Name: Baked Ham with Pineapple Glaze Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h 15 min
Total time: 2 h 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 10-12 pound fully cooked bone-in spiral cut ham; 20 oz canned pineapple slices (retain the pineapple juice); maraschino cherries (optional); toothpicks; foil; ¼ cup honey; ½ cup brown sweetener or sugar (dark or light); ½ teaspoon ground cloves; ½ teaspoon cinnamon; 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 1 tablespoon water

There’s something magical about the sweet and savory combo in a Baked Ham with Pineapple Glaze Recipe that just sings comfort and celebration all at once. The juicy pineapple and brown sugar meld with cloves and cinnamon, creating a glaze that caramelizes beautifully while the ham roasts to tender perfection—trust me, it’s worth every minute in the kitchen.

A baked ham covered with a shiny brown glaze, topped with multiple yellow pineapple rings arranged in layers on the top and sides, each pineapple ring held in place with a wooden toothpick skewering a bright red cherry in the center. The ham rests on a base covered in silver foil with a white marbled surface in the background. The glaze gives the ham a glossy, sticky texture, enhancing the vibrant colors of the pineapples and cherries. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Baked Ham with Pineapple Glaze Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Baked Ham with Pineapple Glaze Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Baked Ham with Pineapple Glaze Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

I’ve made this Baked Ham with Pineapple Glaze Recipe for family gatherings, holiday dinners, and even casual Sunday meals. Every time, it steals the show with its gorgeous golden glaze and perfectly juicy ham. It’s the kind of dish that brings people together around the table and keeps everyone coming back for seconds.

Perfect Balance of Sweet & Savory: The pineapple glaze has just the right amount of sweetness with warming spices, enhancing the natural flavor of the ham.
Simple Yet Elegant: It looks impressive, but the steps are straightforward enough to make even if you don’t cook ham regularly.
Customizable Glaze: You can easily adjust the sweetness or spice level to suit your family’s taste buds.
Perfect For Any Occasion: Whether it's a holiday feast or a weeknight special, this recipe feels festive and comforting.

The image shows a close-up of a sliced glazed ham on a white plate. The ham is cut into many thin layers, each with a shiny, caramelized brown glaze and a mix of darker and lighter pink meat inside. The outer edges have a slightly crispy texture with hints of char. The plate beneath has some yellowish bits, possibly small pieces of cooked fruit or sauce, adding a contrast in color. The background has a white marbled texture, and to the side, part of a woman's hand holding a utensil is visible near the bottom right corner. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

Each ingredient in this Baked Ham with Pineapple Glaze Recipe plays a big role in building those deep flavors and creating a luscious glaze that clings to the ham perfectly. Plus, these are pantry-friendly items you might already have on hand.

Flat lay of a large raw bone-in spiral-sliced ham with a light pink color and visible scoring, a small stack of fresh golden pineapple slices arranged neatly on a simple white ceramic plate, a small white bowl filled with golden honey, another small white bowl containing dark brown sugar crystals, a third small white bowl holding warm cinnamon powder, a tiny white bowl with whole brown cloves, a small white bowl with white cornstarch powder, and a separate small white bowl of clear water, all ingredients fresh and natural, placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Canned pineapple slices: The natural acidity and sweetness give a fresh fruity note while keeping the ham moist.
Honey: Adds an extra layer of natural sweetness and contributes to the glaze’s sticky texture.
Brown sugar or sweetener: Helps caramelize the glaze and adds a rich, molasses-like flavor.
Ground cloves: Provides that warm, aromatic depth that pairs beautifully with the ham’s saltiness.
Cinnamon: Adds subtle spice and rounds out the flavor profile without overpowering the dish.
Cornstarch: Thickens the glaze smoothly without clumping, ensuring it coats the ham evenly.
Water: Used to create the cornstarch slurry so it blends nicely into the glaze.
Fully cooked ham (bone-in, spiral cut preferred): This is the star of the show — bone-in spiral hams tend to stay juicier and are easier to slice.
Maraschino cherries (optional): Adds a pop of color and extra sweetness, making the presentation extra special.
Toothpicks & foil: For securing the fruit and tenting the ham so it bakes just right.

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

I love tweaking the glaze by adding a splash of orange juice or a pinch of cayenne for a bit of heat. You can absolutely personalize this Baked Ham with Pineapple Glaze Recipe to fit your family’s preferences or whatever you have in the pantry—this recipe welcomes creativity!

Variation: One time, I swapped out the pineapple for mango slices and added a hint of ginger to the glaze—it gave it a tropical twist my guests couldn’t get enough of.
Dietary tweak: For a less sweet glaze, reduce the amount of honey and brown sugar by half and balance with extra pineapple juice for tanginess.
Seasonal changes: During the holidays, I sometimes stud the ham with whole cloves instead of ground for a more festive aroma and rustic look.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Baked Ham with Pineapple Glaze Recipe

Step 1: Prep Your Ham and Oven

Start by letting your pre-cooked ham come up to room temperature for about an hour—this helps it cook evenly without drying out or shocking it with a sudden heat change. Meanwhile, set your oven to 325°F (165°C). If your ham isn’t spiral sliced, go ahead and score the surface in a diamond pattern to help the glaze soak in.

