Easy Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Chops

These delicious brown sugar glazed pork chops are tender, juicy, and full of zesty sweet flavor. An easy recipe that's a great for weeknight dinners and a fantastic pork chop recipe that everyone always loves.

I just love recipes like this one. The prep time is less than 5 minutes so it's absolutely a perfect recipe for busy weeknights or weekends when you don't feel like spending hours in the kitchen.

This sweet pork chops recipe is definitely an oldie and a goodie!  It works great for pork chops with or without the bone.

They go great with all kinds of amazing pork chop side dishes! Our favorites in our house are air fryer corn on the cob and cheesy scalloped potatoes.

If you love pork chops, try this sweet mandarin pork chops recipe or these sweet and sour pork chops.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• It's easy to make in just under 40 minutes with a few ingredients that are likely already in your pantry.
• This recipe uses bone-in or boneless pork chops, so you can choose whatever cut you prefer.
• The glaze creates an incredibly delicious caramelized crust on the outside of the pork chops.
• Kids love these pork chops!
• A simple recipe to impress guests with minimal effort.
• Easy to adjust the flavor profile to your own tastes.

Ingredients

You'll only need some chops and a few seasonings to make this recipe. The main ingredients are listed here, but you'll find the complete list of ingredients along with amounts in the recipe card at the end of the post.

• Pork chops: Choose loin or center cut cuts at least 1-inch thick. You can use boneless or bone-in pork chops but make sure they're all similar in size.
• Brown sugar: Use light or dark brown sugar for creating the glaze that coats these juicy, sweet pork chops. If you don't have brown sugar, you can swap it for maple syrup instead.
• Garlic powder and paprika: Easy pantry staple spices to add a bit of flavor. For a smoky flavor swap the regular paprika with smoked paprika.

Variations

• Like sweet and spicy pork chops: Add a teaspoon of chili pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, jalapeno powder, smoked jalapeno powder, or chipotle powder to the sugar mixture to give it some heat! You can also serve up some hot pepper sauce on the table to let everyone add it themselves.
• Add flavors: Add some fresh herbs such as thyme, sage, rosemary, oregano, or onion powder or other spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, and chili powder.
• Use other types of meat: Chicken breast or thighs, turkey cutlets, turkey bacon, bacon, beef sirloin, beef tenderloin, salmon, halibut, tilapia, cod, or tofu instead. Just adjust your cook time accordingly.
• Add orange flavor: Add some grated orange rind to the brown sugar mixture.
• Try it out with some other fruit: Add a few slices of a tart green apples, mangoes, or pineapples on top of your pork chops before baking.

How to Make Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Chops

This easy recipe requires very little prep and just a few minutes in the oven. The highlights are below. Be sure to check out the full instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post.

1. Combine all the seasonings and brown sugar in a bowl and mix it up.
2. Sprinkle it on both sides of the chops to coat them completely.

PRO TIP: Use a 13x9 inch baking pan lined with tin foil and sprayed with cooking spray for easy cleanup.

3. Bake the chops in a baking dish, flipping halfway through cooking.

Storage

• Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Store in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
• Reheat: Place the pork chops in a baking dish with two tablespoons of liquid. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through.
• Make Ahead: You can make the brown sugar mixture and coat the pork chops with it for up to 24 hours before cooking.

What to Serve with Baked Pork Chops

These brown sugar glazed pork chops are perfect with lots of different classic sides!

• Potatoes: It's great with mashed potatoes, air fryer garlic potatoes or cheesy potato casserole.
• Mac and cheese:  Serve it up flavored with rosemary in this homemade macaroni and cheese recipe or try it spicy with this jalapeno ranch macaroni and cheese.
• Rice: Steamed white, brown or wild rice pilaf works great too since it soaks up all the yummy juices of the creamy tomato gravy.
• Vegetables: Instant pot asparagus, parmesan green beans, and glazed carrots are a few of our favorites.

Need more serving ideas? Get some inspiration in this post on what to serve with pork chops.

Tips

• Buy pork chops at least 1-inch thick so they stay juicy when cooked.
• Leftovers keep well, making this dish great for meal planning
• Dry the pork chops before seasoning them to get maximum flavor absorption
• Be generous with seasonings, especially brown sugar, to create a balanced and flavorful glaze.
• Flip pork chops after 15 minutes of baking to allow both sides equal time in the glaze.
• Let the chops cool slightly before serving. This allows the glaze to cool slightly and makes the meat more juicy and flavorful
• For a crisp glaze, broil for 2-3 minutes at the end of baking with the light on to keep a close eye on them so they don't burn.

FAQ

More Pork Chop Recipes

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How to Make This Recipe Video

This post was originally published October 2019. It has been updated with new content and images.