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When it comes to homemade pickles, few varieties can match the tangy flavor and crisp texture of refrigerator dill pickles. With just a handful of ingredients and a simple brining process, these pickles are not only easy to make, but they also offer a burst of freshness and flavor that you won’t find in store-bought alternatives.
Even if this is the first time you try to make your own homemade jar of pickles, you’ll see how easy this recipe is! What’s not to love about a homemade crunchy dill pickle when you’re eating a loaded club sandwich, a homemade sloppy joe sandwich, or a stuffed burger?
Table of Contents
- Why I Love This Recipe
- Ingredients Needed for this Dill Pickle Recipe
- How to Make Refrigerator Dill Pickles
- Step 1: Thoroughly Wash the Cucumbers
- Step 2: Slice the cucumbers into slices or spears.
- Step 3: Prepare the Garlic and Dill
- Step 4: Make the Pickle Brine
- Step 5: Add Ingredients to Jars
- Step 6: Pickle the Cucumbers
- Pickling Cucumbers vs Other Cucumber Varieties
- Homemade Pickle FAQs
- My Favorite Pickle Recipes
- Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles Recipe
Why I Love This Recipe
Every summer, this easy homemade pickle recipe is one of my most viewed recipes, and for good reason!
- Quick and Easy Process – One of the best things about refrigerator dill pickles is their simplicity and convenience. Unlike traditional canning methods that involve a hot water bath, refrigerator pickles require no canning process. Instead, you can store them in quart or pint jars directly in the refrigerator.
- Crisp and Flavorful – The absence of heat processing allows the pickles to retain their crunchiness, resulting in a crisp pickle that is ready to enjoy the next day.
- Versatile and Delicious – Fresh pickles make a great snack. The pickle juice can be used in recipes like remoulade sauce. They can also be used in recipes like potato salad or ham salad, relishes, or even on a charcuterie board.
These are seriously the best dill quick pickles you’ll ever enjoy!
Ingredients Needed for this Dill Pickle Recipe
- Fresh Dill and Garlic Cloves – These aromatic components infuse the pickling brine with their distinct flavors. The dill’s herbal notes add depth, while the garlic provides a subtle pungency that complements the tangy vinegar brine perfectly.
- For the Vinegar Brine – White vinegar plays a crucial role in the pickle-making process. The vinegar brine not only acts as a preservative but also imparts that signature tangy flavor. The combination of vinegar, water, kosher salt, and a bit of sugar create a flavorful brine that balances the freshness of the cucumbers.
How to Make Refrigerator Dill Pickles
Step 1: Thoroughly Wash the Cucumbers
You want to make sure they’re completely free of any dirt or residue.
Step 2: Slice the cucumbers into slices or spears.
No need to discard the ends of the cucumbers – they make great tangy dill pickles too! To get the fun wavy cut, use a crinkle cutting tool.
Step 3: Prepare the Garlic and Dill
Remove the garlic cloves from the bulb. Smash them by holding a large chef’s knife or the bottom of a glass on top of them and pressing down.
Separate the fresh dill from the thick stems.
Step 4: Make the Pickle Brine
Heat the brine in a saucepan. The brine consists of water, vinegar, salt, and sugar.
Bring this mixture to a rolling boil and then remove it from the heat. You basically want to swirl it around so that the salt and sugar dissolve. Let the brine cool to room temperature.
Step 5: Add Ingredients to Jars
Loosely layer the prepared cucumbers with the smashed garlic, fresh dill, and black peppercorns into sanitized Mason quart jars (aka canning jars). You can use pint-sized or half-gallon sized jars if you wish too.
Step 6: Pickle the Cucumbers
Pour the brine over your freshly cut cucumbers that have been arranged in the jars with the garlic, dill, and peppercorns.
Place the homemade dill pickles in the refrigerator for a week and voila – they’re ready!
Pickling Cucumbers vs Other Cucumber Varieties
Pickling cucumbers, also known as picklers or Kirby cucumbers, are cucumbers specifically cultivated for the purpose of pickling.
They are distinct from other types of cucumbers, such as slicing cucumbers or salad cucumbers, due to their unique characteristics. Here are some ways in which pickling cucumbers differ from other cucumbers:
- Size: Pickling cucumbers are usually smaller in size compared to slicing cucumbers. They are typically shorter, measuring around 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10.2 cm) in length, which makes them more suitable for fitting into jars and brining solutions.
- Texture: Pickling cucumbers have a crisp and firm texture, which helps them retain their crunchiness during the pickling process. This is an important quality for producing delicious pickles.
- Skin: The skin of pickling cucumbers is thinner and often more bumpy or warty compared to slicing cucumbers. This allows the pickling solution and spices to penetrate the cucumber more easily, resulting in a well-flavored pickle.
- Seeds: Pickling cucumbers tend to have smaller seeds and a lower seed count compared to slicing cucumbers. This is desirable because larger seeds can sometimes contribute to a softer texture in pickles.
- Taste: Pickling cucumbers generally have a milder and less watery flavor compared to slicing cucumbers. Their flavor profile is better suited to absorbing the flavors of the brine and spices used in the pickling process.
Due to these characteristics, pickling cucumbers are the preferred choice when making pickles.
Homemade Pickle FAQs
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.
I’ve always found pickling cucumbers at the farmer’s market. They seem to be everyone’s favorite to grow in their own garden as well. One pickling cucumber plant will produce a ton!
Grocery stores will carry pickling cumbers as well, but they are definitely a seasonal item.
Yes, in fact, many quick-pickle recipes call for ACV. With dill pickles, however, I prefer the taste of white vinegar, but this is just what I like.
The salt and vinegar brine will keep these cucumbers fresh in the refrigerator for a long time. That said, I think they are best if eaten within a couple of months.
