Our favorite ham is this brown sugar-crusted Kentucky spiral ham that is easy to make, feeds a small crowd, and is absolutely delicious.

A great ham for the holidays or parties.

This brown sugar-crusted Kentucky spiral ham is easy, delicious, and perfect for holidays or parties. It is small but can feed a crowd as an entree with sides or it can be used for sliders when tucked inside cheese biscuits, bakery rolls, or croissants. This ham is always a hit when I serve it to family and friends. The meat is perfectly sliced and loaded with flavor from a sweet & spicy glazed crust and pan juices.

Can I prepare this ham beforehand?

Absolutely! This ham is super easy to prepare beforehand. Once you make it, you can just store it in the fridge in an airtight container. This makes it super easy to serve without having to make it that same day. The ham doesn’t need to be served warmed and is just as delicious straight from the fridge.

What is the best brand of spiral ham?

My favorite smaller spiral ham is Kentucky Legend. It is hands down the best, in my opinion. For larger spiral sliced hams, I love the ones sold at Costco every year during the holiday season.  Below is a photo of the Kentucky Legend that I buy, followed by a short video showing the exact specifications to follow when shopping for this ham.

How long does it take to cook?

Since this ham is already cooked through, the baking is really only needed to set the glaze into the ham. After heating the ham for two hours, let it bake at 350 degrees uncovered until the crust forms. Doing this makes a delicious crust that perfectly compliments the ham. 

What ingredients do I use to make brown sugar-crusted ham?

This recipe starts off with a fully cooked ham, all that you need is the ingredients to make the brown sugar glaze on top of the ham. The glaze is sweet and is the perfect complement to the ham. I used brown sugar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, garlic, and some spices to create this delicious glaze.

Is the brown sugar crust really necessary on the ham?

I absolutely LOVE this ham by itself, but this glaze adds some extra flavor that you will be so impressed with. Not only does it add so much flavor, but it is so easy to do! It is just a few simple steps to bring the ham to a whole other level. Once you try it, you won’t be able to go back.

How to Get a Brown Sugar Crust on Ham

To get a crusty, glazed exterior on this ham, you’ll need to do a few things. At the end of baking, remove the ham and brush it with the remaining pan juices and reserved syrup.  Increase the oven temp to 350 degrees F, and bake uncovered for 10 minutes (or until glaze forms). You could also use a kitchen torch to glaze the ham.

What sides go best with glazed ham?

I have tried a lot of recipes with this brown sugar-glazed ham and these are some of my favorites!

• My Grand’s cornbread dressing (make ahead & freezer friendly). 
• Best and easiest cranberry sauce.
• Oven mushroom rice (aka “church lady rice).
• Our favorite Mississippi green beans.

What do I do with leftover ham?

For lunch, this ham tastes great on croissants or Hawaiian rolls with Swiss cheese and honey mustard. For breakfast, any leftover slices will make a wonderful ham biscuit or an excellent foundation for a quiche or breakfast casserole. This recipe is also perfect for holidays to pair with some other holiday food. 

I do hope your family enjoys this recipe. If you try it, please let me hear your thoughts. As always, thanks so much for stopping by. Be blessed, and stay savvy!!!

Brown Sugar Maple Glazed Spiral Ham

Yield: 16 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

An easy and delicious spiral sliced ham with a sugary glaze.

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Ingredients

• 1 (6- to 7-pound) ham (fully cooked, spiral sliced)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves (ground)
• 1/3 teaspoon allspice
• pineapple bits (optional)

Instructions

HAM

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
2. Place ham on a baking dish.
3. Pour half of the glaze (see recipe below) over ham and in between the spiral slices.
4. Cover ham snugly with foil.
5. Heat for 1.5 to 2 hours (2 hours for larger ham)
6. Open foil or bag and roll down to expose ham.
7. Baste ham with remaining glaze.
8. Increase oven temp to 350 degrees.
9. Put ham, uncovered, into oven.
10. Bake until glaze forms~about 10 minutes.
11. Remove ham from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
12. Insert pineapple tidbits in between spirals (optional).

GLAZE:

1. Place brown sugar, maple syrup, and spices in small saucepan.
2. Heat on medium-low until sugar dissolves.
3. Remove glaze from heat.
4. Remove 1/2 cup of glaze and set aside (for basting at the end).

Nutrition Information

Yield 14 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 85Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 92mgCarbohydrates 22gNet Carbohydrates 0gFiber 0gSugar 20gSugar Alcohols 0gProtein 0g