Refrigerator bread and butter pickles are easy to make at home with no canning required. Thin sliced cucumbers and onions are pickled in a sweet and flavorful brine in the refrigerator.
Recipe summary
Flavor: Classic bread and butter pickles with the perfect balance of savory and sweet.
Pickling time: 2 days in the refrigerator
Yield: 32 ounces
Similar to: Spicy Dill Refrigerator Pickles, Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeños, Sweet & Spicy Refrigerator Pickles
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Ingredients and substitutions
Brine ingredients - Apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar), granulated sugar, kosher salt, mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric. Sugar can be reduced by ¼ cup for a less-sweet pickle.
Salt - Kosher can be substituted with sea salt or non-iodized table salt. Do not use iodized salt, it can change the color and flavor of your pickles.
Cucumbers - Pickling cucumbers, English cucumbers, or slicing cucumbers work in this recipe. Pickling cucumbers create a firmer pickle, while the others create a softer pickle.
Other mix-ins - Onion adds flavor and helps create that classic bread and butter flavor. If you don't like onions, they could be substituted with extra cucumber or jalapeno slices for a sweet and spicy pickle.
How to make bread and butter pickles
- Pack sliced veggies into pint size jars.
- Boil brine ingredients until sugar dissolves. Cool until warm.
- Pour brine over veggies until completely covered.
- Seal tightly and wait at least 2 days before enjoying.
Tips and tricks
Use a mandoline slicer - For even vegetable slicing, use a mandoline slicer. These pickles are ⅛", but slightly thicker ¼" pickles are also a great choice.
Pack jars tightly - Fit as many cucumbers as possible into your jars. If you don't have enough cucumbers, you may need additional brine to fill your jars to the top.
Prefer less-sweet pickles? - Reduce the sugar by ¼ cup.
Frequently asked questions
Refrigerator pickles are pickles made without traditional canning methods. They are not shelf-stable like regular canned goods, so they need to be stored in the refrigerator. They're ready to enjoy after two days of pickling.
Refrigerator pickles will keep for up to two months stored in the refrigerator. Since they're not canned, they are not shelf stable and need to be stored in the refrigerator.
Any cucumbers you have on hand can be pickled. Pickling cucumbers are an ideal choice, but English cucumbers or slicing cucumbers will also work. Pickling cucumbers make a firmer, crunchier pickle, whereas English or slicing cucumbers make a slightly softer pickle.
This recipe makes 32 ounces of pickles, so you can make one single 32 ounce jar, or two 16 ounces (pint size) jars instead.
No. Any clean, dry jars will work for this recipe. Jars need to be sterilized for canning because they must be entirely free of bacteria and fungi to sit for long periods of time at room temperature without spoiling. Refrigerator pickles are stored in the refrigerator at all times, so there's no need to take the extra step of sterilization. However, you are absolutely welcome to sterilize your jars if you simply want to.
This recipe is specifically written for those who don't want to can their pickles. I haven't tested canning this recipe, so I can't say how it would turn out. I recommend searching for a canning specific recipe for best results.
More recipes
📖 Recipe
Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles
Ingredients
- 1 pound cucumbers, thinly sliced
- ½ medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar, or white vinegar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon mustard seed
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
Instructions
- Pack two pint size jars with sliced cucumbers and onions. Set aside.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add vinegar, sugar, water, salt, mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric. Whisk to combine.
- Heat to boiling and cook for 1 minute, or until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Pour liquid into jars to completely cover cucumbers and onions. Depending on how tightly packed cucumbers are, you may have leftover brine.
- Tightly seal and refrigerate for 2 days to allow cucumbers to pickle. Store pickles in refrigerator for up to 2 months.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Cucumber types: Pickling cucumbers produce a firmer pickle and slicing/English cucumbers produce a softer pickle.
- Storage: Your refrigerator pickles need to be stored in the refrigerator. Since they are not canned, they are not shelf-stable and need to be refrigerated.
- Pickling time: The cucumbers need 2 days to pickle in the brine before enjoying. They are edible immediately, but need at least 2 days of rest for best results.
- Salt types: Kosher salt can be substituted with sea salt or non-iodized table salt. Iodized salt can change the color and flavor of your pickles and is not recommended.
I have made this recipe for a long time and I love it, but always wondered if you can process with actual canning methods so from the sound of your response you can…….what timings do you suggest?
