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.
Our family enjoys serving both ham and turkey during the holidays. For tips on cooking turkey, check out this tutorial on How to Cook Turkey Breast in a Roaster Oven or this delicious Turkey Breast Brine.
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
If you are wanting to make ahead of time, follow the instructions all the way through the cooking process. Set aside to cool. Once cool, place in an airtight container and store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. When ready to use, reheat it on half power in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until it is loose.
What to serve with ham
- 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!
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 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 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.
Vickie A says
We bought the precooked ham butts that are not pre-sliced. Will your glaze work for this?
Danielle says
Absolutely! The slices allow for a bit more flavor to seep down into the meat, but this definitely works with your ham. Don't hesitate if you have any other questions. Happy Thanksgiving!
Barbara Raymond says
Hello there! I'm looking forward to trying this recipe for Thanksgiving. Could I use crushed pineapple with a cup of the juice? Thank you!
Danielle says
Hi! You can absolutely strain the juice off of a can of crushed pineapple! As long as you have one cup you will be good to go. I am not sure if you are wondering about adding the crushed pineapple to the glaze as well, so I will answer just in case. We have not tried adding crushed pineapple to the glaze, but in my opinion it will make the glaze too thick and chunky. For the glaze to work best it should be able to glide over and in between the ham slices. Hope that helps! Please feel free to ask if you have any other questions. Happy Thanksgiving!
Phyllis says
Hey all you Borrowed Bites fans,
I just roasted my third ham following this recipe and using my roaster and it was a WINNER! If you have not tried it yet you’re missing out on lots of compliments and a real good feeling of having done something really well.
Thank you Danielle and Misty for helping me to conquer the old dried out ham problem.
Danielle says
So glad to hear!
WILLIE P Hyman says
CANYOUUSE WHOLE PINE PAPPLE AND CHERRIE
Misty says
Hi Willie. We do not use whole pineapple and cherries in the glaze, just pineapple juice. You can add whole pineapple slices to your ham when baking if you wish.
Eleni says
Omg!!! I Made this glaze for a church function and it was a hit! Super delicious!!!
Misty says
We love to hear that, Eleni! Thanks for taking the time to let us know.
Shaina says
What could I use as a substitute for pineapple juice? My husband is allergic, but I still want to try this recipe!
Danielle says
Goodness! I don't know if there is a good substitution. Maybe peach juice/nectar? I haven't tried it so I can't say for sure, but that might be worth trying. I would make the sauce first and taste it to make sure you like it before putting it on the ham. Please let us know if you do try a substitution!
Andrea says
Orange or cherries juice would go well with the spices, I think.
Joann S. says
Superb flavor, my classroom really loved it.
Danielle says
So happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know!
Phyllis says
Hello Danielle and Misty
Well I just have to say that you are right about this glaze making my spiral cut ham taste as good or better than the expensive one that we sometimes spring for. . Never again though. I was so happy with how the glaze and ham turned out. Thank you for your directions. This is a repeat recipe for sure
By the way, my ham was a bit to big for my roaster so I oven cooked it at 260 degrees and tightly covered with heavy duty tin foil. I let it rest a short while and then caramelized it under the broiler. Perfect. Moist and tasty.
Misty says
So glad you liked it!
Phyllis says
Hello Danielle and Misty
Well I just have to say that you are right about this glaze making my spiral cut ham taste as good or better than the expensive one that we sometimes spring for. . Never again though. I was so happy with how the glaze and ham turned out. Thank you for your directions. This is a repeat recipe for sure
Mia says
I use this glaze on your "Glazed Ham In A Roaster" recipe. It was amazing. The thick consistency helped the glaze stick to the ham and get into the sliced pieces. This will be by "go to" recipe for ham glaze.
Danielle says
So happy to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. It really does make our day!
Lori says
Hi do you cook the ham covered after putting glaze on or not? I covered with foil but doesn’t seem to be getting caramelized after 30 mins. And what temp? Thank you.
Danielle says
The glaze will not caramelize if it is covered in foil. The cooking instructions for ham vary widely depending on the type of ham you are cooking and the method of cooking. Once the ham is cooked through you can broil the glaze to caramelize it. If you are cooking a spiral ham in an electric rooster we have step-by-step instructions for that. For the recipe type "ham" in the search bar. Happy eating!
ESTHER says
Can you let us know how long to cook in oven and 300 or 350 heat? Thank you.
Danielle says
Esther,
We usually cook our ham in an electric roaster. That recipe is linked in the post. You could try modifying the electric roaster recipe for a regular oven, but I haven't done that so I can't tell you for sure how long it would take. If you give it a try please let us know how it turns out!
Mike says
How to reduce the recipe for smaller amounts.
Misty says
Hi Mike, you can use half the ingredients if you would like to make a small batch. Enjoy!
Bradley D Tjapkes says
I have been baking and glazing hams for 40 years and this year I found this glaze recipe. I always get compliment on my ham gravy made with ham drippings and glaze bot today for Christmas dinner I got wow!
I love the flavor and that it is thick and sticks to the ham with better coverage.
This recipe is a winner!
Misty says
Wow, what high praise! We're so glad you liked it. Thank you for sharing.
Kenny Harge says
Please send me all the delicious recipes listed here
Danielle says
To find any of the recipes listed jut click on the colored words. That will take you right to what you are looking for.