Christmas honey-glazed ham is the centerpiece of many holiday feasts, offering a perfect balance of savory and sweet flavors. The rich, tender ham is coated in a glossy honey glaze that caramelizes beautifully as it bakes, creating a golden, slightly crispy exterior while keeping the meat juicy and flavorful on the inside. This dish is not only a treat for the taste buds but also a feast for the eyes, making it the ideal choice for Christmas dinners and festive gatherings.
The star of this dish is, of course, the ham. Whether you choose a bone-in ham or a boneless variety, the meat itself is typically pre-cooked, so the goal is to warm it through while developing a flavorful, sticky glaze. The glaze is what makes this ham truly shine. Made with honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and a touch of apple cider vinegar, the glaze creates a perfect balance of sweetness, tang, and a hint of spiciness. You can also add a dash of cinnamon, cloves, or even a bit of orange zest to give the glaze a festive, aromatic depth.
To prepare the honey-glazed ham, the ham is first scored in a diamond pattern, which allows the glaze to penetrate the meat and infuse it with flavor. The glaze is generously brushed over the ham before baking, and it’s important to baste the ham every 20 minutes to ensure the glaze forms a beautiful, sticky coating that caramelizes evenly.
Once the ham is done, it should be rested before slicing to allow the juices to redistribute. When served, the honey glaze creates a deliciously sticky exterior that contrasts beautifully with the tender, flavorful meat inside. The sweetness of the honey and brown sugar complements the savory ham, making each bite perfectly balanced.
Christmas honey-glazed ham pairs wonderfully with a variety of side dishes, from roasted vegetables to mashed potatoes or a fresh green salad. It’s an iconic holiday dish that not only fills the house with irresistible aromas but also becomes the centerpiece of any Christmas meal. Rich, flavorful, and absolutely mouthwatering, this ham will surely become a cherished tradition at your holiday table.
Ingredients
- 1 whole ham bone-in, fully cooked, about 8-10 pounds
- 1/2 cup honey use a good quality honey
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves for extra flavor
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Place the ham in a roasting pan, and score the surface in a diamond pattern.
- In a small bowl, mix together the honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and ground cloves.
- Brush the glaze over the ham, ensuring it covers all the scored areas and the surface.
- Bake the ham in the preheated oven for about 2 hours, basting with more glaze every 20 minutes.
- Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Simple and delicious! My grandma always made ham like this and it brought back nice memories. Thanks for sharing!
Solid recipe, but I’d recommend keeping an eye on it near the end—mine got a little too dark after frequent basting. Still delicious though, sweet with a nice tang from the Dijon.
Ham? Good! Christmas? Good! Honey? Too much honey. Meh.
Mmmm, good!
Totally agree! This ham sounds so yummy. Can’t wait to try it for the holidays!
I’m skeptical about honey on ham. Seems like a weird combo to me. But you do you, I guess.
I thought the same at first, but honey really adds a nice sweetness! Give it a try!
Not bad at all. I followed it pretty much exactly, but my ham dried out slightly since I didn’t baste quite enough. Flavor was great, just wish it stayed a touch more juicy.
I had the same problem but i think i overcooked mine a bit lol. Like 2 hours was maybe too long for my size. What weight was your ham? Also did you cover it with foil at all?
Totally makes sense—this glaze can be a little “sticky dry” if you don’t baste enough. Next time, I’d baste every 15 min and add a splash of the pan drippings to the glaze so it keeps the surface moist.
I used maple syrup instead of honey, it turned out great! Who knew it would work so well?
Why do people put mustard on ham? It’s just wrong! I’ll stick to plain ham.
I used a spicy brown mustard and it gave the glaze a great kick. Basting every 20 minutes sounds like a lot, but it was worth the effort.
Amazing recipe! I used maple syrup instead of honey. It worked great!
Wow, sounds delicious! Maple syrup is a great idea for a twist. I gotta try that!
Maple syrup? Really? Is that even gonna taste good with ham? Seems weird to me.
Easy to follow! Will definitely make it again. Thanks!
Honestly, it was good but a little too sweet for my taste. I think I’d reduce the honey next time.
Less honey? Nah, that’s like taking the Christmas out of Christmas ham! 😂 But hey, it’s all personal taste.
I get what you mean! Honey can be super sweet sometimes. Maybe try maple syrup instead? It’s way less sweet.
This ham was a hit at our Christmas dinner! The glaze was so sweet and flavorful. Definitely making it again!
Sounds delicious! I love a good glaze on ham. Would you recommend any sides to go with it?
Not sure about the cloves—mine tasted kinda strong and “holiday-y” in a way I didn’t expect. Maybe next time I’ll cut the amount in half.
SO GOOD! Just the right amount of sweetness and the glaze caramelized perfectly! YUM!
I dont know about this recipe. The cloves were too strong for my taste. Maybe less cloves next time?
I think the cloves give it a nice kick! But yeah, you can always adjust it to your taste. Maybe try 1/4 teaspoon if it’s too much.
This ham was a hit at our Christmas dinner! So tender and flavorful. Will definitely make it again!
I’m so glad to hear that! It’s my go-to recipe for the holidays too. Did you add any special sides?
