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Recipes › Holidays › Holiday Main Dish
58 Comments

How to Cook Spiral Ham

Kathleen

by Kathleen Pope Mar 11, 2025

Jump to Recipe

Easy Copycat Honeybaked ham recipe pin with image of spiral sliced ham in roaster, great holiday recipe.
Best Honey Baked Ham recipe pin with close up of crusted ham with sugar glaze.
Pin for how to make a spiral sliced ham without drying it out, honey baked ham close up with spirals of sugar crusted ham.
Long pin for Honeybaked ham, a copycat recipe. Top image showing pouring sugar glaze over top of ham, bottom image of slices of ham juicy and sweet on a plate.

Learn how to cook Costco’s spiral ham—or any spiral ham—without drying it out! I’ll show you a quick honey ham glaze recipe and easy tips for cooking it in the oven, crockpot, or electric roaster for any special occasion.

Spiral ham is a holiday favorite, but it can be expensive. I’ll show you how to cook a Costco spiral ham at home for much less, without drying it out. With my easy honey ham glaze and simple cooking tips, you’ll have a tender, flavorful ham every time.

Real Reader Review: “Turned out perfect! I used the oven method. I also forgot the cinnamon lol. Still excellent 🥰“” — Kelly

Spiral sliced ham with honey baked ham glaze in roasting pan.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure & privacy policy.

I enjoy giving precise details in my recipe posts to lead my readers through any questions. If you’re just here for the printable recipe, use the Jump to Recipe to head straight there!

  • Cooking a Spiral Ham with glaze
  • You'll love Cooking Spiral Ham
  • Spiral Ham Recipe Ingredients
  • Recommended Tools
  • How to a Cook Spiral Ham in the oven
  • Step 4 | How to Glaze HoneyBaked Ham (all methods)
  • Step 5 | Allow the ham to rest
  • How to Cook Spiral Ham in the oven
  • Spiral Ham Recipe Variations
  • Tips for Cooking Spiral Ham
  • Storing Spiral Ham
  • Spiral Ham FAQs
  • Recommended Tools
  • Best Sides to Serve with Costco Spiral Ham
  • Best desserts to serve with spiral ham
  • Leftover Ham Recipes
  • Cooking a Spiral Ham

Cooking a Spiral Ham with glaze

I’ve been making spiral ham for years, and over time, I’ve perfected the method to keep it tender and juicy without drying it out. After experimenting with different glazes, cooking times, and methods, I’ve found that a simple honey glaze is the key to elevating the flavor of any spiral-cut ham. Whether you’re hosting a holiday gathering or a casual dinner, I’ll walk you through the foolproof steps.

One thing I’ve noticed is that while pre-sliced hams are convenient, it’s easy to overcook them. My secret? Cook it low and slow, which helps keep all those slices moist and full of flavor. Plus, I’ve included easy tips for cooking in the oven, crockpot, or electric roaster, so you’ll have options based on what works best for you.

I love using Costco’s spiral ham for its quality and price, but these tips work for any spiral ham. With my foolproof glaze and cooking method, you can skip the pricey HoneyBaked Ham and still get that same tender, flavorful result—at a fraction of the cost!

Patrick, one of my readers, shared: “This is a fantastic alternative to the pre-cooked store bought ham… I did change a few things, my base consisted orange marmalade, real honey, pure maple syrup, Saigon Cinnamon, with a melted half stick. I also took a large Navel orange and inserted slices in the ham and around the crock. This one was about 8.8 pounds in a 6 quart crock. I followed your steps and saved all the “trimmed” pieces and included them within the crock down low. Brushed and drizzled my mixture the same. Everybody love the ham ! ! The smell in the home was incredible… thank you!!”

You’ll love Cooking Spiral Ham

  • Pre-sliced ham | Whether you choose to get 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 is started in the crock pot, making your whole ham even more moist and juicy. Low heat or low and slow is 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
Costco Spiral ham glazed with honey ham glaze.
How to cook Kirkland spiral ham with glaze

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 try 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 sliced ham to make your life much easier! We love Costco Spiral Ham, it’s gluten-free, vegetarian-fed and antibiotic-free and much cheaper than other spiral hams.

