Try this easy recipe for crispy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles, which are a little sweet and a little sour. There is no cooking, no canning, just an easy small-batch recipe for delicious fresh pickles that I think are the best.
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Table of contents
Try This Recipe, You’ll Love It!
- Grandma’s original: This pickle recipe comes straight from Grandma’s notebook; she called them bread-and-butter cucumbers.
- Pantry-staple short list: cucumbers, sugar, vinegar, spices—nothing exotic.
- Small batch, easy scale-up: makes two pint jars; use the brine chart for more.
- No canning gear: quick refrigerator method, no water-bath or special tools.
- Time-smart: about 1 hour of work, 1 hour of chill while you relax.
- Crisp for months: keeps its sweet-tangy crunch in the fridge for up to three months.
Please check out my recipe for Refrigerator Dill Pickles for a tangy pickle recipe.
What kind of cucumbers should you use?
- The best cucumbers to use when making pickles are pickling cucumbers, also known as Kirby cucumbers. The major difference between pickling cucumbers and standard cucumbers is that they are smaller, with fewer seeds, less moisture, and thinner skins.
- I can only find pickling cucumbers at the farmer’s market; however, you can use the regular cucumbers found in grocery stores or try to buy small cucumbers.
- You can also try using seedless English cucumbers or Persian cucumbers.
- No matter what type of cucumber you buy, pickle them as soon as possible to ensure a crispy pickle.
Pickle Ingredients
Instructions
Step 1. Give your cucumbers a good washing and rinsing, then slice them up into 1/4″ slices. I love this crinkle cutting slicer to cut the cucumber; it is very easy to use and makes those beautiful ridges. You can also make straight-cut slices, too! And, if you own a mandoline, by all means, get it out and use it to cut these cucumbers.
Step 2. Put the sliced cucumbers in a large bowl and sprinkle the salt over them. Stir, then place the bowl in the refrigerator for an hour. This is a necessary step. Refer to the FAQs to understand why we need to salt soak the cucumbers.
Step 3. After 1 hour, rinse the cucumbers in a colander to remove the salt, then put them back into the bowl.
Step 4. Add the sliced onions to the cucumbers
How to make the pickling brine
Step 5. The brine is easily made with white sugar, brown sugar, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, kosher salt, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and turmeric.
Step 6. Mix all the brine ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat. medium heat, stirring until all the sugars have melted, then simmer for a few minutes.
Step 7. Pour the pickle brine over the cucumbers and onion slices, and give it a big stir.
Step 8. Let the pan of pickles sit in the refrigerator for one hour.
Step 9. After an hour of refrigerating the pickles, you can see a color change and that the pickles have softened somewhat.
Step 10. Make sure to sterilize your glass jars and lids. When the cucumbers are ready, spoon the pickles and onions into the jars and cover them with the brine. Leave a 1/2″ of space at the top of the jar, and with a spoon, press down on the pickle slices to remove any air pockets.
You may have leftover brine, which can be added to the jars once you press down on the pickles. Refer to the updated notes for instructions on using the brine.
Storage
When the jars are filled, clean the tops of the jars and the threads, and seal them tightly with the lids. Store the jars in the refrigerator for up to three months. For expert tips make sure to read the USDA refrigerator pickle guidelines.
Adding the cucumber and onions directly into jars
Can you skip letting the cucumbers and onions sit in the brining pan for an hour? Yes, you can; you can brine the cucumbers and onions directly to the canning jars.
- After the pickles have been soaked in salt and rinsed, mix the cucumbers and onions, and then fill the jars.
- Heat the brine and pour it directly over the cucumbers in the canning jars. See the recipe card for the brine ingredients.
- Let the jars sit on the counter for 1 hour, then wipe around the jar to ensure it’s clean. Top with the lid, and then place them in the refrigerator.
- Enjoy these crispy pickles after one day.
Updated notes for leftover brine
I have had questions about using the leftover brine. This is what I do. I pour the leftover brine into a clean container or another canning jar and store it in the refrigerator for up to three months.
- You won’t have a lot of brine leftover; I had 3/4 cup left, so I bought an English cucumber, which was just enough to make a jar of pickles.
- I reheated the brine and poured it on the salt-soaked cucumbers and sliced onion. (See the tip above on canning directly into jars)
- The pickles tasted delicious; however, the reheated brine was cloudy, and the flavor was slightly diminished compared to using a fresh brine. I don’t think most people would notice.
- Leftover brine is best when reheated just once.
Pickle FAQ’s
Just so you know, there is no bread or butter in this recipe, and you don’t have to eat bread and butter with these pickles. The name comes from the 1920s when the Fanning family would barter their sweet and sour pickles for bread and butter at the market.
They could be pickle cousins! The difference is that the Yum Yum Pickles have almost double the sugar in the recipe compared to this one.
You can, but a store-bought spice mix will contain more spices than I use and will definitely change the taste. This pickling spice mix contains eleven spices, including cinnamon, bay leaves, and allspice, which are not part of this recipe. I think adding three tablespoons would be the correct amount.
