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Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles
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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A wonderful, simple recipe for homemade refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles. No canning equipment required! Just prepare and pop in the fridge!
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.
- I do not recommend using this recipe for canning or long-term storage.
- The jars pictured in the post are Bormioli jars - love them!
Nutritional values are based on one cup in juiceCalories: 308kcal
Sodium: 2629mg
Potassium: 347mg
Carbohydrates: 71g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 67g
Protein: 1g
Vitamin A: 130%
Vitamin C: 8.8%
Calcium: 57%
Iron: 0.9%
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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.
I made these last week, and they were very easy to make and when chilled down, they are delicious! I will be making them again.
Awesome recipe😀 made them my son in law who passionetly hates pickles loved them n ate them out of the jar!!
This is a wonderful recipe! I have made it three times so far this year from our summer garden, and will be making it again with regular cucumbers from the grocery store. Hopefully, they will turn out as good. Thank you for sharing!!!
Best tasting refrigerator bread and butter pickles! My husband was eating them out of the bowl before I could get them in containers. Served them to a friend and her fiance – it was our first time meeting him. He got tears in his eyes while eating them and we were concerned – he told us that they reminded him of his aunt’s homemade bread and butter pickles. She had died several years ago and he didn’t think he would ever taste anything like her pickles again….he was thrilled to get recipe. Taste evokes wonderful memories! Thanks again!
Do you have a recipe for these pickles for canning?
Hi Rhonda, I do not, unfortunately.
I have made this recipe twice and I love the pickles, but I have not had enough liquid to fill the jars holding the cucumbers either time. This time I ended up with 3 pint jars and had another pint jar and a half pint jar full of cucumbers, but with no liquid left to fill them. I even make a 1 1//2 times the recipe for the liquid. I had 1 pound 11 ounces of cucumbers.
Do you sterilize the jars before and if so what method? Thanks
Hi Anne, No I just run them through the dishwasher before using.
So thankful to come across this recipe, I’ve made more jars of pickles than I can count this year…..everyone loves them!! So easy and doesn’t matter they are only good far a month in frige…they don’t last a week!
How long do these last in refrigerator
Hi Sherri, For 1 month.
I made this last week thay were so good 😍😍 I made 6 jars and thay did not make it past 3 days. Everyone who came over tried them and took a jar 😅😅😅
Awesome! Sharing it with my friends and family!
Just put them into the jars and waiting to sample. The brine is really tasty and I cannot wait to add theseto our plates! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
So easy and so delicious!
I’m making these for the third time this season. My family loves them! Also, the brine makes amazing pickled eggs!!! Just pour over peeled hard boiled eggs and let sit in the fridge for a few days. A dozen eggs doesn’t last more than 2 weeks in the house, everyone eats them so quick!
These are very good and so easy to make. I’m currently making a batch, this time I’m adding sliced peppers as well as onions just because I have it all from my car. Looking forward to eating this batch with Mississippi roast sandwiches tomorrow!
I made these last week for my big macs, they were so easy and turned out so good! No wonder they’re one of your most popular recipes.
I think i will love the way that u have put the pickles on the internet
Great Refrigerator B&B Pickles!!!
Excellent, made them last year, making a
batch as I’m writing this👍🏼
What would you recommend adding to this recipe to make it spicy? :)
Hi Kyla, I would try crushed red pepper flakes!
So how long will they last in the fridge?
Hi Jana, About 1 month. Enjoy!
I just made these! I have a small mandolin with three thickness settings and zipped right through the cucumbers and the onion when it was time to add it. While I am not a fan of sweet pickles, even I am impressed by how zippy these are after only a moment sitting in their brine! Hubby, who loves bread & butter pickles gave an appreciative “MmmM!!” after sneaking an early taste too!Thank you for your wonderful recipes! You have never steered me wrong! ♥
I just made these for the first time. So simple and easy. At this point, they’re sitting on my counter step. I’ll let you know in 25 hours.
They came out delicious.
I made these for a friend last week and they loved them! I added a bit of chopped garlic and they turned out great! I am making more for my friend today. Thanks for the great and easy recipe!
You’re welcome, Marlene! I’m so thrilled to hear they were well-received!
What is the recipe for long term caned bread and butter pickles?
Hi Paul, I do not have one yet.
Love this
How long will the pickles keep in the refrigerator. ?
Hi Lisa, About 1 month. Enjoy!
I am making your recipe for these pickles and have everything accept the jars. I do however have some new mason canning jars that hold 32 oz each with new lids and rims. Can I use them to store in the refrigerator without doing the actual canning process ??
Thank you
Hi Cindy, Yes, you can do that!
Why shouldn’t these be stored long term?
Hi William, In order for a recipe to be safe for long-term storage at room temperature, the mixture needs to reach a certain ph balance. This recipe is not tested for such safety.