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 white granulated or brown sugar. 
  • Seasonings | I use are seasoned salt, onion powder, garlic powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, ground cloves, smoked paprika, and allspice.

Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.

Labeled ingredients for Costco Spiral Ham. Whole bone-in spiral ham, sugar, butter, honey, spices on plate.
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Crockpot 7 quart programmable slow cooker.

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  • Shallow Roasting Pan | You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg on a roasting pan you might only use 2-4 times a year. Wait for sales.

How to a Cook Spiral Ham in the oven

Step 1 | Prep ham

Bring the ham to room temperature for 30-60 minutes before placing it in the crock pot.

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.

Removing plastic disc covering the ham bone.
Remove plastic and plastic disc from bone.

Step 2 | Add honey butter 

Combine the melted butter and honey in a small bowl, mixing well. Then, massage the mix into all the slices and crevices of the precooked ham. For maximum flavor, make sure you get the honey-butter glaze between the slices. 

Pouring honey and melted butter into a dish.
Combine honey and butter.
Pour honey butter mixture over the ham slices.
Pour honey butter over the ham.
Use your fingers to get the honey butter mixture between slices.
Get that honey butter mixture between 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)

Make a sugar-spice glaze mixture

Once the ham is warmed all the way through (for crockpot, oven baked or roaster method), mix together your sugar and spices in a small bowl dividing into two bowls, 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 that sugar and spice mixture over the entire surface of the ham. 

Whisk in bowl combining sugar and spices for glaze on ham.
Combine sugar and spices for sugar glaze.
Pouring spiced sugar mixture over top of warmed ham in roasting pan to go into oven.
Pour half sugar mixture over the warmed ham.
Spiral sliced costco ham with sugar spice mixture on top.
Evenly coat the top and slices of ham with half sugar and spice mixture.

Initial sugar glaze

If you prefer room-temperature ham, you may skip warming the ham in the crockpot, but make sure you bring the ham out of the fridge for 30 minutes before starting this process. 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, but sugar burns! So be sure to stir it 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!

Adding ham juices and bourbon to sugar spice mixture in pan on stove.
Heat ½ sugar spice mixture with ham juices or other liquid.
Pouring honeybaked ham sugar glaze over top of warmed ham for broiler.
Pour sugar glaze over top of spiral sliced ham and broil.

Step 5 | Allow the ham to rest

Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes to lock in all those gorgeous spice flavors and ham juices. Then, you can slice, serve, and enjoy your Honey-Glazed Ham Recipe, either warm or cold! And that, my friends, is how to cook Kirkland spiral ham with glaze!

Brushing glaze over top of Costco spiral ham.

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.

  1. Preheat the oven to 275° F (135° C) and adjust the oven rack to the lower third of the oven. 
  2. Remove any plastic pieces covering the ham bone, pat the ham dry with paper towels, and place it flat-side down in the pan. 
  3. Rub or brush the entire ham with the honey-butter mixture distributing the sweet glaze between the ham slices. 
  4. Cover the roasting pan with a heavy-duty sheet of tinfoil.
  5. 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. 
  6. Finally, apply sugar glaze as directed.
Kirkland Spiral Sliced Ham with glaze in roasting pan.

Spiral Ham Recipe Variations

  • 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. Ensure your spices are all GF and the rest is cake – or honey ham.
  • No honey? Try using maple syrup instead!
  • Swap out the all natural cane sugar for a combination of brown sugar and regular sugar.

4 Additional Ham Glaze Options 

Maybe a honey-glazed ham isn’t your thing; here are a few ideas for Costco ham!

