Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Ham Glaze – Our easy baked ham recipe is made with a flavorful brandy and brown sugar glaze. It’s the perfect main dish for celebrating any occasion!

Overhead shot of brown sugar glazed ham on a serving platter with cranberries, oranges and rosemary.

Why We Love This Brown Sugar Ham Recipe

Our Glazed Ham Recipe with Brandy and Brown Sugar Glaze is one of those dishes that has a reputation for being hard or complicated to make, but nothing could be further from the truth.

I’m not sure who first started spreading these nasty rumors… I have a feeling part of the responsibility goes to marketers at certain national pre-baked ham shops, but who’s to say.

A good holiday ham needs nothing more than a sweet, flavorful glaze (or rub) and some time in the oven.

With just a bit of effort you wind up with a beautifully baked ham that’s perfect for enjoying with family. Plus, leftover ham is delicious for eating cold or reheated for several days in so many different ways!

I like to start my oven-baked ham recipe with a simple brown sugar ham glaze, then spruce it up with a whole lot of flavor.

One of my favorite brown sugar ham glaze recipes combines brown sugar with whole grain mustard, brandy, cumin, and coriander. The sweet boozy note of the brandy enhances the brown sugar and complements the spicy twang of the dijon mustard.

It’s an absolutely heavenly blend to rub over the ham before baking.

Baked ham on a platter with some pieces sliced off.

Ingredients You Need

  • Large bone-in smoked ham – Hams you find in the grocery store are pre-cooked. This means you don’t have to worry about undercooking. You are just trying to rewarm the ham all the way to the center, while creating a crispy exterior.
  • Brown sugar – Necessary for a brown sugar ham glaze. *wink*
  • Brandy – Adds depth of flavor to the sweet glaze.
  • Whole grain mustard – Tangy mustard balances the glaze so it’s not overly sweet.
  • Cornstarch – For thickening the glaze.
  • Ground cumin, coriander, allspice, and cayenne pepper – Spice it up, baby!
  • Salt – Even though ham is salty, the glaze still needs a little salt.
Ingredients needed for a brown sugar ham.

How to Make Brown Sugar Baked Ham

You will be amazed at how easy it is to bake a ham at home!

Remember, generally you would start with a smoked ham, so the meat is already cooked through. We’re just trying to thoroughly warm the ham to the center and create a nice brown sugar crust on the outside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and lay the ham on it flat-side down.

Score the ham with cuts one inch apart and 1/4 inch deep, using a sharp knife. Do this in two directions creating a grid pattern over the entire surface of the ham. If you are using a spiral cut ham, this is not necessary.

Hand holding a sharp knife to score the top of the unbaked ham.

In a medium bowl, mix all the remaining ingredients for the glaze. Rub or brush half the glaze over the surface of the ham and bake for 45 minutes.

Pouring brandy into a bowl of spices for the brown sugar glaze.

Pull the ham out of the oven. Rub the rest of the glaze over the ham and place it back in the oven for another 45-75 minutes, or until the exterior is dark and crusty and the ham is warmed through.

Spoon basting the ham in a brown sugar ham glaze.

Once it’s had some time to lounge in the oven, your brown sugar ham will be dark and crispy-sweet on the outside, yet moist and smoky on the inside.

Check Out the Recipe Below For Our Baked Ham With Brown Sugar Glaze. Enjoy!

Brown sugar glazed ham after being baked and served on a platter.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Do You Cook A Glazed Ham In The Oven?

Smoked ham will warm through the center, and create a crispy crust on the outside in about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. This breaks down to approximately 10-12 minutes per pound. You can also use your roasting pan and a rack to cook ham in the oven. 

To be sure your ham is warm in the center, use a meat thermometer to test the internal temperature. It should reach 130 degrees F to warm, or 145 degrees F for uncooked pork.

What Can I Substitute for the Brandy in the Brown Sugar Glaze for Ham?

The alcohol content of the brandy cooks out during baking, but you certainly can still choose to substitute for a non-alcoholic ingredient to make the glaze. Try a sweet fruit juice, such as apple juice or white grape juice, as a flavorful swap.

Be sure to use 100% pure juice, though, so that your ham glaze isn’t too sweet.

If you’d like to use alcohol but don’t have brandy on hand, you can substitute for whiskey or cognac for a similarly sweet and smoky flavor.

How long does this baked ham last in the fridge?

The glazed ham leftovers can stay fresh in the refrigerator for about 3 to 5 days in an airtight container.

What kind of ham should I pick?

There are so many types of ham: bone-in ham, boneless ham, spiral-cut ham, ham butt, and whole ham. I chose to use a smoked ham, uncut, the scored a diamond pattern on top.

Is this a good Thanksgiving Ham Recipe?

Of course! The sweet ham glaze crust over the top makes this a fabulous centerpiece for Thanksgiving dinner or as a Christmas Ham recipe. You can also serve this brown sugar glazed ham for Easter dinner!

Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze on platter with oranges, cranberries, and herbs.

Serving Suggestions

A simple baked ham with brown sugar glaze is just what I crave for Sunday dinner with my family. No one is ever disappointed with a thick slice of juicy baked ham and some southern sides.

We recommend trying this ham recipe with our favorite side dishes like Perfect Southern Collard GreensAir Fryer Green Beans, Famous Corn Pudding, and, of course, the Best Macaroni and Cheese for a complete comfort food-filled family meal!

It is also a gorgeous centerpiece to have for a holiday dinner. For a perfect Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter meal, serve with yeast dinner rolls, hasselback potatoes and honey butter roasted carrots!

Tips & Tricks

  • Don’t throw out your ham bone! After you have eaten most of the ham off of the bone, use the bone to make a savory and delicious navy bean ham bone soup!
  • Bake the ham uncovered! Every ham recipe is different, and sometimes you want to make the ham covered with aluminum foil. In this case, bake the ham uncovered to get a lovely caramelized crust!
  • Use up any leftover ham in a ham and cheese panini or a slow cooker quiche!
Brown Sugar Ham sliced on platter with garnishes.

Looking for More Holiday Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:

Check out the printable recipe card below for the nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, fiber, vitamin c, and calcium percentages. Nutritional values are calculated with all fat intact.

Brown Sugar Ham (Baked Ham Glaze Recipe) sliced ham on platter with garnishes
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Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Ham Glaze

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Ham Glaze – Our easy baked ham recipe is made with a flavorful brandy and brown sugar glaze. It's the perfect main dish for celebrating any occasion!
Servings: 12

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and lay the ham on it flat-side-down.
  • Score the ham with cuts one inch apart and 1/4-inch deep. Do this in two directions creating a grid pattern over the entire surface of the ham.
  • In a medium bowl, mix all the remaining ingredients for the glaze. Rub half the glaze over the surface of the ham and bake for 45 minutes.
  • Pull the ham out of the oven. Rub the rest of the glaze over ham and place it back in the oven for another 45-75 minutes, or until the exterior is dark and crusty and the ham is warmed through.

Video

Notes

Nutritional values are calculated with all fat intact.
Leftover ham can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 4slices, Calories: 400kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 50g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 145mg, Sodium: 4093mg, Potassium: 852mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 40IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 56mg, Iron: 4.5mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Sommer Collier
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