Baked Spiral Ham Recipe

When it comes to putting together a holiday spread, or a dinner spread any other time of year, there are certain main dishes that always come to mind. Certainly, turkey plays a big role in holiday meals, along with impressive prime rib roasts. Another crowd-favorite? A deliciously succulent baked ham.

The beauty of spiral hams is that they're pre-sliced, making them incredibly simple to prepare, slice, and serve. They also come pre-cooked, so the prep and cook time is very minimal. And for many, the best part of a baked spiral ham is all about the glaze. "Ditch the glaze packet that may come with your ham and make something incredible," says food photographer and recipe developer Petar Marshall. "You can put together a gooey, flavorful glaze to customize your meal in just minutes."

This recipe will walk you through how to make a beautiful baked spiral ham with a mouth-watering glaze featuring notes of brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, and pineapple juice. And best of all? It won't take long to get the ham in the oven, and you'll have the incredible smell wafting through your house in no time.

To get started on making this beautiful centerpiece for dinner, you'll want to grab all of your ingredients first. This recipe only takes a few minutes to prep, and having everything ready will make the process a breeze. For this baked spiral ham recipe, you'll need one 9-pound spiral ham, pineapple juice, maple syrup, four whole cinnamon sticks, and 16 whole cloves.

"Remember, most spiral hams come pre-cooked, making this dish that much easier and faster to prepare," says Marshall. "And if you end up with a smaller or larger spiral ham, no problem. This recipe can easily be utilized for a variety of sizes."

To dive in on making this delicious dish, first preheat your oven to 300 F. Allow it to warm up to the proper temperature while you prepare the glaze for the ham. In a small pot, start by adding in the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Next up, add in the brown sugar, pineapple juice, and maple syrup to complete the ingredients for the glaze. Stir the mixture to combine, and then place it on the stovetop. Turn the heat on high and bring the glaze to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the glaze to simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. "As the glaze simmers, it will thicken into a beautiful consistency to glaze the ham," says Marshall.

Once the glaze has thickened, it's ready to use for the ham. Remove it from the heat of the stovetop and transfer it to a small bowl. According to Marshall, you can utilize the entire glaze, without straining out the spices. "Cooking the ham with the glaze and spices will add even better flavor," he says. 

To get ready to glaze, remove the ham from its packaging and place it on a baking sheet or in a baking dish. Using a brush, cover the entire ham with the glaze. "Because of the spiral cut of the ham, it will beautifully drip between slices," says Marshall.

After glazing the ham, put the baking sheet in the oven and allow it to cook for 15 minutes. Once 15 minutes has passed, bring the ham out of the oven and use a brush to glaze the ham again with the drippings in the pan. Place the ham back in the oven for another 30 minutes. After allowing the ham to cook for a full 45 minutes, remove it from the oven. Transfer the ham to a platter and garnish with pineapple slices and additional whole spices if desired before slicing and serving. You'll notice irresistible sweet, savory, and salty notes in this dish, making it perfect for a special occasion!