This oven-baked 4-ingredient Amish-style applesauce pork chop dinner is exactly the kind of cozy, no-fuss meal I lean on during busy weeknights. It leans into simple pantry staples—jarred applesauce and just two more ingredients—to give plain pork chops that sweet-and-savory, old-fashioned flavor you’d expect from a church potluck in a small Midwestern town. Everything happens right in one baking dish: you lay in the raw chops, spoon the applesauce mixture over the top, and let the oven do the rest. It’s comforting, kid-friendly, and feels like a hug on a plate.
These applesauce pork chops are lovely with buttery mashed potatoes or egg noodles to soak up the extra sauce. I like to add a simple green veggie on the side—steamed green beans, roasted Brussels sprouts, or a quick tossed salad. Warm dinner rolls or a slice of crusty bread are great for sopping up any sweet apple juices in the pan. If you want to round things out, a simple coleslaw or carrot salad adds a nice crunch next to the tender pork.
4-Ingredient Amish Applesauce Pork ChopsServings: 4
Ingredients
4 bone-in pork chops, about 1-inch thick (2 to 2 1/2 pounds total)
1 1/2 cups store-bought jarred applesauce (plain or unsweetened)
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (optional, to taste)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (optional, to taste)
Nonstick cooking spray or 1 teaspoon oil (for greasing the baking dish)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or a little oil so the pork chops don’t stick.
Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and place them in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. If you’re using salt and pepper, sprinkle them lightly over both sides of the raw chops right in the dish.
In a medium bowl, stir together the jarred applesauce, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon until well combined. Taste and adjust the sweetness or cinnamon if you’d like.
Spoon the applesauce mixture evenly over the raw pork chops in the baking dish, making sure each chop is well coated and some sauce falls around the sides. This helps keep the meat moist and gives you extra sauce for serving.
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and place it on the center rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pork chops are just turning tender.
Carefully remove the foil and return the dish to the oven. Continue baking, uncovered, for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the pork chops are cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). The applesauce will be bubbly and slightly thickened around the edges.
Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the pork chops rest for about 5 minutes. Spoon some of the warm applesauce from the pan over each chop before serving. Serve hot with your favorite sides, making sure to share plenty of that sweet, cinnamon-kissed sauce.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters, you can use plain sweetened applesauce and reduce or skip the cinnamon if they’re sensitive to spice. If your family likes a little tang, stir 1 to 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard into the applesauce mixture before spooning it over the pork chops for a sweet-and-tangy twist. For extra savoriness, sprinkle a small pinch of garlic powder or onion powder over the chops before adding the applesauce. If you prefer boneless pork chops, use the same method but start checking for doneness about 5 to 10 minutes earlier, as they often cook faster. To stretch the meal for more people, tuck a few thick apple slices or onion wedges around the pork chops in the baking dish; they’ll roast in the applesauce and make a lovely side. Leftovers reheat well—store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and warm gently in the oven or microwave, adding a spoonful of extra applesauce if they seem dry.
