Refrigerator Bread & Butter Pickles
Delightfully crisp, sweet, and tangy, these refrigerator bread and butter pickles come together quickly and easily. No canning pots, hot water baths, or fancy tools are required for this recipe!
Foolproof Pickle Recipe
Years ago, we vowed to spend the summer learning to can fresh fruits and vegetables, pickles included. Summer was over in a blink, and our cans were still empty. We couldn't let the summer go by without an attempt to preserve anything, so we gave refrigerator pickles a try. We never looked back!
We never knew how straightforward making pickles at home could be. These bread and butter pickles are:
- Simple and speedy
- Totally foolproof – no canning or fancy equipment is needed
- A little sweet and a little zesty
- Totally addictive
- A year-round staple in our fridge
Tools for From-scratch Pickles
While refrigerator pickles don't require any specialty canning tools, we love using these two items for authentic bread and butter pickles:
- To Slice: This crinkle cutter is our favorite! But you can also use a knife or mandoline.
- To Store: – we adore this large 67.5-ounce jar, but you can also divide the pickles between traditional pint jars or use any airtight container you have at home.
What to Serve with Bread and Butter Pickles
Bread and butter pickles taste a little tangy, a little zesty, a little sweet, and wildly rich. They add a welcome burst of flavor to:
- Burgers (like cast iron skillet cheeseburgers)
- BBQ sandwiches (we love this straightforward pulled pork recipe)
- Simple deli meat + cheese sandwiches
- Charcuterie boards
Try These Pickle Recipes Next
If you like this simple from-scratch pickle recipe, you’ll also love the following:
- Sweet and Spicy Zucchini Refrigerator Pickles
- Speedy & Straightforward Refrigerator Dill Pickles
- Dill Sandwich Pickles
- And of course, you will LOVE this dill pickle dip!
Watch How to Make Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles:
If you make these pickles and love them, we would so appreciate it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you! ❤️️
This recipe was originally published on August 25, 2011.
- Yield: 4 cups of pickles
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Cook: 5 minutes
- Total: 3 hours
Ingredients
- 5½ cups ( 680 g ) pickling cucumbers, sliced ¼-inch thick, about 1½ pounds
- 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
- 1 cup ( 198 g ) granulated sugar
- 1 cup ( 240 ml ) white vinegar
- ½ cup ( 120 ml ) apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup ( 53 g ) light brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon celery seeds
- ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric
Method
- Combine cucumbers and salt in a large, shallow bowl; cover and chill 1½ hours. Move cucumbers into a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Drain well, and return cucumbers to bowl. Add onion to the bowl and toss with the cucumbers.
- Combine the granulated sugar, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds and ground turmeric in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Pour the hot vinegar mixture over cucumber mixture; let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 month.
Notes
Cucumbers: Pickling cucumbers work best, but you can substitute small regular cucumbers if needed.
Sugar: You can adjust the sugar quantities based on your preferences.
Jars: You can store this entire recipe in one of these large Bormioli jars (we've loved these forever!) or you divide it up using regular pint-size jars.
Storage: These pickles will keep in your refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Long-Term Storage: This pickle recipe is not meant for long-term storage, so you should not can it or store it at room temperature for any length of time.
This recipe was originally published on August 25, 2011.
