Anyone can make these easy homemade refrigerator pickles. Fresh cucumbers and a flavorful brine create a crisp delicious pickle with no canning required! They take only a few minutes to make and you'll never want to buy store bought again.
Why this recipe works:
- This recipe uses very few ingredients. No special pickling salt or hard-to-find spices needed.
- No special canning equipment needed. Because these are refrigerator pickles, you simply brine the cucumbers in the refrigerator and they last a really long time.
- They are very easy to make - no cooking experience necessary!
- If you love a pickle with an unbelievable crunch and great flavor, you'll love these!
These are seriously the best dill pickle you'll ever enjoy!
How to make them:
- All you have to do is heat the brine that consists of water, vinegar, salt, and sugar to the point were the salt and sugar dissolve.
- Next you will pour the brine over your freshly cut cucumbers which are nestled nicely in your Mason jars with garlic, fresh dill, and peppercorns.
- Stick them in the refrigerator for a week and voila - they're ready!
You were waiting for some catch, right? Like I lure you in with the word easy but then when you read the recipe you're all like "What is she talking about? That's not easy." I wouldn't steer you wrong, my friends. This is easy.
Where can you find pickling cucumbers?
I've always found pickling cucumbers at the farmers market. Starting this summer, I decided to grow my own!
Grocery stores will carry them as well, but they are definitely a seasonal item. Some stores might try to convince you that other types of cucumbers are pickling cucumbers, but don't be fooled. Pickling cucumbers have a very unique look and taste and it should be no surprise that they make the perfect pickles!
They are not canned in a water bath or pressure cooker.
There are a few recipes that I make every year and then process in a water bath so that I can store them in the pantry. Namely my Vanilla Bean canned Peaches and my vanilla bean homemade applesauce.
These are refrigerator pickles, however, which means that you just put everything in a jar, refrigerate, and wait. No canning. No sealing. Easy.
How long can you keep refrigerator pickles?
- The salt and vinegar keeps them safe for a short while at room temperature, but to preserve them you will need to keep them refrigerated.
- I recommend storing these refrigerator dill pickles no longer than two months in the refrigerator
- Be sure to always use a clean utensil to pull them out as you do not want to contaminate the liquid from dirty hand germs
- If you eat all the pickles, you can definitely reuse the brine and add more fresh cucumbers
Reader Q&As:
Because of the popularity of this recipe, I get a lot of questions and comments. Here are the most common questions I get with this recipe along with my answers:
- Q: Your recipe seems so simple with very few ingredients, do you know why most of the recipes call for the addition of mustard seed, coriander seed and dill seed? Do you know how that would change the flavor? A: I find that the fresh cucumbers, fresh dill and fresh garlic along with the brine are all that you need and people really do love them! You can certainly add additional spices but they aren't necessary to still get great taste and texture.
- Q: Can I add other vegetables to the brine? A: Yes! I've had readers tell me they added fresh green beans, carrots, cauliflower, asparagus, etc. and they all worked out amazingly well.
- Q: Do you have to use pickling cucumbers? Can you use regular cucumbers? A: I get asked this a lot. Pickling cucumbers are ideal because they are small and firm so they give that great pickle crunch. You can pickle any kind of cucumber, but because of the moisture content in slicing and English cucumbers, they will be more mushy but they will still taste great.
- Q: Can I reuse the brine? A: Yes! That's why I recommend always using a clean utensil to get the pickles out. You don't want to introduce any bacteria from dirty fingers. Use the brine over and over again.
- Q: Can I use whole cucumbers or do I need to slice them? A: Yes, you can use whole. They just might take a longer time to absorb all of the flavor from the brine. Slicing them just makes the pickling process go faster.
Favorite pickle inspired recipes:
What's not to love about a crunchy dill pickle from a fresh cucumber when you're eating a loaded club sandwich or a stuffed burger?
But did you know that pickles are fantastic in other recipes too? You'll want to try these:
I love to hear from my readers, so be sure to leave me a question or comment below!
Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles
RECIPE VIDEO WILL AUTOPLAY
Ingredients
- 10-12 pickling cucumbers
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- big bunch of dill
- 1 head of garlic (skins removed, cloves smashed (less if its a strong garlic))
- 10 peppercorn kernals
Instructions
- Slice cucumbers into ¼ inch slices or spears. Set aside
- To make brine, combine water, vinegar, salt, and sugar in medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil and swirl to make sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
- Add cucumbers to jars. Do not pack them super tight as you you'll want room for the brine. Add the fresh dill, smashed garlic, and peppercorns to the jars. Finish by adding enough brine to cover the cucumbers. Seal with an airtight lid and store in the refrigerator for at least one week. Pickles should be good for at least 4-6 weeks after that.
