Learn how to cook a Costco spiral ham (or any spiral ham) without drying it out. I’ll walk you through the oven, crockpot, and electric roaster methods, plus the honey glaze that makes this one worth repeating every holiday.
Spiral ham is a holiday favorite, but it doesn’t have to cost a HoneyBaked price. It’s also just as easy for Sunday dinners, not just special occasions.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Kelly raved, “Turned out perfect! I used the oven method. I also forgot the cinnamon lol. Still excellent 🥰”
Stop Overcooking Your Spiral Ham. Here’s What Actually Works
I’ve been making spiral ham for years, and I’ve got it down to one rule: low and slow. Pre-sliced hams overcook fast, but keep the heat gentle, and every slice stays moist.
The honey glaze does the rest, sweet, sticky, caramelized, the kind of crust you’d swear came from a bakery counter. I’ll show you how to make it work in the oven, crockpot, or electric roaster, whatever you’ve got going that day.
I always reach for Costco’s spiral ham, good quality, good price, but any spiral-cut ham works here. Skip the HoneyBaked Ham markup and get that same tender result for a fraction of the cost.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Patrick shared: “This is a fantastic alternative to the pre-cooked store-bought ham. I swapped in orange marmalade, maple syrup, and Saigon cinnamon for my glaze, and tucked orange slices around the ham in the crock. Everybody loved it, the smell in the house was incredible!”
Why You’ll Love Cooking Spiral Ham
- Pre-sliced ham | Whether you choose a Costco ham, grocery store ham, or a Kirkland Ham, as long as you are cooking a Spiral-Sliced Ham, you are good!
- Never Dry | This honey-baked ham recipe starts in the crock pot, keeping your whole ham moist and juicy. Low heat or low and slow is the way to get the best ham without drying it out!
- Tried and True | A tested recipe amongst family and friends, and readers too!
Absolutely loved this recipe, everyone raved about it. This is the only way I will cook my ham from now on!
Lori
Spiral Ham Cooking Times at a Glance
Here’s the quick answer: a spiral ham takes about 10 to 15 minutes per pound, no matter the method. For the exact cook time by weight and cooking method, see the chart below.
| METHOD | TIME | TEMPERATURE |
|---|---|---|
| Crockpot | 3-4 hours (7-10 lb ham) | LOW (do not cook on high) |
| Oven | 10-15 min/lb (7 lb: 1 hr 24 min · 8 lb: 1 hr 36 min · 9 lb: 1 hr 48 min · 10 lb: 2 hrs) | 275°F (135°C), covered |
| Electric Roaster | 15-20 min/lb (8 lb ham: about 2 hours) | 275°F (135°C), covered |
| Glaze (all methods) | 1-3 min per glaze layer, watch closely | 475°F (245°C) or broil |
Want the full breakdown by weight? Jump to the complete chart further down, or keep reading for step-by-step instructions for each method.
My family requests ham for every holiday meal; we typically have ham at Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner, and Easter dinner! Just think of the savings on Honeybaked Ham, times three! Plus I can guarantee you will love this easy and great way to warm your spiral-sliced ham.
Then after the meal, I will serve up my award-winning Key Lime Pie, this crazy good no-bake Tiramisu, a simple classic Shortbread recipe or my gluten-free apple pie.
The point is, I love this Honey Glazed Spiral Ham Recipe, and I think you will too! So let’s dive into how to cook spiral ham without drying it out!
Spiral Ham Recipe Ingredients
- Spiral Sliced Ham | Get the bone-in spiral cut ham to make your life much easier! We love Costco Spiral Ham; it’s gluten-free, vegetarian-fed, antibiotic-free, and much cheaper than other spiral hams. You can toss the spice packet it comes with.
Honey Glaze Ingredients
- Butter | Butter makes everything better! But in this recipe, the melted butter. Use real butter here, salted or unsalted, your choice!
- Honey and Sugar | Honey is used for the ham honey glaze; the sugar combines with all the fragrant spices to form that iconic candied topping of authentic HoneyBaked ham. I use all-natural cane sugar, but you could use brown or white sugar.
