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Home » Slow Cooker » Crock Pot Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze

Published: October 10, 2018 Last Modified: March 11, 2019 By Sara 246 Comments

Crock Pot Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze

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Crock Pot Ham Recipe | Slow Cooker Ham | Glazed Ham | Thanksgiving Ham | Christmas Ham | Easter Ham #ham #slowcooker #crockpot #dinner #christmas #thanksgiving #easter #glutenfree #dinneratthezoo

This crock pot ham is a spiral cut ham topped with a 3 ingredient glaze, then slow cooked to perfection. This is the BEST way to make your holiday ham, the slow cooker does all of the work!

I’m always looking for ways to make holiday entertaining easier, and this crock pot ham is about as simple as it gets. All it takes is 5 minutes of prep time, and you end up with the most tender and succulent ham of all time! Not a ham fan? Try my herb roasted turkey or slow cooker turkey breast instead.

Crock Pot Ham Recipe | Slow Cooker Ham | Glazed Ham | Thanksgiving Ham | Christmas Ham | Easter Ham #ham #slowcooker #crockpot #dinner #christmas #thanksgiving #easter #glutenfree #dinneratthezoo Crock Pot Ham Recipe | Slow Cooker Ham | Glazed Ham | Thanksgiving Ham | Christmas Ham | Easter Ham #ham #slowcooker #crockpot #dinner #christmas #thanksgiving #easter #glutenfree #dinneratthezoo

A crock pot ham on a serving plate with herbs and apples for garnish.

Whenever there’s a holiday, there’s a ham on my table. I love to cook ham because most of the work is done for you before you even open the package. All you need is a delicious glaze and a slow cooker to make this simple crock pot ham. Best of all, it frees up oven space so that you have plenty of room to cook up your sides and desserts.

How do you make crock pot ham?

The first step is to choose your ham. I always go with a smoked spiral cut ham. You’ll want a ham around 7-8 pounds in size. If you go any larger, you may have trouble fitting it into your crock pot. You can always trim off the end to make it fit if needed.

The ham is coated in brown sugar, then doused in maple syrup and pineapple juice to form a sweet glaze that simmers away along with the ham.

A ham in a crock pot coated with brown sugar.

Tips for crock pot ham

  • You’ll need a large oval slow cooker for this recipe – the one shown here is an 8 quart slow cooker, I’ve also used my 7 quart size with success.
  • The glaze is fairly thin when it comes out of the crock pot, so I like to transfer it to a pan on the stove top and simmer the glaze until it thickens.
  • Not a fan of pineapple juice? Try apple cider instead.
  • I like to garnish my ham platter with an assortment of herbs and fruit for a beautiful presentation.

A crock pot ham with maple syrup being poured over the top.

How much ham per person?

You’ll need about 3/4 pound of ham per person for a bone-in ham. If you want plenty of leftovers, you can increase that amount to 1 pound of ham per person.

How long to cook a ham?

It takes approximately 3-4 hours to cook a ham in the crock pot on low heat. You can check to make sure your ham is heated through by inserting a thermometer into the thickest part of the ham. The thermometer should read at least 140 degrees F.

A ham in a slow cooker covered in brown sugar, maple syrup and pineapple juice.

What to serve with ham

Ham pairs perfectly with potatoes, vegetables, cornbread, or even stuffing! Here are some of my favorite holiday side dishes that I serve alongside my crock pot ham.

  • Cranberry Jello Salad
  • Bacon Green Bean Bundles
  • Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
  • Roasted Sweet Potatoes
  • Glazed Carrots

A spiral cut crock pot ham inside a slow cooker.

How to reheat leftover ham

One of the best parts about a holiday meal is enjoying the leftovers the next day! You can reheat your ham by covering it with foil and warming it in a 275 degree oven.

Sliced crock pot ham on a serving plate.

How to use leftover ham

Got leftover ham? I’ve got plenty of ways for you to repurpose it! Check out my list of 40 Satisfying Leftover Ham Recipes.

I love this crock pot ham because it’s tender, flavorful and so incredibly easy to make. It’s a huge hit every time I serve it!

Crock Pot Ham Video


A crock pot ham on a serving plate with herbs and apples for garnish.
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5 from 42 votes

Crock Pot Ham with Brown Sugar

This crock pot ham is a spiral cut ham topped with a 3 ingredient glaze, then slow cooked to perfection. This is the BEST way to make your holiday ham, the slow cooker does all of the work!
Course Main
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 404kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 8 lb spiral cut ham
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup pure maple syrup do not use artificially flavored pancake syrup
  • 1 cup pineapple juice
  • cooking spray
  • fresh herbs for garnish

Instructions

  • Coat a large 7-8 quart crock pot with cooking spray.
  • Place the ham cut side down in the crock pot.
  • Rub the brown sugar all over the ham, then pour the maple syrup and pineapple juice over the top.
  • Cook for 3-4 hours on low heat, or until a thermometer registers 140 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the ham.
  • Transfer the ham to a serving platter. 
  • Pour the liquid from the bottom of the crock pot into a medium sized pan.
  • Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring the liquid to a simmer. 
  • Cook for 6-8 minutes or until just thickened,
  • Pour the sauce over the ham. Decorate the serving platter with fresh herbs if desired, then serve.

