Brown Sugar Ham Glaze Recipe

You already bought a beautiful ham, so let’s skip the little glaze packet that comes tucked inside. This Brown Sugar Ham Glaze is smoother, richer, and sticks to the meat beautifully. It melts together in minutes, bakes up glossy and sticky, and gives your ham that sweet and savory finish people expect when they head back for seconds.

Brown sugar ham glaze being brushed over sliced baked ham.

Why You’ll Love This Brown Sugar Ham Glaze

That first slice of ham is even better with a glossy, sticky glaze baked right on top. This Brown Sugar Ham Glaze comes together in just a few minutes with simple ingredients, giving your ham a sweet and savory coating that caramelizes beautifully in the oven. It’s an easy finishing touch for a holiday ham and makes every slice extra flavorful.

If you love this, try Slow Cooker Ham for an easy, hands-off meal. For a sweet, fruity glaze, give Pineapple Glazed Ham a try, or follow How to Slow Cook a Pre-Cooked Ham in the Oven for an easy way to warm your ham in the oven.

Brown Sugar Ham Glaze Ingredients

This glaze keeps things simple and intentional. Each ingredient has a purpose, and together they create a smooth, glossy coating with just the right balance of sweet and savory.

Brown Sugar: Packed with sweetness and caramel notes, using light or dark brown sugar adds depth to the glaze.
Maple Syrup or Honey: Opt for REAL maple syrup or honey for a natural touch of sweetness.
Mustard: Whether it’s yellow, whole grain, or dijon mustard, mustard brings a tangy kick to balance the sweetness.
Garlic: Minced garlic infuses the glaze with a subtle, savory flavor. Try using Roasted Garlic!

Four ingredients—garlic, brown sugar, real maple syrup, and mustard—are arranged vertically on a light wooden surface, each labeled with black text.

How to Make Brown Sugar Glaze for Ham.

This brown sugar ham glaze comes together in minutes on the stovetop and finishes in the oven. It is quick, forgiving, and very hard to mess up.

Once the glaze is all heated and the sugar melts, brush the glaze over the entire ham to coat-including in between slices (if using a spiral ham) and all the nooks and crannies. Stick the ham back in the oven for the last few minutes of cooking and serve. It gets sticky and is the perfect amount of sweet to savory. Try it on your ham this Easter or Christmas, and you will see just how much better it becomes!

For full recipe details, including ingredients and measurements, see the printable recipe card down below.

Step 1: Preheat Oven

Preheat Oven to 425° F.

Step 2: Heat the Glaze

In a small saucepan, measure out all ingredients and stir over medium heat. Simmer glaze until sugar melts and becomes syrupy about 1-2 minutes.

A saucepan containing brown sugar, mustard, minced garlic, soy sauce, and honey, arranged in separate sections before mixing.

A saucepan containing a brown liquid with visible chunks and a wooden spoon resting inside, placed on a light wooden surface.

A wooden bowl of brown sauce with a spoon, next to fresh oranges, rosemary sprigs, and a dish of cooked ham in sauce on a patterned cloth.

Step 3: Glaze the Ham

Remove glaze from heat and brush glaze onto the ham generously with a basting brush, being sure to separate the slices of spiral ham to get glaze into the nooks and crannies.

4. Bake Glazed Ham

From here, you’re just going to bake your almost-ready and warmed ham just long enough to set the glaze and get it nice and sticky. Bake your glazed ham at 425° F for 10 minutes or until the glaze is sticky and set. Cut slices off the ham with a sharp knife.

Pro Tip: For fresh or raw ham, cook it to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F, measured with a meat thermometer, then let it rest for at least 3 minutes before serving. For fully cooked ham packaged in a USDA-inspected plant, reheat it to 140°F.

Tips for Success

Separate the spiral slices before glazing so the flavor reaches every bite.
Simmer just until smooth, not longer, to keep the glaze from thickening too much.
Use a baking temperature of 425° F so the glaze sets quickly without drying out the ham.
Brush on extra glaze halfway through baking for an extra glossy finish.

A wooden bowl filled with a dark liquid sauce, with a wooden spoon resting on its rim, on a light-colored table.

What Side Dishes to Serve with Ham

This is one of the easiest things you can do to any ham to set it part from ordinary dinners and make it much more special, especially for a Sunday dinner or holiday feast. Here are a few favorite sides to serve with your ham. You can’t have ham without a few of these dishes:

Using this simple glaze brings your juicy ham to the next level! Printable recipe is below. Have a great day, friends!