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Honey Baked Ham

Honey baked ham with a crackly, deep-golden honey sugar crust made by baking at 325°F and finishing at 400°F with repeated brushing. Spiral-sliced, bone-in ham stays juicy while the spiced sugar caramelizes into a glossy, crunchy top.
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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
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Honey baked ham
  • 1 fully cooked bone-in spiral-sliced ham (8-9 pounds)
  • 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 slow
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and place the ham cut-side down in a roasting pan, then cover tightly with foil. Keep the foil snug to prevent moisture loss.
  2. Bake for 12–14 minutes per pound, until the ham reaches 120°F inside. It should be warm through but not yet deeply browned.
Make the honey-butter and spiced sugar
  1. Melt the honey and butter together. Stir until glossy and smooth.
  2. Mix the granulated sugar and brown sugar with the cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and paprika in a separate bowl. The mixture should look evenly speckled with spices.
Glaze, caramelize, and finish
  1. Remove the foil, then brush the ham generously with the honey-butter. The surface should look wet and lightly glossy.
  2. Pat a layer of the spiced sugar onto the brushed ham. Press gently so the dry sugar adheres.
  3. Raise the oven to 400°F and bake for 5 minutes. The sugar should begin to melt and bubble.
  4. Remove the ham and brush again with honey-butter, then pat on more spiced sugar. Aim for an even, thicker coating each time.
  5. Bake 5 minutes at 400°F again, until the crust is setting and turning deeper golden. Repeat the brushing and sugaring one more time.
  6. Bake until the crust is deep golden and crackly, and the ham reaches 140°F. The glaze should look lacquered with crisp edges.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest the ham for 15 minutes before serving. Slice and serve while the crust is crackly and the interior stays juicy.

Notes

For the crispiest crackly crust, keep the surface as dry as possible before sugaring—remove any excess drips after brushing. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; rewarm covered at 325°F until heated through. Freezing is not recommended for best crust texture. For a lower-sugar swap, replace up to half the granulated and brown sugar with a baking-appropriate sugar substitute, then follow the same caramelizing steps.