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Brown Sugar Ham Glaze

Brown Sugar Ham Glaze is a thick, glossy amber sauce made by simmering brown sugar, honey, juice, and Dijon until the sugar dissolves. Brush it on a scored, fully cooked ham during the final baking window for shiny, caramel-like drips.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 220
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
honey
  • 0.25 cup honey
pineapple or orange juice
  • 0.25 cup pineapple or orange juice
Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
butter
  • 2 tbsp butter
apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
ground cloves
  • 0.25 tsp ground cloves

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Make the glaze
  1. Combine brown sugar, honey, juice, Dijon mustard, butter, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, and cloves in a saucepan. Stir well so the sugar and spices are evenly dispersed.
  2. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring continuously until the sugar dissolves. Reduce as needed to keep a gentle bubble.
  3. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy, watching for a smooth, amber sheen. Turn off the heat when it coats the back of a spoon.
Glaze the ham
  1. Brush the warm glaze over a fully cooked ham during the last 30 minutes of baking, using a fresh even coat. Make sure glaze settles into the scored diamond pattern.
  2. Brush again every 10 minutes during the remaining bake time so the glaze stays glossy and clings to the surface. Look for caramelized drips building along the lines.
  3. Spoon the remaining warm glaze over sliced ham at the table. Serve while glossy so the glaze drizzles onto the cut surface.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the glaze warm and stir occasionally so it stays pourable; if it thickens too much, warm it briefly in the saucepan. Store leftover glaze in the refrigerator up to 5 days, then rewarm gently before using. Freezing is not recommended because the texture can separate after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, use a 1:1 brown-sugar-style baking substitute in the same measure.