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Crockpot Coca Cola Ham is tender, sweet, and savory with a brown sugar Coca Cola caramelized glaze. Made with just a few simple ingredients, this crockpot ham is the perfect centerpiece for holiday gatherings, special occasions or easy family dinners – and no oven required!

The baked ham with a sweet Coca Cola glaze on it.

Glazed Coca Cola Ham Recipe

This amazingly tender ham, and super flavorful ham, is the perfect main dish for a weeknight dinner, big family dinner, Christmas dinner, or Thanksgiving dinner!

With only 7 ingredients and about 2 minutes of prep time, this slow cooker ham is a great way to save oven space, and a low prep option for busy holiday dinners and even easy enough for a busy weekday school night dinner as well.

A blue plate with spiral sliced ham on it and a can of coke soda in the back.

The best part is that caramelized sweet brown sugar Coca Cola glaze. Even if you’re not a fan of the soda (I’m not!) I promise you, that you’ll still love this best ham recipe.

So grab a convenient, fully cooked ham (a spiral cut ham is what it’s called) from the grocery store and let’s make it.

Spiral-Cut Ham Tips

Spiral hams are available with or without a bone, but the classic spiral ham is bone-in. The pictures in this post are using a boneless spiral cut ham, which is why the ham is smaller. A bone-in ham will be larger and have a bone sticking out the top of it (like a nub of the bone only).

The “spiral-cut’ refers to how the ham is sliced – in one continuous cut around – which is what makes it so easy to serve.

Many people prefer bone-in spiral hams for their richer flavor and texture, as the bone and surrounding fat help keep the meat moist while cooking.
The continuous spiral slice means the meat is already pre-cut, allowing individual slices to be easily removed for serving.
I recommend using a bone-in spiral cut ham because sometimes boneless hams can be made from pressed pieces of ham, rather than a single cut of a whole ham, which can result in a different texture.
Using a boneless ham means that it will be easier to manage (lifting it out of the crockpot) because it’s smaller and doesn’t have a large bone taking up space. So it really just depends on your preference, convenience factor, and if you have a crockpot large enough.

Sliced spiral cut ham with seasonings on the slices and garlic.

Only 7 Simple Ingredients Needed

Fully Cooked Spiral Cut Ham : This is a precooked ham that is already cut into slices and it’s a bone-in ham.
Coca Cola : You really need the sweetness of the cola (and the flavor!) so I highly recommend not using diet soda or zero sugar Coca Cola in this recipe.
Light Brown Sugar
Dijon Mustard
Garlic Cloves : Use fresh garlic that has been minced or pressed, use garlic paste, or you could also use chopped garlic from a jar.
Dried Thyme
Butter : Unsalted butter or salted butter can be used. To avoid a too salty ham, I would suggest using unsalted butter so that way you can control the salt amount better.

How To Make Crockpot Ham With Brown Sugar Coca Cola Glaze (Printable Recipe Card)

In a small bowl, whisk together the Coca Cola, light brown sugar, dijon mustard, garlic, and dried thyme. Pour 3 tablespoons of it into the crockpot.

Place the spiral ham, flat side down, into the crockpot.

Pour the remaining Coca Cola mixture evenly over the ham, making sure to take the time to pour it in between all of the spiral cuts in the ham.

Cover and cook on LOW heat for 4 hours.

Carefully transfer the ham to a serving platter and cover it loosely with aluminum foil to rest.

Pour the cooking liquid (from the crockpot) into a small saucepan along with the butter. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often until the glaze has thickened to your liking.

Brush the glaze over the ham and spoon any extra over slices when serving.

How To Store Leftover Spiral Cut Ham

Store leftover ham and glaze (store them separately) in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days.

Reheat slices of the ham gently in the oven, at 300 degrees F, covered in foil, until warmed through. You can also microwave individual slices until heated through. Add some leftover glaze when reheating the ham to keep leftovers moist.

To freeze leftover ham slices, wrap the slices in plastic wrap and then again in aluminum foil (or place it all inside a freezer safe air-tight container or bag) and freeze for up to 2 months. Let frozen ham thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Substitutions & Ingredient Details

Coca Cola : Root Beer, Dr. Pepper, or Ginger Ale soda can also be used to achieve a similar sweetness and caramelization. Keep in mind that the flavor will differ slightly with each type of soda used. I have only ever used Coca Cola in this recipe. Again, no matter what soda you use, do not use the diet version or zero sugar version – you want the sugar!
Light Brown Sugar : Maple syrup, honey, or granulated sugar can replace light brown sugar for a different type of sweetness if wanted.
Dijon Mustard : Stone-ground or yellow mustard are decent substitutes if needed.
Garlic Cloves : Garlic powder, garlic paste, or chopped garlic from a jar can all be used. For the best flavor, I highly recommend using fresh garlic cloves that have been minced or pressed with a garlic press or knife.
Dried Thyme : Fresh thyme sprigs can be used for a more aromatic finish.
Butter : Unsalted butter and salted butter can be used in this recipe. To control the salt content, and avoid an overly salty final taste, I recommend sticking with unsalted butter. 2 tablespoons of butter is not a huge amount so it probably won’t make a big difference no matter which one is used.

Spiral cut ham on a blue serving platter

Helpful Tips For Success

The ham will come wrapped up in a net, an aluminum type wrapping, and a glaze packet inside. Discard the glaze packet because you will not use it in this recipe.
Take the time to make sure the glaze gets into every cut of the spiral ham. Pour some glaze between the spirals of the ham before cooking. This helps the flavor soak into every layer rather than just sitting on top of the ham.
In order to fit a larger 6-8 pound ham, you will need a large crockpot, about 8 QT or larger. If the ham bone end is too tall (meaning you can’t securely place the crockpot lid on top) you can cover the top of the slow cooker with heavy-duty foil before just setting the lid on top. A boneless spiral-cut ham is much smaller in size, so you could use a smaller crockpot if using boneless.
Spiral-cut hams come with a bone and without a bone – either one works in this recipe because either one will be already cooked – however, I recommend using a bone-in ham for the best flavor and results.
Only cook on LOW heat. Cooking on low heat ensures the ham stays tender and juicy without drying out.
Don’t discard the juices inside the crockpot! The liquid left inside is packed with flavor and makes the best gravy/glaze to pour over top. Simmering it with butter makes a rich, glossy glaze to spoon and brush over the finished ham.
If you’re short on time and want to thicken the glaze quickly – simply whisk together a slurry – using equal parts water and cornstarch. I suggest starting with 1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon water and stirring that into the sauce pan. This will help the glaze thicken up really quickly.
Finish the ham under the broiler for added caramelization. Brush the ham with the thickened glaze and then broil it for a few minutes until the edges are golden and sticky. Use a large roasting pan to put the ham into if broiling.
Make it ahead of time by whisking the glaze together up to 24 hours in advance, storing in the fridge, and it’s ready to use when you need it.

Slices of the ham with a soda glaze on it.

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