This Dr. Pepper Ham makes a tasty twist for the classic baked ham! Even better, you can make it in the slow cooker or the oven, so choose which one works best for you. The Dr. Pepper ham glaze infuses your ham with so much flavor! It's perfect for Sunday dinner, Christmas, Easter, or any other occasion.
Ham is delicious. Pineapple is delicious. Dr. Pepper is delicious. Roll them all into one, and you've got a ham that even the pickiest of eaters won't shy away from. Smoky ham with the sweetness of pineapple and a kick of Dr Pepper melds together beautifully, resulting in the most tender ham with intense flavors.
No matter the occasion, this crockpot ham recipe is a serious crowd-pleaser!! It’s perfect for potlucks, a quiet weeknight, and a weekend family dinner. But it’s also special enough for the holidays! This will be the BEST Thanksgiving ham recipe you’ve ever had!
You can also try this air fryer ham, bourbon ham, Boneless Spiral Ham if you're looking or another way to cook ham this year.
Why You'll Love Dr. Pepper Glazed Ham Recipe
- Simple Ingredients. Dr. Pepper replaces the needs for a ton of spices and other ingredients to make this ham recipe. This means you just need a handful of basic ingredients to make it!
- Flexible Cooking. You can use your slow cooker or bake it in the oven. Once you get it going, it’s mostly hands-off cooking.
- Superb Flavor. Dr Pepper has hints of cherry, almond, vanilla, blackberry, and orange, just to name a few. Plus we're adding in some crushed pineapple too and it truly creates a ham that's out of this world.
Ingredients
Five simple ingredients are all it takes to make a delicious oven or slow cooker Dr Pepper ham. Aside from the ham and Dr Pepper, more than likely you have the other ingredients at your fingertips.
- Ham: We love this recipe with a boneless, spiral sliced ham which you can find at the meat counter in most grocery stores. You can use other types of fully cooked ham but the slices in the spiral ham allow the Dr. Pepper glaze to penetrate the inside too!
- Pineapple: Canned crushed pineapple with juice adds more sweetness to the ham along with a fruity component.
- Brown Sugar: This creates the consistency of the glaze. Brown sugar is best for its more complex flavors. You can also use a combination of half brown sugar and honey if you want.
- Soda pop: This crockpot spiral ham recipe uses Dr Pepper to infuse the ham with sweet and fruit flavors.
- Mustard: For the best flavor choose Dijon or grainy mustard. These varieties of mustard have a bold flavor that works well to balance the sweet flavors of Dr. Pepper and pineapple juice.
See the recipe card further down the page for the full list of ingredients and the quantities of each one.
Variations
- Experiment with Other Soda. I love the mixture of flavors in Dr. Pepper but really any dark soda pop will do just fine. Root beer is my top choice as an alternative because it, like Dr. Pepper, is sweeter than other sodas. However, Coke or Pepsi will work in a pinch. Just be sure to use a dark soda rather than lighter colored sodas.
- Ditch the Pineapple. Want a bit less fruitiness or sweetness? You can use apple juice or orange juice instead.
How to Make Dr. Pepper Ham
Let's look at how easy it is to use Dr Pepper to add unique, fun flavor and taste to cook ham in the Crock Pot. If you want to make Dr Pepper ham in the oven, see the recipe card at the end of the page for the instructions!
Step 1: Make the Dr. Pepper Glaze. Bring the juice, pineapple, brown sugar, mustard, and Dr. Pepper to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the and simmer until mixture reduces and thickens to a syrup.
Step 2: Brush the Glaze on the Ham. Brush half the glaze mixture over the spiral ham. The glaze should cover the outside skin but also drip into the slices.
Step 3: Cook. Place the ham in a slow cooker and cook.
Step 4: Glaze Again and Broil. Remove the ham from the slow cooker and place it on a foil-lined sheet pan. Pour the remaining glaze over the ham. Set the oven to broil and place ham in the oven for about five to seven minutes. Watch closely as you want the sugar to caramelize, but not burn.
TOP TIP: Make the glaze a day or two in advance. Letting it sit in your fridge for up to two days, gives it time for the flavors to blend really well together. Bring the glaze to room temperature or pop it in the microwave to make it easier to brush on the ham.
If you love cooking ham for the holidays try this Honey Mustard Ham next!
Storage
- Store: Transfer your leftovers to an airtight container or a resealable bag and store in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can also freeze it for up to three months.
- Reheat: Place your leftover ham in a pan on the stove with a bit of chicken broth or water over medium heat. Cover and allow the ham to warm for about 5 minutes or until warmed throughout. You can also reheat it in the oven. Place it covered in a baking dish with some broth and bake at 350° F for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
Serving Suggestions
Smoky ham partners perfectly with the sweetness of brown sugar, pineapple, and Dr Pepper, creating a delightfully sweet, tender ham that pairs perfectly with all the classic holiday sides. We love it with this herbed macaroni, corn casserole, and my Instant Pot cranberry sauce!
It's also great with a helping of mashed potatoes or twice stuffed potatoes, and veggies like green bean casserole, broccoli, or asparagus. You can make an easy, well-rounded meal that satisfies everyone around the table.
Recipe Tips
Dr Pepper slow cooker ham isn't hard to do, but there are a few things to keep in mind. In my opinion, if you want delicious ham, it's all about the process.
- Choosing Right. Dark soda tenderizes and caramelizes the ham better than lighter colored sodas.
