Last Updated on February 24, 2026 by Kimberly Stroh

This holiday ham recipe is a total game-changer. It’s brushed with a sweet bourbon glaze and baked until golden brown and beautifully caramelized. I’ve made it enough times to confidently say this Bourbon Glazed Ham is the ultimate holiday centerpiece. It’s simple to prepare and earns rave reviews every single time.

I traditionally serve ham for both Christmas and Easter, but it also makes a delicious alternative to turkey at Thanksgiving. It’s festive, impressive, and looks like a true showstopper right in the center of your holiday table.

Ham is a classic holiday main course and a longtime favorite in our family. One of the best parts about making ham is that most of the work is already done for you. Hams are typically pre-smoked, fully cooked, and spiral-sliced, so all that’s left to do is add your seasonings and heat it through.

This Bourbon Glazed Ham finishes with a rich, flavorful glaze that caramelizes beautifully in the oven. It looks impressive on the table, but it’s incredibly easy to make — which makes it even better.

Why We Love This Ham Recipe

A glaze is simply a thick syrupy mixture that forms. In this case, the Bourbon draws the majority of the flavor. You just add the sweet touch to the Bourbon and simmer to make the glaze. It brushes over the ham so beautifully and adds tons of flavor. You’ll end up with that brown and crispy exterior and moist inner meat.

What To Serve With Bourbon Glazed Ham

Ham is a traditional American holiday main course. I like to serve it alongside my Cranberry Sauce recipe, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Southern Squash Casserole recipe and Creamed Corn. I’m all about adding as much color to my holiday table. You can also make your own homemade sauce for the ham as well.

How Long Do You Cook A Glazed Ham?

You’ll bake this ham for two hours after applying the first round of glaze. Then you’ll prepare the 2nd round of the glaze and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer registers an internal temperature of 140 degrees.  You’ll definitely want to buy a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature – they cook differently according to weight. 

A ham needs to cook for about 20 minutes per pound in the oven at 325 degrees F. This is for a standard half ham around 7-8 pounds. If you choose to cook your ham in a slow cooker, it will take about 3-4 hours on low heat.

How Much Ham You Need To Serve For Each Guest

Plan on serving about 3/4 pound of ham per person for a standard bone-in half ham. Our family likes a lot of leftovers though. If you’d like a lot of leftovers at the end of your meal, you can increase this amount to 1 pound of ham per person. Do you need leftover ham recipes? I always make my One-Pot Ham & Asparagus Pasta or Grandma’s 7-Layer Salad recipe.

How To Use A Meat Thermometer With A Ham

Stick your meat thermometer in the thickest part of your holiday ham. You’re warming your ham to the appropriate temperature, if it’s already cooked. Food safety dictates that the proper temperature for a ham is 145 degrees F. That’s when you know it’s ready for consumption. 

Other Glazed Ham Variations

I make this recipe as is, and it’s amazing. However, there are other ways to prepare a holiday ham. By just changing out a few ingredients, you can really get a different flavor palette.

• Sweetener: Feel free to use maple syrup instead of molasses and brown sugar. Honey is another favorite sweetener that you could use.
• Switch Alcohol Brands: You can keep using Bourbon, but change out to a seasonal bourbon flavor or a different brand.
• Spices: You can add seasonal spices, like Pumpkin Spice, if you’re looking for a different holiday flavor.

Holiday Bourbon Glazed Ham Ingredients:

• Fully Cooked, Bone-in Ham 
• Brown Sugar
• Molasses
• Prepared Ground Mustard
• Bourbon

Directions To Make The Holiday Bourbon Glazed Ham

Preheat the oven to 325ºF degrees. Place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan. Brush the ham with 2 tablespoons of bourbon. Bake the ham for 2 hours.

Just before the timer expires, stir together the brown sugar, molasses, prepared ground mustard, and remaining bourbon.

Carefully remove the ham from the oven and brush or spoon the glaze over the ham.

Next, return the ham to the oven and continue baking for an additional 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers an internal temperature of 140 degrees. Allow the ham to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.