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Copycat Instant Pot Honey Baked Ham

Updated:   |   39 Comments

16.95
1.69
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This Instant Pot Honey Baked Ham is juicy, tender, and full of flavor. It delivers that same irresistible caramelized glaze as the store-bought version, without the hefty price tag. 

a top view of honey baked ham on a plate with pineapple slices
a close up of sliced honey baked ham
“This was FANTASTIC! My sister always insists on ordering Honey Baked Ham for Christmas, but we wanted to save some money this year, so we ordered a semi-boneless ham from the grocery store and made your recipe instead. We will not be ordering from HBH anytime in the near future!!! It was simple to make and tasted better than HBH in my opinion!”

KG

reader review

Honey Baked Ham

This ham is unbelievably juicy with a rich, flavorful glaze that comes together in minutes. Making a Honey Baked Ham in the Instant Pot is a total game-changer. You’ll never make it any other way after trying this recipe. 

The steam in the Instant Pot locks in moisture, creating tender, melt-in-your-mouth slices. It takes the stress out of holiday cooking so you can focus on spending time with family and friends.

Skip the pricey store-bought version and make your own at home for a fraction of the cost. It’s simple, delicious, and guaranteed to impress at Easter, Christmas, or any family dinner throughout the year.

Recipe Tips

Save the bone from this ham to make Leftover Ham and Bean Soup for an affordable way to get two meals for your family. Or use the leftover ham in this Pineapple Fried Rice, Ham and Corn Chowder, or Ham and Noodle Casserole.

After brushing on the glaze, pop the ham under the broiler for 2–3 minutes for that signature “crackly” sugar crust.

Compared to the original Honey Baked Ham, this recipe is so much more economical! The original will run you around $90 for a similar-sized ham!

Ingredients & Estimated Cost:

Recipe Cost: $16.95
Per Serving: $1.69

Here is everything you need to make this recipe, along with a few substitution recommendations.

a collage showing the ingredients for honey baked ham with text overlay
  • Spiral sliced ham (3-5 pounds – $14.85): A boneless spiral ham is my preference, but you can use a bone-in ham, as long as it fits inside your Instant Pot. 
  • Water (1 1/2 cups – $0): You can use chicken broth for additional flavor instead of water.
  • 1/2 cup pineapple juice (1/2 cup – $0.28): Adds a tangy sweetness to balance the honey and sugar. Use orange juice as a substitute. 
  • Honey (1/3 cup – $1.40): You can use maple syrup as an alternative for a similar taste. 
  • Light brown sugar (2 Tablespoons – $0.10): Dark brown sugar will also work. 
  • 3/4 cups granulated sugar (3/4 cups – $0.19): Helps form the ham’s coating. 
  • Onion powder (3/4 teaspoons – $0.04): Garlic powder works well as a substitute. 
  • Ground cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon – $0.03): Try using apple pie spice or pumpkin spice for a warm flavor addition if you do not have cinnamon. 
  • Ground nutmeg (1/4 teaspoon – $0.02): Use allspice if you do not have nutmeg. 
  • Paprika (1/8 teaspoon – $0.01): Adds a hint of smoky flavor to the sweet taste of the ham. 
  • Ground cloves (1/8 teaspoon – $0.02): Gives that classic holiday ham vibes. 
  • Allspice(a pinch – $0.01): Adds a delicious warmth to the ham. 
  • Ham juice (6 Tablespoons – $0): The base of the delicious glaze. 

The recipe cost is calculated based on the amounts needed and may vary due to fluctuating grocery costs. The pricing for this recipe was updated in October 2025.

How to make Instant Pot Spiral Ham with Glaze

Cook the ham, make the glaze, spread the glaze over the ham, and serve. Let me show you how.

  1. Whisk together pineapple juice, honey, and brown sugar.
  2. Separate the ham’s slices so the glaze can get between the slices. Then pour the glaze over the ham and make sure the foil stays wrapped around it. 
  3. Set the ham in the Instant Pot. Close the lid and cook on high pressure for twenty minutes. 
    a collage showing how to make honey baked ham by whisking the glaze in a bowl, pouring it over the ham, and putting the ham in the instant pot
  4. Let the Instant Pot naturally release for 15 minutes. 
  5. Remove the ham from the Instant Pot and place it on a large platter. 
  6. Make the glaze in the Instant Pot, then brush the ham with it before serving. 
a collage showing how to make honey baked ham in the instant pot by removing the ham from the instant pot, whisking the glaze ingredients, and pouring the glaze over the ham

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a top view of honey baked ham on a plate with pineapple slices