You can add more cucumbers to the leftover brine.
Pour the brine on the shredded cabbage and carrots for coleslaw
Pickle hard-boiled eggs in the brine.
This is a necessary step in the fermentation pickling process. The salt will pull excess water out of the cucumbers, making them crispier and adding flavor. Soaking the cucumbers in salt water will help inhibit bacterial growth while adding beneficial bacteria.
I made these and gave some away and everyone who tried them asked me for the recipe. Delicous and easy to make….love this recipe!
— Lana
Pickle tips and tricks
Thick or thin slices – that’s up to you when you make your pickles. I prefer a thicker slice, about 1/4″ thick. The thinner-sliced pickles will not be as crisp and tend to curl up.
If you don’t have canning jars, these pickles will keep well in an airtight container, such as a good sealing Tupperware. Be sure to sterilize both the container and the lid.
It is extremely important to sterilize the containers and lids to prevent bacterial growth. There are many methods, but this is what I do –
- Wash jars and lids in hot, soapy water and rinse well again in very hot water.
- Set a rack inside a deep pot and cover the jars with hot water. If you don’t have a rack, place a towel on the bottom of the pot, set the jars on it, and then cover it with water.
- Bring water to a boil, cover the pot, and boil for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the jars stand in hot water for 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove the jars from the hot water; I do this with tongs, then turn the jars upside down on a clean towel until they are ready to be filled. Sterilize the lids in boiling water for 5 minutes.
How to hot pack pickles
Many of my readers have asked, and yes, these pickles can also be hot-packed, which will make them last longer. Using this method, they can be stored on a shelf for a year.
- Clean and sterilize the jars and lids, and prepare the canner.
- Pack the pickle and onion slices in the sterilized jars, then ladle the hot pickling liquid over the top, leaving 1/2″ of headspace. Press down on the pickles with a spoon to remove any air bubbles.
- Wipe the jar rims, apply the lid, and tighten it.
- Bring the water in the canner to a boil and place the jars in it for 15 minutes. Remove them to a towel and dry them.
- Let the jarred pickles sit for 4 weeks before eating—store for 1 year.
- For high altitudes, adjust the processing time to:
- 5 minutes for 1,001 to 3,000 ft
- 10 minutes for 3,001 to 6,000 ft
- 15 minutes for 6,001 to 8,000 ft
- 20 minutes for 8,001 to 10,000 ft
This small batch quick Bread and Butter Pickle recipe makes a nice addition to a cheese and bread plate; add some dry salami and veggies for an appetizer or a light meal.
Pickles always pair perfectly with a burger, and these Cast-Iron Skillet Burgers cook in minutes, tasting delicious with a pickle on top.
My preference for eating these pickles would be straight out of the jar!
Pickles are great served with other appetizers
- Make a batch of these homemade Savory Cheese Crackers to serve with soups or salads, or for a simple snack.
- Make a simple Cheese Board and add a bowl of these pickles for a crunchy bite.
- This Creamy Herb Baked Ricotta Cheese is filled with fresh herbs and lemon, perfect for happy hour appetizers or set out at parties with crusty bread.
- And here are two fabulous recipes to serve along with the pickles. Pickled Red Onions and Pickled Cabbage recipe.
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Recipe
Bread and Butter Pickles
Ingredients
Cucumber Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds pickling cucumber I used 8 cucumbers
- 1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 small onion sliced and used to your taste
Brine Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 cup white vinegar
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
- ¾ teaspoon celery seeds
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
Instructions
- Wash and sterilize canning jars. Note: I have various sized jars but two 16 ounce-sized jars will work.
- Wash and rinse the cucumbers very well in hot water.
- On a large cutting board slice the cucumbers into ¼" slices using a chef knife or a crinkle-cut slicer.
- Put the cucumbers in a large bowl and add the salt. Stir well to combine, then place in the refrigerator for one hour.
- After an hour transfer the cucumbers to a colander and rinse well to remove the salt.
- Put the cucumbers back into the bowl and add the onions.
- In a medium-sized saucepan add the brine ingredients, both kinds of vinegar, both sugars, and the spices.
- Cook the brining mixture over medium heat, stirring until the sugars melt, then let simmer for five minutes.
- Pour the hot brine over the cucumbers and onions and let sit in the bowl for one hour.
- Put the pickles and onion slices in the sterilized jars then pour the brine into the jars then press down on the pickles to release any air pockets. If necessary, pour more brine over the pickles. Leave ½" space at the top.
- You will probably have some left over brine.
- Clean around the top of the jars and the threads and seal tightly. Store in the refrigerator for up to three months.
- These pickles are ready to eat the next day. They just need a good chilling.
Notes
- 2 pounds pickling cucumbers – I added 15
- 2 1/2 tablespoons salt
- 1 medium-sized onion
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 /2 cups brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons mustard seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons celery seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
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Nutrition
First Published: August 15, 2018… Last Updated: July 4, 2025, with an updated recipe.
