I didn’t plan for this recipe to become our holiday centerpiece. It just happened — one Christmas when I was juggling way too many dishes and trying to look calm while completely panicking inside. My grandmother, who never gets flustered about anything in the kitchen, told me about a ham her old Amish neighbor used to make. “Put it in the slow cooker and let it take care of itself,” she said.
That sounded like the best advice I’d ever heard.
I found a nice bone-in ham that afternoon, mixed together what I had — brown sugar, honey, some mustard, a bit of juice — and crossed my fingers. A few hours later, the whole house smelled like brown sugar, citrus, and spice. When I lifted that slow cooker lid, the glaze was thick and shiny, the ham glistening like it had been roasting for hours. From that moment, it became my new Christmas tradition.
Why It Works?
This ham doesn’t rely on fancy techniques or constant basting. The slow cooker does the work quietly in the background while you get on with everything else. The gentle heat keeps it moist, the glaze seeps deep into the meat, and all those flavors come together perfectly by the time you’re ready to eat.
The combination of brown sugar and honey gives that rich sweetness we love in a glazed ham, while pineapple and orange juices add brightness so it never feels too heavy. Then come the warm spices — cloves, cinnamon, and ginger — the trio that makes every corner of your house smell like Christmas morning.
The Secret Is in the Scoring?
- If you take one thing away from this recipe, it’s this: score the fat.
- It takes just a couple of minutes, but it makes all the difference. Those shallow cuts — a simple diamond pattern — let the glaze soak in and give you little caramelized edges all over. The glaze collects in those grooves as it cooks, turning into sticky pockets of flavor that make every slice better than the last.
Building the Glaze?
- The glaze couldn’t be easier, but don’t skip mixing it well. Stir the brown sugar, honey, Dijon mustard, and fruit juices together until smooth and glossy, then whisk in your spices. It should smell warm and comforting even before it touches the ham.
- Sometimes I make this mixture the night before and store it in the fridge. By morning, the spices have deepened, and the glaze pours like syrup. It’s one less thing to do when the kitchen starts to get hectic.
- If you’re feeling festive, add pineapple rings on top of the ham before cooking. They soak up the glaze and turn golden by the end — it looks beautiful when you bring it to the table.
Ingredients:
- 1 bone-in ham, about 4–6 pounds, trimmed of excess fat
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons ground cloves
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Pineapple rings, optional for garnish
How to Cook It:
The beauty of this recipe is that once everything’s in the slow cooker, you can forget about it for hours.
Step-by-Step:
- Mix the glaze: Combine brown sugar, honey, mustard, pineapple juice, orange juice, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and black pepper in a bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Prepare the ham: Place the ham in your slow cooker with the fat side facing up. Using a sharp knife, score the surface of the fat in a crisscross pattern — not deep, just enough to let the glaze settle in.
- Add the glaze: Pour the glaze evenly over the ham, making sure it coats every part. If you’re using pineapple rings, arrange them gently on top.
- Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on low heat for about 4 to 6 hours. The glaze will thicken, the ham will be tender, and the air will smell incredible.
- Rest before serving: Once done, lift the ham carefully from the slow cooker and place it on a board. Let it rest for about 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Spoon some of the warm glaze from the cooker over each piece right before serving.
Storage and Leftovers:
- Leftovers rarely last long, but if they do, store them in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat gently — either in a skillet with a spoonful of glaze or covered in the oven so it stays moist.
- It also freezes beautifully. Slice it first, spoon some glaze over the top, and freeze in small portions. When you thaw and reheat it later, it tastes just as good as the day you made it.
Serving Ideas:
This ham fits right into any holiday spread — mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and soft dinner rolls to catch that glaze. But it’s just as good the next day in other dishes.
A few of my favorite ways to use the leftovers:
- Ham sandwiches with Swiss cheese and a bit of mustard on soft rolls.
- Breakfast hash with diced potatoes, onions, and a fried egg on top.
- Split pea soup simmered with leftover ham bones and chunks of meat.
- Fried rice with bits of ham, pineapple, and soy sauce — an easy, unexpected favorite.
- Every way you use it, that sweet, spiced flavor carries through.
Tips That Make a Difference
- Don’t skip scoring the fat — it’s worth every minute.
- If you can, prepare the glaze ahead of time. It saves stress later.
- Keep the slow cooker on warm after cooking; the ham will stay perfect until dinner is ready.
- Use both juices — pineapple for tenderness, orange for balance.
- Let it rest before slicing. It keeps the meat juicy and the glaze thick.
Why I Keep Coming Back to This Recipe:
Every December, when I pull out the slow cooker and smell that first wave of brown sugar and spice, I think of that first Christmas when I made it by accident. There’s something special about recipes that feel effortless but fill the room with warmth.
This ham isn’t fancy or fussy — it’s just good. It’s the kind of dish that lets you enjoy the holiday without hovering over the stove, the kind that makes people wander into the kitchen asking, “What smells so good?”
And every year, without fail, someone asks for the recipe. I always smile and tell them it’s an old Amish method. Simple ingredients. Slow heat. Time doing what time does best.
That’s really all it is — and that’s why it’s perfect.
Slow Cooker Amish Christmas Ham — easy enough for a first-time host, special enough for the holiday table, and the kind of recipe that quietly becomes a family tradition.
