There are some things on this earth that were just made to go together — and ham and pineapple is right at the top of that list. The sweet, tangy juice from the pineapple seeps into every slice of salty, smoky ham while a sticky honey and brown sugar glaze caramelises on the edges. It’s the kind of dish that makes your whole house smell like Christmas.
This glazed Christmas ham and pineapple recipe uses a fully cooked spiral ham, so all you’re really doing is warming it through, infusing it with flavour, and building that gorgeous sticky crust. The pineapple slices get tucked right into the spiral cuts — no fiddly cloves to pin and remove later.
What I love most about this recipe:
- Minimal hands-on time — about 15 minutes of active work
- Big, bold flavour from just five simple ingredients
- Impressive presentation that looks like you spent hours in the kitchen
Whether it’s Christmas Day, Easter, or just a Sunday when you want something special on the table, this honey-glazed ham and pineapple delivers every time.
Glazed Christmas Ham and Pineapple (Easy Holiday Recipe)
Equipment
- Halogen oven with extender ring and low rack
- Large measuring cup (2-cup / 500ml)
- Kitchen tongs
- Aluminium foil
- Serving platter
- Small mixing bowl
- Basting brush
Ingredients
- 5 pound spiral ham fully cooked and thawed
- 2 cans pineapple slices 20 oz each, in 100% pineapple juice, reserve the juice
- 3 pinches ground cloves divided
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar packed
Instructions
- Set a low rack in the bottom of your halogen oven. If using a conventional oven, preheat to 275°F / 135°C (140°C fan-forced) and place the rack in the lower third. Use a roasting pan with a wire rack.
- Drain pineapple juice into a measuring cup and set aside. Slice all but 5 pineapple slices in half and tuck the halves into the slices of ham. If you can’t get them into every slice, try every other slice.
- Set whole slices aside. Place ham into a halogen oven.
- Mix 1/4 cup of pineapple juice and 1 pinch of ground cloves. Slowly pour over the ham, careful to get juice in every slice. Place remaining pineapple slices on top of ham.
- If using a halogen oven, place the extender ring on and then the lid. If using a conventional oven, simply place the roasting pan on the lower rack uncovered.
- Set your halogen oven to 275°F / 135°C and cook for 45 minutes. For a conventional oven, cook at the same temperature for approximately 60 minutes.
- Check the ham after 15–20 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely tent with aluminium foil. In a halogen oven, use tongs to tuck the edges of the foil down so the fan doesn't blow it around.
- Mix together honey, brown sugar, 2 pinches of ground cloves, and 1/4 cup of reserved pineapple juice.
- After 45 minutes remove the 5 pineapple slices on top of ham and set aside.
- Pour honey mixture all over the ham and try to get in every slice.
- Place the lid back on the oven and continue to cook until the edges are crisp (10–15 minutes.)
- Remove the ham from the oven and transfer to a serving platter. Let it rest for 10–15 minutes before carving — this allows the juices to redistribute and the glaze to set.
Notes
- Serve each slice of ham with pineapple.
- Storage: Wrap leftover ham tightly in foil or transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze sliced portions for up to 2 months.
- Make-ahead: Prepare the honey-brown sugar glaze up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate. Tuck the pineapple into the ham and refrigerate up to 12 hours before cooking.
- Substitution: Maple syrup works beautifully in place of honey for a deeper, more autumnal flavour. Light brown sugar can replace dark brown sugar — the molasses flavour will just be slightly milder.
- Pro tip: Reserve all the pineapple juice — after roasting, deglaze the pan drippings with it for a quick sauce to drizzle over sliced ham at the table.
- Reheating: Warm individual slices in a covered dish at 275°F / 135°C with a splash of pineapple juice to prevent drying out.
Nutrition
What Makes This Christmas Ham and Pineapple Special
Most glazed ham recipes ask you to score the fat, stud it with cloves, and baste repeatedly for hours. This version skips all of that. Because you’re using a pre-cooked spiral ham, the slices are already cut — which means pineapple pieces can be tucked directly into every gap, infusing the meat with sweet, tangy juice from the inside out.
The glaze itself is dead simple — just honey, dark brown sugar, ground cloves, and pineapple juice — but it builds a sticky, caramelised crust in the final 10–15 minutes that looks and tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen. The ground cloves give you that classic Christmas ham aroma without the risk of anyone biting into a whole clove.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Halogen oven with extender ring and low rack — this recipe was developed for a halogen oven, which circulates hot air tightly around the ham for faster cooking and crispier edges. A conventional oven works perfectly too — just allow extra cook time.
- Large measuring cup (2-cup / 500ml) — you’ll need this to collect and measure the reserved pineapple juice for both the baste and the glaze.
- Kitchen tongs — essential for tucking foil securely around the ham and for handling pineapple slices on the hot ham.
- Aluminium foil — prevents the top from over-browning while the interior heats through.
- Small mixing bowl — for whisking together the honey-brown sugar glaze.
- Basting brush (nice-to-have) — gives you more control when applying the glaze into every spiral cut, ensuring even coverage and maximum caramelisation.
- Serving platter — a platter large enough to hold a 5 lb ham with pineapple arranged around it.
