Maple-Glazed Spiral Ham

A classic roast ham with a sweet-spicy glaze, perfect for Easter, Christmas, or any time.

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated April 25, 2025

Why It Works

  • This recipe is incredibly simple to make and uses a bone-in, already-spiral-sliced ham.
  • The rich, sweet glaze perfectly complements the salty ham.

This tender, moist city ham is finished off with a simple, sweet-spicy glaze of maple syrup, molasses, and mustard. You'll get the best results if you look for a bone-in, shank-end, spiral-sliced ham with no added water.

20171201-holiday-city-ham-vicky-wasik-4
Photograph: Vicky Wasik. Video: Natalie Holt

December 2010

Recipe Details

Maple-Glazed Spiral Ham Recipe

Prep 15 mins
Cook 2 hrs 45 mins
Active 20 mins
Resting Time 15 mins
Total 3 hrs 15 mins
Serves 12 to 16 servings
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Ingredients

  • 1 shank-end, spiral-sliced, bone-in ham (see notes), 6 to 8 pounds (2.7 to 3.6 kg)

  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) maple syrup

  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) dark molasses

  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) whole grain mustard

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to lower position and preheat oven to 250°F (120°C). Place ham in an oven bag or wrap tightly with foil and place on a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to oven and cook until ham reaches 120°F (49°C) in the center, about 2 1/2 hours.

  2. Meanwhile, combine maple syrup, molasses, mustard, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and syrupy, about 15 minutes.

  3. When ham has reached 120°F, remove from oven and unwrap. Paint with 1/3 of sauce, increase oven temperature to 400°F (200°C), and bake 5 minutes. Paint with 1/3 more glaze and bake until crisp and shiny, 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven and paint with remaining glaze. Tent with foil and allow to rest 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Special Equipment

Wire rack, rimmed baking sheet, instant-read thermometer

Notes

For best results, look for a bone-in, shank-end, spiral-sliced ham with no added water.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
61 Calories
0g Fat
15g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 16
Amount per serving
Calories 61
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 44mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 5%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 34mg 3%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 187mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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