- Seasonings | I use are seasoned salt, onion powder, garlic powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, ground clove, smoked paprika, and allspice.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
Tools for Cooking Spiral Ham
- I love this travel-friendly crockpot! Plus, it fits your ham easily!
- Large Roasting Pan: I have this shallow roasting pan which I got on sale (watch for sales in October) or check out this more economical one.
How to Cook Spiral Ham in the Crock Pot
Step 1 | Prep ham
Bring the ham to room temperature for about 60 minutes before putting it in the crockpot.
Remove the plastic that encases the ham and pour the juices into the bottom of your slow cooker (flavor hack!). Trim the ham to fit into the crockpot, especially if it is larger than 8 pounds. Don’t worry; you can still tuck those pieces into the slow cooker.
Remove any plastic discs from the ham bone and discard the ham glaze mixture that comes with the Costco ham; pat the ham dry with paper towels.
Place ham in slow cooker (crockpot) flat side down, trimming additional pieces if necessary to fit. If the lid won’t fit, you can cover it in heavy-duty aluminum foil, then place the lid on top, creating a seal.
Step 2 | Add homemade honey butter
Combine the melted butter and honey in a small bowl, mixing well. Then, massage the mix into all the slices, spoon into the crevices of the precooked ham. For maximum flavor, make sure you get the honey-butter glaze between the slices.
Step 3 | How long to cook a spiral ham
Flip the ham flat side down into the crockpot and cook covered on LOW for 3-4 hours. Do not cook on HIGH for this recipe, as it will dry it out, which we are trying to avoid. Nobody likes dry ham!
Do not cook longer than this in the crockpot, because ham can dry out even in a crockpot.
Step 4 | How to Glaze HoneyBaked Ham (all methods)
Prep your roasting pan, if desired, line the bottom of the pan with foil for easier clean-up and if you have one, add a roasting rack.
Make a sugar-spice glaze mixture
Once the ham is warmed through (crockpot, oven-baked, or roaster method), mix your sugar and spices in a small bowl, divide into two bowls, and set aside one.
Move the oven rack to the lower part of the oven, making sure you have room to fit your roaster (with ham), and then turn the oven to broil.
Rub half of the sugar-and-spice mixture over the entire surface of the ham, sliced side up.
Initial sugar glaze
If you prefer room-temperature ham, you may skip warming the ham in the crockpot, but make sure you take it out of the fridge for 30-60 minutes before starting. Then add the honey butter glaze and sugar crust.
Place the sugar-coated ham uncovered under the broiler and watch until it is bubbling – don’t walk away; it can easily burn in this step! Remove from oven for final glaze.
Mix the Glaze
Add the remaining half of the sugar and spice mix to a small saucepan along with the ham juices. You can also use pineapple juice, water, or, my favorite, a little ham juice and a splash of bourbon*! Bring the mixture to a boil and remove it from the heat. This part only takes about a minute, sugar burns! So stir often and watch the pan.
*I like to add a splash of bourbon or whiskey to the glaze, then bring it to a boil. The alcohol will burn off, but you will have a flavorful ham!
Step 5 | Allow the ham to rest
Remove the ham from the oven and let the ham rest for 5-10 minutes to lock in all those gorgeous spice flavors and ham juices. Then slice, transfer to a platter, and enjoy your Honey-Glazed Ham Recipe, warm or cold! And that, my friends, is how to cook Kirkland spiral ham with glaze!
How to cook spiral ham in the oven
Place the ham in a roasting pan, with or without a rack, and add any juices collected in the packaging to the pan. Let the spiral-cut ham sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes. Add the honey butter glaze, and cover the pan with aluminum foil to retain moisture and flavor, similar to the crockpot method.
- Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C) and move the rack to the lower third of the oven.
- Remove any plastic pieces covering the ham bone, pat the ham dry with paper towels, and place it flat-side down in the pan.
- Rub or brush the entire ham with the honey-butter mixture, distributing the sweet glaze between the ham slices.
