Honey Ham

A blast from the past, Honey Ham makes a delightful holiday centerpiece for Easter, Christmas or any other holiday. This sticky, salty-sweet baked ham recipe is a perfect for celebrations, looks beautiful and tastes great.

Looking for more holiday dishes to serve? Check out Baked Ham with Bourbon Orange Glaze, Mediterranean Herb Crusted Beef Tenderloin and Whole Roasted Chicken!

A homemade Honey Ham on a wooden platter, served on a white dish, ready for eating.

Ham is a holiday food in my family. We’ll have it once or twice a year tops, usually for Easter and Christmas. (And then we’ll use the leftovers to make fried ham and all sorts of other delectable dishes once the holiday has passed.)

So today, I’m bringing y’all a family favorite meal with a homemade honey mustard glaze.

Why I love this recipe:

Homemade Honey Baked Ham isn’t challenging to make.

Sure, it takes some time, but it’s absolutely delicious! It’s also cheaper than purchasing a honey roasted ham from a specialty store.

join our party!

get our latest recipes delivered to your inbox every week — plus all my entertaining tips and tricks!


    We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.

    You also don’t have to place your order for a Homemade Honey Ham weeks in advance OR stand in a crazy long line to pick it up!

    And it goes without saying that you know what’s going into your holiday centerpiece, which is pretty great, too, if you’re into that kind of thing.

    Other Easter and holiday recipes we adore: Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potato Casserole / Roasted Green BeansEaster Fruit BunsBourbon Butter Sweet Potatoes / Carrot Cake Dip with Cinnamon-Sugar Wontons / Avocado Deviled Eggs

    Looking for Easter recipe inspiration? Head on over to my Easter Recipe Index.

    A whole glazed ham on a white platter, before slicing, from above

    What do I need to make Honey Baked Ham?

    Disclaimer: The links below are affiliate links. If you click through and take action, I will receive a small commission. Please refer to my disclosure page for more information about the affiliate programs The Speckled Palate participates in. 

    In addition to these tools, you’ll need some ingredients to make this Easter ham recipe:

    • Bone-in smoked ham
    • Honey
    • Whole grain mustard
    • Dark brown sugar—I like dark brown for the more molasses depth of flavor, but light brown sugar works if that’s all that you’ve got
    • Unsalted butter

    A note on the size of this recipe: I rewrote it a few years ago to include an 8.5 lb. smoked ham because I couldn’t find anything smaller. You can (and should!) adjust the measurements of the honey ham glaze based of the size of your ham if it’s not the same size as the one I’ve listed here.

    How to make Baked Ham with a Mustard Honey Glaze

    Bake the Ham

    Preheat the oven, and line a large sheet pan or roasting pan with THREE layers of aluminum foil. This will wrap around the ham.

    Place the ham face down on the prepared sheet pan or roasting pan. Cover with the foil, and bake for 2 hours.

    (Please note that if your ham is a different size than mine, your baking time will change.)

    Make the Glaze

    In a saucepan, combine the mustard, sugar and butter.

    Heat over medium-low heat until combined, then stir in the honey.

    Turn off the heat, and let sit for 10 minutes. It will thicken up, so don’t fret. This is a good thing.

    Glaze the Ham

    When the ham finishes its first bake, take it out of the oven and unwrap, and then turn up the heat in the oven.

    Brush the glaze over the ham, and place in the oven to bake for an additional hour.

    Every 15 minutes, open the oven and liberally coat the ham in glaze as it bakes.

    After the ham has been glazed FOUR times, remove the ham from the oven. Check to confirm the internal temperature is 120°F, then cover to cool.

    Let cool for 15 minutes, then carve and serve warm!

    A fork peels layers of a homemade honey ham for Easter and other holidays

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How big of a ham should I purchase?

    If you’re purchasing bone-in ham, like this recipe suggests, plan for ½ to ¾ lb. per person. You’re estimating for the bone’s weight, and not just how much everyone will eat. For me, I estimate ¾ lb. per person when I serve a bone-in ham because I’d rather have too much than not enough.

    If you’re making a boneless ham, plan for ¼ and ½ lb. of meat per person.

    Obviously, your group will determine how big the ham needs to be, but you can use these parameters as a guideline.

    When in doubt, I always purchase a larger ham because it stores well, can be used in leftovers like Ham Goo Sandwiches and even freezes well.

    How long does a glazed ham need to bake per pound?

    The heating instructions that were included with my spiral smoked ham said to bake the ham for 7-10 minutes per pound.

    When will I know my ham is finished baking?

    You’ve glazed it four times, as stated in the recipe, and the ham’s internal temperature reaches 120°F. Use an instant read meat thermometer* (affiliate link) to confirm this.

    Do you have to boil ham before baking?

    No. You do not need to boil this ham before it bakes. Please note, though, that this calls for a smoked ham already and that we are baking it to add the sticky honey glaze.

    How do you cook a precooked ham without drying it out?

    This homemade Honey Ham cooks at a low temperature and is wrapped in foil to keep all that juicy goodness in!

    My ham is a different size than yours. How long am I supposed to bake the ham per pound?

