This 3-Ingredient ham glaze recipe couldn’t be easier! Brown sugar, orange juice and honey flavored dijon mustard come together to create the perfect sweet and tangy flavor profile for your holiday ham.
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Sweet, sticky, and irresistible! There’s genuinely nothing more impressive for special occasions than a beautifully glazed spiral cut ham. It’s a stunning centerpiece for Christmas, Thanksgiving or Easter dinner and so easy to make.
And we can't forget to pair our beautiful main course with classic holiday dinner sides like corn casserole, cranberry sauce and maple balsamic Brussels sprouts.
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Why Try This Glaze?
Three. Ingredients. You truly need just a handful of ingredients: brown sugar, honey Dijon mustard, and orange juice. That’s it! And, you can substitute any of these ingredients based on what you have.
Quick and easy: I’ve made this delicious glaze recipe a million times, and it seriously takes me 2 minutes. Even when I squeeze the orange juice fresh, it’s still super quick.
Ultra flavorful: The Dijon mustard really amps up the flavor of this simple glaze, and the natural saltiness of ham complements the sweet brown sugar and tangy fruit juice.
What You'll Need:
- Brown sugar: I’ve tested this recipe using dark brown sugar and light brown sugar, and the results are nearly the same. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
- Honey dijon mustard: I buy honey-flavored Dijon at the store. But you can just as easily mix a little honey in with regular Dijon mustard.
- Orange juice: We’re using ¼ cup of orange juice, which is about one whole orange. I’ve also found that bottled orange juice works just as well.
Making Brown Sugar Ham Glaze
Keep scrolling for the full recipe card and measurements. We’ll start here with a quick overview!
- Add your brown sugar, orange juice, and honey Dijon mustard to a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk it all together until you have a smooth glaze.
- Break apart any brown sugar clumps with the tip of your whisk.
- Brush half of the glaze onto ham before putting it in the oven, make sure to get between all the slices!
- Cover and bake according to recipe or package instructions.
- See my spiral ham tutorial for more details on cooking a bone-in ham.
- Brush on remaining glaze during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking and bake uncovered.
- I like to broil my ham briefly to caramelize glaze! Just watch closely to avoid burning.
My Best Tips!
- Work between slices: Temporarily lay your spiral-sliced ham on its side to drizzle glaze between pieces! If you don't have a spiral cut ham, score the top in a diamond pattern before glazing.
- Ratios: If your glaze is too thick, add a splash more juice.
- Broiler: I like to turn on my broiler for the last few minutes to caramelize glaze. Just keep a close eye on it to avoid burning.
Recipe Variations
- Fruit juice: Pineapple juice is another popular option for ham. Swap it for OJ or use a little of both.
- Vinegar: Add a splash of tangy apple cider vinegar!
- Mustard: You can use whatever mustard you like or whatever you have on hand. Try it with English mustard, stone ground mustard, or even yellow mustard for extra tang.
- Brown sugar: If you don’t have brown sugar, use honey or maple syrup instead of white sugar. These have a richer flavor and a stickier texture. Plus, honey and ham is a classic combo.
- Spice: Fresh ginger, horseradish, garlic, and whole cloves are all great additions for a little zing. You can also mix in a tiny sprinkle of ground cinnamon or ground cloves!
How To Store
Glazed Ham: Place any leftover ham in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. You can keep it in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months. Then, just thaw and reheat it in the microwave.
Extra glaze: I’ll usually serve extra glaze with ham after a quick simmer on the stovetop to dissolve sugar crystals. If there’s a LOT leftover, you can keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Use on chicken, pork tenderloin, or salmon.
Common Questions
Many say to glaze ham in the last 20 minutes of cooking to avoid burning sugars, but I apply half at the beginning and half and the end. I cook it at 350°F, covered with aluminum foil, and haven't had any problems with burning. You can wait till the end if preferred! See my spiral ham tutorial for more details.
This glaze is versatile and can be used with any type of ham. My personal preference is a fully cooked, spiral sliced ham. But, you can totally do a boneless or whole bone-in ham and slice it yourself.
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3-Ingredient Ham Glaze Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Spoon or whisk
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup packed brown sugar *dark or light
- ⅓ cup honey dijon mustard *see note below
- ¼ cup orange juice *see note below
Recipe notes:
Honey dijon: I buy honey flavored dijon mustard and I LOVE using it in ham glaze. You can also use regular dijon mustard and simply mix in a drizzle of honey if desired! Juice: You can use fresh or bottled juice. I've tried both and it didn't make a huge difference in flavor. Pineapple juice is a popular substitute! General: Leftover glaze? Simmer briefly in a small saucepan to melt sugar crystals and serve with ham.Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk well.⅔ cup packed brown sugar, ⅓ cup honey dijon mustard, ¼ cup orange juice
- Use a pastry brush and apply half of the glaze to ham. If the ham is spiral cut, work glaze between slices. If not, cut grooves into the exterior before glazing! Cover ham with foil and bake according to package or recipe instructions (see my spiral ham tutorial for more details).
- Add remaining glaze toward the end of bake time and return to oven for 5-10 minutes longer at a nice high oven temp of around 400℉, uncovered. I like to broil for a few minutes at the end to caramelize the glaze and create a crispy exterior. Watch closely to avoid burning.
- Allow ham to rest and enjoy!
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Nutrition
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