- Cover the roasting pan with a heavy-duty sheet of tinfoil.
- Place ham in a preheated 275° F (135° C) oven and bake according to your ham size. Some say 10-15 minutes others say 12-15 minutes per pound. The best way to determine when it’s heated through is using a meat thermometer; the internal temperature should be 140° F.
- Finally, apply sugar glaze as directed.
Variations for Costco Spiral Ham
- Want to make a larger Slow Cooker Spiral Ham? If your ham is larger than 8 pounds, you may need to trim it to fit in the crock. Otherwise, you may want to get two spiral-cut hams and borrow the neighbor’s slow cooker for the day to run two at a time. Or if you have one of these roasters that will work great too! Also great for roasted turkey!
- Gluten-free Honey Ham Recipe: According to Celiac.com, Costco ham or Kirkland Spiral Ham is gluten-free in the US. Canadian Costco Ham lost its gluten-free label, so be sure to double-check. Make sure your spices are all GF and the rest is cake – or honey ham.
- No honey? Try using maple syrup instead!
- Swap all-natural cane sugar for a mix of brown sugar and regular sugar.
- Want a completely different glaze? Try my Coca-Cola Ham with Bourbon Glaze or Orange Glazed Ham for a totally different flavor direction.
4 Additional Ham Glaze Options
Maybe a honey-glazed ham isn’t your thing; here are a few ideas for Costco ham!
- Honey Mustard Glaze: Mix ½ cup honey, ¼ cup Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Brush generously over spiral-sliced ham before baking, and baste occasionally while baking.
- Brown Sugar and Pineapple Glaze: In a small saucepan, mix 1 cup brown sugar, ¼ cup pineapple juice, ¼ cup honey, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth. Brush glaze over ham, ensuring it gets between slices before baking or warming. Optionally, baste occasionally during baking.
- Maple and Bourbon Glaze: In a small saucepan, mix ½ cup maple syrup, ¼ cup bourbon, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, and fresh grated nutmeg. Simmer over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Brush the glaze between ham slices before baking.
- Spicy Jam and Adobo Glaze: Mix ½ cup fruit jam (apricot, cherry, peach), 2 tablespoons adobo sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, and 1 teaspoon cumin in a pan over medium heat until combined and sugars dissolve. Brush generously over ham, between slices, and bake per instructions.
Tips for Cooking a Spiral Ham
- My Kirkland Spiral Sliced 10-pound ham fit (with a little trimming) in my 7-quart crock pot.
- Most hams come pre-cooked, and warming them through is optional. If you are worried about it being warmed through, the best way to check the internal temperature is using a meat thermometer; it should read 140 degrees F. However, ham is safe to eat straight from the packaging (make sure it says precooked); it’s just nice to warm it.
- Spiral-sliced hams take 10-15 minutes per pound at 275°F (135 °C), so an 8-pound ham takes about an hour and forty minutes.
- Typically, the proper estimate for a ham is about ½ pound per person for a bone-in ham, and ⅓ of a pound of ham for boneless hams.
- Also, keep in mind that when serving a ham, there are usually amazing side dishes and decadent desserts. Some will eat more than others, and some will eat less! For instance, an 8-pound bone-in ham will feed 12-16 people.
Pro Tip: Invest in a quality Instant-Read Meat Thermometer
How Long to Cook a Spiral Ham (Ham Cooking Chart)
| METHOD | TIME | TEMPERATURE |
|---|---|---|
| CROCKPOT | Warm: 7-10 pound ham | LOW 3-4 hours (do not cook on high) |
| OVEN | Warm: 10-15 minutes per pound Estimates based on 12 minutes per lb 7 lbs – 1 hour, 24 minutes (approx) 8 lb – 1 hour 36 minutes (approx) 9 lb – 1 hour, 48 minutes (approx) 10 lb – 2 hours (approx) 11 lb – 2 hours, 12 minutes (approx) | 275° F /(135° C)(covered) / 135°C |
| ELECTRIC ROASTER | Place a meat thermometer to alert you when the ham reaches 140° F. The ham will take 15-20 minutes per pound to heat through. An eight-pound ham takes just over 2 hours to heat | 275° F (135° C) (covered) |
| GLAZE (all cooking methods) | All Methods watch closely! 1-3 minutes for the initial sugar glaze 1-3 minutes for the final sugar glaze | 475° F (245° C) or Broil |
Storing this Spiral Ham Recipe
Storing honey baked ham is easy!
