12 Homemade Bread and Butter Pickle Recipes for Pickle Lovers!

Bread and butter pickles offer a delightful balance of sweet and tangy flavors. These homemade recipes include easy options for both canned and refrigerator pickles. Whether you want traditional, spicy, or sugar-free variations, these simple recipes will satisfy your cravings and enhance your meals with a delicious homemade touch.

Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

Delightfully crisp, sweet, and tangy, these refrigerator bread and butter pickles come together quickly and easily. No canning pots, hot water baths, or fancy tools are required for this recipe!

• Prep: 20 mins
• Resting: 2 hrs 40 mins
• Yield: 4 cups

Ingredients

• 5½ cups (680 g) pickling cucumbers, sliced ¼-inch thick , about 1½ pounds
• 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
• 1 cup (198 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (240 ml) white vinegar
• ½ cup (120 ml) apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup (53 g) light brown sugar
• 1½ teaspoons mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon celery seeds
• ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric

Instructions 

1. Combine cucumbers and salt in a large, shallow bowl; cover and chill 1½ hours. Move cucumbers into a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Drain well, and return cucumbers to bowl. Add onion to the bowl and toss with the cucumbers.
2. Combine the granulated sugar, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds and ground turmeric in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
3. Pour the hot vinegar mixture over cucumber mixture; let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 month.

Keto Bread and Butter Pickle

These delicious keto bread and butter pickles are perfect keto condiment. They are great to have in the fridge for keto hot dogs and burgers.

• Prep: 10 mins
• Cook: 5 mins
• Sitting: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 3 Lebanese cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1 brown onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp sea salt flakes

Pickling liquid

• 1½ cup white vinegar
• ¼ cup granulated sweetener
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp crushed black pepper
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)

Instructions

• Clean and sterilise a jar for your pickles
• Place the sliced cucumbers, onions and sea salt in a colander and toss to combine. Sit the colander over a bowl and leave for 2 hours for the moisture to start to come out

Pickling liquid

1. Once the cucumbers have been sitting for 2 hours, start on the pickling liquid
2. Place all the ingredients for the pickling liquid in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes to bring all the ingredients together and dissolve the sweetener
3. While the mixture is simmering, squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the cucumbers and pack them into the sterilised jar
4. Once all the cucumber and onion mixture is in the jar, pour over the pickling liquid. Seal the jar and allow it to cool down
5. Store in the fridge for at least 24 hours prior to eating

Microwave Bread and Butter Pickles

These Pickles are easy to make, fresh, and the perfect accompaniment to your favorite sandwich. This recipe for refrigerator pickles uses the microwave, so the pickles are ready in about 15 minutes from start to finish!

• Yield: about 3 cups
• Prep: 5 mins
• Cook: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 1 large cucumber, sliced about 1/8″ thickness
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

Instructions

1. In a microwave safe bowl, mix the cucumber and onion slices with 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1/4 teaspoon celery seed, and 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric. Note: I used my Mandoline Slicer to slice the pickles. It makes quick work of the slicing and is easier to get the thickness right.
2. Microwave on high 4 minutes and stir. Microwave on high 3 to 4 minutes more or until the cucumbers are tender and the onions are translucent. Stir again. Keep in mind microwave ovens vary in power, so adjust the time accordingly.
3. Transfer to sterile mason jars using a Wide-Mouth Funnel. Seal and store in the refrigerator up to a month. Enjoy!

Sugar-Free Bread and Butter Pickles

Sweet, tangy, and bold; this recipe for Healthy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles is so easy that you will find yourself making them all the time!

• Yield: 1 quart of pickles
• Prep: 20 mins
• Cook: 5 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup rice vinegar
• ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
• ¾ cup pure maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• Pinch celery seeds
• Pinch dried dill weed
• Pinch turmeric
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• ½ to 1 teaspoon sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Slice the English cucumber and place in a colander, sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon of sea salt, then mix with your hands. Let the slices sit for 10 minutes, then rinse with cold water.
2. In the meantime, place all the Brine Ingredients into a small sauce pot, bring to a boil, then immediately lower to a low boil, simmer at a low boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the stove and allow to sit for several minutes.
3. Place the rinsed sliced cucumbers and sliced red onions in a jar.  Pour the pickling liquid into the jar, place a lid on the jar and allow to sit for 10 minutes, then refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Spicy Bread and Butter Pickles

Spicy, sweet, and extra crunchy pickles! A Wickles Pickle copycat from scratch.

