Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles
These easy refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles taste exactly like the ones my mom used to can. Except, these Refrigerator Pickles are no muss, no fuss!!!
If you’re new to canning or don’t have all the proper equipment for the full-fledged canning process, this simple recipe for homemade sweet pickles is the perfect place to start!
Reader Endorsement:
From Vermaast via Pinterest: I made 24 pints of these bread and butter Pickles and they came out great. They are delicious.
Why You Must Make
- If you’ve never made pickles before, this is an easy recipe that doesn’t require processing.
- They’re sweet and delicious!
- Perfect for snacking or adding to a sandwich!
Expert Tips
If you’re lazy like me and don’t want to go through the full routine of actually canning pickles, these refrigerator pickles are perfect for you! The process will still take a few hours, but it’s a very simple procedure. Happy preserving!
Buying and Prepping Your Cucumbers
- Use the freshest, unblemished cucumbers you can find. Pickling cucumbers are smaller than the variety you may use in your salads, so look for those.
The Pickling Process
- Before brining, wash your cucumbers without soap to remove any dirt or contaminants.
- To make these pickles, slices of cucumber and onions were heavily salted and covered with ice. Over three hours, the ice began to melt and the vegetables were brined.
- A double rinse is needed to remove excess salt and then, the cukes and onions were added to a hot pickling mixture of vinegar, sugar, and spices.
- The ratio of vinegar and sugar can vary among recipes as well as the spices used. This recipe hits the mark of perfection for me! Feel free to tweak it to your taste buds. For example, these sweet pickles are pretty sweet, you may want to decrease the sugar, but I find these perfect!
Storing Your Refrigerator Pickles
- These bread and butter pickles were packed in jars and cooled before screwing on the lids and refrigerating. Now isn’t that simple?
- Since this method did not involve sterilization, they should be eaten within a couple of weeks (some sources say they’re good for 6-8 weeks).
- If you grow pickle-sized cucumbers in your garden, make an extra batch and share these with your friends and neighbors!
Frequently Asked Questions
Unlike true canned pickles that need to be processed in a water bath to make them shelf-safe, refrigerator pickles are actually heated at a higher temperature for a shorter amount of time. This does not hermetically seal them, so they must be stored in the refrigerator for a limited amount of time.
These refrigerator pickles are nothing more than a subclass of sweet pickles. The origin of their name may come from the Great Depression when they were possibly used as a sandwich filling when combined with bread and butter.
You May Also Like:
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- Cubano with Sliced Dill Pickles
- Pickled Onions
- Easy Dill Pickle Dip
- More Snack Recipes
Note: I purchased my canning labels from Felix Doolittle. Watch for sales around the holidays.
Easy Bread and Butter Pickles
Easy, refrigerator bread and butter pickles like my mom used to make!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pickling cucumbers, sliced
- 8 pearl onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup canning salt
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon mustard seed
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- A pinch of ground cloves
Instructions
- In a large container, combine the cucumbers, onions and salt. Cover with crushed ice and mix well. Let stand for 3 hours. Drain; rinse and drain again.
- In a large pot, combine the sugar, vinegar, mustard seed, celery seed, turmeric, and cloves and bring to a boil.
- Add cucumber mixture, then return to a boil. Remove from the heat.
- Carefully ladle hot mixture into jars.
- Let cool, then screw on lids and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
- If you'd like to store them longer, refer to a canning manual or website for directions.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 73Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1180mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 0gSugar: 17gProtein: 0g
Each summer, we’d pile into our unairconditioned station wagon and take the eight-hour trek up to visit our North Dakota relatives. There were no seat belts nor radio in that car, either. My dad was a frugal man! We’d kill time by picking out our favorite farmhouses and playing license plate games as we headed north on I-35. Once our trip corresponded with a total eclipse of the sun, so we drove across the Canada border for an awesome show by Mother Nature.
More typically, we’d create our own adventures with our cousins. We climbed into the barn lofts, visited the dogs and horses, ate homemade caramels and tacos, and helped make bread and butter pickles. My dad was more of a dill and garlic sort of guy, but, like my mom and her clan, I loved those sweet pickles flavored with mustard and celery seeds.
I’m certain my aunt, Angela, actually canned hers, but I took the easy route with these easy bread and butter pickles. At that age, I was much more interested in eating refrigerator pickles than paying attention to the process, but I’m delighted it was so easy to replicate the taste.
70 Comments on “Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles”
I never knew what refrigerator pickles meant, or what exactly were bread and butter pickles. so thanks for all of this great info! printing the recipe. It sounds fun.
This recipe looks fantastic! Bread and butter pickles are my favorite, I can’t wait to give it a try. Would it work for pickling other vegetables as well? Thank you for sharing!
Sure, you can certainly try this method with other veggies. I think carrots would be delicious, though they probably should be cooked a bit first to soften. Good luck!
When I was young, we used to travel to visit my aunt and uncle. He used to make these pickles but added red chilies to them. Your refrigerator pickle process is definitely the way to go, especially if making pickles for just a family of two. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
These are my absolute favorite pickle and I would love to have a few jars stashed in my fridge. I can already taste them, thanks Liz!
We go through pickles at our house like water! Your bread and butter pickle recipe sounds like a must try!
I like refrigerator pickles….quick and easy to make. This looks so appetizing!
It’s very hot here and so many things to do and take care of ( everybody has it’s share, of course ) and this quick version is so much appreciated dear Liz ! Since the week end is almost here, I’ll do my batch definitely !
This is one of those recipes I come back to again and again. Never disappoints!
These were so easy to make! And they were devoured by all!!
I loved how easy this is to make! Thank you!
These pickles have the BEST flavor! The seasoning is so good, I couldn’t stop eating them!
These are my fave…we won’t have a sandwich without them. Thanks for the great recipe.
I love pickles- I could eat them every single day, and now with your delicious recipe, I can 😉
Oooh I didn’t know pickles were so easy to make. I’d have these as the star of the show in a sandwich with just a little mayo and mustard. Yum!
I love refrigerator pickles because they’re so easy to make and I am not the best canner. These bread and butter pickles are so yummy!
Just curious–it looks like there are coriander seeds in your pickles, but they are not listed in the recipe. Did they get left off?
Hi, Rob,
Those are the mustard seeds—they DO look similar, but no coriander in the recipe. Hope you enjoy!
My husband loves bread and butter pickles. I had no idea how easy it was to make!
I love bread and butter pickles 🙂
I am a pickle nut!! My bf, not so much. So I rarely get to indulge. I would love some of your pickles right now!!
well… this has been PINNED!! : )
those are the best memories aren’t they??? … bet you miss those summers, but not the lack of A/C! Have a great Friday Liz!