Holiday Pineapple Ham Recipe - Easy Thanksgiving & Fall Dinner Menu Ideas

If you’re looking for a main course that screams “holiday-worthy” without screaming at you in the kitchen, this Baked Ham With Pineapple is it. It’s got that perfect sweet-meets-savory thing going on—crispy caramelized edges, juicy slices, and a glaze so good you’ll want to drizzle it on everything.

This isn’t one of those fussy Holiday Ham Recipes that requires a culinary degree and a dozen obscure spices. Nope. Spiral ham comes pre-cooked and pre-sliced, which means your main job is to make it taste amazing—and trust me, with brown sugar, crushed pineapple, cola, and mustard, you’re in flavor paradise.

The magic? Baste, baste, baste. Every 20 minutes, spoon that sticky-sweet glaze back over the ham so it stays juicy and packed with flavor. Your kitchen will smell so good, you’ll have “taste testers” wandering in long before dinner’s ready (good luck keeping them away).

This recipe is a total Thanksgiving Meal Ideas MVP, but it’s just as at home on your Easter or Christmas table—or any time you want a “wow” moment at dinner. Pair it with roasted veggies, buttery mashed potatoes, or heck, even mac and cheese. No judgment here.

Need an Easy Thanksgiving Dinner centerpiece? Done. Want to switch things up for your Fall Dinner Ideas lineup? This works. Looking for a reliable go-to in your stash of Thanksgiving Menu Ideas? Bookmark it now.

And honestly, that first slice… oof. Golden-brown, tender, dripping with pineapple glaze. You’ll wonder why you ever bothered with anything else. This one’s a keeper, folks—holiday after holiday.

Holiday Pineapple Ham Recipe

Category: Dinner, Main Course
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients

For the Pineapple Glaze:

• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 12 ounces cola or Dr. Pepper
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1½ tablespoons whole grain mustard
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For the Ham:

• 1 spiral-sliced city ham (6 to 9 pounds)
• 20 ounces crushed pineapple (one large can)

Directions

1. Make the Glaze:
   In a medium saucepan, mix together all glaze ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Stir frequently and let it cook for 20 to 30 minutes until the glaze thickens to a syrupy texture. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Prepare and Bake the Ham:
   Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Using a sharp knife, score the ham’s surface with ½-inch deep cuts spaced about an inch apart. Cover the ham loosely and bake for 1 hour.
3. After that, brush half of the glaze all over the ham, making sure some seeps into the scored cuts. Next, spread the crushed pineapple evenly over the top, pressing it gently into the cuts. Pour half of the remaining glaze on top.
4. Return the ham to the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 15 minutes. Then, repeat the glazing process: brush more glaze and baste every 10 minutes. When you run out of fresh glaze, use the pan juices to baste.
5. Keep baking and basting until an instant-read thermometer reads 140°F (60°C) inside the thickest part of the ham. This will usually take 40 to 60 minutes.

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