to see all our ham recipes. Let us know if you try one….or two!!
The problem with my family is there is a glaze monster. She peels the crispy glaze off and leave none for the rest of the family. Can I just let the glaze sit to harden and taste like the glaze on the ham? I want to make sheets of it. ?
I laughed when I read your comment Jennifer. Glad you’re enjoying the Glaze!
Honeybaked Ham is a favorite, This might have been nice to try, had there not been so many drop downs and distractions with ad opening over the recipe.
Wonderful recipe!! It is just like the Honey Baked Ham store!! This will be our 3rd Easter using this recipe. It’s every bit as yummy as the ones we used to buy and so very easy to make!! My family really enjoys your recipes!!
Thanks so much!!
Excellent!
How can I make this with a non spiral cut ham?
Great I am not the best cook but the hsm turned out fantstic.
I don’t have a slow cooker. I am cooking an 11 lbs Smithfield Spiral cut ham. I don’t have a slow cooker or a dutch oven. Can I cook this in an aluminum pan instead in the oven at 225. The slow cooker is being used for the turkey on the same day.
This Recipe looks so good i’ll be fixing it for our dinners
We LOVE this recipe and have made it three times now but it never looks “crusty” like yours! What’s the secret? LOL
I just use the broiler method to get the “crust” on the top.
Ham is not my favorite food but this recipe was outstanding and I went back for seconds. Very easy to make. I had to adjust the recipe as my crock pot wasn’t big enough for my ham, I drizzled the honey and wrapped it up in foil and baked at 250 degree for 12 min per pound, then completed the recipe. Super tender and I will fix this again. Thanks
I’m glad to know it was such a hit, Jayma.
I agree with you
So easy and delicious! Thank you!
Absolutely delicious! And so easy! Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Easter 2020 made this ham recipe in the crockpot according to the directions, it was spot on delicious. I added 1/3 cup of cola to the crockpot prior to cooking and the ham was juicy and tender. Try this recipe you can’t go wrong, just follow the instructions to a T.
By the way I used Smithfield spiral cut.
Trying this tonight! Can I use a frozen ham? How long should it cook in the crockpot? Thanks!
Hi Heather!
I wouldn’t use a frozen ham because…
Step One: Begin by placing your pre-cooked ham in the slow cooker or crock pot and drizzling it with honey. Dry the top of the ham well with a paper towel so the honey you add to the top adheres best. Fan out the slices a bit when adding the honey so it gets between the slices, then you can press it back together before cooking.
Ham: A pre-cooked, bone-in, spiral-sliced ham is the star of this dish. The bone imparts additional flavor to the ham during the cooking process, while the spiral slicing makes serving a breeze. We’re using an 8-10 pound ham. You can use two 4-5 pound hams as well. If it’s 10-17 pounds, you might want to be sure to cook it up to an hour longer. Carefully place the ham into your slow cooker. If it is too big for your slow cooker trim the bottom of the ham as needed.
Hooray! So glad it was a hit! Thank you so much for the positive review.
The only nitrate free/natural ham I could find was not bone in. It’s a small ham and won’t take long to warm. I’m guessing there won’t be juices to add to the glaze. Do you recommend anything as a substitute?
You can use this recipe for a glaze
https://dinnerthendessert.com/brown-sugar-ham-glaze/
Enjoy!
With the high rating reviews for this recipe my Mom and I decided to give this a try. The glaze topping results were disastrous. Steps 4&5 for the glaze seemed pretty straight forward…that was until I incorporated the liquid with the sugar mixture. It would of been nice to know how 6 tbsp of liquid would bring over 2 cups of dry ingredients to a “rolling boil” The sugar mixture remained unchanged over high heat for 5 min.+ Dry! Definitely not a rolling boil yet. Wasn’t even sure if it would liquify or if it was even suppose to liquify to begin with. Recipe doesn’t say. Finally 10+ min. over high heat, the mixture began to break down and liquify and turn dark brown. Rolling boil….yes!!! Finally . Completed remaining steps then began to notice that the glaze over the ham was cooling to a rock hard candy shell. It reminded me of what peanut brittle taste and looked liked minus the peanuts. And the flavor was very unpleasant. Obviously something went wrong during steps 4&5 but since the recipe didn’t go into any kind of detail I’m left guessing… and for that reason.. I don’t recommend this recipe unless you have some experience with glazing ham.
