Refrigerator Pickles
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
6-7 pickling cucumbers
2 cups water
1 cup white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1/2-1 tsp granulated sugar
fresh dill
4-6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed/roughly chopped
10 whole black peppercorns
1/2 tsp whole yellow mustard seeds
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
pinch celery seed
Directions:
Prepare:
Slice 6-7 pickling cucumbers into slices about 1/4" thick, or into spears. Gather glass jars and lids. Set aside.
Make the brine:
In a saucepan, add 2 cups water, 1 cup white vinegar, 1 Tbsp kosher salt, and 1/2-1 tsp granulated sugar (if using), and heat, stirring occasionally, over MED HIGH heat until sugar and salt have dissolved. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Assemble jars:
While brine is cooling, add cucumbers to jars. Make sure to leave enough room for the brine and other ingredients.
Add fresh dill, 4-6 cloves garlic, 1/2 tsp whole yellow mustard seeds, 10 whole black peppercorns, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, and pinch celery seed.
Pour in enough brine to cover the cucumbers, making sure to leave a 1/2" or so at the top. Seal jars to be airtight.
Chill:
Refrigerate for at least 5 days. Pickles will last 4-6 weeks after those 5 days, but will lose some of their crispness towards the end of their âshelfâ life.
Notes:
Recipe makes enough for 2 pint-size jars, or one quart-size jar. Can easily be doubled, tripled, etc for larger batches.
The amount of dill is left unspecified, as this will vary from person to person.
Whole pickles or half pickles can be made, but I would prick the skin of the cucumber a few times with a fork to allow the brine to penetrate the skin.
The best pickles are made with the freshest ingredients, especially the cucumbers. The cucumber skin should be firm, with no deep blemishes. Try to find consistently sized cucumbers, so your pickles will be uniform in size.
Variations of this recipe:
Sweet â these are definitely not sweet pickles, but if youâd like them more on the sweet side, feel free to increase the sugar amount. Iâve not experimented to come up with the perfect amount, but Iâd suggest to try 1/2 cup and go from there.
Spicy â I made these a mild heat level to accommodate most palates, but if you want more of a kick, feel free to add as much red pepper flakes as you want. You could also add some sliced jalapenos, or Thai chiles for some extra heat.
Cucumbers â I found the cucumbers that had the best crunch were the pickling cucumbers. They may also be labeled as Kirby, or salad cucumbers. Theyâre shorter than regular cucumbers, with a bumpy and sometimes lighter skin. If you canât find them, English cucumbers will work as well. They may also be labeled as hothouse or seedless cucumbers.
Other veggies â I havenât specifically tested this brine with other veggies, but I think it would work well with green beans, carrots, cauliflower, etc. Whatever you normally like to pickle.
How is there no canning in this recipe?
These are refrigerator pickles, so they stay nice and crisp/fresh just in the refrigerator. However if you wanted to experiment with canning this recipe, youâre certainly welcome too. I just donât have the canning expertise to advise you.
Making pickles ahead of time:
Pickles are a natural make-ahead recipe, as the recipes are designed to be made a little while before you eat them. This recipe was developed so the pickles have a week to sit in the refrigerator.
As tempting as it may be to break the seal and go to town before then, they really taste best when left to sit.
Storage:
Refrigerator pickles are good for 4-6 weeks, when kept refrigerated and the lids are sealed after each use.
I like to take a permanent marker and write down the date I made the pickles on the lid, so Iâll know when itâs been 4-6 weeks. Honestly, our pickles never last that long before we devour them!
Recipe courtesy of The Chunky Chef.com

















