Sweet brown sugar, warm bourbon, honey, Dijon mustard, and a touch of holiday spice come together in this easy ham glaze. As it bakes, the glaze turns glossy and caramelized, creating a beautiful sweet-savory crust over a tender baked ham.
This is an especially good glaze for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any dinner where ham is the centerpiece. It takes only a few minutes to prepare on the stovetop, and most of the work happens during the final half hour of baking.
The bourbon adds depth rather than making the glaze taste strongly of alcohol, while Dijon mustard keeps the brown sugar and honey from becoming overly sweet. Cinnamon and cloves add just enough warmth to make the glaze feel festive without overpowering the ham.
🥃 Brown Sugar Bourbon Ham Glaze at a Glance
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5–8 minutes
Glazing time: About 30 minutes
Makes: About 1 1/2 cups
Enough for: One 7- to 10-pound ham
🛒 Ingredients
- 1 cup packed dark or light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
🥄 Make the Bourbon Ham Glaze
Combine the brown sugar, bourbon, honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper in a small saucepan.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until the brown sugar begins to dissolve.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
Cook for about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the glaze is smooth and has thickened slightly.
It should still be easily brushable. Remember that the glaze will continue thickening as it cools.
Remove it from the heat and set aside until the ham is ready for glazing.
🍖 Prepare the Ham
This glaze works especially well with a fully cooked bone-in or spiral-sliced ham.
Follow the heating instructions provided with your ham, since exact cooking time varies according to its size and whether it is whole, half, bone-in, boneless, or spiral sliced.
For many fully cooked hams, an oven temperature of 325°F is appropriate.
Place the ham cut-side down in a roasting pan. If it is not already spiral sliced or scored, use a sharp knife to score the outer surface lightly in a diamond pattern.
Do not cut deeply into the meat. The goal is simply to create shallow grooves that give the glaze more surface area to cling to.
✨ Start Glazing Near the End
Wait until approximately the final 30 minutes of heating before applying the glaze.
Brown sugar and honey can darken quickly, so glazing the ham from the beginning increases the chance that the exterior will burn before the center is properly heated.
Brush a generous layer of glaze over the surface of the ham.
Return the ham to the oven uncovered.
After about 10 minutes, brush on another layer.
Repeat once or twice more during the final half hour until the ham is glossy and deeply caramelized.
🔥 Watch the Sugar Carefully
Sweet glazes can move from beautifully browned to burned surprisingly quickly.
Keep an eye on the ham during the final 10 minutes.
If the surface is already deeply browned but the ham still needs additional heating time, loosely tent it with foil.
For a darker caramelized finish, you can briefly increase the heat or use the broiler at the very end, but watch the ham continuously.
Sugar, honey, and bourbon glaze can scorch in a matter of moments under intense heat.
🌡️ How Hot Should a Fully Cooked Ham Be?
Always check the label first because hams are sold in several different forms.
A fully cooked ham packaged at a USDA-inspected plant can be reheated to 140°F. A previously cooked ham that has been repackaged elsewhere or is being reheated as a leftover should reach 165°F.
Fresh or cook-before-eating ham requires different cooking instructions and should reach at least 145°F followed by a three-minute rest.
Use a food thermometer rather than relying on cooking time alone.
🥃 What Does Bourbon Add to Ham Glaze?
Bourbon works particularly well with ham because its flavors naturally complement brown sugar, honey, smoke, and warm spices.
Depending on the bourbon, you may notice flavors reminiscent of vanilla, caramel, oak, or baking spice.
There is no need to use an expensive bottle. Choose a bourbon you enjoy and would be happy using in other recipes or drinks.
The purpose is to add depth to the glaze rather than make the ham taste strongly boozy.
🍯 Why Add Honey?
Brown sugar provides the primary sweetness, but honey gives the glaze a smooth, glossy texture and helps it cling to the ham.
It also contributes a slightly different sweetness than sugar alone.
Maple syrup can be substituted for the honey if you prefer. A brown sugar, bourbon, and maple glaze is particularly good for fall and holiday dinners.
🌿 Why Dijon Mustard Matters
Without something tangy to balance all that sugar, ham glaze can become overwhelmingly sweet.
Dijon mustard adds acidity, savory flavor, and a slight sharpness that works beautifully with cured pork.
Two tablespoons are enough to balance the sweetness without making the finished glaze taste predominantly of mustard.
Whole-grain mustard can also be used for a slightly more rustic texture.
🍎 Why Add Apple Cider Vinegar?
A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar brightens the glaze and cuts through the richness of the ham.
It also helps balance the brown sugar and honey.
The amount is small enough that the finished glaze will not taste vinegary.
If you do not have apple cider vinegar, a little orange juice or apple cider can provide a similar bright counterpoint, although the final glaze will be slightly sweeter.
🥃 Can You Make the Glaze Without Bourbon?
Absolutely.
Replace the bourbon with an equal amount of apple cider, apple juice, orange juice, or pineapple juice.
Apple cider is my first choice because its flavor works especially well with brown sugar, mustard, cinnamon, and ham.
The glaze will obviously lose the oak-and-caramel character contributed by bourbon, but it will still be delicious.
🍁 Maple Bourbon Ham Glaze
For a maple variation, replace the honey with pure maple syrup.
Combine the maple syrup with the brown sugar, bourbon, Dijon, vinegar, cinnamon, and cloves as directed.
Maple produces a slightly deeper, woodsy sweetness that feels particularly appropriate for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
🍊 Orange Bourbon Ham Glaze
Orange is another natural partner for ham.
Add 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest and replace the apple cider vinegar with 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice.
For a stronger citrus note, replace up to half of the bourbon with orange juice.
The combination of orange, bourbon, cloves, and brown sugar produces an especially fragrant holiday glaze.
