Air fryer ham flavored with pineapple, brown sugar, and Coca Cola cooks up juicy, sweet, and takes very little time to make. Cooking ham in the air fryer saves all the mess and heat of traditional preparation, and it frees up the oven for other dishes.
The entire family is going to love this sweet and savory pineapple glazed air fryer ham recipe!
Spiral ham is already cooked, which cuts down on the time it takes to make, and because it's already sliced and free of the bone, it's much easier to serve, as well.
While this air fryer ham recipe is ideal for holidays and special occasions, it is also great to serve any time due to the ease of preparation. Looking for other ways to cook ham? Try this Dr. Pepper glazed ham or Instant Pot ham.
Air fryer spiral ham pairs very well with cheesy potato casserole and these easy-to-make sweet green beans for the perfect holiday ham dinner!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Ready in under an hour!
- Frees up your oven for other dishes!
- A juicy, sweet ham that everyone will love.
- No carving required!
Ingredients in Spiral Ham Air Fryer
Only a few ingredients are needed to make this delicious air fryer spiral ham.
- Spiral Ham: It's easiest to use a boneless, spiral ham when cooking it in an air fryer.
- Coca Cola: Adds sweetness and liquid but you can use other sodas as well.
- Pineapple Juice: Adds wonderful sweetness to the ham.
- Pineapple Rings: For a great look but you can use pineapple pieces instead!
- Brown Sugar: Dark or light brown sugar works fine! Dark will have a richer, darker flavor.
For the full ingredient list, check the recipe card at the end of the page!
How to Cook Spiral Sliced Ham In the Air Fryer
Here are the step-by-step photos and instructions for how to make air fryer spiral ham. For the complete instructions, check the recipe card further down on the page.
- Combine the pineapple juice, coke, and brown sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil and cook for two minutes.
- Cut a large piece of heavy-duty tin foil and place the ham cut side down in the middle of the foil. Pull the sides for the foil up around the ham but still open on top. Place it in the air fryer basket.
- Pour half of the cola mixture over the ham, making sure it goes into the spiral cuts of the ham.
- Close the top of the tin foil and fold it together to seal the juices and ham inside. Place in the basket back in the air fryer and cook for 15 minutes at 300° F.
- When the time is up, brush the top of the ham with more glaze, and close the tin foil again. Cook for 10 more minutes until it's fully heated.
TOP TIP: For a caramelized the crust, open the tin foil and place it back into the air fryer with the top of the ham exposed. Cook at 365° for 5 minutes.
- When the ham is hot, remove it and serve topped with pineapple rings and maraschino cherries held in place with toothpicks for garnish.
Substitutions
Don’t have the correct ingredients on hand or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this air fryer boneless ham.
- Coca Cola: Use any kind of cola! Dr. Pepper and Root Beer are great options too!
- Pineapple Juice: Orange juice is the best substitute for pineapple juice when making ham.
Variations
Want to personalize this air fryer ham recipe? Here are some of my tried and true tips for changing up this recipe.
- Add additional flavors to the glaze by adding some apricot preserves, whole grain mustard, garlic, or horseradish.
- Add some warm spice with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.
If you like this recipe, you might also enjoy Honey Mustard Baked Ham.
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store leftover spiral ham air fryer in an airtight container for up to five days in the fridge.
- Freezer: You can freeze leftover ham. However, I recommend that you do not freeze the pineapple in the glaze because it could make the ham soggy if left in too long. You should wrap any leftover ham up tightly and store it in your freezer for up to three months. Thaw a frozen spiral slice ham in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat: Reheat the ham in the oven or air fryer. To reheat in the air fryer, spray your cooking basket with nonstick cooking oil. Reheat the ham at 350 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes or until it is warm all the way through. Additionally, if you are reheating a large amount your cooking time may be different.
To reheat in the oven, preheat to 350 degrees, then place the leftover spiral ham on a well-sprayed baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 7 to 12 minutes, or until the ham is warm all the way through.
Tips
- Don't forget to spray your air fryer basket with non-stick cooking oil, because the ham is going to stick if the basket is not sprayed.
- You can use a baking dish to hold the ham. Choose one that will fit inside the basket of your air fryer. It's great for protecting your air fryer from escaping juices.
- If you want the juices to be thicker, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch into the pineapple juice before adding to the coke, then cook until slightly thickened.
FAQ
Do you have questions about this air fryer ham with pineapple glaze? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about this recipe.
Yes, you can use boneless ham. It may take more time to cook the ham. Be sure to check the owner's manual to your air fryer for cooking times if you are switching to a boneless ham instead of spiral cut.
You can use a large baking dish or a casserole pan to cook your spiral ham. However, you will need to make sure that it fits in the air fryer and is safe for use in an oven up to at least 350 degrees.
You should also take into consideration whether you will want the ham sitting on a trivet, because this may not be an option if you are using a casserole pan. Any oven-safe pan can be used in your air fryer as long as the pan fits in the air fryer.
There are a few differences between glazed spiral ham and regular ham. First, a spiral sliced ham has been pre-cooked which allows you to cook the ham in a short amount of time, while a regular-sized uncooked ham will take longer to cook at a lower temperature. Second, a spiral ham has more flavor and seasoning from the glaze than a regular ham.
Air Fryer Spiral Ham is the Jam! Not only is it easy, but it cooks up in the air fryer which helps you get even more open oven space! If you try this recipe be sure to come back and let me know what you think, by leaving me a comment below!
Give this one a try, and I know you'll make it again and again.
Video
If you're looking for more delicious recipes that are perfect for weeknight meals or fancy get-togethers, then check out these recipes below.
All of these are delicious and easy enough for a family dinner but fancy-looking enough to be served at any party or get-together.
Air Fryer Dinner Recipes You'll Enjoy
Air Fryer Ham with Pineapple Glaze
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 - 3 pound ham boneless
- 1 cup root beer or coca cola
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 12 ounces pineapple rings
- ½ cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Get out all of your ingredients and measure them.
- Combine pineapple juice, coke, and brown sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes.
- Cut a large piece of heavy duty tin foil and place the ham cut side down in the middle of the foil. Pull the sides for the foil up around the ham but still open on top. Place the ham in the air fryer basket.
- Pour half of the cola mixture over the ham, making sure it goes into the spiral cuts of the ham.
- Close the top of the tin foil and fold it together to seal the juices and ham inside.
- Place the basket in the air fryer and set for 300° for 15 minutes.
- Open the air fryer and carefully open the tin foil. Brush the top of the ham with more glaze. Close the tin foil and “cook” for 10 more minutes (The ham is already cooked, you are just heating it up to 140°)
- If you want to have caramelized the crust, open the tin foil and place back in the air fryer with the top of the ham exposed. Set at 365° for 5 minutes.
- Remove and serve topped with pineapple rings and maraschino cherries held in place with toothpicks for garnish.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published August 2021. It has been republished with new content.
Max
This recipe is easy and the ham was perfectly cooked It tasted so good and I passed along your recipe My guests ate it all No move oven hams for us The air fryer is definitely the way to go. I made your recipe exactly as written except for no cherries. Thank you for a keeper.you made making ham so easy I still can’t believe it. ❤️
Karin and Ken
I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to let me know how much you enjoyed this recipe! You made my day. We love it too! Hopefully you find some other recipes on this site that you enjoy just as much! All the best. Karin