Really? I found the ham kinda dry. Maybe I didn’t baste it right? 🤔
I found the glaze a bit too sweet for my taste. Maybe cut the honey?
I was skeptical about cloves in a honey glaze, but wow. It adds a warm, festive flavor that doesn’t taste “medicinal” or anything. Next time I’m doubling the glaze!
Honestly, I just put ketchup on my ham. This honey stuff seems like a lotta work!
Honestly I didn’t taste much difference from regular baked ham. Maybe my honey was bland? Also my scoring looked like squares not diamonds lol. Might try again with better honey.
Ham?? No thanks. I only eat turkey for Christmas. That’s the real festive meat!
009You call that a glaze? I’ve seen better. Don’t waste your time.
Looks good but is there any way to make it without honey? I can’t stand the stuff!
I think that glaze sounds amazing! Honey and brown sugar are a classic combo for ham. Don’t let the haters get you down!
The mustard + honey combo is kinda genius. I used spicy brown mustard and it gave it a nice little kick. Also, resting it 15 mins helped a lot with slicing.
This glaze is insanely good—sweet, sticky, and the Dijon keeps it from tasting like candy. I followed the basting every 20 minutes and the top got that perfect shiny crust. Would make again for sure!
I’m kinda skeptical about “every 20 minutes” though—seems like a lot of oven-opening. Mine still tasted good, but my glaze kinda got too thick… next time I’ll thin it a bit with a splash of water.
Totally agree—Dijon was the perfect move. I tried it last Christmas and the crust was so shiny it looked store-bought. Great flavor balance too.
I dunno about the cloves… they seemed out of place. Not sure if I’d recommend this recipe.
Made this for the family and they all gobbled it up! I added some pineapple slices on top too. Yum!
This ham was a hit at our Christmas dinner! The glaze is delish.
That sounds amazing! I can’t wait to try it for my family gathering next week. Thanks for sharing!
Honey-glazed ham is overrated. Like it’s good but it’s basically just sugar on meat. Still, everyone at my table ate it fast.
I made this for my family and they all loved it. Makin’ this every year now!
I don’t understand how people love ham. This recipe looks complicated and ham is just… ham.
Ham is amazing! The glaze looks easy to make, you should give it a try. Don’t knock it till you taste it!
I totally get your point! Ham isn’t for everyone, but maybe the glaze could change your mind?
Nice recipe! I added pineapple slices on top, turned out great! Yum!
What’s the deal with basting? I forgot and it was still okay. 🤷♂️
The instructions are super clear, but scoring the diamond pattern is harder than it looks. Half my cuts were kind of bad, lol. Still tasted great though—don’t judge my ham art.
Honestly the glaze sounds perfect—love that combo of honey + Dijon. I tried scoring once and it looked like a potato chip pattern 😂 but it still tasted amazing too.
Diamond scoring is overhyped. If the ham is fully cooked, you don’t need deep cuts… just glaze and bake. But yeah, your post made me laugh—ham art is still art.
Made this for our family dinner and it was a huge hit. The glaze caramelized perfectly and the diamond scoring actually looked so nice when sliced. 10/10 holiday vibes!
That sounds amazing! I love when the glaze actually caramelizes and the scoring comes out neat. Did you end up using the full 2 hours or did it need more/less for your ham size?
We tried something similar once and the glaze burned fast—so I’m curious: do you cover it with foil at all, or is it just straight baking? Also 325 seems low? Maybe my oven runs hot 😅
This came out perfectly sticky and caramelized—sweet, but not cloying. The cloves were subtle in a really nice way. Will definitely make again.
5 stars!!
3 stars because the instructions are too vague on times for different ham sizes. Mine was closer to 8 pounds and I needed less than 2 hours, so I was guessing the basting schedule. Tasty but confusing.
This honey-glazed ham was a hit at our Christmas dinner! So juicy and flavorful. Definitely making it again!
Not gonna lie, 2 hours at 325°F feels a little short for an 8–10 lb ham. My glaze also started to caramelize a bit too fast on the edges. Tasty, just needed more careful timing.
Turned out good, but mine took closer to 2.5 hours for an 9.5 lb ham. Also I used “regular” mustard and it wasn’t as tangy—next time I’ll buy Dijon/spicy brown like the recipe says.
Is 325°F too hot for ham? I thought I read somewhere it should be lower. But mine turned out okay.
The instructions were clear, but my ham still looked a little pale after 2 hours. I ended up broiling it for 3 minutes at the end and it saved it.
Glad it worked! Totally normal for a fully cooked ham to look a bit pale at the 2-hour mark—broiling at the end helps a lot with color. Next time I might broil for 2 minutes first and watch closely.
Hm, I’m not sure about trusting a 2-hour bake for an 8-10 lb ham. Mine always needs longer—maybe 2.5-3 hours depending on temp. But hey, broiling for 3 min is a decent fix. What broiler setting did you use?
I was skeptical about cloves in a ham glaze, but wow. It’s subtle and festive, not overpowering. Resting 15 minutes helped the slices stay nice and juicy.
1/2 cup honey not enough. Needs like, more. Otherwise why even bother.