We know what makes a next-level Pineapple Glaze for Ham after 30 years of cooking for an large extended family. The secret is in the balance of spices, plus the sweetness of the pineapple juice and brown sugar. Together, they create a sticky, flavorful glaze that clings to the ham and caramelizes beautifully as it cooks. Slather it over a moist, tender ham for a crowd winning main dish.
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!
This Ham Glaze with Pineapple is the fastest and easiest way to make your ham something truly special. It has so much more flavor than the little brown sugar glaze packet that comes with many store-bought hams, and it only takes a few minutes to make.
Omg!!! I Made this glaze for a church function and it was a hit! Super delicious!!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Eleni
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.
Recipe Notes from Danielle & Misty
We take our meat seriously around here. For years, we bought the Honey Baked Hams, but as their cost kept increasing, we started looking for a more cost-efficient option. I must say, we nailed one that arguably better!
We started by testing the juice for sweetness and flavor. We tried orange, pineapple, and apple, but the background flavor and brightness in the pineapple juice proved to be the winner. Then we moved on to getting the balance of spices correct.
Brown sugar gives the deep sweetness we wanted, plus it provides the sticky consistency needed for it to cling to the ham. The end result is a caramelized, truly flavorful ham.
Omg!!! I Made this glaze for a church function and it was a hit! Super delicious!!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Eleni
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 for an even deeper flavor.
- 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.
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.
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 recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Pineapple Ham Glaze 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 tbsp cornstarch, 2 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp stone ground mustard, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp paprika, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ⅛ tsp 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.
Notes
- 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!
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.
Rick says
This is the worst glaze I have ever used. The recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of cornstarch! That much corn starch caused the "Glaze" to turn into a thick globby mess. Too thick to coat the ham and not very tasty.
Danielle says
Rick,
I am so sorry to hear you did not have success with this recipe. It is one of our highest and most praised recipes, so I am confident in it. I would love to help troubleshoot it for you. When cornstarch is cooked at too high a temperature or for too long, it gets gloppy. If you choose to make this again, please be careful with your cooking temperature, it should just simmer - no boiling - and only cook until just starting to thicken. It will look loose but will thicken as it cools. If you have any other questions or concerns, we would love to help!
Terri Rodebaugh says
This is delicious! It will be my go to ham glaze from now on!!!!
Danielle says
We love to hear comments like this! Thank you for letting us know how much you enjoy it!
Chris Kemp says
Made a wonderful difference !
Misty says
We love to hear that!
Courtney Wells says
I've used this recipe for every ham or pork roast I've cooked for the past 2 years. It is the best!
Misty says
Hi Courtney! We absolutely love to hear that!! Thank you for taking the time to share!
Mrs Harry says
Family really enjoyed it! Thank you. This recipe a keeper!
Misty says
Glad you liked it!
Mike says
Wow. Just made this for the first time. Smells and looks great. Using it tomorrow on our Easter ham.
Misty says
We hope you love it!
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 🙂