- This recipe made enough for me to fill one pint and fill two quart jars.
Notes
- Makes 3 quart sized jars
- The amount of dill and garlic can vary depending on taste. I prefer to pack my jars with a ton of fresh dill which is why I don't specify a specific quantity, but you can add as little or as much as you prefer.
- The intensity of the garlic will impact the intensity of the pickles. If your garlic is particularly strong, use less if you are sensitive to the taste.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
This post was originally created in 2015 and has been updated with more fun facts and tidbits for your reading pleasure, but this reader-favorite recipe has always remained the same.
lori knowles
this is my go to recipe for refrigerator pickles. im in love lol. am making some now. altho i dont have fresh dill i do use dill "seed". i crunch the seeds to release the flavors. ive also added some mustard seeds and turmeric powder. this recipe can be used for other veggies as in carrots, gr beans, cauliflower, giardiniere, okra (made pickled okra the other day just needs to sit in brine for at least a week), etc enjoy
Doris Josten
I've made these in the past and they are perfect!!
How do I reuse the brine? Do I reheat and then use??
Krissy
No need to reheat. The heating is only to dissolve the salt. Just plop the freshly cut cukes in the brine and soak!
Sandi
How many peppercorns per jar for the pickles
Krissy
It's totally a matter of preference but I add 10 peppercorns to the brine and distribute evenly amongst the jars.
Sally
These are everything you said and more. Crisp, crunchy with great garlic dill taste. And really easy to make. This will be my go-to from now on. Thank you. Stay safe.
Brittany Judice
Do you put the big bunch of dill, 1 head of garlic and 10 peppercorn kernals in each jar? Or is all that spread out to all 3 quarts?
Krissy
Spread out between the jars
Pink
Hi Krissy,
What kind of jars/containers can be used to store the pickles?
Thanks!
Krissy
I just use quart sized mason jars.
Sandi
Can I process this recipe to store for longer in a water bath?
Krissy
You can, but the pickles won't be as crisp.
Lissa K Harris
Can used no sugar in recipe because love pickle but i am a diabetic
Krissy
You can omit the sugar!
Sally
How long do the pickles usually last in the refrigerator? Thanks!
Krissy
At least a month. Mine never last that long though.
Felicia
LOVE this recipe, but my question is, have you canned these for shelf storage? Does anything need to be different? Want to make a bunch, but my refrigerator is only so big and would like to have some to last through the winter!
Krissy
I have canned them but find that the pickles end up softer than I like.
Sadie
Maybe try adding pickle crisp by Mrs Wages (can be found on Amazon) if you can them for shelf life to get the crisp back.
Mona
CAN I USE DRY DILL?
Krissy
You can, but you will need to use much less. I HIGHLY recommend fresh dill. The taste is completely different in my opinion.
Fallon
How long after them being made are they ready to eat ?
Krissy
it takes a couple weeks for the flavors to really sink in, but you can try them sooner.
Nikki
My local store was out of fresh dill. Is it possible to use organic dried dill weed?
Krissy
You can, but you will use MUCH less if it is dried. I think fresh offers a much different flavor, but dried will work.
Pam
Is it safe to change the amount of vinegar. We love this recipe, We would just like to tone down the tartness. Thank you.
Krissy
Sure can! This recipe is super versatile!
Andrea
I have a bumper crop of English cucumbers this year. (I’ve had pest problems in recent years so I planted extra seeds this year to compensate. The pests have mostly stayed away and now I’m harvesting cucumbers much faster than I can eat them or give them away! I made these last night with the last of my homegrown dill. They’re already pickly today! I may have sliced my cukes into narrower spears than yours. Thanks so much for such an easy and delicious recipe to help me preserve my harvest!
Wendy
Can you use English cucumbers? I want to still be assured they turn out crisp. Unable to find canning pickles. Thank you, can’t wait to make!!
Krissy
Canning pickles are the best but English cucumbers are a close second.
Ed Mycock
What about pickling okra using this method?
Krissy
I've never tried it but I don't see why it wouldn't work.
nsmith
Have used this recipe for the last several years and absolutely love it! I've always run through them in plenty of time as intended as refrigerator pickles. However, I'm curious if you've ever sealed them for shelving? I've grown my own cukes this year and would love to make several batches to enjoy later. Thoughts?
Krissy
I have and it made the pickles much more mushy. If you like them to have a nice snap, they have to be refrigerated in my opinion. Glad you love this recipe!
