Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles take only a few minutes to make. Once you make your own homemade dill pickles, you’ll never buy store bought again.
Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles are seriously the best dill pickle you’ll ever enjoy! How is it that I am, ahem, let’s just say over 30-years-old and I’ve lived in Oregon (i.e. the state that pickles everything) for the past decade and a half, yet this was the first time I made my own homemade dill pickles? What on God’s green earth is wrong with me? Let’s just say that I officially feel like an Oregonian now.
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Had I known how simple it was to make refrigerator dill pickles, I would have been doing it long ago. I mean, 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.
I’ve always seen pickling cucumbers at the farmers market, but I’ve been afraid to make my own refrigerator dill pickles. I didn’t attempt to can anything until a couple years ago when I started to can peaches as well as vanilla bean applesauce. Turns out its not so hard after all. I mean, I’m a highly functional successful career woman with an engineering degree… why was I scared to put food in a jar and save it for a rainy day? Well, the thought of giving my family food poisoning was the main deterrent. Have no fear – these are refrigerator pickles which means that you just put everything in a jar, refrigerate, and wait. No canning. No sealing. Easy.
My first experience with dill pickles like these came a couple years ago when I traded some of my canned peaches for refrigerator dill pickles and freshly foraged chanterelle mushrooms with a friend. That was a win-win trade for sure, but I wanted to have a go at it on my own.
How to make dill pickles:
- All you have to do is heat the brine so that your salt and sugar dissolve.
- Then you pour it over your freshly cut cucumbers which are nestled nicely in a jar with garlic, dill, and peppercorns.
- 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. Stick them in the refrigerator for a week and voila – they’re ready!
How long can you keep refrigerator pickles?
- The salt and vinegar keeps them safe for a while at room temperature, but they will likely go bad before you finish eating the whole jar unless you refrigerate them
- 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
Kitchen tools used to make these refrigerator dill pickles:
Mason jars – Not much to say about this kitchen staple other than they belong in everyone’s kitchen. You’ll never find me without at least two dozen at the ready!
Flexible Measuring Cups – My sister and I first found these at a cooking class and we thought they were just the best invention. Any time you are measuring and/or pouring liquid, these are simply the best to have on hand. They make a great gift for your favorite cook, too!
Mandoline – This is the best one I’ve ever used. Perfect for fast and accurate slicing! When I photographed this post, I used a hand slicer, but when I’ve made my refrigerator dill pickle recipe other times, I always break out the mandoline.
Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles take only a few minutes to make. Once you make your own homemade dill pickles, you'll never buy store bought again.
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 1/4 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 one pint and fill two quart jars.
Krissy
This certainly sounds terrific and easy! Could you possibly provide a measured recipe if I want to make JUST 1(one) quart size jar? If that disappears,as I am sure it will,will venture into many more for Labor Day Bbq ! Thanks so much ,Lisa
Hi Lisa, I would just half the brine recipe and if you have any leftover, you can toss it or even add in a little olive oil to make a light salad dressing! -Krissy
I make this recipe all the time, but I like spicy pickles so I add one chopped up Jalapeno, seeds and all and split it among the jars I’m doing. One pepper per every 3 jars or so.
What an awesome recommendation, David! I will definitely do this with my next batch! -Krissy
Does the peppercorn kernels make them spicy? I like a little kick to my pickles! 🙂
Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Emily, I think the peppercorns only give them flavor. I didn’t think they were spicy at all. A different reader suggested adding jalapeno if you want them more spicy. YUM! -Krissy
Krissy, is the sugar important..can I leave it out? – Thanks Sharon
Hi Sharon, I think the sugar is just a matter of taste and it will work fine if you omit. Thanks! Krissy
Hello!
I was wondering, if after the 1 week refrigeration period, do I leave them in the refrigerator or can they go into the panty/storage?
Thank you kindly,
Lisa
These can only be refrigerated. You would have to can them in a water bath if you want to store them at room temperature. -Krissy
How long the hot water bath? Because my lids won’t seal Mary Ann
Mary Ann – these are refrigerator pickles. I don’t can them in a water bath so the lids won’t seal. -Krissy
Actually-to water bath pickles you need to have an approved canning recipe. This is a refrigerator Pickle recipe- not a “canning” recipe.
Can I use pickling salt (for canning) or does it have to be kosher salt?
Yep! -Krissy
I’ve heard that the weight is different with canning salt vs. Kosher (canning being heavier). Should I use less canning salt than what this recipe calls for then?
