Home Ā» Best Brown Sugar Baked Easter Ham Recipe

Best Brown Sugar Baked Easter Ham Recipe

Encrusted with spiced brown sugar, pineapple rings and maraschino cherries baked with ginger ale glaze, a beautiful center piece to any holiday table. Beautiful, delicious and with a few simple ingredients your home will have all the holiday smells, and your people will be lining up to the table on Easter Sunday!

ham covered with pineapple slices with maraschino cherries in the middle on a white platter surrounded by parsley and a gravy boat pouring glaze over baked ham from above
  1. This recipe is basically fool proof, it gets perfect results every time if you follow the directions below. I promise you your golden doodle could make it if given the chance.
  2. he leftover ham is delicious and makes great ham sandwiches
  3. it makes a great second protein, if you are serving turkey, lamb, or prime rib this ham pairs perfectly with just about any menu, and it also works great for brunch
photo of recipe ingredients for Easter ham on a wood cutting board with a white background
  • 7-10 pound ham any variety; boneless ham, whole ham, or whole bone-in ham, bone-in spiral cut ham
  • brown sugar
  • ground cloves
  • dried mustard powder
  • can sliced pineapple in 100% juice, reserve liquid
  • maraschino cherries
  • ginger ale, Vernors is the preferred brand (being from Michigan and all) but any brand will do
  • Equipment needed: toothpicks for securing pineapple and cherries to the ham and a large shallow roasting pan
  1. Remove ham from wrapping it came in and discard it and the glaze packet that may come with it, making sure to check ham for any plastic pieces that may be stuck in or on ham, pat dry with paper towel
  2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
easter ham ingredients, demonstrating how to make brown sugar glaze

3. in a small bowl combine brown sugar, ground clove, and mustard powder when you are sure the seasonings are fully distributed throughout sugar, add 2 tablespoons of juice from the canned pineapple, mix to create a crumbly paste

hand holding glass bowl of brown sugar glaze

4. place ham in a large shallow roasting pan, on the flattest side possible, this will depend on what type of ham you are using

applying brown sugar glaze to ham in a large shallow roasting pan
ham completely covered in brown sugar glaze

5. take brown sugar mixture, and press into the surface of the ham with your hands covering the entire exposed parts of ham creating a brown sugar crust.

ham with pineapple and maraschino cherries covering it in a pattern in a roasting pan, uncooked

6. remove pineapple rings from the can, reserve juices, pat pineapple rings dry with a paper towel and place on the outside of the ham securing it by placing a maraschino cherry and a toothpick in the middle, continue this until all pineapple slices are used

pineapple and brown sugar glazed ham, shown from above with ginger ale being poured into bottom of the pan

7. pour two cups of liquid (ginger ale and pineapple juice if your can of ginger ale doesn’t measure up to 2 cups add enough pineapple juice to get it there) into bottom of roasting pan, do not pour over the ham

ham in roasting pan covered in aluminum foil sitting on kitchen counter top

8. cover entire ham with aluminum foil and secure tightly around the edges, ensuring that all the flavor and moisture stays inside around the ham

9. Place in a 325 degree preheated oven for 90 minutes, after 90 minutes remove foil from ham (be careful not to get burned by the hot steam that will escape from pan) turn oven up to 425 degrees and allow ham to bake for an additional 15 minutes. (note: the internal tempuratur of the ham should be 140) This will allow glaze to caramelize and create extra flavor! Remove from oven and loosely cover with foil until ready to serve.

10. Remove baked ham to a large platter and use a sharp knife to slice or if serving a spiral cut ham pull slices apart so it is easier for guests. Place this holiday ham at the center of your Easter feast!

Reserve liquid from the bottom of the roasting pan, skim off as much fat as possible from the top and pour juices into a gravy boat and serve along side ham.

