Honey Glazed Turkey
Honey Glazed Turkey is a beautiful balance of sweet, savory, and cozy warmth. Tender roasted turkey is enveloped in a honey glaze that caramelizes the bird to perfection. It’s a turkey recipe that feels fancy and a bit extra, but is surprisingly easy to make.
Fellow creatures of habit, are you always cooking the same turkey recipe all the again? Ya, I get it. I’ve only recently branched out to using different methods when cooking turkey – as proven by our Air Fryer Boneless Turkey Breast Recipe, the convenient Slow Cooker Turkey Recipe, and even Smoked Turkey.
Yet when it comes to flavors, I have pretty much stayed to the tried and true herbs and spices. Yet it;s the small twists that have big results, right?
Inspired by my love for honey baked ham, this honey baked turkey recipe has the same sweet and savory flavors that the whole family will love.
Our honey glazed turkey recipe is savory and herbaceous with just the right amount of sweetness. The buttery herb rub makes the skin crispy and bastes the turkey on autopilot, so you can spend your time enjoying the day rather than being stuck in your kitchen.
Whether it’s for a holiday dinner or a weekend meal, this easy turkey recipe promises to charm your taste buds without any fuss. Without the constant attention, there’s plenty of time for your favorite sides such as  Slow Cooker Stuffing, Boursin Cheese Mashed Potatoes, and Air Fryer Green Beans. Plus its’a a great recipe to also make our Homemade Turkey Gravy with or Without Drippings.
For another savory and sweet main meat, try our Slow Cooker Pineapple Brown Sugar Ham Recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Total Time: 2½ Hours
- Serves: 8
Ingredients and Notes
NOTE: If you’d like to brine the turkey before following this recipe to make honey glazed turkey – refer to the separate required brine ingredients and instructions in the section below.
As always, the full ingredients and recipe is on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Recipe Variations
- Make it Citrus: Make this a honey-orange glaze by adding some fresh-squeezed orange juice to the honey-glaze for a turkey.
- Spicy Kick: Mix in a bit of cayenne pepper or chili flakes to the honey glaze to bring subtle warmth and a little drama to your bird.
- Maple Honey Glaze: Replace pure honey with a blend of half maple syrup and half honey to add a smoky sweetness that’s slightly different but equally delicious.
- Add More Seasoning to the Rub: such as garlic powder, onion powder, and poultry seasoning.
How to Brine Turkey
If you’d like to bring Honey Glazed Turkey before cooking, you can! Here is the step-by-step instructions on how to do so:
Prepare the Wet Brine
In a large pot or brining bin large enough to submerge your turkey, add the 3 cups turkey broth (or chicken broth), 1 ½ cups honey, 1 cup salt per gallon of liquid, ½ cup fresh thyme, ½ cup fresh sage, and 1 sweet onion roughly chopped.
Add Water to Dissolve the Salt
To the mixture, add 2 cups of water and stir well until the salt has dissolved.
Add the Turkey
Add your turkey to the brine, and fill the bin with enough cold water to cover the turkey. (Note: If the turkey floats, turn it until bubbles come out of the body cavity and the cavity is filled with brine.)
Refrigerate Overnight
Refrigerate overnight (8 – 24 hours). The turkey will plump up a bit as it absorbs the brine, displacing some of the water, so make sure your brine isn’t going to overflow the bin when you fill it.
Rinse
Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse it well, then patting dry with paper towels. If you skip this, the turkey will be too salty. Save the herbs and onion to place inside the turkey when cooking.
Tips for Success
How to Make Honey Glazed Turkey
For the Turkey:
Preheat and prepare your oven. Preheat your oven to 375°F and move your oven rack to the bottom level of your oven.
Make the rub. In a small bowl, combine the butter, honey, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper until smooth. If there the liquid is preventing the butter from mixing with the seasonings, you can microwave the mixture for 10 seconds to soften it slightly, allowing it to come together.
Place the turkey in the roasting pan. Place your turkey, breast side up, in your roasting pan or baking dish. Stuff the cavity with half of the herbs and onions from the brine.
Butter the turkey. With your clean hands or a spatula, make pockets over each breast by separating the skin from the meat. Use half of your butter under the skin of the breasts smoothing it out as much as you can. Rub the remaining butter over the skin of the bird, making sure to get the legs and wings as well as the breast.
Tuck the wings and tie the legs. Tuck the wing tips behind the body of the bird and use butcher’s twine to tie the legs together at the end. At the bottom of the roasting pan, add a cup of broth and the remaining brine herbs and onions.
Bake. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes per pound. Check the color of the turkey periodically using the oven light so you don’t have to keep opening the oven. If it is starting to brown too quickly, you can tent aluminum foil over the roast turkey to slow the browning. (Note: My 11 pound turkey took about an hour and 45 minutes to cook. You can check for doneness by inserting a thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and along the thigh bone at the thickest part of the thigh. Once it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, your turkey is done.)