Hi Linnie, If that is true (and I don’t doubt that it is), then yes – I would use less. You can always taste the liquid to see if you think it needs more. Hope that helps! Krissy
I tried this recipe and my pickles taste more like cucumbers. What did I do wrong. They have been in the refrigerator for at least a week.
Hi Gail, Is it possible you packed them too tight so that they’re not floating in the brine? The only other thing I can think of is that they are sliced too thick? I’ve never had that happen. Hmmm… -Krissy
How much dill, garlic, and peppercorns to each jar?
Hi Robin, Its completely a matter of taste. I make it different each year and the amounts don’t change the flavor all that much. I like to pack them as full as I can with the garlic, dill, and peppercorns because I love the way it looks! – Krissy
Thanks.. I’ll just estimate then!! Grew my own cucumbers this year, they are taking over my garden. Pickles here they come!! 🙂
What is the name of the slicer you used for cutting the cucumber?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Kristen, I don’t know the exact name but I know that I got it from Pampered Chef over a decade ago! -Krissy
got mine from PC too!
I made 2 batches today with cukes from the garden, and garlic from the garden. Dill wasn’t big enough yet.
thanks for the easy recipe.
Hope you like them! -Krissy
Better than store bought dills. A big fan of this recipe.
Can you use dried dill,? If so, how much?
Hi Peggi, Fresh is better in my opinion, but if you use dried I would recommend a teaspoon per quart jar. -Krissy
can these keep longer in refrigerator if not opened?
Hi Frances, They’re meant to be stored in the refrigerator. -Krissy
Ca I use regular cucumbers instead of pickling ? Also can you use zucchini?
You can pickle any veggie using this recipe, however they won’t have the taste and texture of pickles unless you use pickling cucumbers. Regular cukes will be softer and more watery. -Krissy
Hi I have dried dill, will that work and if so, how much should I use?
Thanks
Edie
Dried will work, fresh is better. The amount you use is totally a matter of preference, but if using dried I’d probably go with about a teaspoon per quart jar. -Krissy
Hi,
Is it ok to store them in plastic freezer containers rather than glass?
I think yes, but I much prefer glass for any long term storage. -Krissy
Can you use dried dill instead of fresh?
Yes, but I think fresh is prettier and tastes better. Its a matter of preference. -Krissy
Why not use the liquid hot so the jars can ‘seal’ somewhat? I am thinking probably the hot water may make them too soft? Please advise. Very new at this. Thanks!
Hi JoAnne, As long as they are refrigerated, they do not need to be sealed. I wanted very crisp pickles so I didn’t use the hot liquid. Hope that helps! Krissy
Yours is the 2nd recipe I’m trying this summer, Krissy. Last one had too much sugar and used hot brine — I think your cooled brine will make for crisper pickles. Also, whether refrigerator pickles or processed in hot water bath, I always remove the blossom end of each cucumber. Many recipes advise this as there are nasty pickle-softening enzymes at the blossom end!
(I also came across a recipe that calls for adding grape leaves to each jar; the leaves’ tannin is an enzymatic crisping agent http://nchfp.uga.edu/questions/FAQ_pickle.html )
These are awesome and super easy to make. I’m going to add a little horseradish to a couple jars this time.
Yum! Fresh horseradish? -Krissy
Has anyone ever used cider vinegar instead of white vinegar? What would the difference be?
I haven’t, Tim, but I just tried some refrigerated pickled zucchini yesterday that was made with apple cider vinegar and it was fantastic! I think its worth a try! -Krissy
I followed your recipe and I am amazed at how easy and delicious my pickles are! My family loves them so much, I bought canning jars so I can make more and enjoy them throughout the winter. Do you know if I need to do anything different to your recipe to ensure they stay crunchy and delicious after I can them? Thank you!
Hi Marc, Since you’re not cooking them in a hot water bath, they should remain crunchy. 🙂 Krissy
Hi Krissy – made 12 qts of these with Armenian cucumbers and they are just fabulous! We are going thru them so quickly – my question – can I reuse the brine? I have millions more to make and didn’t want to waste week old brine…
Absolutely! I did! However, if you have dirty little kid fingers digging for pickles on a regular basis like I do in my house, you might want to make a fresh batch. 🙂 -Krissy
Hi!
I’ve made these with pickling cukes…..SO delicious! Out of curiosity I made up a batch today using quartered green tomatoes. They are fabulous! I had a few leftover tomatoes and some garlic, not enough for a whole jar. So I just added them to a jar we had already opened in the fridge. YUM!!
Thanks so very much for sharing this wonderful, easy recipe!
My pickles came out too vinegary. What should I do. Also I couldn’t find fresh dill and used 1tsp of dry.
