Refrigerator Bread and 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, I vowed to spend the summer learning to can fresh fruits and vegetables, pickles included. Summer was over in a blink, and my cans were still empty. I couldn't let the summer go by without an attempt to preserve anything, so I gave refrigerator pickles a try. I never looked back!
I never knew how easy making pickles at home could be. These bread and butter pickles are:
- Simple and quick
- Totally foolproof – no canning or fancy equipment is needed
- A little sweet and a little zesty
- Totally addictive
- A year-round staple in my fridge
Ingredients for Bread and Butter Pickles
There are two main components to these refrigerator pickles:
- Cucumbers: I recommend pickling cucumbers for this recipe, but small regular cucumbers work in a pinch.
- The Brine: This is where the classic sweet and tangy flavor comes from! Use a combination of vinegars (white vinegar and apple cider vinegar), sugars (granulated sugar and brown sugar), and spices like mustard seed, celery seed, and ground turmeric. For an extra kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Step-by-Step Instructions
These bread and butter pickles couldn't be easier to make! Here's a quick overview of the process:
- Prepare the Cucumbers: Cut the cucumbers into ¼-inch thick slices – I like using a crinkle cutter for classic bread and butter pickles. Sprinkle them with salt, toss to combine, cover the bowl, and refrigerate for about 90 minutes.
- Rinse: After the cucumbers marinate with salt, rinse them with cold water, drain, and mix in the thinly sliced onion.
- Make the Brine: Combine the remaining ingredients together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer and stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Pour: Pour the brine over the cucumbers and onions. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for about an hour.
- Transfer & Refrigerate: Transfer the pickle and onion mixture (including the liquid) into airtight containers. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Tools for Homemade Pickles
While refrigerator pickles don't require any specialty canning tools, I love using these two items for authentic bread and butter pickles:
- To Slice: This crinkle cutter is my favorite! But you can also use a knife or mandoline.
- To Store: – I 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 delicious. They add a welcome burst of flavor to:
- Burgers (like cast iron skillet cheeseburgers)
- BBQ sandwiches (I love this easy pulled pork recipe)
- Simple deli meat + cheese sandwiches
- Charcuterie boards
Try These Pickle Recipes Next
If you like this simple homemade pickle recipe, you’ll also love the following:
- Sweet and Spicy Zucchini Refrigerator Pickles
- Quick & Easy 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, I would so appreciate it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you! ❤️️
Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles
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
Instructions
- 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 (I’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.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe was originally published on August 25, 2011.
Do these only keep for two weeks?
Hi Lisa, I think you could probably do a month.
I have done these with young zucchini as well!
Could you leave the onion out of these pickles?
Hi Rebecca, Yes, you could.
Thank you. my son-in-law has a huge garden planted and I’m looking forward to trying this recipe. we love bread and butter pickles. I’ll be sure to let you know how they turn out.
Made these a couple weeks ago and they were delicious. In fact, they were so good I went to the farmers market for more cucumbers. I doubled the recipe this time and added some dried crushed red pepper. Oh my goodness they are amazing! Also, after we finished the first jar I cut up some roasted beets and dropped them into the liquid for pickled beets. Best pickled beets I’ve ever had.
These pickles are delicious and okra done the same way is delicious too.Thank you for the recipe.
Even a 78 yr old male can do this. My favorite pickle!
These are a snap to ‘m make and very delicious. Have made them for many yrs. Family loves them . Pickles stay crunchy since they arent cooked. So DIVE IN.
How long will these last in the fridge?
Up to 1 month in the refrigerator.
How long do they last.
Hi Beth, Up to 1 month in the refrigerator.
What is the purpose of the salt I am on a low sodium diet and was wondering if I could just skip the salt.
Hi Karen, The salt is key to the actual “pickling” process. You absolutely need it for canned pickles, but for refrigerator pickles, I’ve read that you can replace it with another acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice. I’ve never tried this, so I couldn’t say how the taste would be affected, but the recipe does already call for vinegar.
Karen:
You need the salt to remove the liquid from the cucumbers. After letting them sit in the salt bath you can rinse the salt off and drain them on some paper towels.
