This Southern Coca-Cola Glazed Ham walks onto your holiday table like it owns the place; glossy, caramelized, and smelling like Christmas and Easter shook hands and blessed your kitchen, together.
Sweet. Sticky. Savory.
The holy trinity of "your guests licking their fingers and asking if you've been holding out on them."
This is the kind of ham that makes folks start whispering in the kitchen about your secret ingredient while you stand there, serene as a saint, knowing it's just Coca-Cola doing the Lord's work.
Table of Contents
🗝️ Why this Coca Cola Ham recipe makes every holiday special
This ham doesn't depend on complicated techniques or specialty ingredients; just a spiral cut, a bottle of Coca-Cola, and the kind of brown sugar glaze that turns into lacquered, caramelized edges. It's the no-fuss showpiece that always comes out juicy, glossy, and wildly crowd-pleasing. Perfect for Christmas, Easter, Sunday dinner, and every family gathering where you want applause without breaking a sweat.
🤫 Marye's secret for zhuzhing it up -
If you have a kitchen torch you can run the flame over the ham after it comes out of the oven to caramelize the glaze even more. Be careful not to burn it.
zhuzh: verb. To make something more interesting or attractive
🧾 Ingredients for spiral ham with Coca Cola glaze
Nothing fancy here-just simple pantry staples that know how to behave when the heat hits. A good spiral-cut ham, plenty of brown sugar, a bold little swipe of mustard, and a splash of real-deal Coca-Cola. The kind of ingredients your granny would nod at while saying, "Mm-hmm… that'll do." Everything works together to make that sticky, glossy glaze that sends folks back for a second slice before they've swallowed the first.
- Spiral-sliced ham - the pretty kind that fans out like it knows it's being photographed.
- Coca-Cola - the real stuff, in all its fizzy Southern glory. Don't use sugar-free or Coke 0.
- Mustard - a little fire, a little tang, the personality in the glaze.
- Brown sugar - molasses-kissed sweetness that caramelizes like a dream.
- Cornstarch - the quiet helper that thickens everything into glossy magic.
- Chipotle - optional, but it gives that smoky little wink if you want it.
Want the whole thing in one tidy page?Grab the free coca-cola ham kitchen cheat sheet! This little printable is your back-pocket magic-every step, every glaze tip, every "don't you dare grab that hot pan" reminder in one tidy page. Perfect for taping to the cabinet while you cook, slipping into your holiday binder, or handing to that cousin who swears he can help but needs guardrails. Download it, print it, and let it keep you steady while the glaze bubbles and the ham turns into pure Southern sorcery.
📖 Recipe
Southern Coca-Cola Glazed Ham
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 spiral cut ham, pre-cooked, bone-in
- 12 ounces Coca-Cola
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- 3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ - 1 teaspoon ground chipotle , optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Line a large roasting pan with foil.
- Place the ham in the pan.
- Whisk the brown sugar, mustard, cornstarch, and chipotle, if using, in a small bowl.
- Gently rub the brown sugar mixture over the ham and down in between the slices.
- Pour the Coke over the ham.
- Cover the ham loosely with foil and bake for 1 hour.
- Take the ham out of the oven and remove the foil.
- Baste the ham with the pan juices. You can use a spoon, a baster, or a brush.
- Leave uncovered and place back in the oven.
- Cook for 30 more minutes.
- Baste with the glaze and return to the oven for another 30 minutes.
- Baste with the glaze and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
-
- Spiral sliced ham works best for this recipe.
- Be sure you don't bring home an uncooked ham by accident
- The brown sugar cola glaze gets really sticky, so I like to line the roasting pan with heavy-duty foil. It makes cleanup much easier.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
🔪 How to make Coca-Cola glazed ham step by step
This is the part where the kitchen starts smelling like you've been blessed by every Southern grandmother who ever wielded a roasting pan. The steps are simple, the ingredients behave, and the glaze does most of the showing off.
- Whisk the brown sugar, mustard, cornstarch, and chipotle together until it looks like sweet, spicy fairy dust.
- Massage that mixture all over the ham-yes, get between the slices like you mean it.
- Pour the Coca-Cola over the ham and into the pan so it can work its fizzy Southern magic.
- Bake for 1 hour, then uncover and baste every 30 minutes like the attentive kitchen goddess you are, until the glaze is glossy and irresistible.
⏲️ Marye's time saving hacks -
Mix the brown sugar, mustard, cornstarch, and chipotle and pat it over the ham the night before. Cover and refrigerate. When you're ready to cook it just start with step #6 in the instructions.
👩🍳 Answering your questions because I needed a ☕ break anyway
Every holiday table has at least one person who wants to know exactly how long to heat a precooked ham and whether spiral-cut is worth the extra dollar. Bless 'em. This little section keeps the peace. Think of it as your ham hotline-quick, clear answers to the things folks always ask right after you've washed your hands and sat down with a plate. Have other questions? Download the cheat sheet or ask me in the comments!
Any of these classic Easter side dishes will go with this delicious ham recipe!
Butchers will slice a cured, bone-in ham using a round, spiral pattern. It's a way to slice ham while keeping it attached to the bone, allowing for better flavor and a show-stopping presentation!
Plan on 10-12 minutes per pound at 350°F, or until the internal temp hits 140°F. Don't overthink it-this ham is already cooked. You're just warming it and letting that cola glaze turn into sticky heaven.
Only if you'd like your glaze to taste like sadness and regret. Stick with the original Coca-Cola. The sugar is what makes the magic.
📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
One of my favorite parts of Southern baked ham is the leftovers! The possibilities are endless. Whip up ham hash the next morning, make ham sandwiches or ham salad for lunch, and enjoy a gooey ham tetrazzini for dinner.
- Try making this deviled ham sandwich spread.
- Add chopped ham to scalloped potatoes.
- Add to bean soups, like this ham and bean soup or black bean soup.
There is nothing that screams Happy Holidays louder in the South than a good ham! This Coca Cola glaze is absolutely delish - you'll be obsessed. Be sure to check out the best Thanksgiving side dishes to serve with this! Most of them will work for Christmas and Easter, too.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Christine says
This ham was sweet & delish ! Our Easter spiral ham with the Coca Cola glaze looked great too ! Followed cooking directions perfectly .. adjusted the spice to yellow mild mustard and skipped the chipotle for our younger guests taste ..
I highly reccomend !