Crockpot Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham
The most delicious crockpot brown sugar pineapple ham, super easy to make and perfect for everything from holidays and gatherings and feeding a crowd, through to easy family dinners when you want something that’s going to give you enough leftovers for sandwiches for the next few days!
Spiral-cut ham gets rubbed with Dijon and honey so the flavor seeps into every layer, then it’s topped with pineapple, brown sugar, and garlic. As it slowly heats, everything melts together into a sweet, savory glaze that coats the ham beautifully. It’s low effort, big payoff!
I love this making this one for Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, as well as for busy weeknights when I want something that’s simple to prep but still feels a little bit special.
Ingredients
There’s a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post! In the coming sections, I’m going to explain more about the ingredients selected, the process, and extra tips to guide you along the way.
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Bone-in spiral cut ham: Using a spiral ham makes it easy for the glaze to seep into the layers. The bone adds extra flavor and helps keep the ham moist while it heats.
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Dijon mustard: Adds a subtle tang that balances the sweetness and keeps the glaze from tasting one-note.
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Honey: Brings natural sweetness and helps create that sticky, glossy finish.
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Pineapple tidbits (with juice): The juice adds moisture and sweetness while the pineapple itself gives little bursts of flavor throughout.
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Brown sugar: Creates that classic caramelized, slightly sticky glaze as it warms.
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Garlic: Adds depth so the glaze isn’t overly sweet. It rounds everything out nicely.
How To Make Crockpot Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham
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Place the ham into the slow cooker.
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Gently separate the layers and rub the Dijon mustard and honey all over the ham, making sure to get in between the slices.
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Pour the pineapple tidbits and their juice over the top and around the sides.
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Sprinkle the brown sugar over everything and tuck the garlic cloves around the ham.
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Cover and cook on LOW for about 4 hours, until the ham is heated through or reaches an internal temperature of 140°F.
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Spoon the sweet glaze over the ham just before serving.
Recipe Notes
Choose a ham that comfortably fits in your slow cooker. If it’s slightly too large, you can trim a bit of the meat to make it fit and place the cut pieces around the ham in the pot.
Bone-in spiral cut ham adds extra flavor and allows the glaze to seep between the slices. You can use boneless if you prefer, but I recommend choosing one that’s pre-sliced so the flavors can work their way into each layer.
If you’d like a thicker glaze, whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into the pineapple juice before pouring it into the slow cooker.
For a different flavor variation, swap the pineapple tidbits for canned diced peaches or even cranberry sauce. You can also add a little heat with sliced peppers or a pinch of cayenne for a sweet-and-spicy twist.
Serving Ideas
This crockpot pineapple ham is perfect for holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas when you want something impressive but low stress!
It also works beautifully for Sunday family dinners or when you’re feeding a crowd and want a main dish that basically cooks itself.
Serve it with classic sides like mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, mac and cheese, or dinner rolls to soak up that sweet glaze.
If you’re keeping things simple, even a big salad and some roasted potatoes turn this into an easy, complete meal.
What To Do With Leftovers
Leftover ham is one of my favorite things about making this recipe! Use for sandwiches or sliders with a little extra Dijon or honey mustard. Dice it up and add it to omelets, breakfast scrambles, or breakfast casseroles. It’s also great chopped into fried rice, tossed into pasta salads, or layered onto homemade pizza!
Troubleshooting
As always, this recipe is tried and tested, but if you do run into any problems, here’s how to fix them…
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My ham seems dry: Spiral hams are already fully cooked, so the goal is just to heat through. Make sure you’re cooking on LOW and not going much longer than needed. Spoon the glaze over the top before serving to add moisture back in.
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The glaze is too thin: This can happen depending on how much juice your ham releases. You can remove some of the liquid and simmer it on the stovetop to reduce, or thicken it with a small cornstarch slurry.
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The glaze is too sweet: A little extra Dijon or a splash of apple cider vinegar can help balance it out.
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My ham doesn’t fit in the slow cooker: Trim a small portion off to make it fit and place the extra pieces around the sides. It will all heat evenly.
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The slices are separating too much: That’s normal with spiral-cut ham. Just handle it gently when transferring and spoon the glaze over the top once plated.
Crockpot Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham
Ingredients
- 8.5 lb bone-in spiral cut ham
- 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
- ½ cup honey
- 20 oz can pineapple tidbits with the juice
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar
- 3 garlic cloves minced
Instructions
- Place the ham into the slow cooker.
- Gently separate the layers and rub the Dijon mustard and honey all over the ham, making sure to get in between the slices.
- Pour the pineapple tidbits and their juice over the top and around the sides.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar over everything and tuck the garlic cloves around the ham.
- Cover and cook on LOW for about 4 hours, until the ham is heated through or reaches an internal temperature of 140°F.
- Spoon the sweet glaze over the ham just before serving.
This one is a recipe you’ll come back to again and again, whether it’s for the holidays, hosting a crowd, or just family meals when you want something that’ll have leftovers to keep you covered for sandwiches for the days ahead. And if you try it, I’d love to hear about! Leave a comment and a star rating below, and tag me on Instagram @slimmingviolet and #slimmingviolet!
