Crockpot Ham Recipe with Brown Sugar Glaze

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Create a juicy and flavorful crockpot ham with our easy recipe, perfect for special occasions like Easter dinner. Enjoy more oven space and a delightful brown sugar glaze with this hassle-free cooking method.

Looking for the best way to cook a whole ham without sacrificing oven space? Our Crockpot Ham recipe combines the ease of slow cooking with the rich flavors of a traditional holiday ham, making it the perfect addition to your Easter or Christmas meal. If you love using your crockpot, try our crockpot whole chicken.

Keep the oven free with our crockpot ham recipe.

During a big holiday dinner, oven space is often a big problem! Special side dishes like corn casserole, green bean casserole and dinner rolls all need to be baked right before the main dish is done.

I love using our slow cooker for large cuts of meat like ham and slow cooker turkey breast. This recipe combines our oven baked ham recipe and our copycat honey baked ham to create a spiral-cut ham with a glaze that will melt in your mouth. Get the ham cooking in the slow cooker and stop those constant oven checks.

Other popular holiday meal side dishes that go great with ham: pineapple casserole, scalloped potatoes, and sweet potato casserole.

Did you end up with too much ham? Use leftover ham for our slow cooker ham and beans, ham pot pie, split pea soup with ham and bacon and cordon bleu casserole. These are two recipes that are great for stretching the ham. You’ll end up with plenty of leftovers.

Enjoy! -Julie

Ingredients for Crockpot Ham

ingredients for slow cooker ham on a table

Spiral ham. Choose a fully cooked ham for the best results. Aldi grocery store has the best ham! Throw away the glaze packet that comes with it and use our glaze ingredients instead.
Orange juice and pineapple juice. These give a nice, slightly sweet flavor. Ginger ale, apple juice or even Coke or Dr. Pepper also work well. The acidic nature of these liquids make a tender ham.
Brown sugar. Light brown sugar is good, but dark brown sugar gives a deep molasses flavor that’s irresistible.
Spices. All of the spices combine to give the ham such a comforting flavor. These are especially good for Christmas dinner.

✨ See the recipe card for the full recipe and ingredients. ✨

closeup of brown sugar ham in a slow cooker

Crockpot Ham Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Servings 30

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 5 5

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Ingredients

8-9 pound fully cooked spiral sliced bone-in ham weight is approximate
1 cup orange juice
1 cup pineapple juice

For the brown sugar mixture:

1 cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon paprika
Dash of ground ginger
Dash of onion powder

Instructions

Place the spiral cut ham in the bottom of the slow cooker. (It's ok if the lid doesn't fit on. There's a trick for that!) Pour orange juice and pineapple juice overtop the ham. 8-9 pound fully cooked spiral sliced bone-in ham, 1 cup orange juice, 1 cup pineapple juice
In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar and spices. 1 cup brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon paprika, Dash of ground ginger, Dash of onion powder
Sprinkle about ¼ cup of the brown sugar around the ham, into the juices. Then press the rest of the brown sugar mix onto the top of the ham. Separate the slices lightly so that the sugar mixture gets down in between.
If the lid doesn't fit, cover the top of the slow cooker with aluminum foil. Set to low heat and cook for 4-5 hours.
Baste the ham with the juices once or twice during cooking if desired. When the ham is heated through (140ºF), baste with juices, then serve.

Notes

Your slow cooker ham should reach an internal temperature of 140°F (for a fully cooked ham) to ensure it’s safe to eat. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature at the thickest part of the ham, avoiding the bone.

To keep your leftover ham as fresh and delicious as the day it was cooked, proper storage is key. Once the ham has cooled to room temperature, use a sharp knife to slice any leftovers into manageable pieces. Wrap the slices tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in an airtight container or resealable plastic bags.

Refrigerated, your ham will stay good for 3 to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze the ham slices for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Author Julie Clark

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Calories 216

Keyword christmas dinner, easter dinner, easy ham recipe, ham dinner, slow cooker ham

Make Crockpot Ham in 4 Steps

Place the spiral cut ham in the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour orange juice and pineapple juice overtop the ham.
In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar and spices.
Sprinkle about ¼ cup of the brown sugar around the ham, into the juices. Then press the rest of the brown sugar mix onto the top of the ham. Separate the slices lightly so that the sugar mixture gets down in between.
If the lid doesn’t fit, cover the top of the slow cooker with aluminum foil. Set to low and cook for 4-5 hours.

overhead view of spiral cut ham in a slow cooker

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should I cook my crockpot ham?

Cooking time depends on the size and cut of your ham. Generally, a fully cooked, spiral sliced ham should be heated through in a slow cooker on low for about 4-5 hours. Always use a meat thermometer to ensure it has reached the proper internal temperature.

Can I overcook my ham in the slow cooker?

Yes, while slow cookers are forgiving, it’s possible to overcook ham, making it dry and tough. To avoid this, check the temperature toward the end of cooking time and remove the ham once it’s heated through.

What can I make with leftover ham?

Easter Ham Pie: Combine eggs, ham and cheese in a tender, flaky pie crust.
Slow Cooker Ham and Egg Casserole: Perfect for breakfast or brunch, combine leftover ham with eggs, cheese, and vegetables in the slow cooker.
Ham and Bean Soup: A comforting and hearty soup that’s ideal for chilly evenings. Use your ham bone for added flavor.
Ham Salad: Chop up your leftover ham, mix with mayonnaise, dijon mustard and Swiss cheese for a quick and easy sandwich filling.
Ham Loaf. A twist on traditional meatloaf.