I recently tried similar pickles from a restaurant but they also had mustard seed in the recipe. I really liked the pickles so I’m trying to figure out how much mustard seed to add and when to add this. Any thoughts?
I recently tried pickles from a restaurant that, according to them, had the same ingredients but they also included mustard seeds. I want to replicate the recipe so i’m trying to figure out how much mustard seed to add and when to add these. Any thoughts?
I would guess that’s a total matter of preference. I would just experiment by adding different amounts to see what you like best! -Krissy
I had two pickling cucumber plants from my step daughters horticulture class and after finally hoarding enough cucumbers (the kids kept stealing the cucumbers to just eat..lol ) I finally made some pickles in late Aug… to quote my husband “best pickles I’ve ever had!”
I grew some of my own dill too but didn’t quite have enough so I ended up buying a bundle of fresh dill to use ( btw Ladybugs apparently love dill- . one of my plantings had ladybugs getting busy soon as it Flowered and within a week I had 4-5 baby ladybugs I was able to watch grow up 🙂
I ended up making 2 batches of brine and kept a couple extra jars of it in the fridge.. and as they ripened, I’d pick them, wash em and cut them up and forget about them/hide them In the garage fridge… I still have a couple jars left and they are just as good if not better now in late Oct as they were in Aug. Still super crisp and tasty! A few of my cucumbers were a little bitter but the bitterness disappeared when they became pickles. Some of the cucumbers had been in the fridge a lil too long but they stayed nice and crisp. I cut the ends off prior to cutting them up.
I also strictly enforced no fingers in the jar so I was also able to reuse a couple of the brine jars as we ate through the pickles.
I may have put a bit too much garlic in the first batch of them but as they sat longer in the fridge they got less garlicky so that was good. Very flexible recipe as well- I ended up just divvying up all the dill I had into the jars and did add a few extra peppercorns – first few days I thought I overdid it but again like the garlic it toned way down after a week or so.
Overall great SUPER easy and fairly fun recipe I will be making again next year for sure!! Thank you!!
Thanks for the great comment, Sasha! -Krissy
Hi do you have a recipe for bread and butter pickles?
I don’t! Sorry. Krissy
Hi. I tried this recipe out a couple weeks ago and it was a hit! I had friends over for a Christmas party and they found the pickles in the fridge! Everyone was raving about how amazing the pickles were. Now, I am getting ready to make 15 jars for friends and family Christmas presents. Awesome recipe!!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! The first time I made these pickles they were such a hit that they were devoured before the 1 week refrigeration period had even finished. I should have put a padlock on the fridge to keep everyone out! They were such a hit that I decided to make them to gift to everyone this Christmas. I made 15 pint size jars for everyone. They are just amazing. My Nana is a canning whiz but she has never made any sort of dill pickle. She is famous for her bread and butter pickles (that call for 4 cups of sugar per batch, sorry but that is just TO MUCH for me!). I have got to say that these dill pickles are giving her a run for her money! My 5 year old requests some every morning for breakfast! I have also recommended your recipe to a number of friends and family. 5 stars for sure!
Thank you for the great comment!!! Krissy
Can I use whole pickles instead of cutting them?
Yep!
Wow, these look and sound great. I love dill pickles! I’ve made fermented ones before, but I’ve never tried refrigerator pickles before. I’ll definitely need to try this!
What is the shelf life?
Vinegar preserves really well. I’ve had them in my frig for a couple months without issue.
Did you use 5% acetic acid by volume Regular white vinegar or 7%pickling vinegar?
just regular old heinz white vinegar
Can I used distilled white vinegar or does it have to be plain white? My first time pickling anything 🙂 Thanks.
distilled, yes
Hi there! Can I reuse the brine to make more pickles? Or do I need to restart the whole process?
You can reuse. Just keep dirty fingers out of the jar!
Hi Krissy,
Do I have to put the sugar in this recipe?
Being Diabetic I try not to use .
you can omit
I made these last weekend. Popped open one of the jars today – OMG!!!! Sooooo good! I’ll definitely make these again. I always give homemade (salsa, applesauce, fudge, jam, etc) food gift baskets at Christmas & these will definitely be in them this year! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Yummy! Can’t keep these in the house! Best and easiest recipe I’ve found. Now I hear “Nan, where are my pickles”. Love these!
can i use minced garlic, like from a jar? thank you.
yep
I made three batches of pickles so far this summer. This recipe was BY FAR the best. I used dill seed and ground coriander because it’s what I had and they were wonderful. This is a keeper. Thank you.