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About Jere’
From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending. Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven sharing both sweet and savory family-friendly recipes for your cooking and baking inspiration.
Just made this today. Doubled the recipe, added a sweet onion chopped and a whole lot more garlic than I intended. Meant to only add a couple of cloves, got distracted and put the whole, thankfully small bulb in. They are in the refrigerator and we will taste test tomorrow. The house smells amazing. I’ve canned quite a lot over the years, nothing recently and never pickles, so we are on a learning curve
Glad your house smells good, I know what you mean between the fresh cucumbers and the spices your kitchen can become quite fragrant. I just made a double batch too, we were gifted English cucumbers so I pickled them.
So curious about something – I’ve read several bread & butter pickle recipes and they all say the same thing about having the cucumbers sit in the brine for an hour before packing. But why? Does something affect the taste if they are packed straight into the jar before adding the brine and thrown straight into the fridge after?
Thanks for asking, the salting process is a necessary step that pulls water out of the cucumbers and makes this stay crisp. The salt also inhibits bacteria and at the same time adds good bacteria for preservation. I have added this to the FAQs.
I really appreciate you getting back to me. But I was asking about the second time the pickles sit, under step 9. After pouring the hot brine over them, they sit before being packed in jars. It is just so they cool a little before packing in jars? I was wondering why they can’t be packed into jars and then have the brine poured over them that way? (I made some pickles last week following two different recipes, but skipping the sitting step on both, and my husband and I thought the vinegar taste was a bit strong in both batches. I’m wondering if it’s because I skipped that step or if there is another reason.)
Love this brine recipe! I added a few extra items to the recipe, such as, thin sliced red and orange sweet peppers, red and white onion (Vidalia) and fresh chopped dill. Makes for a delicious and very eye catching presentation!
Next batch I’ll can!
I love all those additions, along with some dill. I will be adding some on my next batch. And, I agree, the brine is so good!
I like these pickles very much. I made both the refrigerator style and the processed ones last year. They were both delicious. My relatives agreed. Next weekend I’m teaching my niece how to make them. I did a double batch today but I have about 2 cups of liquid left over. I packed them fairly tightly in the jars. I am wondering if that is why I have so much brine left over? Another question: can I store it in the refrigerator, reheat and use in another batch?
Thanks for the recipe, it’s very much like the one my mom gave me years ago (and I misplaced).
I am glad you like the pickles. We just finished our last jar.
So for the brine, I have also doubled the recipe and sometimes had quite a bit left over and other times not. I do try to pack the slices in the jar fairly tight, but I also want the brine to flow through the jar and the slices.
I do think it will be fine to save the brine, and reheat it for another batch. You may want to add just a bit of the spice in case the flavor has diminished.
For my next batch, I will do another double batch and to adjust the measurements. I do find doubling certain recipes doesn’t always work properly.
In process of making right now, will let you know how they turn out!
I recently made these and they are delicious! I canned them so I would be able to save them longer and they turned out beautifully! My husband likes them better than store bought! We recently had a BBQ and I added a bowl of them to my charcuterie board, they were a hit. Several people left the BBQ with a jar! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! Its definitely a new family favorite!
I am so glad you like the pickles. They are so much better than store-bought and so easy to make.
So fresh and flavorful, I had no idea pickles are this easy to make. I found the little cucumbers and didn’t even know about them until this recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Looks so good, I love pickles
Found this just in time for summer! Can’t wait to try this one!
Bread and butter pickles are my favorite! I’m so excited that you’ve made a refrigerator pickle version. Sometimes I had the wait when making them shelf stable. I can’t wait!
Since these are so easy to make I make several batches throughout the summer.
I made 6 refrigerator pickle recipes & your recipe was the very best! I ate half the jar this morning
Wow, my grandma would be so happy to hear her recipe was the best. I have been known to eat a whole jar in one day.
I made the refrigerator version and we couldn’t wait and ate some for dinner. They were already amazing! My next cukes will be big enough in a few days and going to can them. Thank you for an awesome recipe!
Glad you enjoyed the pickles. I don’t blame you for not waiting. Actually, these pickles just need a little fridge time and they are ready to eat.
Made these yesterday. Put in fridge overnight. Super tasty today! Recipe was quick and simple. Thanks. 🙂
I’d like to try the hot-pack version next. For that, do I skip step 10, the second one hour rest (in the brine)? I’m guessing I need to go straight from heating brine to packing in jars so that it’s hot when I start the water bath.
Megan, you are correct, just go ahead with the canning process.
These bread and butter pickles are so delis…..Easy recipe …. and just enough. I like the fact that you can store in the frig and not have to cold pack them in a canner. They taste like Famous Daves pickles!!
Thanks for the kind compliment. These pickles are just way to easy to make and I agree, I love that the recipe makes a couple of jars. I got away from hot-packing since it’s so time consuming.
I’m anxious to try your recipe, but want to can them for longer shelf life. Do I need to salt the cucumbers for an hour? Or do I put cucumbers and onions right in jars?
You still need to salt them before canning.