This easy Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe turns fresh cucumbers into a sweet and crunchy condiment you’ll want to keep stocked all year long.
Why I’m Sweet on These Pickles
- Every bite has a sweet, tangy, and lightly spiced flavor with a slight crunch that is hard to resist!
- Budget friendly and easy to find ingredients plus simple steps make this a great recipe for all skill levels.
- Bread and butter pickles are so versatile. A condiment for burgers, sandwiches, or hot dogs, add them to a charcuterie board, serve with grilled meats, or just eat them straight from the jar! I can’t resist piling these sweet and tangy pickles onto toasted crostini with gooey melted Brie.
- Store them in the fridge for quick pickles or process them for long-term pantry storage. Either way, you will enjoy fresh summer cucumbers long after the growing season ends.
Pickle Power Players
- Cucumbers: The star of the recipe! Choose cucumbers with a thin skin and small seeds. Mini cucumbers or English cucumbers are my favorites, or use fresh cucs from the garden. While not my first choice, you can use larger cucumbers just be sure to remove the large seeds before slicing.
- Pickling Salt: Draws excess moisture from the cucumbers, helping them stay crunchy while the brine soaks. I prefer pickling salt over table salt because table salt can make the brine a bit cloudy.
- Onion: Adds mild sweetness and a little extra crunch that is a tasty addition to the cucumbers. I like to use white onions for my bread and butter pickles, but I know my mom has used yellow and red with delicious results!
- Brine:
- Sugar: Necessary to give bread and butter pickles their sweet flavor and balance the vinegar.
- Vinegar:
- Pickling vinegar provides the acidity needed for pickling while providing a bright and tangy flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar adds a slightly mellow sweetness and extra depth that balances the sharper pickling vinegar. If you need, sub in white vinegar for apple cider vinegar.
- Seasonings:
- Mustard seeds add a classic pickled flavor with a mild pop of spice.
- Celery seeds bring a subtle savory note that rounds out the sweet brine.
- Red pepper flakes add a gentle kick without making the pickles overly spicy.
- Whole cloves infuse the brine with warm spice for that traditional bread and butter pickle flavor. Omit if you are not a fan of cloves.
- Variations: Add your favorite crisp veggie! Try some red peppers for bold color, cauliflower for an interesting shape, and garlic for an extra punch of flavor.
How To Make Bread and Butter Pickles
- Slice cucumbers and toss with pickling salt, cover and refrigerate. Rinse well and drain.
- Wash jars, lids, and bands. Sterilize jars if processing pickles.
- Make the brine, add cucumbers and onions, bring to a boil and remove from heat.
- Pack hot cucumbers and onions into warm jars, cover with the pickling liquid, wipe rims, top with lids and bands.
- For refrigerator pickles, cool and refrigerate.
- For shelf pickles, process in a boiling water bath.
Hot Water Bath To Process Pickles
- Place jars in a canner filled with boiled water. Place jars in the wire rack that comes with your canner, or use a trivet on the bottom of a pot. Be sure water covers the jars by about 1 inch (add more hot water if needed). Cover pot or canner and return water to a boil. Once water is boiling, process for 15 minutes.
- Place a towel on the counter. Lift jars from water using canning tongs, be extra careful as the water and jars are extremely hot. Set jars on the towel and allow to come to room temperature.
- The lids should ‘pop’ or seal as the cool.
Crunch-Time Tips
- I like to sterilize my jars either way, but it is not necessary for the refrigerator style pickles. It is necessary however for shelf bread and butter pickles.
- Slice the cucumbers evenly into ¼-inch thick rounds for consistent results. A mandoline works well for this, and I love using the crinkle blade for a fun, wavy shape.
- Don’t skip salting the cucumbers! This step removes excess moisture and helps keep the pickles crisp.
- Rinse the cucumbers well after the salting stage so the finished pickles are not overly salty.
- Stir the brine until the sugar is completely dissolved before adding the cucumbers and onions.
- Pack the jars well but don’t crush the cucumbers. Leave room for the brine to flow around every slice.
- For the best flavor, allow refrigerator pickles sit for at least 24 to 48 hours before serving.
Pickle Preservation
- For Refrigerator Pickles: Let the jars cool completely, then refrigerate for up to 3 months.
- Pantry Pickle Storage: Properly processed and sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.
- After opening: In either case, keep opened jars in the refrigerator and enjoy within 2 to 3 months for the best flavor and texture.
- Check the seal! Before storing canned jars, or before opening processed jars, make sure each lid has sealed properly. Refrigerate any jars that did not seal properly and enjoy them within 3 months.
More Pickled Recipes!
I hope you enjoy this recipe for bread and butter pickles! Leave a comment and rating below.
Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe
Try this simple recipe for bread and butter pickles for a sweet, tangy, and crisp condiment perfect for burgers, sandwiches, or charcuterie boards.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cucumbers
- ¼ cup pickling salt
- 2 cups sliced onion
- 1 cup pickling vinegar
- 2 cup sugar
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon celery seeds
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 cloves
Instructions
- Slice 2 pounds cucumbers into ¼-inch rounds and place in a large bowl.* Sprinkle cucumbers with ¼ cup pickling salt and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Once chilled, transfer the cucumbers to a colander, rinse well under cold water, and let them drain thoroughly.
- Wash the jars, lids, and screw bands in hot, soapy water and rinse well. Place the jars in a canner, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Keep the jars hot until you're ready to fill them. In a small saucepan, bring the lids and screw bands to a gentle boil, then remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a large pot, combine the 2 cup sugar, 1 cup pickling vinegar, 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon celery seeds, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 3 cloves. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Add 2 cups sliced onion and cucumbers to the pickling liquid. Bring everything to a boil, then remove from heat.
- Using a slotted spoon and a wide-mouth funnel, pack the hot cucumbers and onions into the warm jars, leaving about 1 inch of space at the top. Ladle the hot pickling syrup over the vegetables until the jars are filled to within ½ inch of the rim.
- Run your finger around each jar rim to check for chips or cracks, then wipe the rims clean with a paper towel dipped in the sterilized water from the canner. Place a clean lid on each jar and screw on the band until it's finger tight. Repeat with the remaining jars.
Refrigerator Pickles
- For refrigerator pickles, let the jars cool completely, then refrigerate for up to 3 months.
Pantry Pickles
- If you'd like to store the pickles in the pantry, process the jars in a boiling water bath. Return the filled jars to the canner, making sure the water covers them by at least 1 inch. Bring the water to a full boil and process for 15 minutes.
- Carefully remove the jars with jar lifters or tongs and place them on a towel-lined counter to cool completely before storing.
- Listen for the lids to 'pop' which means they have sealed properly. You can also test by pressing down on the lid. If it does not pop back, it has sealed.
Notes
*I like using a mandoline with a wavy blade for those classic crinkle-cut slices.
- Cost sells a 2 pound package of mini cucumbers which are perfect for this recipe.
- Nutrition is calculated at 8 servings per jar.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 80 | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 1182mg | Potassium: 83mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.
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