Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

Name: Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 180 min
Ingredients: 5½ cups about 1½ pounds thinly sliced (about ¼-inch) pickling cucumbers; 1½ tablespoons kosher salt; 1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 cup white vinegar; ½ cup apple cider vinegar; ¼ cup light brown sugar; 1½ teaspoons mustard seeds; ½ teaspoon celery seeds; 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

by Michelle
published August 22, 2016

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4.7 (207 ratings)

A wonderful, simple recipe for homemade refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles. No canning equipment required! Just prepare and pop in the fridge!

About five years ago, I vowed to spend the summer learning how to can and had grand plans to can ALL THE THINGS. I bought a book, read it, and had a list of recipes I wanted to try. Then I blinked, and summer was almost over. Oops. Then I saw this recipe for refrigerator bread and butter pickles, and I was immediately drawn to it because there was no canning equipment required. You could make these pickles in just about no time and pop them straight in the refrigerator. Score!

Bread and butter pickles have always been my absolute favorite sandwich pickle. A dill spear is great on the side of a burger for munching on, but give me bread and butter pickles on a big sandwich any day. They’re a little sweet and little zesty and with a kick. Love them!

You start out with beautiful little pickling cucumbers…

(If you have especially small regular cucumbers, you could use those, as well!)

You’ll slice up the cucumbers into pretty little pieces, about ¼-inch thick (you don’t want them to be super thin). I found this little wavy slicer thing (a very technical term) at the checkout in Bed Bath & Beyond about 10 years ago. I can’t find it on their website anymore, but I did locate it on Amazon, if you want the cute fancypants crinkle cut (which I happen to love).

Otherwise, just grab your favorite knife or a mandoline and slice away!

Once the cucumbers are all sliced up, you sprinkle them with salt, toss to combine, cover the bowl and pop them in the refrigerator for about an hour and a half.

After that hour, you rinse the cucumbers with cold water, drain, and then toss together with the thinly sliced onion.

Set those aside and get your pickling concoction together. You’ll combine white vinegar, cider vinegar, white sugar, brown sugar, mustard seed, celery seed and ground turmeric in a saucepan and get it to a simmer, making sure the sugar dissolves.

Once you reach that point, pour the liquid over the cucumbers and onions and let it sit at room temperature for about an hour.

That’s it! You’re done! Transfer the pickle and onion mixture (including the liquid) into the container you wish to store them in (I love these jars – they’re the perfect size!) and pop them in the refrigerator. After about 24 hours you will have absolutely delicious pickles!

I just made this recipe again last week with pickling cucumbers from my father-in-law’s garden, and they are delicious as always!

If You Like This Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe, Try These:

Three years ago: Peach Crumble Pie
Four years ago: Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

Watch How to Make Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles:

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