A golden, glazed classic you’ll want to make again and again.

Related read: Anti-Inflammatory Benefits of Honey →

When it comes to unforgettable centerpiece dishes, honey baked ham stands out for its irresistible combination of sweet, salty, and savory flavors. Whether you’re planning an Easter brunch, Christmas dinner, or a simple family gathering, a well-prepared honey baked ham never fails to impress.

This blog post will guide you through:

  • The best honey baked ham recipe
  • The history and tradition behind honey baked ham
  • Why raw honey makes a better glaze
  • What to serve with honey baked ham
  • Leftover ideas and storage tips
  • Spiral-Cut vs. Bone-In: Choosing the Right Ham
  • 5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Honey Baked Ham

Let’s explore how to make a honey baked ham that turns any meal into a celebration.

🐷 What Makes Honey Baked Ham So Special?
Honey baked ham is beloved for its beautiful caramelized crust, juicy interior, and balanced sweet-savory flavor. While the name itself suggests simplicity, achieving the perfect honey baked ham requires the right ingredients and techniques. What truly takes it to the next level? Real raw honey — the kind with character, complexity, and no artificial additives.

The tradition of baking ham with honey dates back centuries, but in modern times, it has become a must-have dish for major holidays in the U.S. and beyond. The glazed finish on honey baked ham not only enhances flavor but also gives it that glossy, golden-brown presentation everyone loves.

🍯 The Best Honey Baked Ham Recipe (With Raw Honey Glaze)
🛒 Ingredients:

  • 1 fully cooked spiral-cut bone-in ham (6–8 lbs)
  • ¾ cup raw honey (we recommend HONEY BEEHIVE™)
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground cloves
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Optional: orange zest or a splash of bourbon for depth

🔪 Instructions:
1. Preheat the Oven
Set your oven to 325°F (165°C). Place the honey baked ham in a large roasting pan, flat-side down.
2. Score the Ham
Using a sharp knife, score the outer layer of the ham in a crisscross pattern. This helps the honey glaze penetrate and creates a signature crust for your honey baked ham.
3. Make the Glaze
In a small saucepan, combine raw honey, brown sugar, mustard, cinnamon, cloves, and vinegar. Stir over medium heat for 5–7 minutes until slightly thickened.
4. Glaze the Ham
Brush the honey glaze generously over the honey baked ham. Cover the ham with foil and bake for 90 minutes, basting every 30 minutes with the glaze.
5. Caramelize
Uncover the honey baked ham, brush with the remaining glaze, and increase oven temperature to 400°F (200°C). Bake for another 15–20 minutes until beautifully golden and caramelized.
6. Let It Rest
Allow the honey baked ham to rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing to lock in the juices.

💛 Why Use Raw Honey for Honey Baked Ham?
Raw honey is the key ingredient that sets your honey baked ham apart. While many recipes call for processed honey or corn syrup, using pure, raw honey (like HONEY BEEHIVE™) ensures you’re getting natural sweetness with depth, floral undertones, and health benefits.
Here’s why raw honey works best for honey baked ham:

  • It caramelizes beautifully in the oven
  • It brings complexity to the glaze
  • It’s full of natural enzymes and antioxidants
  • It balances the saltiness of the ham perfectly

For a truly memorable honey baked ham, always start with high-quality, unfiltered raw honey.

🍽 What to Serve with Honey Baked Ham
Pairing your honey baked ham with the right sides takes the meal to the next level. Here are some winning combinations:
🍠 Classic Sides:

  • Scalloped potatoes or buttery mashed potatoes
  • Sweet potato casserole with pecans
  • Green bean almondine or roasted Brussels sprouts

🥗 Fresh Additions:

  • Spring mix salad with citrus vinaigrette
  • Fruit salad with honey-lime drizzle
  • Coleslaw with a honey mustard dressing

🥖 Breads:

  • Warm dinner rolls with whipped honey butter
  • Cornbread with a crispy crust

These sides bring out the flavors of the honey baked ham and round out the meal for any occasion.

 

🎉 Honey Baked Ham for Every Season
One of the best things about honey baked ham is that it's appropriate for any time of year:

  • Easter: Serve your honey baked ham with deviled eggs, asparagus, and lemon cake
  • Christmas: Add cranberry chutney, roasted root vegetables, and mulled wine
  • Thanksgiving: Complement your honey baked ham with cornbread stuffing and green bean casserole
  • Summer BBQ: Use your honey baked ham cold on charcuterie boards or in ham sliders
  • Sunday Dinners: Make a simple meal extra special with a small honey baked ham and seasonal veggies

Whether it’s a holiday feast or a weekday indulgence, honey baked ham fits beautifully into any meal plan.