I find that the fresh cucumbers, fresh dill, whole peppercorns, and fresh garlic along with the brine are all that you need and people really do love them!
You can certainly add additional pickling spices but they aren’t necessary to still get great taste and texture.
Yes! I’ve had readers tell me they added fresh green beans, carrots, cauliflower, asparagus, etc. and they all worked out amazingly well.
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 (aka English) cucumbers, they will be more mushy but they will still taste great.
The closest substitute to traditional pickling cucumbers are Persian cucumbers and those are often carried at major grocery stores year round.
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.
Yes, you can use whole. They just might take a longer time to absorb all of the flavors from the brine. Slicing them just makes the pickling process go faster.
My Favorite Pickle Recipes
If you love pickles and pickled vegetables, you’ll want to try these:
If you tried this Dill Pickle recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
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Ingredients
- 12 pickling cucumbers quantity can vary depending on size
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 bunch fresh dill amount can vary depending on preference, thick stems removed
- 1 head garlic skins removed, cloves smashed (use fewer cloves if its a strong garlic)
- 1 tablespoon peppercorn kernels I usually use about 10 peppercorns per jar, give or take
Instructions
- Prepare ingredients: Thoroughly wash 12 pickling cucumbers. Slice cucumbers into 1/4-inch thick slices or spears. Set aside. Smash garlic cloves and separate dill from thick stems. Also, sanitize mason jars by running them through the dishwasher.
- Prepare brine: To make the brine, combine 4 cups water, 2 cups white vinegar, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and swirl the pan to ensure the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove the pan from heat and cool to room temperature.
- Make the pickles: Layer the prepared cucumbers with 1 bunch fresh dill, smashed 1 head garlic, and 1 tablespoon peppercorn kernels in the jars. Do not pack them super tight as you you'll want room for the brine. Finish by adding enough brine to cover the cucumbers. Seal with an airtight lid and store in the refrigerator. The flavor is best if stored for at least one week, but they can be eaten at any time. 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
- Quantities listed make about 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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally created in 2015 and has been updated with updated photos and more helpful information, but this reader-favorite recipe has always remained the same.
After reading the comments, I noticed that one person has the same issue as my husband does ( and I try to watch my sodium intake), which is high blood pressure. Dill pickles became a definite no no as the amount of salt used was more than his daily intake would allow. I saw that someone used a salt substitute, which is what we use in place of regular salt. It is fine and does not come any other way. How much salt substitute would you suggest using in place of the kosher, or any other kind of salt? Not a fan of sugar in my pickles, so I will be omitting the sugar. Will be pickling green tomatoes and need the response very soon please, as the tomatoes will go red and can’t be used anymore for pickling. Thank you!
Hi Georgene, Since I never use salt substitutes, I can’t advise on how much to use. I would recommend adding a small amount, then tasting the brine, then increasing it until it tastes about right. I hope they turn out to your liking! -Krissy
Hi Chrissy
I have been making dill pickles for years and years but I have always used the heat canning process. This is so much easier and the flavor is so much more consistent. I did put in the jalapeno pepper and I do add a couple red pepper flakes but it does not make the pickles overly spicy it just gives them a little added kick.
Do I have to use pickling cucumbers?
They will give you the best texture and crunch, but any kind of cucumber can be pickled.
Thank you soooo much for this recipe!!!!! It is FABULOUS!!!!
Well I don’t know how good they will be in a week because I just made my 4th batch and each batch was gone within 3 days. Threw some green beans in with the second batch when I reused the brine. I’d have to say this will be my go to recipe for dill everything.
I too am almost a 30 something Oregonian have never pickled so when I looked up recipes for pickles, I had to try yours! I tried this out and they were so good and I’m a pickle snob! I also used the same instructions to pickle asparagus and Walla Walla onions. They were also delicious. Thank you so much for providing this super easy and delicious recipe!
What is that you used to slice the cukes that makes them have ridges, and where can I get one.
It’s an old pampered chef slicer. I have no idea if they still sell them.
Hi Krissy
I am making pickles for the first time and there are so many recipes out there. I’m curious, your recipe seems so simple with very few ingredients, do you know why most of the recipes call for the addition of mustard seed,corriander seed and dill seed? Do you know how that would change the flavor?
I absolutely have nothing against adding those seeds and often times will put mustard seed in if it’s already in my pantry, but because I really love this recipe because it is so quick and easy and uses very few ingredients. 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!
Great recipe. Good bite, crisp pickle. I will cut down on the garlic next time. Thumbs up from my taste testers.
Could you freeze these to preserve them longer than two months?
I’ve never heard of freezing pickles. Although I said two months, I’m sure they’d actually last much longer in the refrigerator.
Hi Krissy,
What is room temperature for the brine??
I’m making a batch now and cannot wait to try them!!!!!
Thank-you
Donna
Hi Donna, When I say room temp, I generally mean not-super-cold or straight-out-of-the-refrigerator. Everyone’s houses are different temperatures… you just want something room temperature to be above 50 degrees F. Hope that helps! Krissy
Could it work with fill from the spice bottle?
Was a little skeptical at first to make this recipe but with an abundance of pickle cukes and getting more everyday, I figured I’d try it. Made a batch and couldn’t wait for the week to pass. We got to try them out today and I was impressed! Tonight I made 3 more batches! Going out tomorrow for more jars. So crisp! So easy to make! Think my friends will be impressed. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
5 stars all the way! Awesome pickles,so easy to do….love them!
Hi. I just came across your recipe. I’m excited to give it a try as soon as I find pickling cucumbers. Can you tell me, do I have to use the sugar or can I leave it out? I’m on a no sugar diet. That’s why I ask. Thank you!
You can leave it out!