Cooking a small ham in a crock pot is the easiest way to free up oven space and still serve a juicy holiday centerpiece. With a simple brown sugar glaze made from honey, pineapple, and spices, this recipe turns a quarter or half boneless ham into tender slices packed with flavor.
Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter, this method is sized for smaller households—or works as a second meat for a larger feast. Just a few minutes of prep, then let the slow cooker do the work.
Jump To (scroll for more)
- ❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
- 🐖 Ingredients
- 👨🍳 How to Cook a Small Ham in a Crock Pot (Quick Overview with Photos)
- ⏰ How Long to Cook a Small Ham in a Crock Pot
- 🤔 Substitutes and Variations
- ⬆️ Cooking a Half Ham (4 Pounds) in the Crock Pot
- 🍽️ Serving Glazed Ham
- ❄️ Storing Leftover Ham
- ❓FAQs
- 🐖 Other Ham Recipes
- 📖The Recipe Card
Featured Comment by Laura:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"The small crock pot ham came out wonderfully…Everyone was thrilled with the taste. I was thrilled with the extra oven space, this last-minute miracle that helped me out. I will always make my ham this way..."
❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
- Sized right – A small boneless ham (quarter or half) is perfect for a smaller household with fewer leftovers.
- Holiday-friendly – Cooking this small ham in a crock pot frees up oven space for turkey, roasts, or sides.
- Flavorful glaze – Honey, brown sugar, and pineapple keep it moist, tender, and just sweet enough.
- Flexible – Works as the main star of a smaller holiday table or as a second meat for a larger feast.
- Low effort – Just a few minutes of prep, then the slow cooker handles the rest.
🐖 Ingredients
- Small ham – Fully cooked boneless quarter or half ham, about 2–4 pounds.
- Honey – Brushed on for moisture and sweetness.
- Brown sugar – Packs on to form the caramelized glaze.
- Crushed pineapple – Adds flavor and provides the cooking liquid in the crock pot.
- Pantry spices – Dry mustard, ground cloves, and cinnamon for warm, classic flavor.
👨🍳 How to Cook a Small Ham in a Crock Pot (Quick Overview with Photos)
So simple — just five steps to more flavorful, juicy ham. Full instructions are in the Recipe Card at the bottom.
1. Brush ham with honey.
2. Mix brown sugar with cloves, cinnamon, and dry mustard. Pack onto the ham.
3. Place on crushed pineapple in the crock pot. Cover and cook on low.
✅ Pro Tip: You can use almost any size crock pot. If it fits without touching the sides, it works.
4. Baste occasionally and cook until 140°–150°F, about 2–3 hours.
5. Rest briefly, then slice and serve. Garnish with some of the pineapple and juices.
👇 Scroll down for the printable recipe card and complete step-by-step photo instructions — or keep reading for tips and serving ideas.
⏰ How Long to Cook a Small Ham in a Crock Pot
A 2-pound quarter ham will usually take 2–3 hours on low in the crock pot. A 4-pound half ham is closer to 3–4 hours. If your ham falls somewhere between, expect the time to land in the middle of that range.
The exact time depends more on the thickness of the ham than the weight — thicker cuts take longer to warm all the way through.
Always cook to an internal temperature of 140°–150°F for best results. We are simply reheating precooked ham in a slow cooker to enhance its flavor and texture.
Avoid the high setting — the outside will dry out before the center has time to heat through. Since crock pots vary, rely on your thermometer instead of just the clock.
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🤔 Substitutes and Variations
- Honey – Swap in maple syrup, use Dijon mustard instead, or add a touch of balsamic vinegar for tang.
- Crushed pineapple – Pineapple juice works fine if you don’t want the fruit pieces.
- Spices – Ground cloves are optional, and a little garlic powder blends nicely with the brown sugar.
⬆️ Cooking a Half Ham (4 Pounds) in the Crock Pot
When cooking a half ham in the crock pot, there are a few pointers beyond just time:
- Make sure the ham fits comfortably without pressing against the sides.
- There’s already enough pineapple, so no need to increase it.
- Since the surface area doesn’t double with the weight, increase the glaze ingredients by about 50% rather than doubling.
For a 4-pound half ham, plan on about 3–4 hours on low to reach an internal temperature of 140°–150°F. Thickness matters more than weight, so use a thermometer to be sure it’s heated through.
🍽️ Serving Glazed Ham
This small crock pot ham makes a holiday-worthy centerpiece for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter. It’s sized for smaller households but also works well as a second meat for a larger feast, like a Small Prime Rib Roast or Roasted Turkey Breast.