  1. Honey Mustard Glaze: Mix ½ cup honey, ¼ cup Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoon 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.
  2. 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 sugar dissolves and mixture is smooth. Brush glaze over ham, ensuring it gets between slices before baking or warming. Optionally, baste occasionally during baking.
  3. Maple and Bourbon Glaze: In a small saucepan, mix ½ cup maple syrup, ¼ cup bourbon, 2 tablespoon 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.
  4. Spicy Jam and Adobo Glaze: Mix ½ cup fruit jam (apricot, cherry, peach), 2 tablespoon adobo sauce, 2 tablespoon 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.
Costco Spiral Sliced ham crusty with a sugar and spice glaze baked on.

Tips for Cooking 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 it’s optional to warm them through. 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 between 10-15 minutes per pound in a 275° F (135° C), which for an 8-pound ham will take about an hour and forty minutes. 
  • Typically the proper estimate for a ham is about ½ pound per person for a bone-in ham, 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.
Meater wireless thermometer.

My favorite meat thermometer

  • I love this Meater wireless meat thermometer
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How Long to Cook a Spiral Ham (Ham Cooking Chart)

METHODTIMETEMPERATURE
CROCKPOTWarm: 7-10 pound ham LOW 3-4 hours (do not cook on high)
OVENWarm: 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 ROASTERPlace 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 heat275° 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
Kirkland Spiral Sliced Ham with glaze in roasting pan.

Storing Spiral Ham

Storing honey baked ham is easy!

  • Cool the meat and place it in an airtight container or ziplock baggies in fridge 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 take the leftover ham and freeze the 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 a spiral-sliced ham 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.

Slices of Spiral Sliced ham with honey baked ham glaze on a plate.

Spiral Ham FAQs

Can I use a ham without a bone?

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.

Will an instant pot work to warm the Honey baked Spiral Ham?

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.

What is the Difference between Black Forest ham vs. Honey Ham?

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.

​How long to cook spiral ham?

​All smoked hams are precooked, so when heating spiral ham, you’re simply warming it. Smoked hams can be eaten cold or warmed. Depending on your method, it takes 10-15 minutes per pound. See my heating chart for details. 

Closeup of Spiral sliced ham with honey sugar and spice glaze.
All-Clad roasting pan with rack.

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Best Sides to Serve with Costco Spiral Ham

Try a few of our popular and favorite sides to serve with your Costco ham!

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I enjoy giving precise details in my recipe posts to lead my readers through any questions. If you’re just here for the printable recipe, use the Jump to Recipe to head straight there!

Easy Copycat Honeybaked ham recipe pin with image of spiral sliced ham in roaster, great holiday recipe.

Stay attentive for the best results when broiling any dish. This recipe has the trifecta of burning potential: sugary mixtures, butter, and the broiler. Pay attention, and it will all go well!

I hope you loved this Costco Spiral Ham — if you did, would you share your creation on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest? Rate and comment too, it really helps!

Like this recipe?

Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and leave a comment below the recipe!

Recipe Card
Spiral ham warmed in crockpot and glazed in the oven.

Cooking a Spiral Ham

5 from 26 readers
Author: Kathleen Pope
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
Resting Time: 10 minutes minutes
Servings: 16 -20 servings
Print Pin SaveSaved!
Ready to heat in minutes, I will show you how to cook spiral ham (we love Costco ham) and make a quick honey ham glaze perfect for any special occasion! Plus, I will show you how to cook your ham in the crockpot, oven, or roaster. 

Equipment

  • 7-qt Crockpot
  • Roasting Pan

Ingredients 
US Customary – Metric

  • 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
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Warming Spiral Sliced Ham in Crockpot (other methods see notes)

  • Trim ham (7-10 lb), 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.
  • 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 (2-3 TBL) and honey (3-4 TBL) 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.
  • 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 (1-1 ½ cups), seasoning salt (½-¾ tsp), onion powder (½-¾ tsp), garlic powder (¼-½ tsp), cinnamon (½-¾ tsp), nutmeg (½-¾ tsp), ginger (¼-½ tsp), cloves (¼-½ tsp), ¼-½ teaspoon smoked paprika, allspice (⅛-¼ tsp) in a small bowl. Split into two equal batches. Rub or pat half of the sugar mixture all over the top of the ham. If you have a larger ham, use the larger amounts.
  • 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, 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.
Last step! Leave a RatingRate this recipe here. This helps other readers and helps support this website.