    Depending on the size of your ham, the bake time will change, so you’ll have to do some math. (Remember: 7-10 minutes per pound is your bake time.)

    A whole honey roasted ham on a white platter on top of greens before eating

    What side dishes should I serve with this Honey Ham?

    Scroll on down to learn how you can make your own Easter, Christmas or any other holiday ham…

    A fork peels layers of a homemade honey ham for Easter and other holidays

    Honey Ham

    Erin Parker, The Speckled Palate
    A blast from the past, Honey Ham makes a delightful holiday centerpiece for Easter and Christmas. As the ham bakes, the exterior crisps up and the glaze thickens, sweetening the meat from the outside in. When the ham comes out of the oven, it's the perfect entree for a celebration.
    4.98 from 46 votes
    Servings 16 servings
    Calories 344 kcal
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 3 hours
    Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes

    Ingredients
      

    • 8.5 lb. bone-in smoked ham
    • 1 cup honey
    • ¼ cup whole grain mustard
    • ¼ cup dark brown sugar
    • ¼ cup unsalted butter

    As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
    • Line a roasting pan or a large rimmed sheet pan with three layers of aluminum foil. This will be used to wrap the ham and hopefully prevent leaks.
    • Place the ham face down on the prepared pan. Cover completely with the foil. You may do this loosely, but you need to ensure the bottom and sides are sealed well so it does not leak because the sauce is very sticky.
    • Bake the wrapped ham for 120 minutes (or 2 hours).
    • Make the glaze in a saucepan. Combine the mustard, sugar and butter. Heat over medium-low heat until combined, then stir in the honey. Turn off the heat, and let sit for 10 minutes.
    • When the ham has finished its first bake, take it out of the oven and unwrap the top half of it.
    • Turn up the heat of the oven to 425°F.
    • Brush the glaze over the uncovered ham, and place in the oven to bake for an additional hour (to 1.25 hours). Every 15 minutes, open the oven and liberally coat the ham in glaze as it bakes.
    • After you’ve glazed the ham 4 times and baked a final time, remove the ham from the oven.
    • Let cool for 15 minutes, then carve and serve warm!

    Notes

    My original recipe called for a boneless 4 lb. smoked ham, but I had a hard time finding anything smaller than 8 lbs. at the store recently. If you want to have a smaller or larger ham, your cooking time will change. The ham should bake 15 minutes per pound in the original bake. The glaze step will take the same amount of time.
    If making a 4 lb. ham, make sure to cut the glaze measurements in half.
    How long does the ham need to bake per pound? Per my smoked ham’s instructions, you need to bake a smoked, glazed ham 7-10 minutes per pound.
    How will I know my ham is done? You’ve glazed it four times, as stated in the recipe, and the ham’s internal temperature reaches 120°F. Use an instant read meat thermometer* (affiliate link) to confirm this.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 servingCalories: 344kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 40gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 123mgSodium: 2971mgSugar: 21g
    Keyword Christmas entree, Easter centerpiece, Easter ham, entree, ham recipe, holiday, holiday baking, holiday entree, holiday ham
    Course Entrees
    Cuisine American
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    What traditional recipes does your family make for Easter?

    The photos and recipe for this Easter Ham were originally published on April 3, 2015. The photographs, along with the text of this blog post, were updated on March 9, 2018.

    A woman with dark curly hair wearing a black tank top in front of a white wall

    About the Author:

    Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her

    Similar Posts

    Before leaving a comment or rating, ask yourself:

    • Did you make the recipe as directed? If you didn’t or made an ingredient swap, please do not leave a rating. Recipe results are not guaranteed when changes have been made.
    • Is your comment helpful to others? Rude or hateful comments will not be approved. Please remember that this website is run by a real person.
    • Are you complaining about ads? I develop these recipes and provide them to you for free. Advertising allows me to continue to do so at not cost to you. It is also unavoidable on the internet and in everyday life. If you want recipes without ads, please purchase a cookbook or borrow one from your local library.

    13 Comments

      1. Hey Jim! That’s a good question, and one that I’m not 100% sure of the answer to. The ham is already smoked (and cooked through), so really, the reason we’re heating it is for the glaze and for the ham to be warm. So I’d say at least the same amount of time as the four pounder (listed above) and probably a bit more since it’s heavier. Sorry I can’t give you an exact estimate! I’d look and see if the ham has any instructions on it for cooking. That might give you a better idea!

      1. Hey Natasha! Apologies on the slow response this weekend. Don’t cover it when it goes back into the oven for the second time so it’s easier to baste. I hope that helps!

    1. Preparing to make this for Easter. Found the recipe via YUMMLY which lists a 1lb ham. Please edit the ingredients accordingly. Thanks.

      1. Hi Lisa. So happy you’re preparing to make this for Easter!

        I have no idea why Yummly lists a 1 lb. ham as an ingredient, as I have never used a ham that small for this recipe. That said, if you’ve got a 1 lb. ham, you can certainly still make this recipe! Per my notes above, “The ham should bake 15 minutes per pound in the original bake. The glaze step will take the same amount of time.” Then I’d make 1/4 or 1/8 of the glaze instead of the whole batch for a 1 lb. ham.

        I hope that helps and that you and yours have a very happy Easter.

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating