This is the best ever Pineapple Glaze for Ham! Made in just 10 minutes, this easy glaze is packed with brown sugar, pineapple juice, and simple spices. Slather over a moist, tender ham for an addictive holiday meal with tons of flavor and sticky, caramelized edges.
This doesn't have to be the only star of your holiday table! Check out all of our most favorite Thanksgiving Recipes for more inspiration!
The fastest, easiest way to make ham taste AMAZING is adding a glaze. This pineapple ham glaze is ultra-sticky and sweet, with tons more flavor than the little brown sugar glaze packet that comes with many store bought ones. It adds that wow factor to your Christmas or Easter table!
This is our go-to glaze for our Electric Roaster Ham recipe. But it is equally delicious on a classic baked ham or spiral ham recipe for your Christmas dinner or favorite Easter Recipes. Also try our 3-Ingredient Ham Glaze for another simple but amazing option.
Serve this with other holiday favorites like scalloped potatoes, pull apart bread, and spicy bacon deviled eggs!
Omg!!! I Made this glaze for a church function and it was a hit! Super delicious!!!
- Eleni
Why this recipe is great
- Quick & Easy: Simple recipe with a cooking time of 10 minutes!
- Rave Worthy: Better than Honey Baked Ham - for real!
- Sticky Glaze: Flavorful and adheres perfectly without chopping any fresh pineapple!
- Thick & Rich: The consistency of this helps it caramelize beautifully! 🤤🤤🤤
- Versatile: Great for spiral cut ham, boneless ham, ham steaks, or even pork chops!
Ingredients for pineapple glaze for ham
It appears to be quite a few ingredients, but each one makes a true difference in the final flavor. Here are some suggestions to ensure best results; quantities are in the recipe card below.
- Pineapple juice: You can use the juice from canned pineapple slices or pineapple chunks, or just buy juice. You will need one cup total.
- Brown sugar: We prefer light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar can be used.
- Cornstarch: Just a touch to thicken. This should be stirred into the glaze while it is room temperature, before you start cooking it to avoid clumps.
- Butter: We use salted, but unsalted butter is fine too.
- Stone ground mustard: You can substitute with dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard instead.
- Seasonings: You’ll need garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, paprika, nutmeg, and cloves.
How to make pineapple ham glaze
These step-by-step instructions show how easy it is to make a homemade glaze in just minutes.
Start by whisking everything together in a medium saucepan. You want the mixture to be fully combined without any lumps.
Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often. Once simmering, cook for one minute, or until it is slightly thickened. Keep in mind that it will thicken a bit more as it cools.
Remove the glaze from the heat, being careful not to overcook it so that it doesn't get too thick.
If you're making this ahead, see the storage instructions below. If you're using it immediately, brush the pineapple glaze on the entire outside of the ham. It is is spiraled, be sure to separate the slices gently and allow some of the glaze to drip in between.
Make ahead and storage instructions
You can make this pineapple ham glaze ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. The next day or when ready to use, reheat it on half power in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until it is loose.
Do you glaze a ham before or after baking?
Both! We glaze ours before baking it, then add another layer after it bakes to get those really sticky edges. We also love to broil it for just a couple minutes at the end to caramelize it slightly.
FAQs
This recipe makes about 1.5 cups of pineapple glaze, which is enough for a 9-12 pound spiral cut whole ham.
You can use pineapple glaze for ham of all kinds. Our family favorite is spiral sliced, however this would work on any bone-in or even steaks if that is your preference.
Ham glaze is a must for a stunning holiday main, namely because it adds lots of flavor! However it also restores some moisture to a sometimes dry meat, and gives it a delicious sticky, caramelized texture.
yes, orange juice can be used as a substitute for pineapple juice when making pineapple ham glaze.
Tips & tricks
- Whisk the it really well before and during cooking to prevent the cornstarch from clumping.
- Don’t simmer the sweet glaze too long or it will become too thick.
- If reheating, use a low heat on the stove or half power in the microwave until it is loose enough to brush.
- Brush a little glaze on leftover ham to make it as delicious as the first time!
More holiday recipes
- Ham in Electric Roaster - A great option for keeping the oven free during big holiday meals! The main dish ham bakes in a disposable roasting pan for an easy way to clean up!
- Make Ahead Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes - One of the family favorite recipes! Cover with aluminum foil and freeze for a delicious make-ahead side dish!
- Pull apart bread - Made with frozen dinner rolls for the best shortcut!
- Spicy bacon deviled eggs - Always gone in a heartbeat!
- Savory Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe - Filled with flavorful herbs, parmesan, and a crunchy pecan topping!
- Fresh Green Beans with Bacon - The most delicious way to round out your Thanksgiving dinner menu!
- Buttery Frozen Dinner Rolls - An easy recipe to have on hand when the holidays roll around!
- Easy 3 Ingredient Sweet Potato Mash Recipe - Health, easy, and totally customizable!
Recipe
BEST Pineapple Glaze for Ham (Easy & Classic Recipe!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup pineapple juice (canned or bottled)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard or dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
Instructions
- Whisk everything together in a small saucepan off the heat.1 cup pineapple juice, 1 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until simmering gently. Once simmering, cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
- Use on a ham or store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
- We love comments! Please come back and leave us one after you’ve tried this recipe.
Notes
- Whisk the glaze really well before and during cooking to prevent the cornstarch from clumping.
- Don’t simmer the glaze too long or it will become too thick.
- If reheating, use a low heat on the stove or half power in the microwave until it is loose enough to brush.
- Brush a little extra glaze on leftover ham to make it as delicious as the first time!
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Christine Hehrer says
This was absolutely delicious! This sauce was such a perfect compliment to the ham. I loved it so much i happily ate the left overs for several days and loved it each time. I even saved the left over sauce and froze it, i now use it like a gravy on mashed potatoes when i make them lol, its so stinking good!!
Danielle says
This comment made my day! We are so happy to hear that you are ready to pour it on all the things. Haha! It really is that good!
Derick Warne says
Hi, what oven setting and for how long?
Danielle says
We usually make our ham in an electric roaster (search on the site for "ham in roaster") and those instructions can probably be applied to a regular oven. Or follow the instructions that come on your ham just using this glaze.
Rebecca Y says
I must confess, I have not tried this recipe as written. That being said I believe it would be amazing based on reviews I’ve read. I did, however love most of the components to the recipe so used it as a sort of base for what I envisioned. I am not a fan of the typical pineapple ring/maraschino cherry glazed ham. I think it’s very outdated and needs revamping. So I kind of did that. I used most ingredients as written, however I did leave out the cornstarch, doubled the stone ground mustard, halved the brown sugar, and added an entire 13 oz jar of Bonne Maman cherry preserves. The pectin in the preserves acts as the thickener that the cornstarch would provide. And since the preserves are sweet as is I reduced the brown sugar and doubled the mustard. I also added a couple chopped chipotle peppers for a decent kick. I love spicy things and the two I add are sufficient for that. It can be reduced or omitted if desired. I bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 15 minutes or until desired thickness is achieved.
Misty says
Hi Rebecca! I am glad you found something you liked. The added spice sounds yummy 🙂