• Yield: 4 pints
• Prep: 15 mins
• Cook: 5 mins

Ingredients

• 2 pounds mini cucumbers
• 1 medium white onion, halved and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
• 3 tbsp pickling salt, heaping tablespoons
• 2 cups ice cubes or more
• 3 cups cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon black tea leaves, divided
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled
• 16 dried red chili peppers

Instructions

1. To draw out excess liquid and increase crunch, toss cucumbers with salt in a large bowl.
2. Add ice, fill with cold water and refrigerate overnight. Drain. Rinse well, and drain again.
3. In a medium saucepan add the onion, vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, peppercorns, turmeric, garlic, and red chili peppers bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat. Set aside while preparing the jars.
4. Add the cucumbers to the pickling liquid.
5. Place 1/4 teaspoon of black tea leaves in each canning jar. Fill 4-pint jars with cucumbers, onion, garlic, and peppers packed tightly. (Adding 2 garlic cloves and 4 peppers to each jar.)
6. Ladle the pickling brine into each jar, leaving about 1/2 inch below the jar’s neck. Wipe rims of jars with a clean, damp cloth; cover tightly lids and screw tops.
7. Refrigerate jars immediately.

Bread and Butter Pickles (No Onions)

Garden fresh cucumbers and just a few simple ingredients and you can make your own Bread and Butter Pickles from scratch!

• Yield: 1 quart
• Prep: 10 mins
• Cook: 10 mins
• Resting: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 5 1/2 cups 1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced cucumbers
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons kosher salt
• 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

Instructions

• Sweat Cucumbers: Thinly crinkle-cut cucumbers with a mandoline. Add cucumbers to a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Cover and chill to sweat for 1 1/2 hours. 
• Rinse Cucumbers: Drain cucumbers into a colander and shake off excess liquid before returning to the bowl.
• Create Pickling Liquid: Add sugars, vinegars, mustard seed, and turmeric to a medium saucepan and heat over medium to bring to a simmer. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Pour hot vinegar mixture over cucumber mixture; let stand at room temperature 1 hour. 
• Jar: Add cucumbers to large mason jars and then fill them with the pickling liquid.
• Chill: Seal with lids and refrigerate the jars for 24 hours. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Bread And Butter Pickles – No Canning Required

The best refrigerator bread and butter pickles recipe has just enough sugar to lend a sweet tang. Easy enough for a beginner to make with no canning required!

• Yield: 1 quart jar
• Prep: 20 mins

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups pickling cucumbers, trimmed and sliced
• 1/2 cup onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup peppers, sliced
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon mustard seed
• 1 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 3/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 whole cloves
• 2 teaspoons salt

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Sterilize quart-size mason jars and lids. Wide mouth jars work best when stuffing them for pickles, but the regular mouth will work as well.
2. In a stainless steel saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, salt, and spices. Bring the pickle brine to a boil at medium-high heat and boil for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, rinse the peppers, cucumbers, and onions. Cut off the blossom end of the cucumber and slice evenly. Cut up all the rest of your vegetables and place them in a large bowl.
4. Layer the vegetables in the clean mason jar –  thinly sliced cucumbers, peppers, and onions. Push down lightly to pack vegetables down and get a few more in. Allow 1/2″ headspace at the top of the jar. Place the jar on a towel folded in thirds.
5. Using a canning funnel or a ladle, pour the pickling liquid over the vegetables. You may have a slight amount left over depending on how tightly you packed your jar.
6. Wipe the rim and apply the lid.
7. Allow to cool to room temperature for 30 minutes and then place in the refrigerator.
8. Pickles should marinate for two weeks and be used within three months. Confession: I always taste-test mine after two days and usually end up eating them all well before the two-week mark! But know the flavor will intensify over time.

Old Fashioned Bread and Butter Pickles

Homemade pickles are easy to make and delicious enjoyed with sandwiches, burgers or as a snack. If you are a pickle lover, you’ll love old-fashioned bread and butter pickles – just like grandma used to make!