ham covered with pineapple slices with maraschino cherries in the middle on a white platter surrounded by parsley and a gravy boat pouring glaze over baked ham from above
  • If you would like to add more depth of flavor to this recipe you can brush the ham with maple syrup before encrusting it with the brown sugar and spices.
  • Need a substitution for the mustard powder? You can add a tablespoon of prepared mustard to the brown sugar and cloves either yellow mustard or dijon mustard.
  • You do not have to spend a lot of money on a ham. I usually wait until my grocery store has a sale and I make my purchase then, freeze it until its time for our big family gathering!
  • Again, this recipe work with any ham; whole boneless, spiral ham, whole bone-in ham, country smoked ham. Just make sure to cook long enough depending on the size of your ham. The internal temperature should be 140 degrees for ham to be safe.
  • Leftovers: I freeze any leftovers I have. Dice some up and freeze in one cup servings to add to stir-fry, omelettes, quiche or other recipes that call for diced ham. Leave some in slices for ham sandwiches. Depending on how much you have leftover you could slice some thicker slices for ham steak for future dinners or breakfast.  Freeze in airtight freezer safe zip-locs or containers.
Easter brunch. Scallop Potatoes, green beans, ham in the forefront, with gravy boat.
 Do you have a traditional meal that you prepare for Easter or Spring? 

The best thing about Easter Brunch is having plenty of side dishes!! There are so many great recipes out there I would love to hear what your favorite is.

Thanks for stopping by! XOXO Sheila

Baked Easter ham on a platter sliced.

Easter Baked Ham

Sheila
No ratings yet
Course Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings

Equipment

  • roasting pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 6-8 pound boneless precooked Ham
  • 1/4 cup Whole Cloves
  • 1 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 8 ounce can Pineapple Slices or crushed pineapple
  • 2 cups Ginger Ale

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Score ham, by making diagonal cuts across ham, length ways and across. Stud with cloves. Place in roasting pan. Pack top of ham with brown sugar. Drain pineapple juice into roasting pan, pack crushed pineapple on top of brown sugar. Pour ginger ale into bottom of pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil, place in oven, and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
  • Remove ham from oven, turn up oven to 450 degree, remove aluminum foil and place ham back in oven for 10 minutes to caramelize the sugar and pineapple on top of ham.
  • Slice and serve with juices on the side, in a gravy boat.

Notes

NOTE:Ā Any ham will work, you will just have to adjust the cooking time to suit the size and type of ham. Ā You can prepare the ham up to 2 days ahead, keep it in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
Keyword Easter, ham
Tried this recipe?Mention @eat2gather or tag #eat2gather!

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13 Comments

  1. Pingback: Hot Cross Buns
  2. Your ham looks delicious. I use the same ingredients for mine, but I am so intrigued at the crushed pineapple (I always used the rings) and the way you packed the sugar on. I will give it a try. My mom aways made a glaze on the stovetop (brown sugar, coleman’s mustard, gingerale, pineapple juice). I can’t wait to try this, and looking forward to the potato recipe.

    1. Winnie,
      That glaze sounds amazing and triggered my memory that I think my mom used to actually reduce the juices from the baked ham before serving. I love the addition of mustard! MMM I can smell it now ; ) Have a great weekend. Sheila

  3. This ham looks delicious and easy! Thanks for sharing, I can totally do this! Our Easter tradition was usually a honey baked ham (yum) so I don’t have a recipe.
    And did you know that Vernors is a Michigan thing? I had to giggle when I saw this was part of the recipe. I was at the liquor store yesterday buying ginger beer, it’s like ginger ale but much stronger ginger flavor (we use it in cocktails). Anyway, btw I’m in Indy now, the guy helping me was from Muskegon and filled me in on this ginger ale fact. He confirms it at his store b/c only MI people buy Vernors while everyone else buys Canada Dry or Schweppes. Funny “fact” šŸ˜‰

    1. I did know that! I did not know about ginger beer though!! I will have to seek that one out. So funny that two Michiganders crossed paths in the liquor store, love it! My mom always gave us Vernors when we were sick…makes your tummy feel better ; ) Have a great day, and thanks for stopping by! Sheila

  4. These days I go the Honey Baked route, but seeing this brings back memories of our family Easter Dinners! And of course, Vernors was always included! Your Momma’s Ham looks luscious and inspiring!
    Will be sure to check out the Scalloped Potatoes~

    1. OH Debbie I have gone that route too! I need one of those spiral slicers at home…can’t quite get mine sliced like that at home.

  5. I miss ham! We have lunch meat ham in Germany, but not… ham ham. And it’s even more irritating when you see stuff like Bavarian or Black Forest ham online. I mean… what?! I live in Germany and I want that stuff! Wah.

    Anyway, the ham looks great and so do those potatoes! One of my very favorite meals. šŸ™‚

    1. Erin, I’m going to try and email you…I would love to know more about where you live in Germany etc. I was an exchange student in Flensburg, years ago. I miss it. Especially at Christmas. Hope you get some real American ham soon ; ) xoxox, Sheila