Notes

Room temperature ham preference?
If you prefer not to warm your ham, then you can skip the step of warming in either the oven or the crockpot; still add the honey butter glaze, but jump straight to the oven in steps 5-10.
Oven Honey Baked Ham Instructions (No crockpot, no problem!)
  • 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.
Gluten-Free HoneyBaked Ham | Costco ham or Kirkland Spiral Ham is gluten-free. Double check that your spices are GF.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 580kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 2440mg | Potassium: 574mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 2mg
Spiral ham warmed in crockpot and glazed in the oven.
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Hello, Sunshine!

My 2025 Summer Recipe Round-up

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Kathleen Pope

Meet Kathleen

Recipe Innovator | Food Photographer | Food Writer

Hi, I’m Kathleen Pope. Here at The Fresh Cooky you will find easy, mostly from-scratch, trusted recipes for all occasions. From speedy dinners to tasty desserts, with easy step-by-step instructions. I am here to help teach you how to make mouthwatering recipes without spending hours in the kitchen.

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  1. Angela

    Wed, May 29, 2024 at 10:46 am

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Wed, May 29, 2024 at 1:07 pm

      So glad you loved it Angela!

      Reply
  2. Tayler

    Wed, May 29, 2024 at 10:34 am

    5 stars
    This is our go to ham recipe! We’ve made it several times and it always turns out perfectly!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Wed, May 29, 2024 at 1:08 pm

      Thanks so much Tayler!

      Reply
  3. DK

    Wed, May 29, 2024 at 10:33 am

    5 stars
    I’m so glad I stumbled upon this recipe for how to cook perfect spiral ham! I love the time table chart that helps me know exactly how long to cook it!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Wed, May 29, 2024 at 1:08 pm

      So glad that it was helpful for you!!

      Reply
  4. Paula

    Wed, May 29, 2024 at 10:31 am

    5 stars
    This spiral ham was SO DELISH! My first time trying to make one and I’m so proud I was able to pull it off with your recipe!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Wed, May 29, 2024 at 1:08 pm

      I’m proud of you too!!

      Reply
  5. Kelly Knisley

    Sun, Mar 31, 2024 at 6:58 pm

    5 stars
    Turned out perfect! I used the oven method. I also forgot the cinnamon lol. Still excellent 🥰

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Mon, Apr 1, 2024 at 10:11 am

      Fabulous Kelly! So happy to hear you loved it!

      Reply
  6. Burton Cooper

    Fri, Dec 22, 2023 at 11:31 am

    5 stars
    Hi Kathleen – I’m going to make this recipe for Christmas brunch this year. Is it ok to put the flat ham side down in the crock pot? It fits perfectly that way. You specify that in the roasting pan alternative method but I don’t see an orientation mentioned for the crock pot method. Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Sat, Dec 23, 2023 at 3:09 pm

      Sorry for my delay! Yes flat side down in the crockpot, usually does best that way!

      Reply
  7. Angie Granger

    Wed, Nov 15, 2023 at 1:23 pm

    Do you have to put it in the oven with the broiler, or can you just do the slow cooker?

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Wed, Nov 15, 2023 at 1:25 pm

      The oven portion is quick and gives you that classic sugar crust. Just cooking in the crockpot will warm it, but you’ll lose that crust, however if that is your preference by all means go for it.

      Reply
    • Burton Cooper

      Fri, Dec 22, 2023 at 10:59 am

      5 stars
      Planning on making this recipe for Christmas brunch and would like to use crock pot method of warming. It fits fine in the crockpot with the flat ham side down. In your notes on the alternative roast pan oven method, you specify to put flat ham side down. For the crock pot, should the flat ham side be down as well? Thank you

      Reply
      • KathleenKathleen Pope

        Sat, Dec 23, 2023 at 3:13 pm

        Yes, flat side down!

