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Brown Sugar Ham Glaze

Brown Sugar Ham Glaze with a glossy, amber finish—simmered until slightly thickened and brushed onto a scored, fully cooked ham. Sticky-sweet glaze clings to every diamond pattern for a lacquered look.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Brown sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar Packed
  • 1 honey
  • 0.25 cup pineapple or orange juice
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp ground cloves

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Make the glaze
  1. Combine brown sugar, honey, pineapple or orange juice, Dijon mustard, butter, apple cider vinegar, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves in a saucepan.
  2. Bring to a simmer over medium heat while stirring until the sugar fully dissolves.
  3. Simmer 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy, then remove from the heat.
Glaze the ham
  1. Brush the glaze over a fully cooked ham during the last 30 minutes of baking.
  2. Brush again every 10 minutes with fresh glaze from the saucepan for a lacquered finish.
  3. Spoon the remaining warm glaze over sliced ham at the table.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep the glaze warm so it stays brushable and pourable—stir occasionally as it thickens. Refrigerate leftover glaze in a sealed container up to 5 days; rewarm gently on low heat to loosen. Freezing is not recommended for best texture. For a lower-sugar option, use a brown sugar substitute labeled for 1:1 baking measurements and keep the simmer time the same.