refrigerator bread and butter pickles

• 1 1/2 pounds pickling cucumbers , sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 5 1/2 cups)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

The Best Bread and Butter Sweet Pickles Recipe

I love this recipe because it is both a) classic and b) customizable – a duo that is hard to pull off well in a dish. But this is it!

Traditionally, Bread and Butter Pickles include a smidge of spiciness to help balance the sweetness. We’ve included the spice blend we love for the most heat… However, you can adjust the spice to your preferences, including adding more cinnamon sticks or cloves for a deeper flavor if desired.

The beauty of this Refrigerator Bread and Butter pickles recipe is that it can also be used for canning! As long as the pickling liquid is boiling-hot when it goes in the jars, there’s no need to cook the pickles beforehand. So you can use it as either a quick refrigerator pickles recipe or as sweet pickles for canning.

So many options!

How to Make Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

This recipe will walk you through the few simple steps necessary to prepare the pickles. You can then finish them in the refrigerator or use this as a sweet pickle canning recipe.

What’s the difference between canning or refrigerating Bread and Butter Pickles? Pickles that are preserved using the traditional water bath canning method will keep shelf-stable for up to 2 years, unopened. On the other hand, refrigerator pickles need to be kept in the fridge (obviously) and need to be eaten within 2 months. So it really just depends on where and how long you’d like to keep them stored.

STEP #1 – PREPARE THE PICKLES AND ONION

The first step to make the BEST sweet pickles is to slice them into that iconic thin bread and butter-style disk.

Take out a mandolin and a medium or large bowl. Use the mandolin to slice the pickles into even 1/8 inch rounds.

Then quarter and slice the onion into short segments.

Place the cucumber slices and onions in the bowl, and toss with kosher salt. This will help pull out (or drain) any excess moisture from the cucumbers. Set them in the fridge to rest for 1-3 hours.

STEP #2 – PREPARE THE BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLING LIQUID

Meanwhile, set out for clean pint jars. Divide the mustard seeds, crushed red pepper, celery seeds, and cinnamon sticks between the four jars.

Once the cucumber slices I’ve had plenty of time to rest, release their juices, and absorb the salt, rinse them in cold water to remove the excess salt. Divide the cucumber slices and onions between the four jars and pack them well.

Set a small/medium saucepan over high heat. Add the sugar, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, and turmeric. Bring to a boil.

STEP #3 – FILL AND STORE THE PICKLE JARS

Once boiling, carefully ladle the hot pickling liquid into the jars with the cucumber mixture, dividing it evenly. If some of the cucumbers are still sticking out of the top of the jar, uncovered, add a tablespoon or two of hot water to the jars, almost to the rim with an inch of headspace left.

Screw the lids on tight and shake the pickle jars.

If planning to make refrigerator pickles, let the pickles sit at room temperature for one hour, then move them to the refrigerator.

However, if you plan to can the pickles you should do so immediately and follow the proper canning procedure at this point. Either way, you prepare them, you should let the pickles rest at least 48 hours before eating. The texture and flavor will improve over the next week.

Recipe Tips

• The cucumber slices should be about 1/4-inch thick. You want some crunch! Too thin and they can disintegrate when soaked with the hot brine. Too thick and they won’t soak up the brine enough.
• I highly recommend using a mandolin, which ensures the slices are all the same size. It also makes the process so much easier and faster!

Nutrition Information

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Why are they called bread and butter pickles?

Some say they gained popularity during the Great Depression. Since they were a cheap kitchen staple, people would use them on buttered sandwich bread for an easy, inexpensive lunch.

Another story is that Omar and Cora Fanning, who were Illinois cucumber farmers back in the 1920’s, pickled and sold their small cucumbers and would also trade the pickles with their local grocer for essentials, like bread and butter. They ended up filing for a “Fanning’s Bread and Butter Pickles” trademark.

Are Bread and Butter Pickles Sweet?

Unlike dill pickles, they’re definitely on the sweeter side, but they’re also tart, with a slight kick. They’re infused with a sugar-vinegar brine and other spices that make them pretty irresistible and perfect on sandwiches!

Making homemade bread and butter pickles is so easy! There are only a few simple steps, some resting time (for the pickles and hopefully for you, too! HA), and then chilling in the fridge overnight to get the truest flavor. If you’re really impatient, though, they taste great after only a few hours!