        Reply
  8. Patrick McCarthy

    Mon, Apr 24, 2023 at 12:33 pm

    5 stars
    This is a fantastic alternative to the pre-cooked store bought ham… I did change a few things, my base consisted orange marmalade, real honey, pure maple syrup, Saigon Cinnamon, with a melted half stick. I also took a large Navel orange and inserted slices in the ham and around the crock. This one was about 8.8 pounds in a 6 quart crock. I followed your steps and saved all the “trimmed” pieces and included them within the crock down low. Brushed and drizzled my mixture the same. Everybody love the ham ! ! The smell in the home was incredible… thank you ! !

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Mon, Apr 24, 2023 at 3:58 pm

      Thank you so much for your kind words and your fun and creative tweaks too, Patrick! Love it!

      Reply
  9. Lori Flaglor

    Wed, Apr 19, 2023 at 8:06 am

    5 stars
    Absolutely loved this recipe, everyone raved about it. This is the only way I will cook my ham from now on!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Wed, Apr 19, 2023 at 1:25 pm

      Thank you so much Lori, so glad you loved it! So appreciate your comment!

      Reply
  10. Sherry H

    Sun, Apr 9, 2023 at 7:29 am

    Did you use a pre cooked ham or was it raw? Mine is precooked and I don’t want to over cook it!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Sun, Apr 9, 2023 at 7:31 am

      Hi Sherry, my understanding all commercially available hams are precooked (smoked), so yes this precooked. That’s the whole reason behind doing it the way I do it, so that it won’t dry it out. Just watch in the oven portion. But the crockpot will add moisture to it. Good luck!

      Reply
  11. MSD

    Thu, Mar 30, 2023 at 1:09 pm

    5 stars
    This was exactly what I needed to cook the perfect ham. My ham, especially when I make spiral, always dry dries out, but I followed the instructions in this recipe and it came out moist and juicy! So happy to finally get ham cooked the right way. THANK YOU!!!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Fri, Mar 31, 2023 at 4:51 pm

      So glad you loved it!

      Reply
      • Lisa

        Thu, Jun 29, 2023 at 7:16 am

        Can’t wait to try this for my son and daughter in law’s baby shower brunch I’m hosting next weekend! I always worry about drying out spiral hams and this sounds delicious!

        Reply
        • KathleenKathleen Pope

          Thu, Jun 29, 2023 at 1:16 pm

          Hope you love it, Lisa!

          Reply
  12. Dana

    Thu, Mar 30, 2023 at 12:37 pm

    5 stars
    Great tips here! Definitely bookmarking this so I can have this onhand for Easter!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Fri, Mar 31, 2023 at 4:50 pm

      Thanks Dana!

      Reply
  13. Anjali

    Thu, Mar 30, 2023 at 12:17 pm

    5 stars
    I loved how tender and juicy this ham turned out! It was perfectly seasoned without being overly sweet too!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Fri, Mar 31, 2023 at 4:57 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  14. Tayler

    Thu, Mar 30, 2023 at 11:52 am

    5 stars
    I made this ham for Christmas, and it was delicious! I can’t wait to make it again for Easter next weekend!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Fri, Mar 31, 2023 at 4:57 pm

      So glad you loved it, Tayler, thank you!

      Reply
  15. Nathan

    Thu, Mar 30, 2023 at 11:10 am

    5 stars
    This is such a perfect recipe for honeybaked ham, the end result was tender and not at all dry, and the flavor was the perfect balance of sweet and savory! A new weekend dinner favorite 🙂

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Thu, Mar 30, 2023 at 11:15 am

      Thanks, Nathan, so glad you loved it!

      Reply
  16. Cindi

    Fri, Dec 30, 2022 at 2:31 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe by far was the best I’ve ever tried. The ham did not dry out and the flavor was superb!!! Thank you so much for sharing…

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Sat, Dec 31, 2022 at 7:04 am

      Thank you so much Cindi!

