This easy Honey Glaze for Ham with brown sugar, dijon mustard, and fresh orange juice is the perfect balance of sweet and tangy to compliment a spiral ham. It has subtle notes of warm spices, like cinnamon and cloves. Perfect for the holidays!
This brown sugar honey mustard glaze is my go to for a classic Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter ham. If you have never made a spiral ham, check out my detailed guide about How to Cook a Spiral Ham.
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What Is the Honey Glaze on Ham Made Of?
Some hams come with a packet of glaze that is often made from some honey and brown sugar, but also has corn syrup, dyes, and other artificial flavoring.
Homemade glaze has a much better flavor. Most recipes have similar ingredients, such as sugar. This recipe also has fresh orange juice and spices to really deepen the flavor. Some things are just better homemade!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Sweet - The combination of brown sugar and honey gives the glaze a sweet flavor. The sugar caramelizes when heated creating a shiny exterior.
- Tangy - The vinegar in the mustard and the acidity in the orange juice pair really well with the sugar and fatiness of pork.
- Spiced - The little bit of cinnamon and cloves are not overpowering but just add a little bit of warmth and depth.
- Simple & easy - This honey brown sugar glaze takes less than 10 minutes to prep and cook.
- Perfect for holidays - Ham is a great way to feed a crowd for holiday gatherings, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter.
- Versatile - Use this glaze on boneless, bone-in, whole, or spiral cut hams. Really any ham will work!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Butter: Salted butter will work fine too, but since ham is already very salty, I prefer unsalted.
- Honey: Substitute for maple syrup.
- Orange Juice: Freshly squeezed juice and zest have a better flavor than store bought. In a pinch, store bought will work and you can omit the zest. You can swap the orange juice for apple cider vinegar, pineapple, cranberry, or cherry juice.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make Honey Glaze for Ham
Quick Overview
- Melt butter.
- Add sugar and honey.
- Whisk & boil.
- Baste ham.
Step by Step Instructions
Whisk vigorously so the mustard combines completely.
Step 1: Once the ham is almost done baking covered, melt the butter over medium low heat in a medium frying pan. (I recommend about 10 minutes per pound at 300 degrees covered for a fully cooked ham since it will cook more uncovered with the glaze.)
Step 2: Stir in the brown sugar until combined.
Step 3: Stir in the honey until combined.
Step 4: Add the mustard, orange juice, garlic, paprika, cinnamon, and ground cloves.
Step 5: Whisk vigorously until combined. The mixture might look separated at first but it will combine as you whisk.
Step 6: Bring to a boil and stir continuously for 3-4 minutes.
Be sure to baste multiple times.
Step 7: Remove from the heat and stir in the orange zest. The glaze will thicken as it cools.
Step 8: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and remove the ham. Uncover the ham and brush generously with the glaze. Be sure to cover the whole exterior and get in between the slices if using a sliced ham.
Step 9: Bake for another 30-45 minutes, basting 3-4 more times with the glaze while it bakes. Brush with more glaze when it comes out of the oven if desired. The ham should have an internal temperature of about 140 degrees.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Honey glazed ham pairs well with all of the classic comfort food side dishes. Leftovers also make for great ham and cheese sandwiches. Here are some of my favorite holiday sides to serve with glazed ham:
- Red Skin Mashed Potatoes with sour cream & garlic
- Fresh Green Bean Casserole with bacon & crispy onions
- Air Fryer Butternut Squash with herby parmesan bread crumbs
- Brown Sugar and Honey Glaze Carrots with ricotta
- Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole with panko
Expert Tips & Variations
- Use pre-cooked ham. Most hams are already cooked so you are just reheating it in the oven and that is why an internal temperature of about 140 degrees is recommended.
- Whisk. The mustard might seem like it will not stir into the mixture, but if you keep whisking it will combine completely. Just keep whisking!
- Do not overcook the glaze. The glaze just needs to be boiled for a few minutes. It might seem thin, but it thickens a ton as it cools. It will also continue to caramelize in the oven.
- Baste the ham multiple times. This recipe makes plenty of glaze to coat the ham multiple times. This adds tons of flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. This glaze can be made 1-2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake the ham. Reheat it to loosen it. It will become very thick since the fridge is so cold. I recommend reheating it over low heat on the stove, but it can also be reheated in the microwave.
You want to start by baking the ham covered. The glaze should be added at the end of cooking once the ham is uncovered so it can caramelize and stick better.
No. Glaze the ham uncovered. The oven temperature should be increased and the ham should be finished with the glaze uncovered so it can caramelize.
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Honey Glaze for Ham Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 (8-10 pound) ham
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter*
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup honey*
- 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
- ⅓ cup fresh orange juice, plus the zest from 1 orange*
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions:
- Once the ham is almost done baking covered, melt the butter over medium low heat in a medium frying pan. (I recommend about 10 minutes per pound at 300 degrees covered for a fully cooked ham since it will cook more uncovered with the glaze.)
- Stir in the brown sugar until combined.
- Stir in the honey until combined.
- Add the mustard, orange juice, garlic, paprika, cinnamon, and ground cloves.
- Whisk vigorously until combined. The mixture might look separated at first but it will combine as you whisk.
- Bring to a boil and stir continuously for 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the orange zest. The glaze will thicken as it cools.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and remove the ham. Uncover the ham and brush generously with the glaze. Be sure to cover the whole exterior and get in between the slices if using a sliced ham.
- Bake for another 30-45 minutes, basting 3-4 more times with the glaze while it bakes. Brush with more glaze when it comes out of the oven if desired. The ham should have an internal temperature of about 140 degrees.
Notes:
- Butter: Salted butter will work fine too, but since ham is already very salty, I prefer unsalted.
- Honey: Substitute for maple syrup.
- Orange Juice: Freshly squeezed juice and zest have a better flavor than store bought. In a pinch, store bought will work and you can omit the zest. You can swap the orange juice for apple cider vinegar, pineapple, cranberry, or cherry juice.
- Use pre-cooked ham. Most hams are already cooked so you are just reheating it in the oven and that is why an internal temperature of about 140 degrees is recommended.
- Whisk. The mustard might seem like it will not stir into the mixture, but if you keep whisking it will combine completely. Just keep whisking!
- Do not overcook the glaze. The glaze just needs to be boiled for a few minutes. It might seem thin, but it thickens a ton as it cools. It will also continue to caramelize in the oven.
- Baste the ham multiple times. This recipe makes plenty of glaze to coat the ham multiple times. This adds tons of flavor.
Thank you for this delicious alternative to the packet inside ham