🥪 Leftover Honey Baked Ham Ideas
A large honey baked ham is likely to leave you with leftovers — and that’s a great thing. Here’s how to reinvent your honey baked ham in delicious ways:

  • Ham and Cheese Sliders with sweet rolls and melted Swiss
  • Breakfast Scramble with eggs, peppers, and diced ham
  • Ham and Potato Soup with creamy broth and herbs
  • Ham Fried Rice with sesame oil and green onions
  • Stuffed Omelet with sharp cheddar and honey baked ham
  • Quiche Lorraine with honey ham and Gruyère

Honey baked ham leftovers are incredibly versatile and can keep mealtime exciting for days.

📦 How to Store & Reheat Honey Baked Ham

  • Refrigerator: Store your honey baked ham in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
  • Freezer: Slice and freeze individual portions for up to 2 months.
  • Reheating: Wrap slices in foil and warm in a 325°F oven for 10–15 minutes, or reheat gently in a skillet for crispy edges.

Proper storage ensures your honey baked ham stays moist and flavorful even after the main event.

🧑‍🍳 Tips for the Best Honey Baked Ham Every Time

  • Score the fat: This helps the glaze penetrate and caramelize.
  • Use foil: Keeps the ham moist while baking.
  • Don’t overcook: Since it’s already cooked, you’re just reheating and glazing.
  • Use raw honey: It elevates the taste and texture like nothing else can.

A well-made honey baked ham is more than a recipe — it’s a tradition, a centerpiece, and a conversation starter. With a crispy honey glaze, tender slices, and complementary sides, this dish has the power to bring people together.

And when you use real raw honey like HONEY BEEHIVE™, your honey baked ham becomes not just a meal, but a memory.

Spiral-Cut vs. Bone-In: Choosing the Right Ham for Baking with Honey
Not all hams are created equal when it comes to the perfect honey baked ham.
When planning to make a mouthwatering honey baked ham, one of the first (and most important) decisions you’ll face is choosing between a spiral-cut and a bone-in ham. Both options have their strengths — and your choice will impact everything from flavor and texture to ease of carving and presentation.

In this post, we’ll break down the key differences between spiral-cut and bone-in hams, help you determine which is best for your honey glaze, and offer expert tips for achieving the best results no matter which you choose.

🍖 What Is Spiral-Cut Ham?
A spiral-cut ham is a pre-sliced, bone-in ham that’s been cut into continuous slices around the bone using a spiral slicing machine. These thin, even slices make serving easy and reduce prep time — making spiral-cut ham a favorite for holiday meals and large gatherings.
✅ Pros of Spiral-Cut Ham:

  • Convenience: Pre-sliced for easy carving and portioning
  • Presentation: Elegant slices fall away easily and look uniform on the plate
  • Time-Saving: Minimal cutting needed after baking

❌ Cons of Spiral-Cut Ham:

  • Can dry out more easily due to exposed surface area
  • Harder to glaze deeply between the slices unless you separate them during baking

 

🦴 What Is Bone-In (Whole or Half) Ham?
A bone-in ham is exactly what it sounds like — a whole or half ham that hasn’t been pre-sliced. While this requires a bit more effort when serving, the result is often juicier, more flavorful meat with a traditional texture and rich aroma.
✅ Pros of Bone-In Ham:

  • Superior moisture retention during baking
  • Richer flavor due to the bone and uncut structure
  • Better for infusing glaze and achieving a caramelized crust

❌ Cons of Bone-In Ham:

  • Harder to carve, especially for beginners
  • Takes longer to cook due to its density

👉 Our recommendation:
For the ultimate honey baked ham, choose a bone-in ham and score it in a crisscross pattern. This allows the glaze — especially if made with raw, unfiltered honey like HONEY BEEHIVE™ — to soak into the fat and create that classic sticky-sweet crust while locking in moisture.