- Cool the meat and place it in an airtight container or Ziploc baggies in the refrigerator for 4 or 5 days and munch away.
- Chop the meat into cubes and seal it in a freezer ziplock bag to make Mac & Cheese Soup with ham or this yummy instant pot scalloped potatoes and ham.
- Or freeze the leftover ham slices in an airtight container. Then pull out and thaw to make these crazy popular Funeral Sandwiches.
How to reheat leftover spiral-sliced ham
To warm up leftovers in a regular oven, you’ll want to wrap the whole ham or just the portion you’re heating in heavy duty aluminum foil. Pop it in the oven set at 325° F (165° C) and let it heat up for roughly 10 minutes per pound. Alternatively, if you’re just reheating individual slices, you can do so in a skillet or microwave.
Cooking Spiral Ham FAQs
Well, sure, in theory you could use a boneless ham. However, they are typically not spiral cut. Bone-in ham maintains flavor, tastes better, and keeps moisture in the meat and is typically spiral cut.
Instant Pot Spiral Ham is similar to slow cooker or crock pot ham, with two main differences: Instant Pots are tall, not long like slow cookers, so ensure your ham fits and use the slow cooker function on the Instant Pot for full flavor. Slow cookers are ideal for a low and slow. But for a quick cook of a cold, fresh ham, choose Instant Pot Spiral Ham instead.
Black forest ham is a German recipe, dry-cured with salt and spices, and cold-smoked for up to three months. Honey ham, a bone-in ham infused with honey, usually features a sugary crust, mimicking the famous Honey Baked Ham Brand.
All smoked hams are precooked, so when heating spiral ham, you’re simply warming it. You can eat smoked hams cold or warmed. Depending on your method, it takes 10-15 minutes per pound. See my heating chart for details.
Recommended Tools
- This is my go-to roasting pan and rack.
Best Sides to Serve with Costco Spiral Ham
Try a few of our popular and favorite sides to serve with your Costco ham!
Leftover Ham Recipes
Watch closely under the broiler. Sugar, butter, and high heat burn fast; don’t walk away.
Like this recipe?
Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and leave a comment below the recipe!
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 7-10 pound bone-in spiral cut ham remove from fridge 30-60 minutes before warming, pat dry with paper towels
- 2-3 tablespoons butter melted
- 3-4 tablespoons honey
- 1-1 ½ cups sugar I used all-natural cane sugar, use a little more for larger hams.
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼-½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika regular may also be used
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
Instructions
Warming Spiral Sliced Ham in Crockpot (other methods see notes)
- Trim ham, especially if your ham is larger than 8 pounds, don’t worry you can still tuck those pieces into the slow cooker. Be sure to remove any plastic discs from ham bone and discard ham glaze mixture that comes with ham. Make sure the ham will fit with the lid on in the crockpot.7-10 pound bone-in spiral cut ham
- Using paper towels, pat the ham dry before applying any glaze.
- Place ham (and pieces) into slow cooker, ensuring your lid will still fit, trim additional if needed. My last ham was 10.55 pounds and still fit my 7-quart crock pot.
- Combine melted butter and honey in a small bowl (use larger amounts for a larger ham). Massage all over ham, between slices as much as possible. Turn so that ham sits flat side down and cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours. Do not cook on high, this will dry out your ham.If your lid doesn't fit, wrap crockpot in heavy duty aluminum foil and place cover on top. See notes if you prefer room temperature ham.2-3 tablespoons butter, 3-4 tablespoons honey
- After your ham is warmed through, preheat the broiler to HIGH or 475° F, and place a rack in the lower portion of the oven, making sure your ham and roaster will fit easily. For less mess, line a roasting pan with heavy duty aluminum foil.
