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Our Crockpot Ham sweetened with a special homemade glaze is a favorite for holidays, Sundays, and more! Never dry, always flavorful, always a hit.
Featured with this recipe
Christmas and Easter dinners wouldn’t be complete without a succulent ham. Dripping our homemade maple and brown sugar glaze, not the grainy packet that comes with the ham. This ham is slow cooked in the Crockpot and it always turns out perfectly! Sometimes if I can get a ham on a good sale, I will make this easy crock pot ham for Sunday dinner. Then we can make lots of different meals throughout the week with the leftover ham (more on that below, we have lots of great leftover ideas). This holiday ham is sweet, rich, and looks beautiful on a serving platter. The flavor is so sweet and savory, you will never want to use the included flavor packet again!
Ingredients in Crockpot Ham
This crock pot ham recipe could not be easier! All you need is a ham and three other ingredients to make the tastiest sauce you’ll ever try. Here’s what you need:
- Spiral-cut ham: This recipe calls for an 8-10 pound boneless or bone-in ham. You can easily cook a larger ham, and double the ingredients for the sauce.
- Brown sugar: About a cup
- Maple syrup: For this recipe, use real maple syrup. The thick, sweet syrup will make the best glaze for the ham!
- Canned pineapple juice: For best results do not use fresh pineapple juice.
Benefits of a Slow Cooker (Crockpot)
Spiral hams are delicious anytime, but especially around Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. When preparing meals for a holiday dinner or even a big Sunday dinner, oven space becomes an issue. Heating the ham in the crockpot saves oven space for side dishes and rolls and allows the meat to simmer in the glorious sauce. Another benefit of using the crock pot is that it doesn’t dry out the ham. The ham stays tender and flavorful. You can always cover the ham with foil before serving to keep it from drying out.
Best Maple Syrup for Slow Cooker Ham
For this recipe I love using REAL maple syrup. It adds such a rich, maple flavor that is hard to beat. Of course, real maple syrup is quite expensive, so if you want to use your typical Mrs. Butterworth’s (or any regular breakfast maple syrup), that’s okay too. Don’t skimp on the syrup. If you feel like you need to add a little extra, do it! Follow your heart. If syrup just isn’t your thing, you can also use honey.
5-Star Reviews
We’ve had many rave reviews on this Slow Cooker Ham recipe. Here are a few of our favorites:
“I made this for Christmas and it was delicious!!”
– Kimberly
“This made an amazing ham! I have never made one and who knew it was so easy and flavorful! I did substitute orange juice for the pineapple juice since that is what I had on hand.”
– Beth
“Thank you for helping me cook my first Thanksgiving ham ever 🙂 Your instructions are very easy to follow. Have a Happy Thanksgiving 🙂”
– Dahlia
“I tried this today and the ham was so moist and tasty. This is the way I will cook ham from now on. Thanks!”
-Sherry
“I made this for our family for the last 3 years and we all love it. It is simply and delicious. I choose to add fresh pineapple. Thank you so much! Happy Thanksgiving to all!”
– Sas
Frequently Asked Questions about Crockpot Ham
A spiral ham works best for this recipe.
It only takes 2-3 hours to heat a ham in the crockpot, depending on the size of the ham.
No, if a ham is fully cooked you don’t have to heat it. You can serve it cold. It’s a matter of preference. However, when serving a holiday meal or formal meal, most people prefer if the ham is warmed.
No, this recipe does not use the seasoning packet. We recommend you throw it away.
When this happens, it is usually because the lid won’t fit on the top of the ham bone. You can cut this part of the ham off with a big, sharp knife or you can take some of the slices off the bottom of the ham and place them around the sides of the Crock Pot. It won’t look as nice, but it will cook just the same.
Use canned pineapple juice. You can buy canned pineapple juice or use the juice from a can of sliced pineapple or pineapple chunks. DO NOT USE fresh pineapple juice. The acids in the juice will break down the ham.
To reheat, pop a slice or two in the microwave until hot, or you can cover in foil and reheat in the oven until warmed through.
Yes, if you don’t like pineapple, orange juice is also very good with ham. You can also use apple cider.
