Name: Juicy Maple Glazed Spiral Ham - theamazingfood
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 7 to 9 pounds bone-in spiral-cut ham, fully cooked; 1/2 cup pure maple syrup; 1/2 cup brown sugar (light or dark); 2 tablespoons whole-grain or stone-ground mustard; 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg; A pinch of ground cloves (up to 1/8 teaspoon)

When it comes to holiday meals, choosing the right centerpiece dish can feel like a lot of pressure. Between coordinating oven times, managing multiple side dishes, and trying to impress your guests, the last thing you need is a complicated main course that demands constant attention.

That’s why this maple glazed spiral ham is such a lifesaver – it’s straightforward to prepare, mostly hands-off while cooking, and always gets those appreciative nods from around the table. Plus, the sweet and savory combination of maple glaze works perfectly with whatever sides you decide to serve alongside it.

Why You’ll Love This Maple Glazed Ham

Make-ahead friendly – You can prepare the glaze in advance and store it in the fridge, making holiday meal prep much more manageable.
Simple ingredients – The glaze uses basic pantry staples like maple syrup and brown sugar, so you won’t need to hunt down any special ingredients.
Perfect for gatherings – This ham easily feeds 10-12 people and looks impressive on your holiday table with minimal effort on your part.
Mostly hands-off cooking – Once you’ve applied the glaze, the oven does most of the work, letting you focus on other dishes or spending time with your guests.
Great for leftovers – The leftover ham is perfect for sandwiches, soups, and casseroles, making this recipe practical and budget-friendly.

What Kind of Ham Should I Use?

For this recipe, you’ll want to start with a fully cooked, bone-in spiral-cut ham. These hams typically come from the back leg of the pig and are pre-sliced in a spiral pattern around the bone, which makes serving super easy. While you might see both “city hams” and “country hams” at the store, stick with a city ham for this recipe – they’re more common and have that classic mild, juicy flavor we all know and love. When shopping, look for a ham labeled “spiral-cut” without added flavorings or glazes since we’ll be adding our own maple glaze. The bone-in variety will give you the best flavor and helps keep the meat moist during cooking, plus you’ll get the bonus of using that ham bone for soup later!

Options for Substitutions

While a spiral-cut ham is the star here, there are several ways to switch up the glaze ingredients:

Spiral-cut ham: This recipe works best with a spiral-cut ham, but you can use a regular bone-in ham – just score the surface in a diamond pattern to help the glaze stick.
Pure maple syrup: If you’re out of maple syrup, try honey or agave nectar. Just avoid pancake syrup as it won’t give you the same rich flavor. You might need to reduce the brown sugar slightly since honey is sweeter.
Brown sugar: White sugar mixed with a tablespoon of molasses works great. Or use coconut sugar for a slightly different flavor profile.
Whole-grain mustard: Dijon mustard is a good swap, or even yellow mustard in a pinch. If using yellow mustard, add an extra teaspoon to match the flavor intensity.
Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves): Don’t have all the spices? You can use 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice blend instead – it contains all these warm spices in similar proportions.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when cooking a spiral ham is drying it out, since it’s already fully cooked and only needs to be heated through – keep it covered with foil for most of the cooking time and heat at a low temperature of 325°F. Another common error is adding the glaze too early, which can cause it to burn – instead, wait until the last 30 minutes of cooking to brush on your maple glaze, removing the foil at this point to let it caramelize properly. To prevent your ham from becoming too salty, skip any extra salt in the glaze recipe and avoid basting with the pan juices, as spiral hams are usually cured and have plenty of sodium already. For the juiciest results, let your ham rest for 15-20 minutes after cooking, and don’t forget to place it cut-side down in the roasting pan to help retain moisture during the heating process.

What to Serve With Maple Glazed Ham?

This sweet and savory ham pairs perfectly with classic holiday side dishes that balance out its rich maple flavor. Creamy mashed potatoes or sweet potato casserole make excellent companions, while green beans or roasted Brussels sprouts add a nice fresh element to the plate. For a complete meal, I love adding some warm dinner rolls or buttermilk biscuits to soak up the delicious glaze. You can also keep some cranberry sauce on the table – its tartness works really well with the ham’s sweetness and makes each bite even better.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Got leftover ham? Pack it in an airtight container and pop it in the fridge – it’ll stay good for 4-5 days. Pro tip: save that ham bone too! It makes an amazing addition to split pea soup or beans. I like to wrap my ham slices in small portions so they’re easy to grab for sandwiches during the week.

Freeze: This maple glazed ham freezes really well! Wrap individual portions tightly in plastic wrap, then place in freezer bags with the air squeezed out. It’ll keep nicely for up to 3 months. I often freeze portions in different sizes – some for sandwiches, others for recipes like ham and bean soup.

Reheat: To warm up your ham, place it in a baking dish with a splash of water or chicken broth, cover with foil, and heat at 325°F until it reaches your desired temperature (about 10 minutes per pound). For quick meals, microwave individual portions on medium power, covered with a damp paper towel to keep the meat moist.