Tips for Best Results
- Start with a fully thawed ham. A frozen or partially frozen ham will cook unevenly — the outside will dry out before the centre is warm. Allow 24–48 hours in the fridge for a 5 lb ham to thaw completely.
- Reserve every drop of pineapple juice. You’ll use it for the baste and the glaze, and any leftover juice can be poured into the pan drippings for an incredible sauce.
- Don’t skip the foil tent. Spiral hams dry out quickly because the cuts expose so much surface area. Tenting after 15–20 minutes keeps the meat juicy while the glaze does its work in the final stretch.
- Apply the glaze to warm ham. The honey mixture will run into the spiral cuts more easily when the ham is already hot, coating every surface.
- Let it rest before carving. A 10–15 minute rest allows the glaze to become tacky and the juices to settle back into the meat.
Substitutions and Variations
- Maple syrup instead of honey — creates a deeper, more complex sweetness that pairs beautifully with the cloves.
- Dijon mustard glaze — add 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard to the glaze for a sharp, savoury counterpoint to the sweet pineapple.
- Bourbon glaze — replace 2 tablespoons of pineapple juice in the glaze with bourbon for a smoky, warming variation.
- Maraschino cherries — pin halved cherries to the pineapple rings with toothpicks for a retro presentation.
- Light brown sugar — works fine if dark brown sugar isn’t available; the flavour will be slightly less molasses-forward.
- Pineapple tidbits — if you can’t find pineapple slices, tidbits tucked into the spiral cuts work just as well, though the presentation won’t be as dramatic.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: Wrap leftover ham tightly in aluminium foil or store in an airtight container. It will keep for up to 5 days. The flavour actually improves overnight as the glaze continues to season the meat.
Freezer: Slice the ham and freeze in portions in freezer bags with a splash of the pan juices. Frozen ham will keep for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating: Place sliced ham in a baking dish with a few tablespoons of pineapple juice or pan drippings. Cover tightly with foil and warm at 275°F / 135°C for 15–20 minutes. The added liquid prevents the ham from drying out. Avoid microwaving if possible — it tends to make spiral ham rubbery.
What to Serve With This
This glazed Christmas ham and pineapple is rich, sweet, and salty — so you want sides that provide contrast:
- Scalloped potatoes — the creamy, cheesy richness is a classic pairing with glazed ham.
- Green bean casserole — the crunch of fried onions and the snap of green beans cuts through the sweetness of the glaze.
- Roasted Brussels sprouts — charred and slightly bitter, they balance the honey and brown sugar beautifully.
- Cornbread — a slightly sweet, crumbly cornbread soaks up the pan juices perfectly.
- Cranberry sauce — the tartness pairs with ham the same way pineapple does, adding another layer of fruity contrast.
- Mac and cheese — because it’s a holiday and no one is counting calories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this in a conventional oven instead of a halogen oven?
Absolutely. Preheat your conventional oven to 275°F / 135°C (140°C fan-forced). Place the ham on a wire rack inside a roasting pan and follow the same steps. The main difference is timing — a conventional oven will take approximately 60 minutes for the initial cook instead of 45, plus the same 10–15 minutes for the final glaze. Check the internal temperature reaches 140°F / 60°C.
Do I need to remove the glaze packet that comes with the spiral ham?
Yes. Most spiral hams come with a small glaze packet — discard it or save it for another use. This recipe’s honey, brown sugar, and clove glaze is far more flavourful and you have full control over the sweetness level.
Can I use a bone-in ham that isn’t spiral cut?
You can, but you’ll lose the signature feature of this recipe — tucking pineapple into every slice. With a non-spiral ham, score the fat in a diamond pattern, lay pineapple rings on top, and secure with toothpicks. Increase the cook time to approximately 15 minutes per pound at 275°F / 135°C.
How do I know when the ham is done?
Since the spiral ham is already fully cooked, you’re really just heating it through and building the glaze. The internal temperature should reach 140°F / 60°C. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat (not touching the bone) is the most reliable way to check.
Why are my edges drying out before the glaze caramelises?
This usually happens when the foil tent is removed too early or isn’t covering enough of the ham. Keep the ham tented for the majority of the cooking time and only remove the foil for the final 10–15 minutes when the glaze goes on. The high sugar content in the glaze will caramelise quickly once exposed to direct heat.
Can I double the glaze?
Yes — if you love a thick, sticky coating, double the honey, brown sugar, cloves, and pineapple juice quantities for the glaze. Apply half at the 45-minute mark and the second half 5 minutes later for a layered, lacquered finish.
The History of Glazed Ham and Pineapple
Glazed ham has been a centrepiece of holiday tables in America and Britain since the 18th century, when sugar-cured hams were a practical way to preserve pork. The addition of pineapple became popular in the early 20th century when canned pineapple from Hawaii became widely available and affordable. The combination of sweet tropical fruit with salty, smoky ham became the defining flavour of mid-century American holiday cooking — a tradition that persists because, quite simply, it works. The acidity of the pineapple juice tenderises the outer layers of the ham while the sugars in the glaze create that irresistible caramelised crust that makes everyone hover around the kitchen waiting for the first slice.
If you make this glazed Christmas ham and pineapple, I’d love to hear how it turned out — drop a star rating and leave a comment below to let me know!
