Make sure your ham is the star of your holiday table with this quick and easy ham glaze. This easy Dijon Brown Sugar Ham Glaze makes your ham irresistible with both sweet & savory flavors, and it only takes 5 minutes to make!
An Easy Ham Glaze Recipe
With Easter just around the corner, it’s time to decide how you’re going to prepare your perfect Easter Sunday ham! You’ll need something that’s simple, yet special, and makes everyone at the table happy. This Dijon Brown Sugar Ham Glaze checks all of those boxes and more!
And let’s be honest, Easter isn’t the only time to bake a good ham. Whether you’re entertaining a dinner party with friends or preparing for Christmas dinner, you’re going to want a trusty ham recipe to turn to. No matter what ham you choose to prep, make sure you use this easy-peasy glaze recipe.
This glaze is so good because it’s not overly sweet, nor is it too deeply savory. It’s got tangy notes from the splash of orange juice in there that really help develop the sweetness of the brown sugar and the warmth of the cinnamon and cloves. Plus, the Dijon mustard adds a delicious element of both tang and savory flavor that really makes the ham SO good!
Easy Ham Glaze Ingredients
You only need this simple handful of ingredients to make a glaze that will seriously elevate any ham you prepare it with.
- Ham: Any 8-10 pound fully cooked ham will do the trick. We prefer a spiral ham.
- Brown Sugar: If you’re all out of brown sugar, no worries! You can make your own by thoroughly combining one tablespoon of molasses with one cup of white granulated sugar.
- Dijon Mustard: Do NOT substitute this ingredient with plain yellow mustard! Dijon mustard gives so much more flavor and adds a little texture as well.
- Cinnamon: Just two teaspoons of cinnamon is enough to add an element of warmth to the glaze without overpowering the other ingredients.
- Ground Cloves: A sprinkle of cloves helps to develop the warmth of the cinnamon.
- Honey: If possible, try to use a good quality honey that’s deep in golden color. The farmer’s market is a great place to go to get some organic local honey that truly has the best flavor.
- Orange Juice: You can also use pineapple juice or pear juice if you prefer!
How to Make Dijon Sugar Ham Glaze
Prepare your kitchen: Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line a deep baking tray or roasting pan with several sheets of aluminum foil (for an easy clean up) and spray with non-stick spray.
Prepare the ham: Remove any plastic packaging or netting from the spiral ham. Trim away the rind and discard. Set the ham in the pan on the foil. Let the ham sit at room temperature while you prepare the glaze.
Combine the glaze ingredients: In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, mustard, cinnamon, cloves, honey and orange juice mixing until all ingredients are well combined.
Coat the ham: Pour mixture over the ham and use your hand to coat the entire ham with the glaze. Wrap foil around the ham and use an additional piece of foil to cover the top. This will help keep your ham juicy!
Bake the ham: Place ham on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 2-3 hours. Let the ham rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Helpful Tips
- Use a roasting pan or a large baking dish. If you use a baking pan, you may end up with a mess, as you’ll have to catch the juices from the ham in foil.
- Don’t cook the glaze. There’s no need! Just cover the ham with the room temperature glaze and let the oven do the work for you.
- Have fun with the flavors. Insead of orange juice, try apple or pineapple if you’d prefer.
- Let it rest: As with any roasted or baked meat, I think this ham is best if you let it rest before serving. The result will be more tender and juicy! 10 minutes or so is fine.
Can I make this ham in a crockpot?
Yes, absolutely! Below in the recipe card I gave directions for making this ham in the oven, but if you want to save room, you can also make it in the crockpot. Just make sure your ham will fit in your crockpot!
- Add ham to the crockpot, spiral cut side down.
- Mix together ingredients for glaze and press into the top of the ham.
- Cover ham (with lid or foil, if needed) and cook for 3-4 hours.
- Let ham rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Leftover Ham?
Store in an airtight container for up to a week in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave!
You can also freeze any leftover ham for use in recipes later. If you are looking for ways to use up leftover ham, you should definitely try our favorite Crockpot Ham and Bean Soup! You can also use ham in place of the sausage in our Easy Fried Cabbage Recipe!
Serving Suggestions
Pair this glazed ham with any of the following side dishes for the most perfect plate!
- Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Holiday Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Skillet Fried Corn
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
- Twice Baked Potato Casserole
- The Best Southern Green Beans with Bacon
- French Onion Sautéed Mushrooms
- Candied Sweet Potatoes with Pecans
Dijon Brown Sugar Ham Glaze
Ingredients
- 8-10 pound fully cooked ham
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 teaspoon orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a deep baking tray or roasting pan with several sheets of aluminum foil (for an easy clean up) and spray with non-stick spray.
- Remove any plastic packaging or netting from the spiral ham. Trim away the rind and discard. Set the ham in the pan on the foil. Let ham sit at room temperature while you prepare the glaze.
- In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, mustard, cinnamon, cloves, honey and orange juice mixing until all ingredients are well combined.
- Pour mixture over the ham and use your hand to coat the entire ham with the glaze. Wrap foil around the ham and use an additional piece of foil to cover the top. (This will help keep your ham juicy!)
- Place ham on middle rack in oven and bake for 2-3 hours. Let ham rest for 10 minutes before serving.
