In this recipe for Baked Bone-In Pork Chops With Apples, pork chops are pan seared then baked in a simmering cinnamon apple cider topped with thick slices of sweet honey crisp apples.
With only a few simple ingredients and nearly zero prep, this hearty dinner comes together quickly for a satisfying weeknight dinner.
At our house, every last bite of this dinner gets eaten and there are never any leftovers. Pork chops and apples are simple and familiar flavors, but when they’re combined and create a savory sweet sauce, they’re pretty irresistible. Serve with these Pull Apart Dinner Rolls.
I tested this recipe at least half a dozen times to make sure that the timing, temperature, and technique yield juicy, rather than dry, overcooked pork chops. I've included all my tips below to get the best results.
🛒 Ingredients
Below are the ingredients needed to make Baked Bone-In Pork Chops With Apples.
- Pork Chops: Select bone-in pork chops that are 1 ½ inches thick.
- Salt: Brings out flavor.
- Flour: For coating the pork chops before searing.
- Butter & Olive Oil: Used for searing the pork chops, but feel free to use another cooking oil like grapeseed oil.
- Apples: Choose Honeycrisp apples (they're easy to find in many places year-round). They hold up while baking, and they’re super sweet. Peel them and slice them very thick, so they don’t get mushy. If you have leftover Honeycrisp apples, they are great in this Graham Cracker Crust Apple Pie.
- Apple Cider: Add to the pan with the juices from the meat to create a sauce.
- Cinnamon Sticks: Using cinnamon sticks rather than ground cinnamon adds a subtle hint of cinnamon to the sauce.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
📝 How to Make Baked Bone-In Pork Chops With Apples
Below are the step-by-step instructions and photos for how to make Baked Pork Chops with Apples, including notes and tips for ensuring juicy, flavorful pork.
Note: The recipe card with instructions, ingredient list, and quantities is included further below these step-by-step photos.
Prep: Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Step 1. Salt the Pork: Season the pork chops on both sides with salt. Let rest for 5 minutes. Add the flour to a shallow baking dish. Coat the pork on both sides with flour.
Step 2. Preheat Two Oven-Safe Pans: Four large pork chops will not fit together in most regular or even large pans. This recipe is designed to use two pans with two pork chops each. Bring two pans to medium-high heat (a setting of 6 out of 10). Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to each pan.
Step 3. Sear the Pork Chops: Add the pork chops to the hot pan and sear for 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove the pork chops and set aside. Cover with aluminum foil.
Note: If the pork chops take longer than 1-2 minutes per side to sear (this ultimately depends on the thickness of your pan, the exact heat setting, and the pork chops themselves), then reduce the total amount of baking time in the oven to prevent the pork chops from overcooking.
Step 4. Apple Cider and Honey Crisp Apples: Turn the temperature down slightly to just under medium heat (a setting of 4 out of 10). Add ¾ cup apple cider and 1 cinnamon stick to each pan. (If the pans are quite hot, the cider might sizzle and bubble. Be careful not to burn yourself.) Allow to simmer and reduce by half.
Add the thickly sliced honeycrisp apples. Toss to coat the apples in the sauce. Push the apples to the side of the pan and add the pork chops back to the pan.
Step 5. Bake: Place both pans in the oven (make sure they are oven-safe) and bake at 400°F for 16-18 minutes or until cooked through. Let the pork rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
✏️ Quick Tips for Great Pork Chops
Bone-In Pork Chops: Select thick cut (1 ½ inch) bone-in pork chops. Bone-in adds more flavor, and thick cut gives you more wiggle room in cooking time/temp.
Flour and Sear: Coat the pork chops in flour and sear at higher heat to keep in those juices. The pork chops are only in the pan for 1-2 minutes per side, then finished in the oven to prevent overcooking.
Honey Crisp Apples: They’re super sweet and hold up to baking. Slice them super thick so that they soften in the oven but are still slightly crisp.
💖 If You're Interested in More Weeknight Dinners, You May Love These:
If you've tried this Baked Bone-In Pork Chops With Apples Recipe or any other recipe on my site, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I'd love to hear from you!
Baked Bone-In Pork Chops With Apples
Ingredients
- 4 Bone-In Pork Chops 1½ inches thick
- salt for seasoning the pork
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 honeycrisp apples peeled and thickly sliced
- 1½ cups apple cider
- 2 sticks cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Salt the pork chops on both sides, let rest for 5 minutes. Coat the pork chops in flour on both sides.*NOTE: Typically you can only fit two large pork chops to a pan. Therefore, use two large oven safe sauté pans or skillets working simultaneously to cook all 4 pork chops.
- Bring two large oven-safe pans to medium heat (a setting of 6 out of 10). Add one tablespoon butter and two tablespoons olive oil to each pan. Quickly sear the pork chops on both sides (1-2 minutes per side). Remove and set aside.
- Reduce the temperature slightly to just under medium (a setting of 4 out of 10). Add ¾ cup of apple cider and 1 cinnamon stick to each pan. Allow to simmer and reduce by half.
- Divide the apples in half and add to the two pans. Toss to coat. Push the apples to the side and add the porkchops back to the pan. Arrange the apples around and on top of the pork chops if needed.
- Place both pans (make sure they are oven-safe) in the oven for 16-18 minutes or until the pork chops are fully cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.If the pans are not oven-safe, transfer the contents of the pans, including the sauce, to one or two baking dishes before placing them in the oven.
Gretchen says
Amazing!
Lauren says
Thank you!