- Cook Properly. Be sure to boil the glaze long enough to thicken the glaze and fully form the flavors. Also, give the glaze time to thicken before adding it to the ham. It usually takes about 15 minutes, but if it's still runny, give it a little more time. It thickens the longer it sits and cools.
- Cook Covered. Whether you're cooking the oven or slow cooker, covering the ham traps moisture and sealing in flavor. This makes sure your ham doesn't dry out.
- Broil the Ham: After the ham cooks in the crockpot, you will add another layer of glaze, and pop it into the oven to crisp up the top! Just be sure to watch it closely as ham and the glaze can burn easily.
Recipe FAQs
Low and slow is the key. If the heat is too high, you end up with a dry ham that's crispy on the outside and mealy in the middle. Kinda gross, huh? The slow cooker is great because it allows the ham to heat through without cooking it further, giving you a tender, juicy ham that's just as good as it was the day you made it.
To heat leftover ham, adding a bit of liquid creates steam and ensures it doesn't dry out.
Ham is so versatile and reheating it all by itself is lovely, but there are countless ways of using it in other recipes. Ham salad is always a great choice. Dice it up and add it to ham soups, casseroles, or add it to an omelet for a delicious breakfast. You can also make pan-fried ham in a skillet for breakfast or build a ham sandwich.
Video
More Easy Ham Recipes
Ham recipes are not in short supply. Here are a few of my specialties.
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Dr Pepper Glazed Ham (Crockpot or Oven)
Equipment
- 13 x 9 inch cake pan or roasting pan
Ingredients
- 8-11 pound ham boneless, spiral sliced
- ¾ cup crushed pineapple with pineapple juice, if desired
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar or 1 cup brown sugar and ½ cup of honey
- 1 cup Dr. Pepper or Root Beer.
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard grainy mustard
- ⅓ cup pineapple juice apple juice or orange juice
Instructions
Make the Ham Glaze
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine juice, pineapple, brown sugar and/or honey, mustard, and Dr. Pepper.
- Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until mixture is reduced, thickened and syrupy; about 10-15 minutes.
- Discard all plastic packaging that surrounds your ham, including plastic covering the bone.
Slow Cooker
- Place ham into the slow cooker and coat with half of the glaze mixture.
- Cover and cook in the slow cooker on low for 4 hours.
- Carefully remove ham from the slow cooker and onto a foil-lined sheet pan.
- Pour the rest of the glaze over the top of the ham.
- Place under the broiler in oven for about 5-7 minutes, watching closely that it doesn't burn. You want the sugar to caramelize, not burn.
Oven Instructions
- Wrap your ham tightly with tinfoil. Place ham, cut side down, in your prepared pan. Allow to rest at room temperature for 1 ½ to 2 hours.
- First, adjust the rack inside your oven to lower middle and preheat it to 275 degrees.
- Bake for 1 ½ to 2 hours or ham is hotter than 100 degrees at its core. When using this foil method calculate about 17 minutes per pound of ham.
- Once hot, remove all tinfoil and add about a third of the glaze to your ham.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven, drench in remaining glaze and tent loosely with foil.
- Allow to rest for at least 30 minutes, if not 40 minutes, before slicing and serving to your guests. Enjoy every bite!
Notes
- Choosing Right. Dark soda tenderizes and caramelizes the ham better than lighter colored sodas.
- Cook Properly. Be sure to boil the glaze long enough to thicken the glaze and fully form the flavors. Also, give the glaze time to thicken before adding it to the ham. It usually takes about 15 minutes, but if it's still runny, give it a little more time. It thickens the longer it sits and cools.
- Cook Covered. Whether you're cooking the oven or slow cooker, covering the ham traps moisture and sealing in flavor. This makes sure your ham doesn't dry out.
- Broil the Ham: After the ham cooks in the crockpot, you will add another layer of glaze, and pop it into the oven to crisp up the top! Just be sure to watch it closely as ham and the glaze can burn easily.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in March 2021. It has been republished in with new images and content.
Bernadette says
This is my go to recipe for ham. I change it very slightly by using spicy brown mustard. I also brush the sauce between each slice but the best I'd rubbing the spicy brown mustard on the exterior of the ham and the glaze sticks on it so much better. Delicious!!
Karin and Ken says
Thank you for taking the time to comment and let me know. I’m going to try that myself! I love this recipe too. All the best. Karin
Richelle Watkins says
Thank you! Period or no period this was wonderful.
Karin and Ken says
I’m so glad to hear it! Thank you for letting me know. You made my day. All the best and happy holidays! Karin
Marc says
This really was a life saver on Thanksgiving! I was all out of ideas. Only had a ham and had ten dinner guests coming! I ran out and grabbed some dp. And some pineapple and everyone loved it. I will be making again and again soon. Thanks
Karin and Ken says
You’re most welcome! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it! Happy holidays. Karin
Vicki says
FYI ...there is no .(period) in Dr Pepper.
Karin and Ken says
I apologize. My mom is in hospital and I am making errors all over the place. I know there is no period but I put one anyways! I can't thank you enough for telling me. Take care and hope you try the ham. It's so good. Be well. Patrick
Dad says
What a dumb comment. Vicki, find something better to do. This ham is wonderful and we will definitely be making this for years to come. With or without the period. Thanks Karin for sharing.
Karin and Ken says
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this ham it’s a personal favorite. All the best. Karin