This sweet and savory Apricot Glazed Ham is made with a simple, 5-ingredient glaze that’s infused with the flavors of apricot, ginger, and brown sugar. The edges caramelize and become sticky in the oven, while the ham itself stays moist and juicy. Trust me, you haven’t had great ham until you’ve tried this recipe! 

If you’re looking for an EASY glazed ham recipe that will be the star of your holiday table, this recipe is it!

“The glaze was so quick to put together and smelled heavenly while the ham roasted. Will definitely make this again!” – Jillian, So Much Food reader

Apricot Jam Is the Ideal Base for Ham Glaze!

Hear me when I say that this is the BEST glazed ham recipe. I don’t say that lightly, because I grew up with a glazed ham and a turkey every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas — and this recipe is even better than the ham my mom used to make! 

What makes this recipe so special is the savory-sweet apricot glaze. The apricot jam makes the glaze nice and sticky, and its high sugar content is what creates those crispy caramelized edges that everyone loves. 

The ginger adds the perfect zing of citrus, the butter adds richness, and the Dijon some umami oomph that prevents the glaze from tasting just generically sweet. 

This is a ham recipe that’s perfect for every holiday and special occasion! It feeds a crowd, and the prep is minimal and so much less involved than with roasting a turkey. Plus, you can repurpose the leftovers so many different ways! 

Heads up! I made this recipe using a Frick’s bone-in butt end portion ham, generously donated by Central Market. This is not a sponsored post, but these are two of my favorite purveyors for holiday groceries. 

Gather These 6 Ingredients

• Ham. I used a bone-in, fully cooked ham butt for this recipe. Check out the below sections on choosing the right kind of ham.
• Apricot preserves or jam. Use whatever you have on hand! Opt for a smoother apricot jam or preserve so that there aren’t huge chunks of apricot.
• Brown sugar. I use dark brown sugar, but you can use either.
• Fresh ginger. The ginger adds the perfect zing of spicy citrus flavor to the glaze. Use a microplane to grate it, or mince it finely.
• Dijon mustard. The dijon mustard from Trader Joe’s (I’m an evangelical about it) is the ABSOLUTE best. It’s got sharp flavor and balances the sweetness of the glaze.
• Butter. Whisking a couple of tablespoons of butter into the glaze at the end gives it a beautiful texture.

How to Make the Juiciest Baked Ham with Apricot Glaze (+ Tips!)

Jenny’s Tip: You don’t need any fancy tools to make this ham, but I do recommend investing in a roasting pan. It’s essential for this recipe and other holiday favorites like for roast turkey breast and roasted spatchcock chicken.

1. Remove your ham from the fridge 2 hours before cooking. If you transfer the ham straight from the fridge to the oven, you’ll increase the cook time dramatically since the ham will first need to warm up in the oven. This increases the risk of the sticky apricot glaze burning, which is a huge no-no!
2. Score the ham 1/4-inch deep. I like to make 1-inch diamonds all around the ham. This isn’t just for looks, by the way! It lets the glaze sink deeper into the ham, carrying all that sweet and savory flavor with it.
3. Roast at 350ºF for 45 minutes. You’ll want to pour some water into the bottom of the roasting pan to keep the ham super juicy. I also cover mine loosely with foil so the meat doesn’t dry out.
4. Meanwhile, make the apricot glaze. All you do is combine the apricot jam, sugar, Dijon, and spices and simmer for about 5 minutes to thicken.
5. Brush the ham with glaze. Use just 1/4 of the glaze for now and save the rest for basting the ham later on.
6. Keep roasting at 400ºF, basting every 15 minutes. The reason we baste the ham continually rather than whack on all the glaze at once is because this locks in more moisture, prevents the glaze from burning, and generally makes for an all-around better and more nuanced tasting ham.
7. Rest before slicing. For a large cut of meat like this, you’ll need to allow 30 minutes for the juices to redistribute before slicing.

Choosing Between Bone-In vs. Boneless Ham

I highly recommend opting for a bone-in, unsliced butt end ham when making this apricot glazed ham recipe. The butt end (the top half of the ham) has more tender, fattier meat than the shank end, lending a richer flavor. (You can certainly use a shank end ham here, my personal preference is simply the butt end.)

A bone-in ham makes for a great visual presentation on the table! And it’s not just there for show — a ham bone is an excellent starter for flavorful soups and stocks and lends extra flavor to the ham. That being said, it can be harder to carve around at times, depending on your dexterity.

Jenny’s Tip: Boneless hams are easier to slice, so if convenience is more important to you than presentation and bone-in flavor, then that’s fine too.

Selecting the Best Type of Ham

This recipe calls for a smoked city ham. Here’s a quick rundown of the common types of ham you’ll find at your local grocery store and why you DON’T want to use anything else.

• City ham (what this recipe calls for!).This is a type of wet-cured — and often smoked — ham, and it’s the most common variety at grocery stores. They’re pre-cooked, so all you need to do to prepare the ham at home is gradually heat it through in an oven set to a low temperature.
• Country ham. This is a kind of dry-cured, sometimes smoked ham. You eat them as they are, and they’re super salty with a drier texture. Not what you want for this recipe!
• Spiral cut ham. This variety is pre-cooked and pre-sliced, and you pretty much just heat and serve it. Avoid using one for this recipe since spiral cut hams are typically pre-glazed, too.

What to Serve with Apricot Glazed Ham

This sweet and savory ham with apricot glaze is the star of the table, but you need all the fixings to go with it! These are all my favorite cocktails, sides, and desserts to make your holiday table extra-special.

• Cocktails. Bourbon Apple Cider Fizz, Cranberry Old Fashioned, Holiday Sangria
• Breads. Fluffy Dinner Rolls, Brioche Rolls, Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
• Sides. Caramelized Onion Mashed Potatoes, Miso Glazed Brussels Sprouts, Bacon Cornbread Stuffing, Baked Mac and Cheese
• Desserts. Pecan Pie Bars, Sweet Potato Pie Bars, BEST EVER Pumpkin Pie

If you do give this recipe a try, I love hearing about it!  Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram.

Recipes to Make with Leftover Ham

• Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake
• Ham and Cheese Dutch Baby
• Ham Fried Rice
• Ham and Potato Soup
• Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup

And if you love ham as much as I do, consider making my bourbon glazed ham for your next holiday gathering! 

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