Honey Baked Ham

Recipe Cost 16.95
Serving Cost 1.69
Author Jess Jankowski
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
This Copycat Instant Pot Honey Baked Ham is melt-in-your-mouth tender with a sweet, caramelized glaze that tastes just like the store-bought favorite without the store-bought price tag.
Servings: 15 people
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes


Equipment

  • small bowl
  • whisk
  • Instant Pot
  • instant-read thermometer
  • Measuring spoons
  • Liquid measuring cup

Ingredients
 

FOR THE HAM:

  • 3-5 pound spiral sliced ham thawed
  • 1 ½ cups water

FOR THE GLAZE:

  • ½ cup pineapple juice
  • ⅓ cup honey
  • 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

FOR THE FINAL GLAZE:

  • ¾ cups granulated sugar
  • ¾ teaspoons onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon paprika
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • pinch allspice
  • 6 Tablespoons ham juice
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

PREP INSTANT POT:

  • Place the trivet inside of the instant pot and pour in water.

MAKE GLAZE:

  • In a small bowl whisk together pineapple juice, honey, and brown sugar.

PREP HAM:

  • Place the ham on a sheet of heavy-duty foil that is big enough to almost cover the ham. Fold and crease the foil so that it fits like a bowl around the ham.
  • Separate the slices of the ham so that the glaze can get between the slices. Slowly pour the glaze over the ham, and make sure the foil stays wrapped around the ham.

COOK HAM:

  • Carefully place the ham in the Instant Pot onto the trivet.
  • Close the lid, and place the vent to “sealed”. Cook on HIGH pressure for 20 minutes.
  • Let the Instant Pot naturally release for 15 minutes. Then, move the vent to “venting”.
  • Use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the ham’s internal temperature is between 135-150 degrees F. If it’s not, then cook for another 4-5 minutes on HIGH.
  • Remove the ham from the Instant Pot and place it on a large platter, make sure the foil is still wrapped around it.

MAKE FINAL GLAZE:

  • Remove all but 6 tablespoons of the ham juice left in the instant pot. Whisk the granulated sugar, onion powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika, cloves, allspice into the ham juice in the instant pot.
  • Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and bring the mixture to a boil. Let it boil for 1 minute so it can thicken a little, and then turn off the instant pot and transfer the glaze to a small bowl to cool for 5 minutes (it will thicken as it cools).

FINISH HAM:

  • Remove the ham from the foil (be careful, hot ham juice will spill out) and place the ham on a serving tray. Brush the ham with the glaze and serve.

Notes

Storage Tips

SERVE: The ham can sit at room temperature for no longer than 2 hours. 
STORE: Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Make sure you drizzle the ham with a little of the ham juice before storing it. 
FREEZE: Place ham in freezer-safe containers or freezer Ziploc bags. The ham will keep in the freezer for up to 3-4 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 3slices | Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 2099mg | Potassium: 531mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 12IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 2mg
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ham slices on a plate with mashed potatoes

Instant Pot Spiral Ham Recipe FAQs

What kind of ham works best for this recipe? 

I recommend a pre-cooked, spiral-sliced ham weighing 3-5 pounds.

What size Instant Pot do I need for this recipe?

Use a 6-quart Instant Pot and make sure the ham fits comfortably inside. 

Can I make this ahead of time?  

Make the ham a day ahead, then reheat it in the oven with a bit of water to keep it moist. 

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Comments

  4. ripon hassan says

    5 stars
    Truly appreciate the way you made this wonderful and delicious recipe. Everything is so nicely described that really helped me.

    Reply

  5. KG says

    5 stars
    This was FANTASTIC! My sister always insists on ordering Honey Baked Ham for Christmas but we wanted to save some money this year so we ordered a semi-boneless ham from the grocery store and made your recipe instead. We will not be ordering from HBH any time in the near future!!! It was simple to make and tasted better than HBH in my opinion!

    Reply

  6. Lacy says

    I can’t wait to make this for Christmas! Is there anything the instant pot can’t do?! Probably a goofy question – but do I start with a raw spiral cut ham or one of the ones that are precooked for reheating?

    Reply

  15. Jere Cassidy says

    5 stars
    I just can’t bring myself to pay for a Honeybaked Ham so I am excited to make this in the IP. It looks moist and delicious and that glaze always adds so much flavor.

    Reply

  17. Pavani says

    5 stars
    Wow, that is such a perfectly made Honey baked ham recipe. Also it is made in the Instant Pot – so convenient and so easy. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe.

    Reply

  19. Jenn says

    5 stars
    I had no idea honey baked ham was so easy to make in the instant pot! Total spring holiday game changer right here!

    Reply
5 from 17 votes

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