From-scratch Brown Sugar Pork Chops

Brown Sugar Pork Chops Are a fail-proof dinner that’s equal parts straightforward and irresistible. These are about to become your new go-to recipe. Thick-cut pork chops are coated in a buttery brown sugar glaze that caramelizes beautifully in the oven, creating juicy, tender, flavor-packed pork every single time. This is the kind of weeknight dinner everyone at the table gets excited for!

Brown Sugar Pork Chops Recipe

With simple pantry ingredients and minimal prep, this recipe hits that well-balanced balance of sweet, savory, and smoky. Plus, you can bake them in the oven Or Make them low-and-slow in the slow-cooker. Either way, you get evenly cooked Pork chops That taste restaurant-quality with almost no effort.

Ingredients for Brown Sugar Pork Chops

• Thick-cut boneless pork chops (about 5–6 pork chops) – If you use thin-cut pork chops, you’ll need to reduce the time and keep a close eye for burning.
• Brown sugar – dark or light brown sugar both work
• Salted butter – unsalted butter woks as well
• Soy sauce – Low sodium soy sauce cuts down on the salty flavor, and if you want to make this gluten-free, you could substitute it with tamari or coconut aminos.
• Worcestershire sauce
• Dijon mustard – Any kind of mustard will do.
• Paprika – If you don’t care for a smoky flavor, use regular or sweet paprika.

How to Make Oven-Baked Brown Sugar Pork Chops

1. Prep the Pork Chops

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels, this helps the glaze stick and prevents steaming.

Prepare your pan. Spray a 9×13 with non-stick cooking spray.

Make the Brown Sugar Glaze

In a bowl, whisk in the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and smoked paprika until smooth and glossy.

Add the pork chops and brown sugar to the baking pan. Place your pork chops into the dish and top each one with a heaping spoonful of brown sugar.

Baking Tips for Well-balanced Pork Chops

Use Thick-Cut Chops

Thin chops cook too fast and tend to dry out. Thick boneless pork chops hold moisture and develop a better caramelized glaze.

Avoid Over Baking

Pork is fully cooked at 145°F. Going much higher can cause dryness, so use a meat thermometer when possible.

Let Them Rest

Those extra 5 minutes make a big difference in keeping the center juicy.

Broil for Color

A speedy broil creates a golden, sticky glaze that takes these pork chops from simple to stunning.

Top with butter. Place 2-3 pads of butter on the top of each heaping pile of brown sugar.
Drizzle The mixture over each pork chop.

Bake. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Uncover and bake again. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until the pork chops are golden and the internal temperature reaches 145°F.

Optional Slow-cooker Brown Sugar Pork Chops

Prefer a hands-off dinner? This slow cooker method melts the sauce into a rich, buttery caramel and keeps the pork unbelievably tender.

How to Make Slow-cooker Brown Sugar Pork Chops

1. Mix melted butter, brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and smoked paprika.
2. Place pork chops into the slow-cooker.
3. Pour the sauce over the top.
4. Cook on:
   • LOW for 5–6 hours, or
   • HIGH for 2½-3 hours
5. Spoon the warm caramelized sauce over the chops before serving.

Slow cooker variation notes:

Thicken the sauce after cooking by simmering it on the stovetop with 1 teaspoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water.

Add sliced onions underneath for extra flavor.

Brown Sugar Pork Chops Recipe