Garden Fairy
These are great refrigerator pickles, but just to clarify, this is NOT a safe recipe to seal in a simple hot water bath and store outside of the refrigerator. With the lower acidity, you would need to use a pressure canner method to get the proper temp to kill potential botulism spores. I've been canning forever and I love seeing this art revived, but there are some precautions to be aware of. Safe Hot Water Bath canning requires high enough acidity to prevent deadly botulism poisoning, etc. (the lowest I've seen with cucumber pickles is a USDA recipe with a 3:4 vinegar to water ratio). I know that many individuals have eaten a lower acidity canning recipe passed down from someone's grandmother, but just be aware that it's risky if you ignore the scientifically tested recommendations and do this.
Linnie Thompson
I don’t have that many cucumbers
How do I make adjustments? Can the brine be made and saved for additional cucumbers?
Krissy
sure can!
Suzanne
We have so many cucumbers this year, was wondering if you have a recipe like this that would last longer then 6 weeks?
Krissy
I actually think they'll last longer than that. I'm usually just conservative on my recommendation to be on the safe side. I've kept quick pickled stuff in the fridge for months.
Linda
This is my first year to have success with cucumbers = WHOA !! So I was desperate to find a simple recipe & no canning required - simply put, these are TERRIFIC !! We had about 15-18 big cukes & made 12 jars of various sizes, mostly quarts. My hairdresser said these are the BEST - & this is my first try !! Yay !!
Terri
Is this recipe for a dill as in sour pickle or. Does it have a sweet flavor.? I see it has sugar in it.
Krissy
These are definitely a dill flavored pickle and not sweet. The sugar is only added to help balance out the salt and acid in the vinegar.
Suzanne Grimes
This recipe sounds great! Can I substitute Coarse Sea salt for Kosher salt? Is there a difference?
Krissy
I think that will work. Kosher salt is generally cheaper.
Alyson E
Wonderful pickles!
janice l
Do you have to use a top with the seal like when canning? Can;t wait to try
Krissy
Since they are refrigerator pickles, you can use any kind of lid. I really like the plastic screw top lids that fit mason jars.
KW
I made these last weekend and went to open a jar today. The garlic cloves have green splotches on them - is that normal for them to change color?
Krissy
I've never seen that happen before. Was it mold? Were you confident all of the ingredients you used were fresh?
Dave
Some times garlic will turn green due to the sulfur content it perfectly fine
HG
Wow, super impressed with this recipe! Refrigerator pickles can be expensive in stores. These taste better and are more cost effective, especially if reusing the brine. Just made my second batch with homegrown dill. Go to recipe for sure!
Holly
Does this work with bitter cucumbers? I have been trying to milk the bitterness out but have ended up throwing most of them out in the compost. This was my first time growing cucumbers not sure why some are bitter.
Katie
No, I had the same thing happen this year and tried a bunch of different recipes. You can try peeling them, as most of the bitterness is in the skin, but I wouldn't even try pickling them with the skins on. My pickles were beautiful but gross!
Try growing Armenian cucumbers next year, they are never bitter!
Cindy
Cucumbers become bitter when they get uneven water supply while growing. I have a recipe for a cucumber salad where you thinly slice the cucumbers then cover them with a brine of 1/3c. white vinegar, 1/4c. sugar, 1/4c. water, and 2 tsp. salt and let them sit for an hour. The salty brine draws out much of the liquid and bitterness from the cucumbers. Drain and add a dilly sour cream dressing. I've saved many bitter cucumbers this way!
Mary
I absolutely love this recipe! I have used it many, many times. Sometimes I add crushed red pepper for a little kick. Thank you for sharing!
Leah Colby
So simple and sooooo flavorful.
Amy
How long should I let them sit in the jars before eating them? What’s the earliest? How long for prime flavor?
Krissy
Totally a matter of preference. I would wait at least a day or two and a week is the prime spot, I have found.
Tami
Hi. I’m new to this and my questions is, do I need to peel or leave the skins?
Krissy
leave the cucumber skins. No peeling required.
John
How long will they last before being opened?
Krissy
I've had them in my refrigerator for a LONG time and they were still good. It's hard to say because it totally depends on the freshness of your cukes.
Ana
Can I boil the garlic with the vinegar water salt and sugar?
Krissy
I don't see why not. I prefer the strong flavor of raw garlic though.
Patty
I have a lot of canning salt can I use that? Verses table or Kosher? And do I use the same amount.
Krissy
You bet! I would start with less canning salt and would taste the brine to determine if you need more. It does need to be quite salty.
Ann
I'm just getting ready to make this recipe. Could you please explain Step 4 in the directions? It reads, "This recipe made enough for me to one pint and fill two quart jars." I'm thinking that something is missing.
Also, do you sterilize the jars before you use them?
Krissy
Whoops! I missed the word "fill" but have updated the recipe. Thanks for pointing them out to me. Since you are not canning these pickles, it's not necessary to sterilize first, but I always use jars that have been run through the dishwasher just to ensure they are extra clean.