LOVE these pickles! Had to make about 3 batches within a couple of months. I put a few jalapenos in to make them a litte spicy and they were delicious.
I love Bread and Butters. I do have a question..are they crunchy? I will be canning pickles this week end and thought I would try this recipe. They look so good.
Hi Connie, They are! They do soften a bit the longer they stay in the refrigerator, but they’re definitely not soggy.
Is the link to the jars you use the right size? It has a 72 oz capacity. It does seem like it would work–just wanted to be sure. There is a 33plus oz jar and a group of four small jars by that company too. I’ve decided your recipe is the one I want to try :-).
Yes, that’s the correct link! You could also use smaller jars and divide the pickles up between them. It’s my favorite pickle recipe, I hope you enjoy!
Good but very strong vinegar taste. Will use less vinegar and more sugar next time.
I love putting bread and butter pickles on almost any sandwich I make nowadays! This leads me towards the idea of needing to make my own at home! I spend enough money at the grocery store that I think it would be way worth it to start homecrafting these beauties! I think if I do end up jumping into the deep end on something like this, I will definitely use your recipe! Thank you so much for your informative article on how to properly make these types of pickles.
I tried this bread butter pickle recipe and it tastes just awesome. I also recommend everyone to try this recipe at least one time you will love it.
Thanks for sharing these recipes.
I just made these 2 days ago and have already almost ate them all! Can I reuse the liquid and just do the cucumbers in the salt again? And then add them to the mix? Or do I need to start all over?
Hi Sarah, I haven’t done that, but I’ve heard of other people doing it.
Never again will I eat store-bought sweet pickles! These were absolutely delicious and 2 weeks after I made them, I’m still eating them and they are still delicious! The preparation is so simple and the finished product tastes like you spent days on them! Thanks so much for the recipe! These pickles are definitely GOOD EATS!
I made these pickles on Saturday and they turned out absolutely delicious! The only difference was I used a red onion instead of white for the color. These are great and I’ll definitely make these again! They’re super simple to make and again, they’re delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
How long can you keep these bread & butter pickles when you make these.
Hi Sandy, See #2 above – I estimate 2 weeks to store them in the refrigerator.
These sound really good, I might have to try them. I tried to make bread and butter pickles years ago, but they weren’t very crunchy. I was trying to make the like Bubbies bread and butter pickles- they are so good and stay really crisp. I should try it again using your recipe!
CAN THIS RECIPE BE CANNED.
Hi Connie, I cannot recommend it, as this is specifically formulated for using within a short amount of time from the refrigerator. I do not know if it would be a safe recipe for long-term storage.
Yay, thank you! I’d saved your original posting of this recipe like 4-5 years ago, and then I couldn’t find it anywhere in my files. I couldn’t even remember for sure if it was from you or not. It’s the one! My favorite bread and butter pickles recipe to date.
Guess I’d better go buy some pickling cakes!
Oops *cukes
You always make anything appealing with your beautiful photos! We had not had bread and butter pickles for many years. I made these last week and they
seem to be better each day. We have been having them with lunch and with dinner. Thanks Michelle!
Just finished a batch of these pickles! Can not wait to try them tomorrow after sitting these next 24 hrs considering all the great reviews you’ve gotten. May have to try just one later this evening to get a “sneak preview” of what tomorrow will bring :)
Can pickling salt be used instead of kosher salt?
Hi Leslie, Yes, but I would reduce the amount to 1 tablespoon.
Why do I have nearly twice the amount of liquid that I need to fill the jars? Can I save it for the next batch?
Hi Tina, If you have leftover liquid, you could probably save it, I’ve never done so.
These are the best. I have made them a few times and me, my wife and friends love them. Thank you for your post.
I have been canning and pickling for years. I made your recipe and they were the best bread and butter pickles I ever made! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful, easy recipe. Two batches were gone before the snow came!
these are some of the best (if not the best) bread and butter pickles i have eaten. i think the brown sugar adds a lot of depth. however, i found that i needed to double the brine to accommodate this many pickles. anybody else have this problem? regardless…they are delish!