      Reply
  17. Erin

    Sun, Dec 4, 2022 at 10:26 am

    5 stars
    Wow! This ham is excellent! We’ll be making this for the holidays for sure!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Sun, Dec 4, 2022 at 3:20 pm

      So glad you loved it Erin, thank you!

      Reply
  18. Sheila

    Tue, Nov 29, 2022 at 5:29 am

    5 stars
    Thanks so much for this recipe! My family loves Honey Baked Ham, but geez… they are pricey! Your spiral ham recipe is fantastic!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Tue, Nov 29, 2022 at 9:22 am

      So glad you loved it!

      Reply
  19. Amanda Wren-Grimwood

    Thu, Jul 14, 2022 at 1:39 am

    5 stars
    Such a great idea to save money and still get that delicious flavour. I love that this is so easy to do too.

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Thu, Jul 14, 2022 at 5:20 pm

      Saving right now is huge! But nobody wants to compromise on flavor either!

      Reply
  20. Ieva

    Wed, Jul 13, 2022 at 11:01 pm

    5 stars
    Really informative post! I often find my ham dries out a bit too much, so I’m really happy to have found all these tips! Thanks for a great article! I cannot wait to put all the newfound knowledge into practice!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Thu, Jul 14, 2022 at 6:45 pm

      So glad these helped!

      Reply
  21. Casey

    Wed, Jul 13, 2022 at 7:31 pm

    5 stars
    That glaze is everything! I’m drooling!!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Thu, Jul 14, 2022 at 6:45 pm

      Absolutely!!!

      Reply
  22. Art

    Tue, Jul 12, 2022 at 2:46 pm

    5 stars
    I love that you shared steps to keep it moist and flavorful. So many have challenges getting the perfect ham. Looks delicious!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Wed, Jul 13, 2022 at 3:14 pm

      Thank you so much, it’s our most favorite ham!

      Reply
  23. Eliza

    Tue, Jul 12, 2022 at 2:08 pm

    5 stars
    What a wonderful recipe! The gorgeous honey-butter-sugar topping pairs so well with the natural saltiness of the ham. Perfect holiday ham every time!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Wed, Jul 13, 2022 at 3:15 pm

      Thank you Eliza, I agree, the flavors just sing!

      Reply
  24. Jill

    Tue, Jul 12, 2022 at 1:12 pm

    5 stars
    So happy to have this recipe. It’s so much better than purchasing one (which is expensive!) from the store. Thank you!!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Wed, Jul 13, 2022 at 3:15 pm

      Exactly!! Plus it is super easy!

      Reply
  25. Sharon

    Tue, Jul 12, 2022 at 1:08 pm

    5 stars
    I love this two-step process for making the best spiral ham. Great for holidays and I love the leftovers for sandwiches the next day.

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Wed, Jul 13, 2022 at 3:15 pm

      Makes the best leftover sandwiches!

      Reply
  26. Jess

    Tue, Jul 12, 2022 at 12:58 pm

    5 stars
    Drooling just thinking about this recipe. So good!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Wed, Jul 13, 2022 at 3:15 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  27. Jules

    Sat, Jun 25, 2022 at 2:18 pm

    5 stars
    I used to spend a fortune on spiraled ham that wasn’t nearly as amazing as this one is! It’s our new Holiday must have recipe!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Wed, Jun 29, 2022 at 12:29 pm

      YAY! Love helping others save some money and make it at home!

      Reply

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Kathleen Pope

Meet Kathleen

Hey there! I'm Kathleen Pope, a proud wife, mom of two awesome college boys, and recipe nerd. Welcome to my world of easy recipes with a healthy twist! Join thousands who trust The Fresh Cooky as their go-to recipe source. Let's cook up some magic!

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My 2025 Summer Recipe Round-up

FREE EMAIL BONUS: 5 days of summer’s greatest hits

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