I haven't personally tested this recipe with canning methods so I can't say for sure what times are needed.
Here's a recipe for canned bread and butter pickles that might be helpful for you: https://growagoodlife.com/bread-and-butter-pickles/
Thanks
Can these be frozen?
When frozen and thawed, cucumbers lose their crisp texture and get soggy and mushy, so I wouldn't recommend freezing pickles for that reason.
If reusing the brine do you have to boil it or reheat it again?
Hi Terry, no need to reheat the brine - we do that the first time to dissolve the sugar. As long as the brine doesn't look murky or cloudy, and still smells fresh, it's fine to use again once or twice.
Do you have to cook the sugar down, I always just stirred to dissolve cold. Can some one email an answer.
The only purpose of warming the brine on the stove is to dissolve the sugar. You're welcome to stir the cold brine until the sugar dissolves, or microwave in 30 second increments, instead of warming over the stove.
I really had high hopes for this. What is it supposed to taste like? Pickles? Because mine just tasted like cucumbers soaked in sweetened ACV. and it's been soaking for 5 days now.
Hi Arie, is it the flavor or texture that didn't turn out as expected for you? This recipe uses a brine, which is a solution of vinegar, sugar, salt, and spices. You may prefer pickles made by fermentation, which uses a salt solution and no vinegar. Homemade pickles have a firmer texture since they're refrigerated uncooked. Most store bought pickles are cooked to remove bacteria (to make them shelf stable), making them softer in texture.
Here's a fermented honey garlic pickle recipe that you may enjoy:
https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/honey-garlic-pickles/
Really easy and delicious
I want to make this recipe but what I have on hand is a red onion. Can I substitute?
Yes, red onions will work in this recipe. They may also give your pickles a light pink hue!
Can I substitute stevia for the sugar?
Hi Emily, I haven't tried using stevia in this recipe. However, a quick google search shows that it should work as a substitute in refrigerator pickles. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!
Does it matter what type of salt is used? Kosher, iodized, sea?
Hi Joanne, kosher salt, sea salt, or non-iodized salt will work best! Iodized table salt is not generally recommended for pickling because it can change the color and flavor of the pickles.
Can I make these without salt.
Hi Charlotte, I haven't tried this recipe without salt so I can't say for sure how they'd turn out. They may turn out a little more on the sweet side, since the salt helps cut through the sweetness. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!
Trying these for the first time today. Using my fresh onions too. I'm super excited!
What if I want to try one after a week? 😆 I don’t know if I can wait 4 weeks! I’ve never pickled anything before. This is my first year having a garden and as soon as I had enough cucumbers I found your recipe and went for it. I can’t wait to try them!
Hi Kelly, your pickles are ready after two days in the refrigerator!
Question ! If I seal the jars after using this recipe do they still have to be stored in the refrigerator? I’ve made a bunchhh!
If you sterilize the jars and use traditional canning methods, no, they do not need to be refrigerated. The only reason this recipe needs to be refrigerated is because you're not taking those extra steps to make the pickles shelf stable.
Awesome ! Thanks so much!
Heather,
You said you can use any type cucumber. Can you use a regular salad cucumber? Doesn't it have wax covering it?
Hi Sandy, salad cucumbers would work, they'll make a slightly softer pickle than a pickling cucumber. If your cucumber has a layer of wax on it, it's technically edible but can also be removed with a quick scrub before slicing.
If I water bathe these will they be shelf stable?
Hi Meg, I am not very familiar with canning so I can't say for sure. I'd follow a traditional canning recipe to be on the safe side!
I don't have any turmeric on hand - is there a good substitute?
Turmeric is used mainly for its color and a little earthy flavor. If you don't have any on hand it can be omitted from the recipe!
How long do these last in the refrigerator?
Hi Luann, these last for two months in the refrigerator.
Do you have to prep the cucumbers, such as a salt bath before hand?
Hi Pam, no prep required, your cucumbers go straight into the jars after slicing!
These are fantastic. I dont like mustard so I leave out The mustard seed. My question is when pickles are all gone Can i use this brine to go over newly sliced pickles? Thanks for a great easy recipe!
Hi Linda, I'm glad you enjoyed the pickles! Yes, the brine can be reused to make more pickles, as long as it doesn't look cloudy or murky. I'd say the brine could be reused 2-3 times as long as it still looks and smells fresh!