READ MORE: 25+ Traditional and Easy Sunday Dinner Ideas
Best Side Dishes to Serve with Crockpot Ham
Wanting to make this slow cooker spiral ham but need some side dish ideas? We almost always serve this ham with our Cheesy Potato Casserole (aka Funeral Potatoes) but it is also VERY good with Parmesan Potato Halves or Dauphinoise Potatoes (scalloped potatoes). You can also serve with a salad (I love making our Christmas Salad, especially), Sautéed Peas, or even Creamy Potatoes and Peas. You can’t go wrong with any of these ideas for sides!
Best Leftover Recipes for Ham
No matter how many guests we have, we always seem to have so much ham leftover! Chop up leftover crockpot ham and use it in omelets, breakfast casseroles, or breakfast sandwiches. So many possibilities! You can make so many meals from just one ham! Here are a few of our favorites:
Crockpot Spiral Ham with Maple and Brown Sugar
Video
Equipment
- Crockpot
Ingredients
- 1 8-10 pound spiral-cut ham (boneless ham or bone-in ham)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup canned pineapple juice (do not use fresh pineapple juice)
Instructions
- Remove ham from packaging and place in a large (7+ quart) slow cooker. Discard flavor packet (if any). Place ham flat-side down in slow cooker, but if it doesn't fit, ham can be placed on it's side so the lid can close.
- Generously rub with brown sugar all over ham. Pour maple syrup and pineapple juice over the ham.
- Add lid and cook for 2-3 hours on low heat.
- Spoon juices over the ham and cook on low for an additional 30 minutes.
- Remove ham from slow cooker and serve!
Notes
- Heating the ham in the crockpot saves oven space for side dishes and rolls and allows the meat to simmer in the glorious sauce.
- Another benefit of using the Crockpot is that it doesn’t dry out the ham. The ham stays tender and flavorful.
- Not a fan of pineapple juice? Try apple cider or orange juice instead.
Nutrition Information
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Wonderful adaptation and impact reducing recipe!
Thank you Erica.
I have also used Pepsi in substitution for the pineapple juice. Trying this way today. Should be as good as ever. Yum!
Can you make it without the glaze
The glaze keeps the ham from drying out so I would be hesitant to make this recipe without it.
This sounds delicious, I can’t wait to try it! The easiest method for making ham!
Made this for Christmas dinner, it was amazing! Will be making again for Easter. Thanks for sharing
I’m so glad you liked it! It does make holiday meal prep so much easier. Thank you for the 5-stars!
This is a great way to make ham! It turns out so full of flavor and it couldn’t be any easier. Love it!
Can you substitute pineapple juice for orange juice or apple juice?
Yes, you can. Either orange or apple juice can be used to suit your tastes. Thanks for asking!
Where do you get a spiral cut ham
I usually find it at the grocery store in the meat department. Sometimes Costco or Sam’s Club will have them as well!
Why not fresh pineapple juice?
Fresh pineapple contains an enzyme that breaks down protein. It will mess with the texture of the ham.
This is the only way we will cook a ham it is so good it is especially good for ham sandwiches afterwards. The only thing that will make this sandwich better is if it’s on a Filipino pandesal roll
Can you put pineapple slices on it too? Or would that be too sweet you think? Thank you
I think that would be delicious!
This is my first time i cooking a small ham in slowcooker.and will try out the glaze.cant wait how it turns out.thanks wish me luck
This looks so delicious and savory! I can’t wait to give this a try! So excited!
Everyone at my house really enjoyed this!! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
This is exactly the recipe I was looking for! Thanks–it turned out great!
By far my favorite recipe! Exactly what I was looking for!
Recipe came out great for our Christmas dinner.
How long should you cook a 4 lb spiral ham in the crockpot?
I would start with an hour, and then check it every 15 minutes after.
For the crockpot spiral ham, do I get a precooked ham or full cooked ham
You get a fully cooked ham for this recipe.
Can you use a smoked ham?
We haven’t tried a smoked ham, but I don’t see why not!
Do I need to adjust the cooking time for a 4 -5 lb. ham?
I would check it after one hour, and go from there. The purpose is to warm the ham through since it is already cooked. So, whenever the ham is warm to the center, you are good to go!
I’m so excited to try this recipe for the holidays. This sounds so easy and delicous.
This looks so delicious and easy to do. Definitely going to use this recipe on Christmas day.
I forgot to buy pineapple juice. What else can I use?
You could use apple juice or orange juice!
