This low carb 4-ingredient brown sugar glazed ham is my go-to holiday centerpiece when I want something that looks impressive but doesn’t keep me in the kitchen all day. The secret is a sticky, sweet, completely sugar-free “brown sugar” glaze that caramelizes beautifully in the oven and drips down into all the spiral slices. It’s the kind of ham that falls off the bone, makes the whole house smell cozy, and has everyone convinced you worked a lot harder than you actually did. Perfect for busy family holidays, church potlucks, or any Sunday dinner when you want leftovers for sandwiches and omelets all week long.
I like to serve this ham with simple, cozy sides that soak up all that extra glaze—think roasted green beans, mashed cauliflower, or a cheesy broccoli bake if you’re keeping things low carb. A crisp green salad with a tangy vinaigrette helps balance the sweetness of the glaze, and a basket of warm rolls or low carb biscuits makes it feel extra special. Don’t forget to spoon some of the pan juices over each slice right before serving; it keeps the meat extra tender and makes every plate look restaurant-worthy.
Low Carb Brown Sugar Glazed HamServings: 10-12
Ingredients
1 fully cooked bone-in spiral sliced ham (8–10 pounds)
1 cup packed brown sugar substitute (erythritol or monk fruit “brown sugar” style)
1/2 cup sugar-free maple syrup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Directions
Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Line a large roasting pan or deep baking dish with heavy-duty aluminum foil, leaving enough overhang to loosely wrap over the ham later. This makes cleanup easy and helps keep the ham moist.
Remove any plastic or netting from the ham and discard the glaze packet if it came with one. Place the spiral sliced ham, cut-side down, into the foil-lined pan. Let it sit at room temperature for about 20–30 minutes while you make the glaze so it warms slightly and cooks more evenly.
In a small saucepan, whisk together the brown sugar substitute, sugar-free maple syrup, and Dijon mustard. Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring often, until the sweetener is mostly dissolved and the mixture is glossy and slightly thickened, 3–5 minutes. Remove from heat; it will thicken a bit more as it cools.
Brush or spoon about one-third of the warm glaze all over the outside of the ham, letting it drip down between the slices as much as possible. Use a silicone brush or the back of a spoon to gently pull the slices apart without tearing them so the glaze can sneak in between.
Loosely tent the ham with the excess foil, sealing the edges around the pan but leaving a little space over the top so air can circulate. Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours (about 12–15 minutes per pound), until the ham is heated through. Baste with the pan juices once or twice during baking to keep it extra moist.
About 30 minutes before the ham is done, carefully unwrap and pull back the foil so the top is exposed. Brush half of the remaining glaze all over the ham, getting into as many slices as you can. Return the ham to the oven, uncovered, and continue baking.
For the final 10–15 minutes of baking, brush on the last of the glaze and turn the oven up to 400°F (200°C) to help the glaze caramelize and the edges crisp up. Keep a close eye on it so the sweetener doesn’t burn; you want dark golden brown, glossy, and sticky, not black.
Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest in the pan for at least 15–20 minutes. The juices will settle back into the meat, helping it stay tender and easier to slice without falling apart too much.
Transfer the ham to a foil-lined serving tray, letting some of the glossy glaze and pan juices drip over the top. Gently fan out a few of the spiral slices to show off the pink, tender meat and crispy caramelized edges. Spoon extra glaze from the pan over the ham just before bringing it to the table.
Serve warm, slicing along the natural spiral cuts. Be sure to offer some of the sticky, sweet, sugar-free glaze and pan juices on the side for anyone who wants an extra drizzle.
Variations & Tips
If you have picky eaters who are sensitive to mustard, reduce the Dijon to 1 tablespoon or swap it for 1 tablespoon of melted butter to keep the glaze mild and kid-friendly. For a little warm spice, add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to the glaze before simmering. A teaspoon of vanilla extract stirred into the glaze off the heat gives it a cozy, almost dessert-like aroma. If you don’t have a spiral ham, you can use a whole bone-in ham and score the fat in a diamond pattern so the glaze can soak in; just increase the cook time slightly and baste more often. For families strictly watching carbs, double-check that your sugar-free maple syrup and brown sugar substitute are truly sugar-free and not “reduced sugar.” Leftovers are wonderful chopped into breakfast scrambles, tossed into low carb soups, or layered with cheese and pickles in lettuce wraps. If the top of the ham isn’t caramelizing as much as you’d like, you can place it under the broiler for 1–3 minutes at the very end—just watch closely so the sugar-free sweetener doesn’t scorch.