• Yield: 12 pint jars
• Prep: 25 mins
• Cook: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 25 to 30 pickling cucumbers, sliced ¼-inch thick
• ½ cup pickling or kosher salt
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 large green bell pepper, diced
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 7 cups white vinegar
• 6 cups granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 2 teaspoons celery seed
• 1 ½ teaspoons turmeric

Instructions

1. In a 5-gallon food-grade bucket, combine the sliced cucumbers, salt, onion, and bell peppers. Stir so the salt is evenly distributed. Cover the cucumber mixture with a clean kitchen towel or tea towel, and place a few inches of ice on top of the towel. Allow to sit for 3-4 hours in a cool place.
2. Drain the vegetables and set aside. Make the brine by bringing the vinegar, sugar, cloves, mustard seeds, celery seed, and turmeric to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Meanwhile, prepare a boiling water canner. Heat the jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Wash the lids with hot soapy water. Set bands aside.
3. Place an equal amount of cucumbers, onions, and bell peppers into each hot jar. Press down the mixture, as it will rise when you pour in the brine.
4. Use a wide-mouth funnel, ladle hot pickling liquid over top of the cucumbers, leaving a ½-inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims with a clean, damp paper towel. Center the lids on the jars. Apply the bands until the fit is fingertip tight.
5. Process jars in the boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars and allow to cool completely on the counter for 24 hours. Check the lids for seal. The lid should not flex up and down when the center is pressed.
6. For best flavor, let stand for 3-4 weeks before enjoying. Store the jars in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year. If a jar doesn’t seal, store in the refrigerator and use within 3 months.

Bread and Butter Pickles with Pickling Spices

Easy homemade refrigerator-style bread and butter pickles made using vinegar, salt, sugar, and the perfect blend of pickling spices. These pickles have the most delightful balance of sweetness and tanginess!

• Yield: 1 quart jar
• Prep: 15 mins
• Cook: 5 mins

You Will Need

• 1 pound (454 grams) pickling cucumbers, like Kirby, sliced into coins, 3 to 4 cucumbers
• 1 ½ cups (355 ml) vinegar (5% acidity)
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) sugar
• 1 tablespoon pickling spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
• 1 ½ tablespoons (23 grams) pickling salt or sea salt

Directions

1. Combine the vinegar, sugar, pickling spice, turmeric, peppercorns, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Let the mixture come to a simmer and continue cooking until the sugar and salt completely dissolve.
2. Pack the sliced cucumbers into a 1-quart (1 liter) jar.
3. Carefully pour the hot pickle brine over the cucumbers. Leave about 1/8-inch of space between the top of the brine and the lid of the jar.
4. Allow the jar to cool down to room temperature. Then, securely tighten the lid with your fingers and place it in the refrigerator.
5. Let the pickles sit undisturbed overnight before enjoying them. For the first night, position the jar upside down in a bowl and flip it right-side-up the next day.
6. The pickles will last in the fridge for up to one month.

Bread & Butter Zucchini Pickles

Bread & Butter Zucchini Pickles are sweet, tangy, sour, spicy – and very delicious. You’d never guess these pickles were made with zucchini slices!

• Yield: 9 pints
• Prep: 5 hrs
• Cook: 20 mins

INGREDIENTS

• 5 pounds small to medium zucchini squash
• 1 large white onion
• 1/2 cup pickling salt (This is salt without a noncaking agent)

Brine

• 2 1/2 cups white distilled vinegar (5% acidity)
• 2 1/2 cups cider vinegar (5% acidity)
• 5 cups granulated sugar

Spice mix

• 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons celery seeds
• 1 cinnamon stick broken into pieces
• 12 allspice berries plus 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 12 whole cloves plus 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Rinse the zucchini, wiping the sides to clean the skins.
2. Trim both ends from the squash.
3. Slice into thin quarter-inch slices using a mandolin or if you have a special blade on your food processor and place in a very large bowl.
4. Slice the onions thinly and add to the bowl with the zucchini.
5. Sprinkle on the pickling salt and toss. Cover with a thin tea towel then cover the top of the tea towel with ice cubes. Place in the refrigerator for four hours.
6. After four hours, discard ice and rinse the squash and onion slices then drain. Lay out the sliced vegetables over paper towels then more paper towels on top and dry.
7. Boil a large pot of water or a canning pot and place the jars into the hot water to sanitize. Wash the lids and rims separately in hot soapy water then rinse. Keep the jars in the hot water with burner on low until ready to fill.
8. Make the brine by combining all of the brine ingredients with the spices and bring to a boil. Simmer five minutes then lower burner to low and keep hot.
9. Using long handled tongs, carefully remove one jar at a time and fill with the zucchini and onion slices to about an inch from the top. Ladle in the hot brine to a half inch from the top and wipe the rim. (Using a jar funnel designed for canning makes this job easier). Place on lid and hand tighten jar cover. Repeat for all jars.
10. If not canning, place these in the refrigerator and keep using for three months.
11. If canning, place the jars back into the canning pot. You may need to remove some water to accommodate water displacement. You’ll want the water in the pot to be about an inch higher than the tallest jar.
12. Bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes with the cover of the post slightly ajar. Turn off burner and let sit for five more minutes then remove using a canning jar gripper. Let sit at room temperature until lids pop and create a tight seal. We let ours sit overnight before testing. You know you have a good seal if you push down on the top and it does not push back. Store for up to one year. Refrigerate once opened.

