By: Jill Mills Updated: Jul 22, 2024

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Made with just 6 ingredients, this Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham features a sweet and tangy topping that will be loved by everyone. This slow cooker ham is ready in just 3 hours, with no oven space needed. It’s perfect for Holidays but so easy you can make it anytime.

Featured Comment

Hands down the best ham I've ever served! So moist and flavorful - I'll always make it in the crockpot from here on out! Thank you for the recipe!

– Joy

75 More Comments

Easy Crock Pot Ham with Pineapple

You know those holiday mornings, whether it’s Easter or Christmas or Thanksgiving, where you wake up early just to start preparing for the big meal and you try to time everything just right so each dish is hot and ready at the same time?

My slow cooker is the one thing that helps me keep my sanity during those times. Any dish I can make in the slow cooker, like today’s Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham, is a dish that frees up oven space and makes the prep and cooking so much easier.

And if you’re preparing for one of those BIG dinners that require both a turkey and ham and maybe some beef too? This slow cooker ham recipe will be your secret to stress-free success.

Ham is the perfect thing to cook in the slow cooker because they’re already cooked. When you bake a ham, you’re essentially just warming it through and adding flavor.

In this case, the flavor comes this a super simple brown sugar pineapple glaze that’s the perfect combination of tangy and sweet. Serve with your favorite side dishes and you have a holiday dinner guests won’t forget!

top view of Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham in the crock pot

Why Cook A Ham in The Slow Cooker?

In my opinion, slow cooker ham is far superior to any other ham you will ever make. Why?

It’s quick & easy!
No dirty dishes
Ready in 3 hours
You don’t have to heat up the kitchen with the oven
And the oven is open and free for other dishes if needed (especially handy on the holidays!)

What You’ll Need

You will only need 6-ingredients for this delicious crockpot ham with pineapple recipe – SO EASY!

Ham – I used an 8 to 9 pound spiral cut bone-in ham. You can use any type of fully cooked ham for this recipe. Be sure to choose one that will easily fit inside your slow cooker.
Crushed Pineapple
Brown sugar – Adds a sweet flavor to the Easter ham.
Spices – A combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger add the warm flavor to the ham.

How to Make Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham in the Crockpot

Making this brown sugar ham literally could not be easier. This will be the easiest holiday ham you ever make, by far.

Dry the ham. Add the ham to the slow cooker and dry with paper towels.
Add the glaze. Pour half of the pineapple over the ham. Then mix together the brown sugar and spices. Drizzle over the ham.
Cook. Cook on low for 3 hours.

brown sugar pineapple ham in the crock pot

How Much Ham Do I Need Per Person?

We like to estimate about 3/4 pound of ham per person (with the bone in). However, if you have a bunch of hungry boys that eat a ton as I do, you can increase it to 1 pound. You might end up with some leftovers, but that’s a good thing! Use 1/2 pound per person with a boneless ham.

Tips for Success

If this is your first time making ham in the slow cooker, here are a few things that you might find helpful.

What’s the best slow cooker to use? I found it best to use a large 8-Quart oval slow cooker to make crockpot ham. You want to use a fairly large slow cooker so that there is plenty of room for the ham. Make sure that the ham fits into the slow cooker with space between it in the and lid. Otherwise, it won’t seal properly.
Make sure to dry the ham. After the ham is in the slow cooker, be sure to dry it as much as possible with paper towels. The drier the ham, the better. This helps the glaze stay on and not slide straight into the bottom of the slow cooker.
Add the glaze between the slices. For more flavor rub the pineapple ham glaze gently between the slices to infuse each one with pineapple flavor.
Make the outside crispy. If you prefer a crispier ham you can finish it in the oven at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Add some extra flavor and garnishes. If desired, you can also add some maraschino cherries when serving the ham for an extra pop of color. For more flavor, you can add some cloves or ground cloves to the ham with the pineapple.
Variations: use pineapple slices instead of crushed pineapple, replace the light brown sugar with dark brown sugar,

Serving Suggestions

One of my favorite things about ham is that it can be served warm, room temperature, or even cold. This is the least fussy part of your holiday meal! Top with our delicious ham gravy.

We obviously serve this up quite frequently on the holidays, whether it’s Easter or Christmas, but this is such an easy recipe that it’s great for making year-round too.

Here are some of my favorite side dishes that go well with this pineapple ham recipe.

How to Store Cooked Pineapple Glazed Ham

This pineapple ham can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just keep it covered or in an airtight container. I recommend storing it with as much brown sugar pineapple juice sauce as possible, to prevent it from drying out.

Leftover ham can be reheated in the microwave and sliced for ham sandwiches, ham casserole, or chopped for ham salad, ham soup and more. Honestly, I think the leftovers taste even better than the freshly cooked ham! This also works well with our other baked ham recipes: orange glazed ham, Dr Pepper ham and Christmas ham.

Freeze: f you actually end up with leftovers that aren’t devoured the next day, this ham freezes well! I like to freeze extras in ziploc bags. Then just thaw in the fridge and you have ham ready for making sandwiches or even another ham dinner!

5 from 164 votes