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.

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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.

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


5 from 267 votes

Crock Pot Ham with Brown Sugar

AuthorSara Welch
A crock pot ham on a serving plate with herbs and apples for garnish.
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!
Time
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 5 minutes
Course Main
Cuisine American
Serves 8

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

Hello! I’m Sara!

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5 from 267 votes (219 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I loved loved loved this recipe, I only had a 1.5kg ham and my crockpot is too big for something that small so I put it in my oven at 350 for 1 hour and a half. I did 1/2 cups of the ingredients instead of full cups as my ham was smaller, both my girls loved it as well, they both kept on saying yummy. My boyfriend was not a fan of the glaze because he said that it overpowered the ham flavour and he couldnโ€™t taste the ham anymore. I think maybe Iโ€™ll have to do even less than 1/3 cups to tone down the flavour. Thank you so very much for this recipe! I will be making it again! 10/10! Will recommend.

  2. 5 stars
    I made this last night for dinner with some asparagus, baked potatoes, and Hawaiian bread rolls. Very delicious. Came out juicy and flavorful. I made a 8.15 lb spiral ham from Costco. It needed 3.5 hours on low and 30 min on high. Total of 4 hours. We will definitely make again and I have passed the recipe on to other family members.

  3. 5 stars
    I did this recipe tonight. It was great and will do it again. My ham was 9.5 lbs. it took 3 hours on low and 30 minutes on high to get to 140. I simmered the liquid for 15 minutes. Iโ€™m thinking next time using crushed pineapple instead of juice.

  4. 5 stars
    Hi! I have one boneless 4-5 lb spiral ham.
    Questionsโ€ฆis there an approximate cook time per pound to follow in the slow cooker? When it says to cut cook time for smaller ham, not sure how much time to cut!
    Alsoโ€ฆ I can actually fit two of these smaller (4-5 pound) hams side by side in my slow cooker. Can I cook together, and follow recipe as stated for an 8lb ham? Thank you!!

  5. 5 stars
    Made it with my smaller ham, now I have a larger ham almost 10lbs, would the cooking time be the same or would I need to account for 4-5 hours vs 3-4.

  6. 5 stars
    Iโ€™ve made this the last several Christmases and itโ€™s been a crowd favorite! We plan to do it again this year.

    This year I think weโ€™ll need a much larger ham. Has anyone tried it in an electric roaster? Undecided whether to follow slow cooker or oven directions.

    1. Iโ€™ve always done electric roaster, this will be my first year for slow cooker. I follow roaster oven directions with temp and time. Always turns out great!! Only reason Iโ€™m diverting this year is because I have a tiny ham.

  7. 5 stars
    I tried this as a very last minute addition to my thanksgiving meal. It was absolutely delicious and so easy! This will be my new go to for the holidays.

  8. I am ALWAYS looking for new ways (& easy) to heat/cook a spiral sliced ham. Question….doesn’t the ham get dry in the slow cooker? REALLY anxious to try this. Thanks for the recipe!

    1. It doesn’t get dry, there’s a lot of glaze and the covered cooking method in the slow cooker helps to retain moisture.

  9. Can you just cut it off the bone and cook just the meat if it won’t fit in the slow cooker? Didn’t realize my ham is a honkin’ 10.5lbs. lol

  10. 5 stars
    Iโ€™ve been making this ham for the last year or two and I can say itโ€™s a favorite for my friends and family! I do substitute Orange Juice for the pineapple since Iโ€™m allergic to pineapple and it still comes out great! Wonโ€™t make ham any other way!