Pineapple Honey Glazed Ham

Pineapple Glazed Ham shot from the top on a white dish surrounded by pineapple and greens

My Pineapple Honey Glazed Ham is a holiday dinner favorite. This homemade honey baked ham recipe is super easy and uses just 7 ingredients. The juicy ham tastes as good as it looks and my family love to use the leftovers in so many unique ways.

I love to make macaroni and cheese with ham and this recipe for ham tetrazzini with the delicious ham.

Close-up of a honey glazed ham garnished with sliced pineapples, cherries, and cloves, set on a bed of leafy greens.

Why this Honey Glazed Ham Recipe is a Keeper

This pineapple honey glazed ham recipe is a keeper for a multitude of reasons, making it a reliable and impressive centerpiece for any gathering:

It Is Delicious: The sweet and savory combination in this honey mustard glazed ham is very enjoyable. Perfect for a holiday.
Sweet and Savory Balance: The combination of sweet pineapple and honey with the savory ham creates a perfectly balanced and irresistible flavor profile.
Visually Stunning: The glossy, golden-brown glaze and the decorative pineapple rings make for a beautiful presentation to the cooked ham.
Crowd-Pleasing Appeal: Baked honey-glazed ham recipe with pineapple is a classic dish that’s universally loved, making it perfect for holidays, celebrations, and family meals.
Relatively Easy Preparation: Despite its impressive appearance, this pineapple glazed ham recipe is a relatively straightforward recipe that’s accessible to home cooks.
Versatility: The glaze for this pineapple and cherries on ham recipe can be customized with various spices and flavorings to suit any tastes. This ham is perfect.
Flavorful Leftovers: Leftover ham with pineapple and cherries is incredibly versatile and can be used in numerous dishes.
Festive and Celebratory: It adds a touch of elegance and celebration to any occasion.

What Type of Ham Should I Use?

Roasted honey glazed ham garnished with pineapple slices and cherries, served on a bed of kale leaves.

Feel free to use either a boneless or bone-in ham for this glazed ham with cherries. You could also use a spiral-cut ham if you’d prefer.

Pro Tip to Make Honey Glaze for Ham

Cover the ham with foil while it bakes: To prevent your ham from drying out, cover it with foil during most of the baking time. Remove the foil while basting this Pineapple Glazed Ham and pineapple begins to brown.

Ham Ingredient Notes and Variation Suggestions

All of the required ingredients for this easy glazed ham recipe can be found at the store, but some of the ingredients may be around the kitchen already. If I don’t have them, I use different ingredients to substitute. The ham is easy and I serve with honey glaze.

Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.

Crock Pot Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham sits elegantly beside bowls of water and brown sugar, accompanied by a jar of honey, and a lemon and lime, all beautifully arranged on a marble surface.

Pineapple: It’s best to use a can of sliced pineapple as you will also need the juice that it’s in.
- Fruit Variations: Use other fruits like peaches, apricots, or cherries in the glaze.
Liquid Variations: Use pineapple juice, apple juice, or orange juice in the glaze. Add a splash of rum or bourbon to the glaze for added depth.
Flavor Variations: Try adding ginger, dijon mustard or rosemary to the glaze.
Garnish Variations: Use fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme for garnish. Add candied cherries or cranberries for a festive touch.
Glaze Thickening: A cornstarch slurry can be used to thicken the glaze.

How to Make Honey Ham

This recipe comes together in just 5 quick and easy steps. This holiday ham is so good, I make this for every holiday feast.

Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.

Four-step caramel-making process: 1) Brown sugar in a pot. 2) Adding butter to sugar. 3) Incorporate liquid into mixture, much like crafting a honey-glazed ham. 4) Caramelizing in the pot to perfection.

Prepare the Ham and Pineapple: Score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern. Save the juice from the pineapples and stick 6 cloves in each pineapple ring.
Add the Fruit: Arrange pineapple rings evenly around the surface of the ham, affixing them with toothpicks. Stick a single cherry in the center of each ring.
Bake the Ham: Place the ham in a roasting pan and add the soda. Tent it with foil, and bake for 2 hours in preheated oven.

Steps to prepare a honey glazed ham: 1) Arrange pineapple slices with cloves, 2) Score the ham, 3) Place pineapple on the ham, 4) Glaze with honey and bake with cherries.

4. Make the Glaze: Put the honey, mustard and reserved pineapple juice in a saucepan. Cook over medium high heat until it becomes thick.

5. Baste the Ham: After 2 hours of baking, remove the foil and brush the glaze over the ham. Brush ham every 10 minutes until the ham is fully cooked. Remove the ham from the oven, baste with remaining glaze and let it rest.

Prep Ahead Suggestions for Easy Honey Ham

Prepping ahead of time can really help to save time and kitchen space if hosting a get together.

Ham Selection: Purchase your ham a few days in advance. If using a frozen ham, thaw it completely in the refrigerator (allow ample time—several days for a large ham).
Glaze Preparation: The honey glaze can be made in a saucepan over medium heat 1-2 days ahead. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Pineapple Rings: If using fresh pineapple rings for garnish, you can slice and store them in the refrigerator.
Scoring: Scoring the ham can be done a day ahead, and stored covered in the refrigerator.

How to Store Honey Ham, Reheat and Use Leftover Ham

Storing: Store the ham in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Return the ham to the oven to reheat. It can also be reheated in the air fryer or microwave.
Using Leftovers: Serve ham slices leftovers in Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole or Mac and Cheese with Ham.

Frequently Asked Questions About This Baked Ham Glaze Recipe

Can I Cook this Ham Another Way?

Yes, easily morph this recipe into being Crock Pot Spiral Ham or Glazed Air Fryer Ham.

How Do I Prevent the Ham from Drying Out?

Basting every-so-often helps to prevent dryness. It’s also great for enhancing flavor.

Can I Make the Glaze Spicier?

Yes, try ingredients like chili powder, cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the sweet honey.

Can I Use a Different Sweetener Instead of Honey?

Yes, try a dark brown sugar or light brown sugar glaze. You can also try maple syrup instead of honey for this honey-glazed ham.

How Much Ham Should I Get?

A great rule to follow is that for boneless ham you should plan on ¹⁄₃ to ½ pound per person. For bone in ham you should plan on ½ to ¾ pound per person. Remember ham needs to cook for 20 minutes per pound.

Expert Tips for Making this Holiday Dinner Recipe

Use a Meat Thermometer: Ham is done when a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the ham reaches an internal temperature of 140℉.
Basting: Brush the ham frequently with the honey brown sugar glaze during the last 30-45 minutes of cooking to build up a beautiful, flavorful crust.
Resting: Keep the ham in the dish and allow the ham to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing. This helps the juices redistribute, resulting in a more tender ham.
Flavor Infusion: Add spices like cloves, cinnamon, or star anise to the glaze for extra depth of flavor.
Glaze Consistency: If your glaze is too thin, simmer it on the stovetop to reduce it.
Use the Ham Bone: Save the ham bone for making flavorful soups or stocks.
Serve With: Serve this honey ham dinner with Make Ahead Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes, Sourdough Stuffing or Instant Pot Glazed Carrots.

More Recipes You Might Like

A Spiral han with pineapple and brown sugar.

Instant Pot Ham with Pineapple and Brown Sugar

Crock Pot Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham

Copycat Honey Baked Ham

Glazed Air Fryer Ham

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