My grandma used to make this sweet and savory dinner every spring and it only takes 3 ingredients to prep

These slow cooker 3-ingredient Amish applesauce pork chops are my kind of weeknight comfort food: minimal prep, familiar pantry staples, and a payoff that tastes like it simmered on Grandma’s stove all afternoon. The combination of pork and apples is classic in many farm kitchens, and Amish cooks are especially good at turning simple ingredients into something quietly special. Here, thick bone-in chops slowly braise in sweet applesauce and warm spices, creating a glossy, golden brown glaze with tender cooked apples nestled around the meat. It’s the kind of sweet-and-savory dinner my grandma made every spring when applesauce was plentiful, and it still feels like a small celebration even though the slow cooker does almost all the work.

Serve these applesauce pork chops right out of the slow cooker with plenty of the spiced apple juices spooned over the top. They’re especially good over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles to catch the sauce. For something lighter, pair them with steamed green beans or roasted carrots and a simple green salad dressed with a tangy vinaigrette to balance the sweetness. A slice of crusty bread or warm dinner rolls is perfect for mopping up the extra glaze.

Servings: 4

4 thick bone-in pork chops (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds total, 1 to 1 1/4 inches thick)

Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and trim any excess surface fat, leaving a thin layer for flavor. This helps the glaze cling better and keeps the sauce from becoming too greasy.

In a medium bowl, stir together the applesauce and ground cinnamon until the spice is evenly distributed and you can see fine flecks of cinnamon throughout. Taste and adjust the cinnamon slightly if you like a stronger warm spice flavor.

Spoon a thin layer of the cinnamon applesauce mixture over the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker to lightly coat it. This prevents sticking and starts the base of the sauce.

Arrange the pork chops in a single, snug layer in the slow cooker. If they overlap slightly, that’s fine, but avoid stacking them directly on top of each other so they cook evenly and stay tender.

Pour the remaining cinnamon applesauce over the pork chops, making sure each chop is well covered. Use the back of a spoon to spread the applesauce so the meat is completely smothered in the mixture.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until the pork chops are very tender but still holding their shape and the applesauce has deepened to a warm golden brown with visible bubbles and rich juices around the edges.

Once cooked, carefully lift the pork chops from the slow cooker with a wide spatula or tongs, as they will be very tender. Stir the applesauce and cooking juices together to form a smooth, glossy glaze with tender bits of cooked apple.

Serve the pork chops hot, generously spooning the warm spiced applesauce glaze over each chop. If desired, let the sauce sit for 5 minutes with the lid off to thicken slightly before serving.

For a slightly deeper flavor that still keeps the ingredient list simple, you can swap the plain ground cinnamon for an Amish-style apple pie spice blend, which usually includes cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice; just keep the total amount to about 2 teaspoons so it doesn’t overpower the apples. If your family prefers a sweeter glaze, use sweetened or cinnamon applesauce in place of unsweetened and reduce the added ground cinnamon to 1 1/2 teaspoons. For a more rustic texture, choose chunky applesauce or stir in a handful of peeled, thinly sliced fresh apples along with the applesauce; they’ll soften into tender pieces that match the slow-cooked look in the pot. Bone-in chops hold up best in the slow cooker, but if you only have boneless, reduce the cooking time slightly and check early so they don’t dry out. Leftovers reheat well: shred the pork into the applesauce and serve it over rice, tucked into soft rolls, or alongside roasted vegetables for an easy second meal.