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
CLICK TO PLAY RECIPE VIDEO
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.
Ellie
Hi! Do they need to sit in the fridge for a week before they are eaten?
Krissy
They can be eaten right away, but the longer they sit, the more flavor they'll have.
Sandy
Is it just regular strength White vinegar or pickling vinegar? Thx
Krissy
regular white vinegar
Marti
Can amount of salt be lowered without compromising recipe?
Krissy
Since they are refrigerated and not preserved, salt is more of a matter of taste, so it can be reduced if you want.
NellieVersluis
Can you make this recipe, let it cool and pour over existing pickles? We seem to use up our pickle juice before eating all the pickles…lol
Awesome in Caesar’s
Krissy
Absolutely!
Brenda Payne
can i use apple cider vinegar
Krissy
Yep! You can mix and match vinegars to your taste.
Alicia Holley
I was looking for an easy refrigerator pickle recipe, for my home grown cucumbers, when I came upon this one. And I just have to say, it did not disappoint! Even my brother-in-law, who is not a fan of pickles, LOVED these! The only thing I did different was use dill seed, because I didn't have fresh dill. I got the idea of using dill seed from another person on here who had commented that was what they used. I will be using this recipe from now on 🙂
Christine
How much dill seed did you use?
Dave
Can I leave the sugar out?
Krissy
You can, but the sugar doesn't make them taste sweet. It just balances out the acid from the vinegar.
Johnna
Can you save the brine for pickling later? I only currently have one cucumber but lots of dill from my garden, so I wanted to pickle that one and save the rest of the brine for when more are ripened. What do you think?
Krissy
Yep! I use it over and over again. Just be sure to not stick any dirty fingers in there when you grab a pickle. Use a clean fork every time.
Candice
Can this recipe be used for canning them?
Krissy
I've canned them before using this recipe and thought they ended up mushy. I would stick to keeping them in the refrigerator.
Jacqueline
Can you re use the brine?
Krissy
Yes! Just be sure to never stick dirty fingers into the brine to grab a pickle. Use a clean fork every time.
Miriam
Do you still have to sanitize the jars beforehand, with boiling water or putting in oven on low temperature?
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe!
Krissy
I always just run them through the dishwasher right before I use them. Since they're refrigerator pickles, they technically just need to be clean.
Jill
These were very simple and my family was shocked at how my garden cukes were so quickly transformed into pickles. Perfect use of bumper crop of cukes. Did I mention they are delicious?! Thank you!
Lisa S Warren
I made pickles using this recipe and they turned out wonderful. It was my first time making pickles. It was easy and yummy!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Leah Colby
So simple and sooooo flavorful.
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!
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!