Notes

If you prefer a thicker glaze, you can whisk together 1 tablespoon of corn starch with 2 tablespoons of cold water and add it to the sauce pan when you simmer your liquid from the bottom of the crock pot. 

Nutrition

Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 557mg | Potassium: 489mg | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 1.3mg
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    Comments

    1. Heidi Dulac says

      April 17, 2022 at 5:15 am

      Hi- can you use this recipe with a boneless spiral cut ham? Would you adjust the cook time?
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Sara says

        April 18, 2022 at 1:14 pm

        Yes that should work fine, you may want to reduce the cooking time by about 30 minutes.

        Reply
    2. Petra says

      December 25, 2021 at 2:20 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Sara, I am sure I already commented a fee years ago, but I simply have to again!!! This is such a staple of ours, and I just thank you for saving my sanity at Christmas as this crock pot magic makes me relax more than stress out. This way, the oven can nail 5 side dishes np and all is done at the same time. The flavors are dangerous so wear a flowy top hahah soooo worth it

      Reply
    3. Carol says

      December 24, 2021 at 3:18 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for a work gathering . Unfortunately, I was unable to reduce the sauce to accompany the ham. The ham was moist and flavorful. It was enjoyed by all – on the following day as well. The bone is now headed for split pea soup. This recipe is definitely a keeper! Thank you!

      Reply
    4. Pweggy says

      December 23, 2021 at 10:30 pm

      Midnight in Mississippi. About to put ham in crock pot for Christmas Eve dinner. Wish me luck!

      Reply
    5. Ann says

      December 23, 2021 at 10:18 am

      At what temperature do you place the crock pot on for those 3-4 hours? I could not find it in the recipe.

      Reply
      • Sara says

        December 23, 2021 at 11:02 am

        Step 4, low heat!

        Reply
    6. Bella says

      December 20, 2021 at 7:20 am

      Hi is there another kind of juice that can be used instead of pineapple. My son is allergic to pineapple. Thanks

      Reply
      • Sara says

        December 20, 2021 at 8:35 am

        Apple juice, orange juice or apple cider!

        Reply
      • Stacey says

        December 20, 2021 at 3:49 pm

        Peaches work surprisingly well with pork, so peach juice might work, also

        Reply
        • Robin says

          December 25, 2021 at 11:40 am

          Peach juice is also better if you want a thicker sauce! I use my own melted homemade apple butter as a glaze and it is AMAZING!

          Reply
    7. Mary Pickett says

      December 16, 2021 at 5:10 am

      5 stars
      I want to make this for Christmas Dinner. What is your favorite brand of ham? Thank you.

      Reply
      • Sara says

        December 16, 2021 at 9:04 am

        I typically buy my ham from Costco!

        Reply
    8. Donna Smith says

      December 9, 2021 at 6:39 am

      Will this work for a ham that is precut?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        December 9, 2021 at 8:43 am

        Yes it will!

        Reply
    9. Kathie Giles says

      November 30, 2021 at 9:45 am

      Why can you not use pancake syrup?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        November 30, 2021 at 11:16 am

        It has a very strong flavor and will overwhelm the other ingredients in the glaze.

        Reply
    10. chrissy says

      November 25, 2021 at 7:01 am

      can i do this in the oven instead of a crock pot

      Reply
      • Sara says

        November 25, 2021 at 7:45 am

        That should be fine, you can use this glaze but follow the baking directions here: https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/honey-glazed-ham/

        Reply
    11. Angela says

      November 25, 2021 at 2:09 am

      What if you bought a ham that is too big for your crock pot can it be cut first to fit in crock pot

      Reply
      • Sara says

        November 25, 2021 at 7:46 am

        Yes you can cut it!

        Reply
      • Robin says

        December 25, 2021 at 11:42 am

        Or just cover it with tinfoil and set the lid on top as best as you can. Works just fine for me when anything is too big to lock the lid on all the way.

        Reply
    12. Sharon Vice says

      November 24, 2021 at 5:23 pm

      Can honey be used instead of maple syrup.

      Reply
      • Sara says

        November 25, 2021 at 7:47 am

        Yes that’s fine!

        Reply
    13. Linda J Layton says

      November 19, 2021 at 6:58 am

      Is this ham fully cooked when you buy it? How do you serve a spiral cut ham?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        November 19, 2021 at 9:40 am

        Yes it’s a fully cooked ham, you’ll just want to follow the recipe then cut the slices away from the bone when you’re ready to eat!

        Reply
    14. Kasha Kinney says

      November 13, 2021 at 11:04 pm

      I will be trying this recipe for the first time this Thanksgiving and my question is, does this recipe call for an 8lb boneless ham or an 8lb bone in ham?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        November 15, 2021 at 8:57 am

        It assumes you’re using an 8 lb bone in spiral cut ham. You can use other types of hams but the cooking time may vary.

        Reply
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