This has been my “go to” ham recipe for the last two years. I also smeared a thin layer of Dijon on the skin before adding the other ingredients. So tasty and easy. I have never been a “ham fan” nut you converted me. Thanks so much for sharing. Merry Christmas everyone !
Thank you for sharing this, Sue! Merry Christmas to you as well!
So wonderful to be able to make this in the slow cooker – really easy and frees up valuable oven space, for sure! And I love that this recipe has both brown sugar and maple flavor – YUM! Happy holidays, ladies!
Thank you for helping me cook my first Thanksgiving day ever 🙂 Your instructions are very easy to follow.Have a Happy Thanksgiving 🙂
I only had a 8lb. spiral ham but when I put it in my large oval crock pot the lid did not fit on it properly because of the bone..still going to use it since the ham is already cooked. Hopefully I am not the only one with this issue 🙂 Thanks for your time sharing!
I always have to trim some off the top and just put the pieces around the edge. 🙂
I haven’t made it yet. What can I substitute for the pineapple (allergy to pineapples)? Can I use canned apricots??
Apricots would be delicious!
We love this recipe it is the best we have tried
We made it exactly like the recipe. It was delicious…..
Do you prefer shank or butt ham? Or are the spiraled ones usually one or the other?
We use a spiral, bone-in ham for this recipe. Thanks for asking!
fo you or can you add the pineapple chunks in it also? i see a pic with them in but not in directions. if so do ypu add them for the whole time or later in the process?
The chunks are optional but I really like them! You can put them in the whole cook time.
looks great I’m going to try it. just wondering do I baste it every hour r just at the end?
We do it just at the end!
Hi, if I use a 4-5 lb ham should I half the ingredients? Thanks
I made this for Christmas and it was delicious!!
So glad you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and comment. 😀
can you cook this on oven if so what temp and for how long can I use light brown sugar. thanks in advance.
Yes! Please see this post for directions on how to cook in the oven: https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/honey-baked-ham-recipe/
I made this for Christmas, following the recipe with a 10-lb spiral sliced ham. There was way too much juice, and my ham ended up quite soggy. It was quite tasty, but didn’t look so good, and basically fell apart as we tried to take it out. Next time I will cut the amount of pineapple juice and maple syrup.
I know from family experience that any meat cooked in the crock pot SHOULD fall off the bone. That’s usually a sign that its fully cooked and delicious.
I can’t find pineapple juice, I have a can of crushed pineapple, can I use this?
Absolutely! That will work great!
How much pineapple juice should I put in?
The recipe above says 1 cup. Merry Christmas!
Sorry saw pic where you use the pineapple thanks again
No problem! Enjoy your ham!
Will a can of sliced pineapple work?
Yes, that would work great!
I have an 11 lb spiral sliced ham. How long would you cook this in a crock pot?
Cook it for 3 hours on low. It will be perfect. Enjoy!
Most of the bone-in spiral hams are already honey glazed. Do I need to find one that is NOT honey glazed?
No, a honey glazed ham will work fine. If you are worried about it being too sweet, you can reduce the brown sugar and maple syrup to 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/3 cup maple syrup. Thanks for asking!
Making Easter ham today. What is the recommended slow cooker time for an 11 lb. spiral cut ham?
How long do i cook a 10 lb fully cooked ham in crockpot
2-3 hours should be fine. Since it is already cooked, you just need to warm it.
I’m confused, do I use canned pineapple along with juices or just juice? The pic has pineapple pieces in it.
You can add the pineapple chunks if you want! They are just a garnish.
Can you use fresh pineapple
I usually use canned, but I don’t see why not! You would just need to add more juices since the canned kind comes with juices.
I am SO excited about making my Christmas ham in my crock pot! My son was judt telling me hr went to dinner at a friend’s house and they had a crockpot cooked ham. Said it was the most tender, juicy, flavorful ham he’d ever eaten. So I went “surfing” and came across your recipe. Sounds delicious, without the endless oven basting and cleanup. Thank you so much. I will be sure to let you know how it comes out. Also, I found it very helpful to read the Q&A … any question I had was answered in that section. So, kudos to you for such a great website. All bases covered! Thanks again. 😊
Thank you so much! I hope you guys enjoy this recipe as much as we do!
Recipe looks great.
Does / should the ham come to room temperature before putting it in the slow-cooker?
No, you can put it in right from the fridge.
