CANNING RECIPES

Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

Updated

Sweet and tangy refrigerator bread and butter pickles made with cucumbers, onion and a spiced vinegar brine, with no canning equipment needed.

Prep
25 min
Cook
5 min
Total
27 hr
Yield
About 4 cups (one 1-quart jar)
Illustration of Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

Bread and butter pickles are the sweet member of the pickle family: crisp cucumber coins and slivers of onion in a brine of sugar, vinegar, mustard seed, celery seed and a little turmeric for that golden color. This refrigerator version from the KitchenSimplicity archive skips water-bath canning entirely, so it is a friendly first project if you have never made pickles.

Make a jar in summer when pickling cucumbers are plentiful and pile the slices onto burgers, sandwiches and cheese boards. A small jar also makes a thoughtful hostess gift for a cookout. Plan ahead, because the pickles need a day in the refrigerator to take on their full flavor.

Tips

  • These pickles are not shelf-stable; keep them in the refrigerator and enjoy them within about 2 weeks for the best crunch.
  • Trimming the blossom end of each cucumber helps keep the slices crisp.
  • Kirby or other small pickling cucumbers stay firmer than salad cucumbers.
  • Add a few thin slices of jalapeño or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the jar for a sweet-heat version.

Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

Prep
25 min
Cook
5 min
Total
27 hr
Yield
About 4 cups (one 1-quart jar)

Ingredients

  • 5 1/2 cups sliced pickling cucumbers (about 1 1/2 pounds / 680 g)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion, such as Vidalia (yellow onion also works)
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds (or 1/8 teaspoon celery salt)
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

Steps

  1. Wash the cucumbers, trim a thin slice off both ends, and cut them into rounds about 1/4 inch thick.
  2. Toss the cucumber slices with the kosher salt in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours to draw out excess water.
  3. Tip the cucumbers into a colander and rinse well under cold water to wash off the salt. Drain thoroughly, then return them to the bowl (or pack them into a clean 1-quart jar) with the sliced onion.
  4. In a medium stainless steel or enamel saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, white vinegar, cider vinegar, mustard seeds, celery seeds and turmeric. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
  5. Pour the hot brine over the cucumbers and onion, pressing the vegetables down so they are submerged.
  6. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour to cool.
  7. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before eating so the flavors can develop.

More recipes: Canning Recipes · All recipes