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Brown Sugar Ham Glaze

Brown Sugar Ham Glaze is a thick, glossy, amber glaze made by simmering packed brown sugar, honey, and fruit juice with Dijon and warm spices. Brush it on a fully cooked ham during the final baking window for shiny drips and a sweet-savory finish.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 180
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Brown sugar glaze
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 0.25 cup 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. Stir until the mixture looks evenly combined.
  2. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring so the sugar dissolves. Stop when you see steady bubbling and the liquid looks uniform.
  3. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy. The glaze should coat the spoon lightly and look shiny.
Glaze the ham
  1. Brush the warm glaze over a fully cooked ham during the last 30 minutes of baking. Aim for a glossy layer across the scored surface.
  2. Brush on additional glaze every 10 minutes during the remaining baking time. Watch for glossy drips settling into the diamond pattern.
  3. Spoon the remaining warm glaze over sliced ham at the table. Use any extra to keep each slice shiny and well coated.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the glaze warm so it stays brushable—if it thickens too much, re-warm it gently over low heat. Store leftover glaze in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; reheat in a small saucepan with a splash of water if needed. Freezing is not recommended because the texture may thin when thawed. For a gluten-free swap, ensure any mustard you use is labeled gluten-free—this recipe is otherwise naturally gluten-free.