🍽 Glazing Tips for Each Type of Ham

🔪 Glazing a Spiral-Cut Ham:
Gently separate slices before glazing so the honey glaze penetrates between them
Bake covered with foil to avoid drying out the exposed surfaces
Baste often to keep the ham moist and glossy

🔥 Glazing a Bone-In Ham:
Score the fat in a diamond pattern to help the honey glaze soak in
Brush glaze generously before and during baking
Finish uncovered at high heat to caramelize the top

 

🧠 Expert Tips When Choosing Ham for Baking with Honey

  • Buy quality meat: Look for naturally smoked or minimally processed hams for the best texture.
  • Choose raw honey: It adds real flavor and better caramelization than syrupy alternatives.
  • Consider portion sizes: Bone-in hams serve fewer people per pound than boneless or spiral-cut.
  • Store and reheat properly: Wrap tightly in foil to preserve the glaze and moisture.
  • Don’t skip the basting: Especially with spiral-cut ham, regular basting keeps it moist.

When it comes to baking the perfect honey glazed ham, both spiral-cut and bone-in have their advantages. Spiral-cut offers convenience, while bone-in delivers depth of flavor and juicy texture. The key to success with either is using the right honey glaze — and that starts with real, raw honey.

Whether it’s for Easter, Christmas, or a cozy family dinner, your honey baked ham deserves the best. Choose wisely, glaze generously, and let that sweet golden crust shine.

5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Honey Baked Ham
A perfectly cooked honey baked ham is one of the most mouthwatering centerpieces you can serve — sweet, savory, beautifully glazed, and irresistible at every bite. But even seasoned home cooks can fall into a few common traps that turn what should be a showstopper into a dry, overly sweet, or underwhelming dish.

Whether you’re preparing honey baked ham for the holidays, a special occasion, or a cozy Sunday dinner, here are the top 5 mistakes to avoid — and how to get it right every time.

❌ Mistake #1: Skipping the Scoring
Why it’s a problem:
Failing to score your honey baked ham means the glaze will just sit on top without soaking in. That classic diamond pattern on the surface isn’t just for looks — it’s functional.
How to fix it:
Use a sharp knife to gently slice shallow crisscross lines across the fatty surface of the ham. This not only allows the glaze to penetrate deeper but also helps create that sticky, caramelized crust that makes honey baked ham so special.

❌ Mistake #2: Using Processed or Flavored Honey
Why it’s a problem:
Many people reach for generic honey that’s been overly processed, flavored, or diluted with syrups. These lack the rich complexity needed for a deep, flavorful glaze — and may even burn too quickly due to added sugars.
How to fix it:
Always choose raw, unfiltered honey like the ones from HONEY BEEHIVE™. Our wildflower honey brings a natural depth, floral notes, and just the right balance of sweetness for an authentic honey baked ham.

❌ Mistake #3: Not Covering the Ham While Baking
Why it’s a problem:
Leaving your honey baked ham uncovered for the entire cook time can dry it out. Remember — most hams are already fully cooked when purchased. You're not cooking it from scratch, just reheating and glazing.
How to fix it:
Cover the ham with foil during the majority of the baking time to retain moisture. Only remove the foil near the end (usually the last 15–20 minutes) to caramelize the glaze and get that beautiful finish.

❌ Mistake #4: Glazing Only Once
Why it’s a problem:
Applying the glaze once at the beginning won’t create the thick, shiny crust you’re going for. Honey baked ham is all about the layers of glaze — each one building on the last.
How to fix it:
Baste your honey baked ham every 20–30 minutes during baking. This allows the glaze to thicken and develop a glossy, candy-like coating. Finish with one last coat during the final blast of heat to lock in the shine.

❌ Mistake #5: Overcooking the Ham
Why it’s a problem:
Because most hams are precooked, excessive oven time can make them dry and tough — even with glaze. Overbaking is one of the quickest ways to ruin your honey baked ham.
How to fix it:
Bake at a low temperature (around 325°F or 165°C) and aim for an internal temp of 140°F (60°C). This is just enough to heat it through without drying it out. Always use a meat thermometer to be sure.

🐝 Bonus Tip: Use HONEY BEEHIVE Raw Honey for the Best Glaze
Raw honey isn’t just better for your health — it’s better for your recipes. At HONEY BEEHIVE™, we offer small-batch raw honey harvested from pristine wildflower fields. Our honey helps create that luscious golden finish your honey baked ham needs to shine.

When done right, honey baked ham is a standout dish that brings comfort, joy, and unforgettable flavor to the table. Avoid these common mistakes, and you’ll be well on your way to serving a ham that gets people talking (and asking for seconds).

Looking for the perfect honey to use?
🛒 Explore our full selection of raw honeys here: Shop HONEY BEEHIVE™ →