Oven Baked Honey Butter Ham

This oven-baked Honey Butter Ham is the recipe I always come back to when I need something impressive but also very easy to make. The ham is coated in a luxuriously rich, buttery sauce with honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and paprika. Everything takes just under 15 minutes to prepare, and then I let it cook in the oven. This hassle-free dinner will have you relieved when it is time to entertain.

When it comes to making ham, I may skip on effort, but never on flavor. A spiral ham is such an impressive centerpiece, and if done correctly, it also tastes fantastic. I also recommend you try my Slow Cooker Pineapple Ham, and Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Ham, and tell me which one is your favorite!

Baked Honey Glazed Ham is slowly cooked through and infused with sweet and savory flavors that are impossible to resist. The result is very tender, juicy meat, and each slice of ham is wrapped in a buttery, glossy sauce. This celebration meal is perfect for special dinners; it serves a lot of people and pairs well with many side dishes. I enjoy serving it for Christmas and Easter, and my family always looks forward to it.

Why you will love this recipe 

• My favorite Easter dinner: A beautifully browned ham is such an impressive centerpiece; it easily steals the show, and it pairs with so many side dishes.
• It is so fast: With just 10-15 minutes of prep time, this recipe is effortless; the rest of the time is just waiting for it to cook in the oven. 
• Just a few ingredients: pantry staples like honey, seasonings, and butter make this baked ham irresistible.
• Leftovers are delicious: I love having leftovers to make ham sandwiches, salads, or add to soup. 

What you will need

• Ham: I use a fully cooked 8-pound spiral-cut ham. My favorite is Honey Baked Ham, but Snake River Farms Kurobuta is also very good. 
• Wet ingredients: One of the main ingredients, unsalted butter, lets me control the sodium, so the glaze does not get too salty since the ham is already salty. It also lets the natural sweetness of the butter shine through. Honey provides a natural sweetness that balances the smoky, salty flavor of the meat. When mixed with the butter, it makes a rich, syrupy glaze that sticks to the ham and helps caramelize it. 
• Seasonings: Brown sugar gives the glaze a rich, deep sweetness with a molasses taste that caramelizes when baked, creating a sugary, crunchy topping. Besides salt and pepper, I also use a bit of chili powder to give it a sweet-and-spicy kick that cuts through the fatty meat and adds smoky depth. Paprika also adds a bit of smokiness and a subtle earthy flavor. Cloves provide a hint of spiciness and aromatic warmth. For a nutty, woodsy taste, a bit of nutmeg mixed with sweet cinnamon is the perfect finish.

How to make

Preheat the oven: I preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and prepare a roasting pan. 

Mix the sauce: Then, I mix the glaze ingredients in a small bowl.

Coat the slices: I spoon and spread the glaze all over the ham, using a basting brush to push it between each slice. 

Roast the ham: Now, I roast the ham uncovered for 20 minutes. Then, I baste it and roast it for another 20 minutes. I baste it again and cover it, roasting it for 40 to 60 minutes, depending on the size, until it reaches 145 degrees F. I continue to baste it every 15 minutes, making sure to get in between the slices. 

Brown and crisp: For the last 20 minutes of baking, I remove the cover and let it brown, then broil it for several minutes to crisp. 

Rest and serve: Finally, I remove the ham and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving it. 

Expert tip

The best type of ham for this recipe

For honey butter ham, I like to use fully cooked, bone-in ham that’s spiral-cut. I prefer the juicy but sweet, mild-flavored Honey-Baked Ham, but I also like the tender, smoky Snake River Farms Kurobuta Ham. Either way, a bone-in ham is juicier, but a boneless ham is easier to slice. I prefer spiral-sliced because it absorbs more juice. Also, when buying ham, I find the best cut is the shank half because it is larger and extremely flavorful.

More tips to consider:

• Let the meat come to room temperature first. I let mine sit out for about an hour before baking it to keep the outside from burning while the outside is still cold.
• Also, it is best to bake it with the cut side facing down and covered tightly in foil to keep it moist. 
• In addition, I baste mine with pan juices several times to keep the ham moist. I use a basting brush to brush between the slices.
• Be sure to slather the tasty glaze onto all the slices, including the nooks and crannies, not just the top. 
• For a crispy caramelization, turn the oven up to broil and remove the cover, but watch it closely to avoid burning. 
• Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes after cooking so the juices redistribute into the meat.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Other sweetener: Instead of brown sugar, I sometimes use regular white sugar or a sugar substitute.
• Spicy ham: To give this ham a kick of heat, I add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper. 
• Cajun ham: Another way to add spicy flavor to this meat is to use my homemade Cajun seasoning. 
• Tangy glaze: For a bit of tanginess, I often add 3 tablespoons of Dijon mustard to the glaze. 
• Save the ham bone to make soup: To make ham bone soup, I just boil it in a large pot with 4 cups of water and some herbs for several hours. Then I add carrots, potatoes, beans, onion, and celery, and cook them until tender. I also shred any meat from the bone and add it back to the pot before discarding the bone.

Serving suggestions:

Ham is one of my favorite Easter entrées and pairs wonderfully with so many dishes. I usually serve this with creamy potatoes like my creamy scalloped potatoes, which take only minutes to make. With layers of thinly cut potatoes, creamy 3-cheese sauce, and a blend of onion, garlic, and thyme, this is a melty casserole that always gets rave reviews. Another staple side dish at our Easter festivities is the brown sugar-glazed carrots.

Another good one is my green bean casserole, which is the ultimate comfort food. I usually make it at Thanksgiving, but Easter is perfect for it as well. For dessert, I can always show off my skills with this Easter simnel cake. A moist and tender fruit cake with apricot glaze and homemade marzipan, it’s not your grandma’s fruit cake. In fact, a simnel cake is nothing like a fruit cake at all when you taste it. 

How to store leftovers:

• Refrigerate: I put leftover honey butter ham in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freezing: When freezing, I cut it into small pieces so I can put it into quart-sized freezer bags. That way, I can take out just what I need. It will stay fresh for up to 3 months.
• Defrost: I thaw overnight in the refrigerator for the best flavor.
• Reheating: To reheat, I put it in the oven at 325°F for 10-15 minutes or in the air fryer for a couple of minutes.  

Frequently asked questions

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