If it’s the main dish, serve it with Cheesy Potato Casserole, Baked Parmesan Asparagus, or Green Beans with Bacon.
❄️ Storing Leftover Ham
Store leftover ham and the pineapple mixture in separate airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze for 2 months.
Reheat gently in a 300° oven, covered with foil, until warmed through.
❓FAQs
Plan on ½ pound of boneless ham per person. For a bone-in ham, allow ¾ to 1 pound per person. A quarter boneless ham is about 2 to 2¼ pounds (4 servings with a little leftover), while a half ham makes about 8 servings.
Boneless ham comes in two forms. The first is pressed pieces of ham, like canned or deli ham — that’s not what we’re using here. The second type is a solid oval-shaped ham, vacuum-sealed in plastic. These come in whole, half, or quarter sizes, and they’re fully cooked, ready to slice and serve.
Because boneless hams are precooked, recipes like this slow cooker ham are simply reheating for flavor and texture, not cooking from raw.
🐖 Other Ham Recipes
Cooking for just one or two? Try a quick Ham Steak in a skillet or on the grill for the same glazed flavor in minutes.
Have leftovers? Use them in Old Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes and Ham or toss into Fried Rice.
📖The Recipe Card
Crock Pot Small Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 2 pound boneless ham - quarter precooked
- 1–2 tablespoons honey
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves - optional
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 8 oz crushed pineapple
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep a small crock pot with a coat of PAM cooking spray. Pour 8 oz of crushed pineapple with juices into the bottom. Use any crock pot where the ham fits without touching the sides or lid.
- Brush a quarter boneless ham with 1–2 tablespoons of honey.
- Mix ½ cup brown sugar with ¼ teaspoon of dry mustard, cinnamon, and cloves (if using). Pack the brown sugar mixture onto the ham.
- Place the ham, cut side down, on top of the pineapple. Pile any extra sugar mixture on top. Cover and cook on low.
- Every hour, spoon some pineapple and juices over the ham and check the temperature. Cook to 140°–150°F, about 2–3 hours depending on crock pot and ham thickness. Your cooking time may vary due to differences in crock pots and the size and thickness of the ham.
- Remove, rest 5–10 minutes, slice, and garnish with pineapple and juices.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Plan about ½ pound of boneless ham per person.
- If you want a 4-pound half ham, keep the pineapple the same and up the other ingredients by about 50%. It should take about 3–4 hours to cook.
- You can use almost any size crock pot. If it fits without touching the sides, it works. Larger crock pots with small hams may cook a little faster.
- You can cut the amount of pineapple in half, but it makes a great topping at the end.
- Good refrigerated for 3–4 days, storing the pineapple and ham separately. Freezes well for up to 2 months.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editor's Note: Originally Published March 19, 2016. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
KJill says
Great way to do a ham. I did this yesterday for Easter dinner, prepped the night before and put it in the crock pot dish in the refrigerator overnight. Just popped it in to the heating unit in the morning and went on to other things. I did use honey on the ham but didn't add the brown sugar to the pineapple (doubled with tin of crushed and tin of chunks) mix - we don't love the sweetness and there was enough from the honeyed ham.
Dawn M says
Hi Dan! I have an 8-9 lb whole ham that has the rind or skin completely covering it. Would you suggest cutting it or scoring it prior to putting it in the crockpot so the flavors can reach the meat?
Thanks! And Happy Holidays@
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Dawn,
Welcome to the blog.
All precooked boneless hams seem to have dome rind but if it is thick, nothing will penetrate it so, yes I would do something about it to get flave into the ham. You could score it or partly cut some slices.
Now about the size vs this smaller recipe... I have not cook one over 4 pounds but my recipe is based on several larger recipes. The ham should not take up all the space in the crock pot, so a large crock pot.Cook to the internal temperate in the recipe—probably about 5-6 hours since it is a big chunk of meat.Thoes are my feelings but do some research for bigger ham recipes.
Hope tha helped some.
Dan
Laura A says
Dr. Dan,
The small crock pot ham came out wonderfully. I never like to make a recipe for a group without making it first for myself. But it was Thanksgiving morning and I had to take a chance as I had no oven space. Everyone was thrilled with the taste. I was thrilled with the extra oven space this last minute miracle that helped me out. I will always make my ham this way. The only changes I made to the recipe was to start it at high temperature for half the time, then I reduced it to low. I am at 5,400 feet and it takes more time to get the crock pot at the prescribed temperature.
