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
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
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
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.
Recommended Tools
- I love this travel-friendly crockpot!
Recommended Equipment
- My Crockpot is similar to this one without the locking lid, very handy when transporting soups and stews!
- 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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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 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.
- 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.
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!
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
My favorite meat thermometer
- I love this Meater wireless 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 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.
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. 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.
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!
Ultimate Green Bean Casserole Recipe (No Mushroom Soup)
The ultimate green bean casserole with no mushroom soup is ready for the oven in 20 minutes! With fresh green beans, Worcestershire sauce with crispy bacon and fried onions or crispy panko!
Easy Cheesy Broccoli Au Gratin Recipe
This creamy and cheesy Broccoli Au Gratin Recipe is made with fresh and tender broccoli florets, sharp white cheddar, nutty gruyere cheese, and seasoned with minced garlic and fragrant herbs. The perfect holiday side dish.
Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole (Vegetable Au Gratin)
As we enter the holiday season, easy side dishes are a must and slam-dunk recipes like this vegetable au gratin are always a winner. You will also love my broccoli gratin, potatoes au gratin and this not your Grandma’s Green Bean Casserole.
Potatoes Au Gratin
Potatoes Dauphinoise or potatoes au gratin is a classic French side dish. Potatoes layered with herb-infused cream and Gruyère cheese, baked to golden, bubbly perfection! Naturally gluten-free!
Easy make-ahead instructions!
Corn Pudding Recipe without Jiffy Mix
This homemade Corn Pudding Recipe without Jiffy Mix is so simple, ready in a jiffy, without Jiffy! Using everyday, all-natural ingredients will become your favorite side dish, too!
Best desserts to serve with spiral ham
Up your dessert game and make one of these reader dessert favorites!
Orange Scones Recipe
Light, tender, moist, and flaky Orange Scones are a spot-on Panera Bread orange scone recipe! Cream scones are made with fresh orange juice and zest, bursting with bright citrus flavor.
Glazed with fresh orange vanilla butter icing, tastes like spring!
Award Winning Key Lime Pie
Describe your BEST Key Lime Pie…is it citrusy, sweet-tart, creamy — with the perfect sweet to-pucker ratio; light and easy with a crisp not-to-sweet graham cracker crust? Look no further…you found it!
Strawberry Crunch Pound Cake Recipe
Strawberry crunch pound cake is an easy buttery strawberry bundt cake! Made with fresh strawberries, a crunchy sugar coating, topped with a simple glaze and sprinkled with an irresistible strawberry crunch topping!
No Bake Oreo Pudding Dessert Recipe
With 20 minutes of prep, you will have this No-Bake Oreo Pudding Dessert in the fridge. An Oreo crust, creamy filling, and a luscious chocolate pudding layer, and is garnished with homemade Cool Whip. It’s a delightful treat for Oreo lovers.
Leftover Ham Recipes
- Ham Pot Pie Recipe
- Ideas for Leftover Ham
- Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
- Funeral Sandwiches
- Mac and Cheese Soup with Ham
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!
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!
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Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and leave a comment below the recipe!
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 (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.
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
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!