Step 2: Whip Up Your Pineapple Glaze

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the brown sugar or sweetener, honey, all the pineapple juice from your canned slices, cinnamon, and ground cloves. Give it a good stir and let it come to a simmer. This usually takes 3-4 minutes—watch for the sugar melting and the blend getting glossy.

Next, mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl to make a slurry. Slowly pour this into your glaze while stirring constantly. This step is key—it thickens your glaze without clumps, giving that perfect sticky finish.

Step 3: Glaze and Prepare for Baking

Place your ham on a foil-lined baking sheet or roasting pan. Gently brush or drizzle the glaze all over the ham, making sure to get it into the cuts or scored lines so every bite is bursting with flavor. Then, use toothpicks to attach the pineapple slices and cherries around the ham’s exterior—that’s where the magic happens in look and taste.

Cover your ham loosely with foil (don’t wrap too tightly, or the glaze will stick)—think of it like tenting it so the heat circulates evenly while keeping it moist.

Step 4: Bake and Baste for That Perfect Finish

Bake for about 1 ½ hours, then carefully remove the foil and baste the ham one more time with the remaining glaze. Put it back in the oven uncovered for around 30 more minutes—this step caramelizes the glaze and adds a beautiful golden finish. Keep an eye on your ham depending on its size (more on timing below).

Step 5: Let It Rest Before Serving

Once out of the oven, give your ham at least 20 minutes to rest. This is my favorite part—it allows the juices to redistribute and keeps each slice nice and juicy when you serve.

Top Tip

Over time, I’ve learned a few tricks that help this Baked Ham with Pineapple Glaze Recipe turn out perfectly every single time. Trust me, these tips save you stress and maximize flavor.

Bring Ham to Room Temperature: Always take your ham out of the fridge at least an hour before baking to avoid uneven cooking or dryness.
Use Cornstarch Slurry for Glaze: Unlike flour, cornstarch thickens the glaze without lumps, giving a smooth, glossy finish that's irresistible.
Don’t Wrap Foil Too Tightly: Tenting the ham allows steam to circulate, keeping the glaze from sticking to foil and preserving that shiny surface.
Know Your Ham Size & Type: Cooking times vary—use 10 minutes per pound for pre-cooked spiral hams, and adjust accordingly for others to prevent over or undercooking.

How to Serve Baked Ham with Pineapple Glaze Recipe

baked ham pineapple glaze - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I love to keep it classic with maraschino cherries and pineapple rings still attached, but fresh rosemary sprigs or a sprinkle of chopped parsley add a lovely freshness and color contrast that really makes the plate pop.

Side Dishes

My go-to sides include creamy scalloped potatoes, roasted green beans with garlic, and a bright, tangy cranberry sauce to balance the ham’s sweetness. If you want something lighter, a crisp apple and fennel slaw adds a refreshing crunch.

Creative Ways to Present

For holiday dinners, I’ve arranged the ham on a big platter lined with leafy greens, surrounded by pineapple chunks, cherry clusters, and fresh citrus slices. It instantly elevates the presentation and has guests oohing before the first bite.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

After enjoying the feast, slice leftover ham into portions and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. I find it keeps best for up to 4 days—perfect for a quick sandwich or adding into scrambled eggs the next morning.

Freezing

You can freeze leftover ham slices by wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap and placing them in freezer bags. I usually thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating, and it still tastes great for up to 3 months.

Reheating

To reheat without drying out the ham, I like to wrap slices in foil and warm them gently in a 300°F oven for 15-20 minutes. Adding a splash of leftover glaze or pineapple juice keeps it moist and flavorful.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use fresh pineapple instead of canned in the Baked Ham with Pineapple Glaze Recipe?

Absolutely! Fresh pineapple will give a vibrant, juicy sweetness but you’ll want to juice it or add a little water to make sure the glaze has enough liquid to cook down and thicken properly.

Do I need to score the ham before glazing in this recipe?

If your ham isn’t spiral cut, scoring helps the glaze penetrate deeper, adding flavor to each bite. For spiral sliced hams, scoring isn’t necessary as those slices already allow easy glaze absorption.

How do I prevent the glaze from sticking to the foil while baking?

To avoid the glaze sticking, tent the foil loosely over the ham rather than wrapping it tightly. This allows the heat to circulate without smearing the glaze all over the foil, keeping that beautiful glossy finish intact.

Can I make the glaze ahead of time?

Yes! You can prepare the glaze a day ahead and store it in the fridge. Warm it gently before glazing your ham, and give it a good stir if any thickening occurs during storage.

Final Thoughts

This Baked Ham with Pineapple Glaze Recipe holds a special place in my kitchen—it’s that perfect blend of sweet and savory that feels like a warm hug at the end of a busy day. I hope you’ll give it a try soon and enjoy the same smiles and leftover lunches that have kept me coming back to it over and over. Plus, it’s one of those recipes where your family and friends will think you spent all day, even though it’s quite manageable to make. So grab a ham, pour some glaze, and make that table a little brighter!