- Combine sugar, seasoning salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, smoked paprika, allspice in a small bowl. Split into two equal batches. Rub or pat half of the sugar mixture all over the top of the ham. Place ham spiral cut side up in roasting pan. If you have a larger ham, use the larger amounts. Reserving the other half.1-1 ½ cups sugar, ½ teaspoon seasoned salt, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼-½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- Broil ham for 2-3 minutes (watching closely), until bubbly and candied, remove from oven. Or preheat to 475° F (245° C) and watch closely.
- Add remaining sugar mixture to a small saucepan, pouring in 3 tablespoons of water or ham juices (I prefer ham juices for optimal flavor). I also add an additional splash 1-2 ounces) of bourbon or whisky to the glaze. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, boil for one minute, remove from heat.
- Pour or brush glaze over the ham and between slices, place cut side up in roasting pan, then caramelize at 475° or broil again for 1-2 minutes (again, watch to make sure it doesn’t burn). Remove from oven and allow ham to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Allow to sit 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving, do not cover, you don't want the crusty sugar glaze to soften.
Notes
- Preheat the oven to 275° F (135° C) and adjust the oven rack to the lower third of the oven.
- Remove any plastic pieces covering the ham bone, pat the ham dry with paper towels, and place it flat-side down in the pan.
- Rub or brush the entire ham with the honey-butter mixture, distributing the sweet glaze between the ham slices. (Step 4 above)
- Cover the roasting pan with a heavy-duty sheet of tinfoil.
- Place the ham in a preheated 275° F (135° C) oven and bake according to its size, 10-15 minutes per pound. Using a meat thermometer; the internal temperature should be 140° F.
- Finally, apply sugar glaze as directed in Steps 5-10.
How Long to Cook a Spiral Ham
| METHOD | TIME | TEMPERATURE |
|---|---|---|
| CROCKPOT | Warm: 7-10 pound ham | LOW 3-4 hours (do not cook on high) |
| OVEN | Warm: 10-15 minutes per pound Estimates based on 12 minutes per lb 7 lbs – 1 hour, 24 minutes (approx) 8 lb – 1 hour 36 minutes (approx) 9 lb – 1 hour, 48 minutes (approx) 10 lb – 2 hours (approx) 11 lb – 2 hours, 12 minutes (approx) |
275° F /(135° C)(covered) / 135°C |
| ELECTRIC ROASTER | Place a meat thermometer to alert you when the ham reaches 140° F. The ham will take 15-20 minutes per pound to heat through. An eight-pound ham takes just over 2 hours to heat | 275° F (135° C) (covered) |
| GLAZE (all cooking methods) | All Methods watch closely! 1-3 minutes for the initial sugar glaze 1-3 minutes for the final sugar glaze |
475° F (245° C) or Broil Rack in lower third of oven. |
Nutrition
Dawn
Our Christmas meal included 4 of your recipes! And all of them hits! My husband and I thought it would be just the 2 of us this year, but our number grew as friends from church found themselves solo or without a plan. So I added side dishes to stretch the meal. Everyone loved the ham. And the Cowboy Beans. And the yeast rolls. And the Key Lime Pie? I think it may be one of my new favorite desserts. And I’ve never been a key lime pie fan! Thank you for joining us at our table, Kathleen, and making our Christmas meal one to remember.
Makes my heart so happy and I can’t stop smiling!! Thank you and I love that your table kept growing!!!
Cyn
We are going to camp with friends. Can I make the ham a day ahead and warm it the following evening without drying it out?
You sure could Cyn, bring some of the juices from the crockpot with you and be sure to warm with the juices covered preferably and just until warm. Don’t overdue it. Have fun camping!
Angela
We made this on the weekend and have been enjoying the leftovers this week. The flavour combination is far superior to what we’ve had before and the ham stayed nice and tender. Great recipe!
So glad you loved it Angela!
Tayler
This is our go to ham recipe! We’ve made it several times and it always turns out perfectly!
Thanks so much Tayler!