I am cooking for a diabetic, is there something to baste the ham to keep moist other than sugary items?
Yes! You can use water and the ham juices that are in the ham packaging. You can also use sugar-free juices. As long as there is some liquid in the slow cooker, the ham will be delicious and moist.
or you can use sugar free syrup!
Yes! That works too! 🙂
How long should it cook in a oven? At what temperature? And what temp. on a thermometer? It’s a 10lb. spiral cut ham.
Cook it in the oven for 20 minutes per pound of ham at 325 degrees. The internal temperature should reach 140 degrees. Thanks for asking!
I always buy a pre cooked bone in half ham, not spiral sliced. Usually
7-8 lbs. Would your recipe work? Anything I need to know?
This recipe is for a spiral ham, so I can’t speak to how it would affect the taste or texture to use a different ham. Let us know how it works if you do use it!
My ham is too tall. Can I lay it in its side?
I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why not!
Hi! I have a ham but it is not spiral cut. Will this recipe still work?
Yes, it will still work. If you cook the ham whole, increase the cooking time to 3-4 hours depending on the size of your ham. It would also work great to slice your ham and then heat it in the crock pot/slow cooker. This will give more flavor and moisture to each slice. Thanks for asking! Good luck!
I tried this today and the ham was so moist and tasty. This is the way I will cook ham from now on. Thanks
Yay!! Thanks for the 5-star rating!!
This made an amazing ham! I have never made one and who knew it was so easy and flavorful! I did susubstitute orange juice for the pineapple juice since that is what I had on hand.
I am so glad you loved it! Thanks for the 5-star rating!
Can you use cola or ginger ale instead of juice?
I haven’t used soda before, so I’m not sure how that would change the recipe!
Making this for Thanksgiving today, it smells amazing, can’t wait to try it! Thanks for the recipe & Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you!! Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
What if I don’t have a can of pineapple? Is there something else I can use?
Apple juice or apple cider would also work fine if you have it on hand. Thanks for asking!
What about orange juice?
Sure! Merry Christmas!
How do you remove it from the slow cooker.
We typically use grilling tongs or two large serving forks. Hope this helps!
do you mean a 32 oz can or what size pineapple juice please?
For this recipe you use 1 cup (8oz) of canned pineapple juice. You can use pineapple juice from a can of pineapple or just the straight-up pineapple juice in a can. Hope this helps!
Hi, I want to cook my
Ham in the crockpot. I’ve always made it in the oven but am not going to have the space this time. Does it come out similar to the way it cooks in the oven? I always have such great reviews for my ham, I’m apprehensive cooking it in the crockpot.
We absolutely love the way this ham comes out! I can’t tell a difference between it and the oven. I hope it goes well for you!
My mother in law gave me a 10ib double glazed bone in, spiral cut, ham but I don’t believe it’s pre-cooked…. can I still use this recipe?
This recipe is only for pre-cooked ham. You would probably have to adjust the cooking time quite a bit.
Hi, I have a 10 lb spiral SMOKED ham. Would that work for this recipe?
Thanks!
Yes, if it is smoked that means it was cooked. I would still always use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the meat to see when it is done.
Looks delicious -do you recommend bone in or boneless and what about cured vs uncured? TYIA
We like to use bone-in because we use the bone to make other recipes like our Crock Pot Red Beans and Rice (here: https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/red-beans-and-rice/). And we used a cured ham in this recipe, so basically you are just warming it and not cooking it.
I have a 5 lb ham instead of 8-10. How much should I decrease the cooking time if any?
With this recipe you are really just warming the meat since it is already cooked. Maybe start with 2 hours and check it with a meat thermometer until it reaches the desired temperature. Hope this helps!
I am trying this for the first time today….I did not realize my ham was so tall. my lid does not fit….so I have covered the top with aluminum foil to act as the cover will this work do you think?
thanks
Yes, that should work fine and I do this all the time. Cover it tightly with foil and it will work like a dream. Hope this helps!
I wish I would have read this! I just took a hammer and Screwdriver to the bone so I could split it in half!
I have a frozen ham that will be done with this recipe. What is the suggested time in the crockpot?
Will you have time to thaw it first? The only problem from going very cold to hot is that the meat can become tough. You can try cooking it on low for a longer amount of time but we haven’t ever done it this way so I can’t tell you for sure. If you try it let us know how it turns out!
