Crockpot Ham is one of our favorite ways to make a holiday main dish without using the oven. The spiral-cut ham cooks low and slow with brown sugar, pineapple juice, and maple syrup until it’s warm, juicy, and full of sweet flavor.
We love this for Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Sunday dinners because it frees up oven space for all the sides. The extra step of boiling the juices with more brown sugar makes a sweet glaze that gets poured back over the ham for the perfect finish.
For more ham recipes, check out our Instant Pot Ham and Honey Glazed Ham.
Why you’ll love it + Why it works:
- SIMPLE. Takes less than 10 minutes to prep. That’s a win!
- MADE IN SLOW COOKER. Most of it is done in the crock pot, which makes this slow cooker ham recipe even better!
- CUT SIDE DOWN KEEPS IT MOIST. Placing the ham cut side down helps the slices soak up the juices.
- BOILED GLAZE ADDS A SWEET FINISH. Cooking the juices with extra brown sugar thickens the glaze and makes the ham taste extra special.
Crockpot Ham Ingredients
- Bone in spiral cut cured ham (8 pounds): The star of the show, spiral slices let the glaze seep into every layer and make serving simple.
- Packed light brown sugar, divided (2-2½ cups): Sweetens and caramelizes, some cooks with the ham for deep flavor, the rest finishes as a shiny pour over glaze.
- Pineapple juice (1 cup): Adds bright acidity that balances the sweetness and keeps the ham moist.
- Pure maple syrup (¼ cup, not artificially flavored pancake syrup): Brings warm caramel notes and a silky finish to the glaze.
How to Cook a Ham in a Crock Pot
PREP. Add your ham to a greased slow cooker, cut side down.
SEASON. Rub 1 cup brown sugar all over the ham, then pour the syrup and pineapple juice over the top.
COOK. Heat in a slow cooker on LOW for 3-4 hours. Remove the excess liquid in the slow cooker into a separate pot. Make the glaze (recipe below) and pour it over the sliced ham in the crock pot. Cook on warm/low for an additional 30 minutes to an hour.
SERVE. Remove this easy crock pot ham to a platter, and garnish with fresh herbs.
Brown Sugar Glaze Recipe
- COMBINE. Just mix leftover juices from the cooked ham, brown sugar and pineapple juice in a small saucepan on the stove.
- BOIL. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally.
- GLAZE. Pour the sauce over the ham, cook in the crock pot a little longer, and you’re set.
If desired, try adding additional spices to taste: ginger, ground cloves, cinnamon, or nutmeg. You can even add pineapple chunks ,if desired.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Use a large oval slow cooker, position the ham cut side down so juices baste the slices.
- Tuck foil along the lid if needed to trap heat, slow cookers vary and a tight seal helps the ham warm evenly.
- For deeper caramelization, broil slices on a sheet pan for 2 to 3 minutes after glazing, watch closely.
- Save the glaze, spoon over sliced ham on the platter and offer extra at the table.
- How much ham per person? Bone-in ham – ½ pound per person, or 1 pound per person if you want lots of leftovers! Boneless ham – ¼ to ⅓ pound should do the trick.
- Make ahead and leftovers, cook earlier in the day and hold on warm for 30 to 60 minutes, refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days, use for sliders, breakfast casseroles, or soups.
Crockpot Ham Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 8 pounds bone-in spiral-cut cured ham
- 2-2½ cups packed light brown sugar, divided
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup (not artificially flavored pancake syrup)
Instructions
- Spray your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Place ham cut side down in the greased slow cooker.
- Rub 1 cup brown sugar all over the ham, then pour pineapple juice and syrup over the top.
- Cook on low for 3–4 hours.
- Remove excess liquid from the slow cooker and transfer to a pot. Add remaining 1-1½ cups brown sugar to pot, using more sugar if you prefer a sweeter ham. Bring to a rolling boil, then remove from the heat and pour over the ham. Cook on warm for an additional 30–60 minutes.
- Remove ham to a platter and spoon extra juices over ham slices. Garnish with fresh herbs before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
STORE any leftover slow cooker ham in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
FREEZE. Once cooled, wrap in plastic wrap and tinfoil, or freezer bags, and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat. Pop it in the microwave, or wrap the slices in foil and heat in the oven at 275°F, until warmed through.
Leftover ham is great for sandwiches, soups, casseroles, or bakes. If you know you’re going to use it in a recipe that calls for diced ham, like Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and Ham, Creamy Ham and Bean Soup, or Ham Potato Corn Chowder, dice it up before putting it in the freezer – for convenience down the road!
Side Dishes for Ham
Oven Roasted Vegetables
35 mins
Best Mashed Potatoes
35 mins
Homemade Dinner Rolls Recipe
2 hrs 40 mins
Funeral Potatoes
1 hr 5 mins
This recipe was first published November, 2015.
This is a delicious ham, thanks for sharing
Wow, this is the best ham I have ever made!! It turned out perfect and was so easy to make in the crockpot!!
I just made this for my son’s birthday because it’s his favorite. He said it’s the best he’s had! I am definitely using this recipe for Thanksgiving!
This is my new go-to recipe! It’s super easy and convenient and it turned out flavorful and scrumptious.
do you take the rind off the ham and score it?
You certainly can!
I’m planning on doing a ham in the crockpot for Easter next week. What temperature? – high, low or warm do I cook for the first 2-3 hrs?
I would say high for 2-3 hours. You could also do low, it may take a little longer. You are just wanting to heat the ham all the way through, so it may depend a bit on the size of your ham as well.
We are making this for New Years Eve. So easy to make in crock pot and it’s perfectly done.
Silly question…do you add the glaze that came with the ham For the first 2-3 hours of cooking?
Not silly at all 🙂 Yes, it all goes in the crock pot together. Enjoy!
I would like to use a spiral ham, would that be more apt to dry out instead of one not already sliced?
It might. They tend to dry out quicker & easier, but they aren’t completely dry. You still could use it, just keep that in mind. Good luck!
Slow Cooker Ham sweetened with maple and brown sugar is a favorite for holidays, Sundays and more! Thanks for sharing <3