Bread and Butter Quick Pickles

If you’re scared of canning but want to learn the art of preserving, making a refrigerator pickle is the way to go! This easy-to-make recipe is terrific if you want some quick pickles with a classic flavor profile!

• Yield: 2 pint jars
• Prep: 20 mins
• Cook: 5 mins

Ingredients

• 2 lb cucumbers
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• ¾ tsp whole cloves (about 5 cloves)
• 1 tsp mustard seed
• ¼ tsp celery seed

Instructions 

1. Remove ⅛-inch from both ends of the cucumbers and slice into ¼-inch slices or spears. Pack the prepared cucumbers into two clean pint jars, leaving ½ inch of head space at the top. Set the filled jars aside while preparing the brine.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the water, vinegar, salt, sugar, turmeric, red pepper flakes, cloves, mustard seed, and celery seed. Stir and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer until the sugar and salt are dissolved, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Once the salt and sugar are dissolved, remove the brine from the heat. Immediately pour the hot brine over the prepared cucumbers in the jars. Fill the jars so that the brine covers the cucumbers fully. Place lids on the jars and allow the brine to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, place the jars in the refrigerator for 48 hours before consuming. The pickles will last at least two months in the refrigerator.

Notes

• A high ratio of vinegar to water is necessary for quick pickles. Since these bread and butter pickles are not going through the canning process, the ratio is very important to ensure the acidity gets into the cucumber and pickles them.
• Canning salt is very important when fermenting or canning a produce item. But when it comes to a quick pickle, kosher salt works very well. Any salt can be used, but each one measures differently. If using canning salt, use only half of the amount.
• If slicing the cucumbers into spears, make sure to remove both ends of the cucumber. The ends can sometimes be bitter, so I find it best just to remove approximately 1/8-inch on each end of the cucumber.
• Before ladling the brine into the jars, place the jars on a baking sheet fitted with a cooling rack. This ensures that if any brine drips, it will not stain the countertop and will make for a clean jar that can easily be wiped off.

Spicy Fried Bread and Butter Pickles

Sure, Bread & Butter pickles are great on their own, but when you toss them in a spicy batter, fry them up, and dunk them in a tangy green mixture of Yellowbird Classic Serrano Hot Sauce and sour cream, you get a next level appetizer of savory, tangy, and sweet tongue–tingling deliciousness.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Servings: 6

Ingredients:

FOR THE PICKLES

• ½ C. Yellowbird Serrano Hot Sauce
• ¼ Tsp. salt
• 2 cups rice bran oil or peanut oil, for frying
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ cup seltzer water or club soda
• ¼ cup whole milk
• 14-ounce jar bread-and-butter pickles, drained, patted dry

FOR THE DIP

• ½ C. Yellowbird Classic Serrano Hot Sauce
• ½ C. Sour Cream
• ¼ Tsp. salt
• 2 C. kale leaves

Instructions:

FOR THE PICKLES

1. Pour oil into a medium heavy saucepan with a deep-fry thermometer. Heat over medium heat to 350°.
2. Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, Yellowbird Classic Serrano Hot Sauce, seltzer water, and milk in a medium bowl (add more seltzer if needed) until batter is the consistency of heavy cream.
3. Coat pickle slices in batter and add to oil one by one. Fry until golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

FOR THE DIP

1. Add Yellowbird Classic Serrano Hot Sauce, sour cream, salt, and kale into a blender and mix to a smooth, cohesive consistency. Pour into a small dip bowl.
2. Salt pickles to taste. Serve with serrano dip and enjoy!