Description
This bread and butter pickles recipe delivers a perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors, with crisp cucumbers, aromatic spices, and a vinegar-sugar brine. Ideal for canning or refrigerator storage, these pickles are versatile, easy to make, and perfect for adding flavor to burgers, sandwiches, and salads.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/2 pounds pickling cucumbers, fresh from the market
- 1/4 cup pickling salt
- 1 pound white or yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 1/4 cups white distilled vinegar (5% acidity)
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar (5% acidity)
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3/4 teaspoon celery seeds
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 6 allspice berries plus a pinch of ground allspice
- 6 whole cloves plus a pinch of ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Instructions
- Rinse cucumbers thoroughly, slice off 1/8 inch from ends, and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place in a large bowl.
- Add sliced onions and pickling salt. Mix well, cover with a thin towel, and top with several inches of ice. Refrigerate for 4 hours.
- Discard ice. Rinse cucumbers and onions thoroughly twice, draining each time.
- If canning, heat jars in a large pot of water on a rack, keeping them hot until ready to fill. Wash lids in hot, soapy water.
- In a large pot, combine white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and all pickling spices. Bring to a boil until sugar dissolves.
- Add cucumbers and onions to the pot. Bring back to a boil.
- Using a slotted spoon, pack hot jars with cucumbers and onions, leaving 1 inch headspace. Pour hot syrup over to 1/2 inch from the rim.
- Wipe rims clean, place lids on jars, and secure with screw bands.
- If canning, process jars in boiling water for 15 minutes (adjust for altitude). Remove and cool to room temperature.
- For refrigerator pickles, skip water bath and store cooled jars in the fridge. Allow to sit at least 1 week for best flavor.
Notes
- Use the freshest cucumbers for maximum crunch.
- Kosher salt can be substituted for pickling salt; avoid table salt to prevent cloudy brine.
- Properly canned pickles can last up to 1 year in a cool, dark place.
- Refrigerator pickles should be eaten within 3 months.
- Prep Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Condiment
- Method: Canning or Refrigerator Pickling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1/24 of recipe)
- Calories: 95
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 633mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe, sweet pickles, canning pickles, refrigerator pickles, homemade pickles, tangy pickles