Just wondering A lot of the other recipes I’m reading say to cook for six or seven hours on low but you are says 2 to 3 ?
Honestly I think that 6-7 hours is too long. It is already pre-cooked, you just need to warm it. I REALLY don’t like my ham dried out and I think when it cooks for so long it makes it too dry. Totally my opinion though.
Is this pre cooked ham? I’m not sure what to buy!
Yes it is pre-cooked
Hi, Was wondering if you have ever used Honey instead of the syrup? For like a honey baked ham?
Yes, absolutely you an use honey instead. Hope this helps!
Thanks for the suggestion to use honey instead! I have a jar of honey but was going to make a run to the grocery to buy maple syrup. You just saved me a trip! 🙂
Great recipe for Sunday dinner! My husband and son gave it five stars because it is flavorful, moist and tasty. I always use this to avoid overheating the kitchen. A few simple sides make a complete and delicious dinner without hours of kitchen prep.
So glad you liked this so much! And yes, you can’t beat how EASY it is, right?? My husband loves that it doesn’t get dry like most ham dinners.
I dont add anything. Just crockpot heat and eat.
This looks so good. I always have a problem with spiral hams getting warm all the way through. Does this come out warm? I tried another recipe but our ham came out like jerky. Thanks!
Yes, it should be warm– and NOT dry! Definitely don’t want ham jerky haha
This is the recipe I use EVERY time I do a ham in the crockpot. DELICIOUS! Thanks.
This looks delicious. Question, do you mix the juice and syrup together prior to pouring over the ham or are they drizzled on separately? Thank you, and Merry Christmas to you and your family!
You can do it either way, just for simplicity’s sake we usually just pour it all on separately. Hope this helps!
Is there a substitute for pineapple? Last minute and I don’t have any
You can use apple juice or canned mandarin oranges as a substitute in this recipe. I hope that helps!
This might be a not so smart question but if my ham is 12lbs should the cooking remain the same?
*cooking time
Yes, it should give the ham plenty of time to be heated even at 12 lbs. Thanks for asking!
I might try this recipe for Christmas…..looks so good. Thanks for sharing!!
You are very welcome 😀 Let us know what you think if you try it!
I made this for our family for the last 3 years and we all love it. It is simply and delicious. I choose to add fresh pineapple. Thank you so much! Happy Thanksgiving to all!
I am so glad you guys enjoyed it! Pineapple sounds like a delicious addition! Thanks for the 5-star rating!
I tried this and used fresh pineapple juice rather than canned. I combined everything in crockpot and drove an hour to my Dad’s where I plugged it in and started heating. After 1 hr on high and 4 hrs on low, the pot was full of juice and the meat was mostly mush. Flavor was good but texture, icky! Was this because of using fresh vs already canned pineapple juice? Are there enzymes in pineapple that digest protein?!
It actually does. The enzyme contained in fresh pineapple breaks down the amino acid bonds in proteins. That is why people recommend eating fresh pineapple after a large protein meal (like Thanksgiving dinner) to help digestion. Also, the recommended cooking time for this recipe is 2-3 hours on low. Thank you for sharing your experience. I will make a note on the recipe to not use fresh pineapple juice for future reference.
I have. 7 quart slow cooker. The shape of my ten pound spiral ham makes it a tight fit in the slow cooker, . Could I replace the lid with aluminum foil so it doesn’t touch the top of the slow cooker lid? Please let me know. This is for Easter dinner and will keep my oven free to cook other things, Thank you,
Yes, you can absolutely cover with foil! Sometimes I will cover with foil and then lightly just place the lid over the top just so it holds in that heat a little better. Hope this helps!
I want to slice ham, then pour glaze over it and cook, will this be ok?
I don’t see why not!
What can I use in place of the pineapple juice. I’m panicking one of my guests is allergic to pineapple.
Thank you,
judy
You could probably get away with orange juice, it would give it a different taste but it will still be good!
Apple Cider is a fantastic substitution…. and it pairs well with the brown sugar and Maple
I assume I do not use the packet of glaze that comes with the ham?
You assume correctly! Throw the packet away!:)
hello from Kentucky! 🙂 Looks so good! Thanks for posting such a great looking ham!! Gotta try it! 🙂
Hello Kathy! Thank you so much 😀 Let us know what you think if you make it!