Easy Spiral Ham

Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Servings 20 servings

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This Easy Spiral Ham with Apple Cider Glaze is the perfect holiday dinner table centerpiece! It’s so easy to prepare and results in tender, juicy, sweet, and salty ham.

glazed spiral ham on a white platter with greens'

You can ask pretty much any member of our family whether they prefer turkey or ham on the holiday table, and it’s going to be ham every single time.

Now, don’t get me wrong, we love our Roast Turkey, but there’s something about the tender, juicy texture and incredible flavor of this Spiral Ham with Apple Cider Glaze.

This recipe takes just 15 minutes to prep and makes the perfect Easter ham, Thanksgiving ham, Christmas ham, Monday ham, Tuesday ham…Okay, you get it. ๐Ÿ˜‰

I’ve included options to bake the spiral ham or to make Slow Cooker Spiral Ham, so pick whatever works best for you! The result is tender, juicy, flavorful, and finished off with a sweet apple cider glaze.

Be sure to serve it with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Honey Glazed Carrots, Cheesy Baked Asparagus and Momโ€™s Homemade Buns to round out your holiday dinner!

Not a fan of apple cider? Try my Honey Baked Ham.

Ingredients Needed:

  • Spiral Sliced Ham: I use a 3-4 kg/7-9 pound ham for this recipe. Keep in mind that a ham of a different size will cook at a different rate.
  • Spiced Apple Cider, Light Brown Sugar, and Cornstarch: makes up a simple, sweet, perfectly spiced apple cider glaze for the ham.
  • Salt and Pepper: just add these to the glaze to taste.
close up image of spiral ham on white platter

How to Choose a Spiral Ham

Here are a few of my tips for choosing a spiral ham:

  • Find a butcher you trust. The key is quality for a good price. Thankfully, hams go on sale all the time, especially around the holidays.
  • Plan ahead. The standard recommendation is ½ pound of ham per person. However, this depends on who you are feeding or how many sides you have. If you’re feeding kids or have a lot of other food, you can likely plan on less.
  • Pick the right cut. Not all spiral hams are cut the same. Some are cut thicker, while others are thinner. Once you find one that your family loves, stick to the same brand every year so you know what you’re getting.
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How to Make Spiral Ham with Apple Cider Glaze

This baked ham recipe takes just 15 minutes to prep!

  1. Bake the ham: Wrap the ham in tin foil or place it into an oven-safe roasting bag. Bake until heated through, then remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.
  2. Make the glaze: In a saucepan, whisk together cider, sugar, and cornstarch. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until thickened.
  3. Serve: Slice the ham and serve drizzled with apple cider glaze.

How to Make Crockpot Spiral Ham

This Spiral Ham with Apple Cider Glaze is great in the oven, but can also be cooked in the crockpot!

To cook your ham in the crockpot, pour some apple juice or apple cider in the bottom of the slow cooker, add in the ham, and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

If you don’t have quite that long, you can give it a head start on high for roughly 4 hours, depending on the size of your ham.

Spiral Ham FAQs

How long does it take to cook a fully-cooked spiral ham?

While this depends on the size of your ham, the rule of thumb is roughly 40 minutes/kg. The best way to tell that it’s done is to use a meat thermometer. It should have an internal temperature of 140ยบF.

Do you cook a spiral ham covered or uncovered?

Covered! Wrapping the ham in foil or placing it in an oven-safe roasting bag keeps the moisture in so the ham comes out beautifully tender and juicy.

Can spiral ham be prepped ahead of time?

There really isn’t much prep involved in this recipe, so not a ton can be done in advance. However, you can prepare the glaze 2-3 days before you cook your ham. You can also cook and slice your ham and place it into a large rimmed baking dish. Cover with glaze and store in the fridge, then warm in the oven, covered and on 275ยบF, for an hour or until warmed.

How to store:

Leftover ham will last wrapped tightly in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen, then warm in the oven or microwave until heated through.

How to freeze leftover ham:

To freeze the ham, place leftover slices in large freezer bags and flatten to the best of your ability to allow for quicker thawing. I recommend freezing in single-meal portions so you can thaw only as much as you need.

close up image of spiral ham on serving platter

Serving Suggestions

Serve your sliced ham drizzled with apple cider glaze and with any of your favorite side dishes!

I love Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Homemade Creamed Corn, Baked Mac and Cheese, Garlic Herb Dinner Rolls, or Roasted Green Beans.

Got leftovers?

Try these recipes:

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Spiral Ham with Apple Cider Glaze

5 from 4 votes
This Easy Spiral Ham with Apple Cider Glaze is the perfect holiday dinner table centerpiece! It's so easy to prepare and results in tender, juicy, sweet, and salty ham.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Servings 20 servings
Calories 388cal

Ingredients

  • 3-4 kg spiral sliced ham 7-9 lbs
  • 2 cups spiced apple cider (not apple juice)
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
  • Wrap ham entirely in tin foil or place in an oven-safe roasting bag — this keeps it moist!
  • Bake ham for 2.5-3 hours, or roughly 40 minutes per kg. Remember that the ham is fully cooked (be sure to check your label), so you are simply heating through. You don’t want to overcook and dry out your ham!
  • Remove the ham from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes before serving. While the ham is resting, make the glaze.
  • In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cider, sugar and corn starch. 
  • Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to simmer until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
  • Serve over ham.

Notes

Storage:
Leftover ham will last wrapped tightly in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen, then warm in the oven or microwave until heated through.
To freeze the ham, place leftover slices in large freezer bags and flatten to the best of your ability to allow for quicker thawing. I recommend freezing in single-meal portions so you can thaw only as much as you need.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 388cal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 1782mg | Potassium: 456mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1.4mg
Keywords baked ham, crockpot spiral ham, easter ham, ham, slow cooker spiral ham

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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