Looking forward to trying out more of your recipes. Thanks again Dr. Dan.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Laura,
I agree with the trial run on all recipes before important meals but this one is more heating and flavoring.
Glad it worked so well for you. Thanks for the note and rating.
Dan
Laura A says
Thank you for figuring this all out for us. It is Thanksgiving morning and I just realized I have 2 casseroles that have to go in the oven at 400 degrees plus a small ham and a turkey breast that need to be at 325 degrees. I have a larger toaster oven and will put the turkey in that.The casseroles will go in the big oven and the ham will go in the crock pot. I appreciate you figuring this out. I was panicing for awhile. I love your website and I will be a new visitor to it. Thanks again.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Laura,
Welcome to the blog. Glad you are finding it useful.
Have a good holiday.
Dan
Anna McFall says
The small ham recipe was outstanding and so easy. Everyone at Thanksgiving dinner loved it. Thank you for posting these recipes.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Anna,
Welcome to the blog and sorry for the delayed response—all the usually holiday excuses.
I do love this recipe for smaller holiday celebrations. It will make for an economical and easy holiday meal.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
JuanitaTaylor Taylor says
2.5 ham already slice
Will cook the same
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Juanita,
Welcome to the blog.
Yes, the sliced ham will cook the same and the flavors will creep down into the ham more—a good thing.
Dan
Abby says
Could I substitute maple syrup for honey?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Abby,
Welcome to the blog. And that is a definite yes.
Dan
Rita says
I have a 3oz ham I want to cook in a crockpot but don’t know how long to cook it
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Rita,
Welcome to the blog.
I'm assuming you mean 3 pounds not ounces. For 3 pounds, it will be about 2 1/2 to 3 hours to get to an internal temperature of 140°-150°. It will vary some by your crock pot, the shape of the ham and starting temperature of the ham.
Dan
Suzanne says
Hi! I don’t understand when you say “cut side”. The small boneless hams I buy all have a rind all around them, even on the flat bottom. Do you cut the rind off the bottom before putting on the honey or just smear it over the flat bottom, rind and all?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Suzanne,
I'm not sure what you have—there are lots of variations. A whole boneless ham is about 8-10 pounds and is an oblong round tube. A half boneless ham is just cut in half with so just a shorter tube with one flat side. This recipe uses a 1/4 boneless ham so the half is cut the longer way so there is two flat sides with a cross-section being a half circle. See the images in the post.
Now... what to do, not much get through a rind. So you want some ham without rind so some flavor penetrates. So If it is a smaller ham but rind all around, I would suggest removing some of it.
Hope that helps.
Dan
Krissy says
Is it okay for me to place this in the crockpot in the morning 8 am, cook it for the about of time listed, and leave it on warm in my crockpot until dinner time?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Krissy,
Welcome to the blog.
That will not give good results. You can usually "keep warm" for an hour or two but longer will start to effect the texture and the meat will become dry as the fluid in the cells come out. Think if it as eating at a buffet where the meat has be setting for 5-6 hours.
Dan
Kerri says
Can I put a 3lb. in the crockpot in the morning on the timer and then it sit on warm for an additional 6 hours or is that not okay? Thanks!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Kerri,
I don't see that is a good idea. I can think of several issues. Food safety, I'm not a fan of delayed timers to start cooking. Any food outside of the safety zone (any temp less that 140°) for more then 2 hours should be discarded. With a crockpot, it will take a while to get up to 140 so you can't put much (or any since we don't know) time on the front end.
Modern crockpots should keep the "keep warm" temp about 140-160 but older crockpot and even newer ones frequently have malfunctioning of the thermostats. But assuming it works and keeps the food safety an safety zone. Then you have the issue of effect on the food. It will dry out the cells as all the fluid comes out. You probably noticed this at large gathering where care has been taken to keep the food safe but after a couple of hours... it is not so good.
My personal "keep warm" max is 1 hour if there is pasta involved or 2 hours for meat etc. I think the texture suffers horribly.
So another plan is needed. Perhaps coat the ham and have everything ready to start as soon as you get home. Put it on high and watch the internal temp. Really you are only warming things.
Hope that helps some.
Dan
B says
Hi
I don't have can pineapple , do I need this or can I substitute something else like water?
Thanks
B
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
I would just skip the pineapple and let it just glaze. In step 4 where you spoon the liquid, it there is any then do it but there may not be any. It will be fine.
Dan