Rest for 15 minutes. Remove the turkey from the roasting pan and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving. You can use the pan drippings to make turkey gravy.
For the Glaze:
Prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the honey and butter, stirring until the mixture reaches a simmer. Continue to simmer until the mixture has thickened.
Baste. Use a basting brush to brush the honey mixture on the turkey as it rests.
Serving Suggestions
This honey baked turkey pairs beautifully with any classic holiday side dishes. We love to serve turkey with mashed potatoes, Cranberry Jelly, vegetables such as Glazed Carrots, easy biscuits, and gravy!
Best Dessert Pairings
When it comes to desserts that pair wonderfully with honey-roasted turkey, I got you!
Storage
If you have leftover honey-glazed turkey, you can keep it fresh in the refrigerator to enjoy over the next few days. Properly store your leftover turkey by first allowing it to cool to room temperature (not longer than 2 hours). Transfer the carved turkey (save the bones to make stock) to an airtight container or resealable bag and keep refrigerated for 3-4 days.
How to Reheat
To reheat larger portions of your honey glazed turkey you can use your oven, or for individual servings, reheat in the microwave.
Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the turkey into a 9×13 casserole dish with about ½ cup of turkey broth to keep it from drying out. Cover with foil and heat the turkey for about 15 minutes or until warmed throughout.
Microwave: Add individual servings to a microwave-safe plate and heat for 3-4 minutes at 50% power.
Leftover Suggestion
Use leftover honey glazed turkey to make sandwiches! The sweet-savory flavor works wonderfully. Pair it with some crunchy greens or a tangy dijon mustard for a delicious twist.
Can I Make Honey Baked Turkey Ahead of Time and Freeze it?
Yes! This honey glazed turkey is perfect to make ahead of time and freeze. Make the turkey as directed and then allow it to cool completely, but not longer than 2 hours. Carve the meat from the bones and store it in a labeled and dated resealable bag or an airtight container. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw the turkey overnight before reheating in the oven or microwave.
Recipe FAQ
The butter packed under the skin allows a nice basting effect without having to open the oven excessively. Opening the oven to baste often will dry out the turkey. I try to only baste the turkey once, halfway through cooking, or when I tent with foil.
No, but it does allow the meat to relax and soak the juices back into the meat fibers. Although it isn’t 100% necessary, resting your turkey (and almost all meats) will keep your meat juicy and tender.Â
While you can cook turkey in a slow cooker, the honey glaze won’t caramelize the same way. Consider glazing and briefly broiling it afterward to get that golden finish.
Leftover Turkey Recipes
If you’ve tried this Honey Glazed Turkey Recipe or any other recipe on my blog please let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you. Finally, consider leaving a 🌟 star rating while you’re here. Thanks!
Honey Glazed Turkey
Ingredients
For the Turkey:
- 1 raw whole turkey (thawed with the giblets removed)
- ½ cup salted butter (room temperature)
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup turkey broth
- 1 sweet onion (roughly chopped)
- ½ cup fresh sage
- ½ cup fresh thyme
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup honey
- 1 cup salted butter (melted)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare your oven. Preheat your oven to 375°F and move your oven rack to the bottom level of your oven.Â
- Make the rub. In a small bowl, combine the butter, honey, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper until smooth. If there the liquid is preventing the butter from mixing with the seasonings, you can microwave the mixture for 10 seconds to soften it slightly, allowing it to come together.
- Place the turkey in the roasting pan. Place your turkey, breast side up, in your roasting pan. Stuff the cavity with half of the fresh herbs and onion.
- Butter the turkey. With your clean hands or a spatula, make pockets over each breast by separating the skin from the meat. Use half of your butter under the skin of the breasts smoothing it out as much as you can. Rub the remaining butter over the skin of the bird, making sure to get the legs and wings as well as the breast.
- Tuck the wings and tie the legs. Tuck the wing tips behind the body of the bird and use butcher’s twine to tie the legs together at the end. At the bottom of the roasting pan, add a cup of broth and the remaining herbs and onions.
- Bake. Bake uncovered for 10-12 minutes per pound. Check the color of the turkey periodically using the oven light so you don’t have to keep opening the oven. If it is starting to brown too quickly, you can tent aluminum foil over the turkey to slow the browning. (Note: My 11 pound turkey took about an hour and 45 minutes to cook. You can check for doneness by inserting a thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and along the thigh bone at the thickest part of the thigh. Once it reaches 165°F, your turkey is done.)
- Rest for 15 minutes. Remove the turkey from the roasting pan and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
For the Glaze:
- Prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the honey and butter, stirring until the mixture reaches a simmer. Continue to simmer until the mixture has thickened.
- Baste. Use a basting brush to glaze the turkey as it rests.Â
Make your turkey a little sweeter this holiday season with this simple glaze that provides taste and helps lock in the juices.