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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
Crock Pot Ham with Brown Sugar
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.
Is there a more affordable sub for pure maple syrup? Maple syrup is so expensive right now.
You could do honey instead!
I will be making this at work. Can I microwave the glaze since I wont have access to a stove?
I think that should work fine!
Does the ham have to be spiral? Our grocery store doesn’t have any 😢
It does not need to be spiral, you can score a regular ham with diagonal cuts.
I had to cut my ham off the bone to fit into my slow cooker pot. Went out on a limb and subbed veggie broth for the juice… stay tuned.
Have you made this with a smaller ham by chance? I only have a 4qt crockpot and wondering if this would work with a 4lb ham and 4qt crockpot by just halfing all the ingredients? What would you think cook time would be?
Yes that would work, I’d reduce the cook time by one hour.
Thank you!
I want to cook this today for thanksgiving, it won’t fit in my slow cooker so I need to use the oven! I want to still use this glaze. Any suggestions for the oven? Should I leave it covered the entire time with foil?
You can use the cooking method outlined here: https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/how-to-cook-a-ham/
Hi- can you use this recipe with a boneless spiral cut ham? Would you adjust the cook time?
Thank you!
Yes that should work fine, you may want to reduce the cooking time by about 30 minutes.
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
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!
Midnight in Mississippi. About to put ham in crock pot for Christmas Eve dinner. Wish me luck!
At what temperature do you place the crock pot on for those 3-4 hours? I could not find it in the recipe.
Step 4, low heat!
Hi is there another kind of juice that can be used instead of pineapple. My son is allergic to pineapple. Thanks
Apple juice, orange juice or apple cider!
Peaches work surprisingly well with pork, so peach juice might work, also
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!
I want to make this for Christmas Dinner. What is your favorite brand of ham? Thank you.
I typically buy my ham from Costco!
Will this work for a ham that is precut?
Yes it will!
Why can you not use pancake syrup?
It has a very strong flavor and will overwhelm the other ingredients in the glaze.
can i do this in the oven instead of a crock pot
That should be fine, you can use this glaze but follow the baking directions here: https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/honey-glazed-ham/
What if you bought a ham that is too big for your crock pot can it be cut first to fit in crock pot
Yes you can cut it!
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.
Can honey be used instead of maple syrup.
Yes that’s fine!
Is this ham fully cooked when you buy it? How do you serve a spiral cut ham?
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!
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?
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.