Can this recipe be done on a regular(non spiral sliced bone-in-ham?)
Yes, use whatever ham you’d like for this recipe. 🙂
wonder if this would be good on turkey?
Yes and no. Make sure your bird is almost done if not completely done. But honey roasted turkey is a very popular deli flavor so I would argue it would be a completely delicious bird. I only would say no if you tried glazing too early before removing the turkey from the oven as the sugars would begin to burn.
I have a boneless Turkey breast. Would I cook it in the slow cooker or could I bake/roast it and then do the glaze?
You could do it either way. 🙂
Fabulous! Use the blowtorch! Its easy, gives you control, and you can her call sides. I double coat mine. Its so good with even an inexpensive spiral sliced ham. I had help with the blow torch glazing step, one poured and drizzled and just helped to make sure it was safe and not burnt. Now that I know his easy it is, I’m confident on my own. Check out YouTube for videos on pros torching the hams. Do it! Its so easy and will save you a ton of money!
Thanks for the suggestion, Gina! So glad you loved it!
Totally love this recipe! I use to work at Honey baked ham and know the ins and outs of everything.This is so easy compared to making them there.The only thing the blow torch was for was to turn the sugar and spices to liquid as it passed through the torch to instantly harden on the cold hams so we could avoid heating them at all.I have found many ways to get the flavors at home similar to that great company,from sides to ribs to turtle cheesecake.This one is definitely a keeper for everyone out there.Great job!
Thanks, Stacey!
I actually work at Honeybaked Ham. There’s no lines during the holidays. Plus you can always buy ham slices (less of a price)
Anyways, the only way you’ll get the glazing right is with an actual blowtorch, which is what we use in house. It’s like a créme brûlée. 7 layers of sugar, and then the spice on top for the final layer.
I did not have time to stand an hour and a half in line for a Honey Baked ham this year so I Googled copycat recipes and found yours. Although I need practice with the crust (my broiler was not hot enough so I think I’ll try my kitchen blowtorch next time) it turned out awesome! the flavor was spot -ON! I will definitely be adding this to my family recipe book. Thanks so much for sharing.
How awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
so delicious. a huge hit for Easter this year for 1/4 of the price. very easy. I did not have a large enough crock pot…so I used a oven bag, and I couldn’t fit the ham in the broiler so just high heat to get the glaze, and it was so good. I will make it again…..everyone loved it.
Love it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
I am so trying this today!! Can’t wait??
Can I make the glaze up ahead of time and put it on the ham when ready? Or does it harden up too much after sitting? Thanks!
The glaze requires some liquid from the bottom of the slow cooker where the ham has cooked down so you’ll need to wait until at least then to make it. Just give it a good stir before using.
What would you do about a pre-cooked ham that just needs warming in the oven? Would you still add liquid (water, juice, etc.)?
I used a pre-cooked ham for this recipe 🙂
Hi, can I ask what brand of ham you used?
Thanks!
Sorry, I don’t even remember what brand it was. It was at a great price so it might have even been a store brand.
This recipe was perfect, but I didn’t have a large enough crock pot (and not with a aluminum insert). I put the ham in a cooking bag and cooked in the oven. Followed the recipe and it turned out wonderful! Everyone raved about it. … Thinking of doing a “repeat” for Easter!
Yay! So glad everyone loved it!
Delicious!!!
Do you add any liquid when cooking this in the oven? Do you just cover top of pan with foil?
Just cover with the same ingredients, the steam if well covered will keep it moist.
I don’t have an aluminum insert cooker. I have a crock pot.
Mine is ….um…..crock? ceramic? White and Something not metal. Lol
Just make sure to move the ham over to a cookie sheet before placing it in the oven and you’re all good!
