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Best Brown Sugar Glazed Ham Recipe with Pineapple

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This brown sugar glazed ham with pineapple is a showstopper for any occasion, featuring a double-glaze technique that creates a sticky, candied crust. It’s surprisingly easy to make with simple ingredients and delivers a perfect salty-sweet balance.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 (8-10 pound) bone-in spiral-cut ham
  • 1 cup pineapple juice (unsweetened)
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple rings in juice, drained (reserve juice)
  • Maraschino cherries (optional, for presentation)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Position the rack in the lower third of the oven.
  2. Remove the ham from packaging and pat it completely dry with paper towels. Remove any plastic disk covering the bone. Place the ham cut-side down on a rack in a roasting pan.
  3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, honey, butter, Dijon mustard, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Stir constantly until butter melts and sugar dissolves (about 3-4 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of reserved pineapple juice. Set aside to cool slightly.
  4. Drain the pineapple rings and reserve the juice. If using maraschino cherries, place one cherry in the center of each pineapple ring. Secure the rings to the ham using toothpicks, spacing them evenly across the surface.
  5. Using a basting brush, apply a generous layer of the brown sugar glaze all over the ham, making sure to get it into the spiral cuts. Reserve about 1/3 of the glaze for later.
  6. Tent the roasting pan loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting with pan juices every 20 minutes.
  7. After 1 hour and 15 minutes, remove the foil. Brush the remaining glaze over the ham, focusing on any dry spots. Increase oven temperature to 400°F (204°C) and return the ham to the oven, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes.
  8. Switch your oven to broil for the last 2-3 minutes. Keep the door slightly ajar and watch closely until the glaze is deep amber with some darker spots.
  9. Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. Remove toothpicks if used. Carve along the spiral cuts and serve with pan juices spooned over the top.

Notes

For a less sweet version, reduce honey to 1/4 cup and increase Dijon mustard to 3 tablespoons. If using fresh pineapple, add rings only for the last 30 minutes of baking to avoid mushiness. Let ham come to room temperature 30-45 minutes before baking for even cooking.

Nutrition

Keywords: brown sugar glazed ham, pineapple ham, holiday ham, Easter ham, Christmas ham, glazed ham recipe

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