🍍 Pineapple Bourbon Glaze
Pineapple and ham are a familiar sweet-savory pairing.
Replace the honey with 1/4 cup pineapple preserves or use pineapple juice in place of the apple cider vinegar.
Keep the Dijon mustard in the recipe. Its sharpness helps balance the extra fruit sweetness.
This variation works particularly well with spiral-sliced ham.
🌶️ Add a Little Heat
For a sweet-and-spicy glaze, add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
You can also stir in a teaspoon of hot sauce.
Start cautiously. The goal is usually a gentle warmth behind the brown sugar and bourbon rather than enough chile to overpower the ham.
🌿 Don’t Overdo the Cloves
Cloves are traditional with ham, but they are extremely potent.
A small pinch or about 1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves is enough for an entire batch of glaze.
Too much can quickly dominate the bourbon, mustard, and honey.
If you are using whole cloves to decorate an unsliced ham, you may want to omit the ground cloves from the glaze entirely.
🍖 Can You Use This on Spiral Ham?
Yes. In fact, the glaze works especially well with spiral-sliced ham because some of it can work its way between the slices.
Be gentle when brushing so you do not pull the slices apart.
Toward the end of heating, brush some of the glaze across the outside and allow a little to run naturally into the cuts.
Avoid trying to force large quantities deep between every slice, as that can make the ham excessively sweet and may cause it to separate.
🔥 How to Keep Spiral Ham from Drying Out
Spiral ham is convenient, but all those exposed cut surfaces allow moisture to escape more quickly.
Keep the ham covered with foil during most of the reheating time.
Remove the foil only when you are ready to begin glazing during the final portion of cooking.
Adding a small amount of water to the bottom of the roasting pan can also help maintain a moist environment.
Avoid overheating. Once a fully cooked ham is hot enough to serve safely, additional oven time mainly increases the risk of drying it out.
🥄 Can You Serve Extra Glaze on the Side?
Yes, but reserve it before you begin brushing the ham.
Pour a portion of the freshly cooked glaze into a separate small bowl or saucepan and keep it completely separate from the basting brush.
That way, you have clean glaze available for serving without worrying about cross-contact from utensils used on the ham.
Warm the reserved glaze gently before bringing it to the table.
If it becomes too thick, whisk in a spoonful of water, apple cider, or orange juice.
🚫 Don’t Brush Straight Bourbon onto the Finished Ham
There is no real need to add uncooked bourbon after the ham leaves the oven.
The cooked glaze already provides plenty of bourbon character, and simmering everything together creates a smoother, more balanced flavor.
If you want a stronger bourbon note, add another tablespoon to the saucepan while making the glaze rather than pouring it directly over the finished meat.
🥘 What to Serve with Bourbon-Glazed Ham
Sweet glazed ham pairs especially well with creamy, savory, and green vegetable side dishes.
Potatoes au gratin are an excellent choice because the rich cheese and cream balance the salty-sweet ham.
Mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, macaroni and cheese, roasted sweet potatoes, and dinner rolls also work beautifully.
For vegetables, try green beans, asparagus, roasted Brussels sprouts, glazed carrots, peas, or a crisp green salad.
Something slightly acidic—such as mustard, pickles, vinaigrette, or cranberry sauce—can provide a welcome contrast to the rich glaze.
🥔 Serve It with Potatoes Au Gratin
For a particularly festive Easter or Christmas menu, pair the ham with Creamy Potatoes Au Gratin.
The creamy potatoes and nutty cheese contrast beautifully with the glossy brown sugar glaze.
Add asparagus or green beans and you have a classic holiday plate without needing a long list of side dishes.
⏰ Can You Make Bourbon Ham Glaze Ahead?
Yes.
Prepare the glaze up to several days ahead and let it cool completely.
Transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate.
When you are ready to use it, warm the glaze gently in a small saucepan.
If it has become very thick in the refrigerator, stir in a tablespoon or two of water, apple cider, or bourbon until it returns to a brushable consistency.
❄️ How to Store Leftover Glaze
Clean glaze that was reserved before basting can be refrigerated in a covered container.
If a portion of glaze has been in contact with a basting brush used directly on the ham, do not return that glaze to the clean storage container.
Keeping the serving portion separate from the beginning is the simplest approach.
🍖 How to Store Leftover Glazed Ham
Refrigerate leftover ham promptly in shallow, covered containers or wrap it securely.
Most cooked leftovers should be used within about 3 to 4 days.
Reheat leftovers to 165°F.
For longer storage, portion the ham into freezer-safe containers and freeze it.
Adding a little of the pan juices before freezing can help keep the sliced meat moist when reheated.
🥪 Ways to Use Leftover Bourbon-Glazed Ham
Thin slices are excellent in sandwiches with Dijon mustard and Swiss cheese.
Chop leftover ham and add it to scrambled eggs, omelets, breakfast casseroles, quiche, or potato hash.
It is also useful in soups, split-pea soup, macaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes, and pasta dishes.
For another easy ham dinner, try Pan-Fried Ham Steak: A Delicious Weeknight Dinner.
Leftover ham is also perfect for a Cuban Sandwich with roast pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard.
🎄 An Easy Glaze for Holiday Ham
A beautiful glazed ham does not require a complicated recipe.
Brown sugar provides the caramelized sweetness, bourbon adds depth, honey gives the glaze shine, Dijon provides tang, and cinnamon and cloves bring just enough warm spice.
Simmer everything together for a few minutes, then brush the glaze onto the ham during the final half hour of heating.
A few repeated layers create that glossy, deeply caramelized exterior that makes holiday ham look as good as it tastes.
Whether the occasion is Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Sunday dinner, this is an easy glaze worth keeping in the holiday recipe collection.
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