What if you want to glaze the precooked ham so the you can serve at room temperature without cooking it? My family doesn’t like warm ham
Totally works!
Any tips on how long to slow cook if I can’t get a ham that large? All I could find were 2, 2.5 pound hams, uncut, with the bone removed… i thought I’d try slicing them thin myself and then slow cooking for 1.5 hours… I know it isn’t your recipe but what do you think?
I think it should work but the slicing is what I’d be more concerned with. Having the spiral cut is what makes this so easy.
Do you put any liquid in with the ham in the slow cooker? Recipe mentions 6 tablespoons of liquid from the bottom of the slow cooker.
Thank you.
Debbie
No liquid added for this recipe. The ham will breakdown during the cooking process and release liquids to be able to scoop out at the end. Hope this helps clear up any confusion. Enjoy!
I just found my new favorite site.. your recipes look delish. Esp this Honeybaked ham copycat recipe. We dont have the resturant here on my island so ive never had the original version. But i heard about it and wanted to get my chops on it for awhile. So im stoked to find ur site. I know it will be a hit at our party..
Mahalo for sharing and Mele Kalikimaka …
Thank you so much!! I’m so glad you found me then!!
My slow cooker does not have an aluminum insert, but a stoneware one. Will this recipe work out alright in stoneware? Are there adjustments to be made?
So sorry but your question was stuck in my spam folder 🙁 I’m sure it’s too late now but for the future, yes, you can use what you have just remember to switch the ham over to a cookie sheet before placing it in the oven.
Worked out perfectly! Thanks for the recipe, everyone fought over the “crust”
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it!
You don’t say how high the oven temp. All though I presume 450 for such a short time. How long would you do an uncooked 4 lb boneless ham?
I tried the slow cooker with a uncooked?? ham but didn’t get to try it, it was all gone last week at the party.
The recipe is for a cooked spiral ham, to warm and tenderize it a bit more. It would be entirely different for uncooked pork. Also the topping doesn’t have a number specific temperature because it is set to broil. You’d need a different recipe for a raw piece of pork. But once cooked through you can definitely top with the same topping and broil for the same time period to get the crust.
What f I wanted to make this in the oven instead of a slow cooker??
Yes, you can do that just put it in a large covered dutch oven at 225 degrees for 3 hours before glazing and broiling. Enjoy!
what should I do if the ham came out dry.
When was it dry? In the slow cooker it should’ve been very moist. If you find that your topping was too hard/dry it means you cooked it too long. You can add some water and cook an additional few seconds to bring it back to a more liquid form then top the ham with it. If you already topped it with the dry topping, brush on some warm water to help spread it. Then put it under the broiler.
Tried this for Thanksgiving as my family doesn’t like turkey very much. We loved the flavor and will be trying this recipe again, but I plan on changing a few things next time. The broiler wasn’t hot enough to give it that beautiful looking crust in the picture even though it was at the highest setting on my home oven and I left it in for a few minutes both times. I think I’ll try blow torching it next time to give it that high heat to caramelize the sugar and give it the crust. I also replaced 1/4 a cup of the white sugar with brown which was AWESOME, but aired on the sweet side with all the honey and sugar so I think next I’ll do a cup and a half of white, a tablespoon of brown, and definitely a little salt for balance. The spices otherwise were perfect and very holiday forward. Pretty darn close to the real thing, and highly recommended.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Mike! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
I have a few ham-loving friends who would go crazy for this!
Oh man! That crust looks absolutely divine!
Thanks Megan!
My Aunt actually works at HoneyBaked Ham, so we get ours with a big discount, and it’s STILL more expensive than making it at home! This is a perfect solution 🙂
That’s a nice family hook up though 🙂
Oh I can just smell this cooking!!!
I am going to use my slow cooker this year! Can’t wait to taste this!
Thanks Dorothy! I hope you enjoy it!!
Oh my goodness, this is making my mouth water – looks perfect!
Thanks, Kimberly!