Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe (2024)

By Rebecca Hubbell on | Updated | 30 Comments

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This recipe for homemade bread and butter pickles is easy, delicious, and doesn’t require canning. Just 20 minutes of prep and let your refrigerator do the rest of the work!

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This recipe for homemade bread and butter pickles is easy, delicious, and doesn’t require canning. Just 20 minutes of prep and let your refrigerator do the rest of the work!

This recipe first appeared on Spend With Pennies where I am a contributor.

Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe (2)

Table of Contents

Why we love this recipe for Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

One of the best parts about this recipe is that you don’t need canning jars to make it! Fresh cucumber slices are infused with flavor from a seasoned vinegar mixture, then stored in the fridge.

It takes just 15 minutes of hands-on time, then 25 hours to marinate. The result is a batch of sweet and salty pickles that the whole family loves!

WOW, These are so easy and very good. I added 1/2 tsp turmeric just because I always add it to sweet and sour brine.Easiest and fastest b&b pickles I have ever made.. I will be making these again. Thank you so much.

– Debbie Brown

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What are Bread and Butter Pickles?

Bread and butter pickles are sweeter than dill pickles. They’re brined in a vinegar-sugar mixture with other ingredients and spices.

There are a few ideas where the name “bread and butter pickles” comes from:

  • Some say it was popularized during the Great Depression because butter-and-pickle sandwiches were all people could afford for lunch.
  • It may also be related to traditional English cucumber sandwiches, which are filled with cucumbers and butter or cream cheese.
  • As the story goes, they didn’t have money for groceries, so they traded the sweet pickles for essentials like bread and butter. They also sold them to make cash, marketing them as “bread and butter pickles.”

Regardless of their origins, I think we can all agree that they’re delicious! Especially on a sandwich with Homemade Bread, deli meat, and cheese or cheeseburgers!

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Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe Ingredients

  • Cucumbers: Pickling cucumbers are smaller in size, and fresh is best! Get them at the grocery store, a local farmer’s market, or grow them in your own garden.
  • Onions: Slice ‘em thin, they add lots of flavor to the brine!
  • Brine: This is made with a base of white and apple cider vinegar. It’s seasoned with light brown sugar, mustard seed, celery seed, and kosher salt.
  • You can also add red pepper flakes for an extra kick.

Can I use tap water for refrigerator pickles?

The only water needed in this recipe is for rinsing. So as long as your tap water is drinkable, you can use it for that step.

How to make Bread and Butter Pickles

While this recipe does need to chill for 25 hours for the best tasting pickles, it is quick to prepare with just 3 simple steps!

Step 1: Thinly slice the cucumbers and onions and place in a large bowl with salt. Chill and let the salt pull out excess water to make room for the brine! After chilling, rinse off the salt, drain excess water, and put the cucumber and onions back in.

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Step 2: In a small saucepan, combine all brine ingredients (per the recipe below).

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Combine: Pour it over the top of the sliced cucumbers and onions and chill!

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Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or pint jars.

How to serve this Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickle Recipe

Pickles are great for so many things, here are a few ideas for how to enjoy them!

  • With burgers and sandwiches
  • In chicken or tuna salad
  • In potato or pasta salad
  • Battered and fried
  • With Bloody Marys
  • With deviled eggs

Storing Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

We like to store our pickles in jars in the refrigerator. These are theWide Mouth Jarsand thePlastic Jar Lidswe use.

How long do bread and butter pickles last in the refrigerator?

As long as the container they are in is fully sealed, these pickles can last up to 4 months.

How do you know if refrigerator pickles have gone bad?

You will know if they have gone bad based on if they smell bad as well as if the brine or the pickles themselves becomes discolored or cloudy.

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Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe FAQs

Are bread and butter pickles different than regular pickles?

It depends on what your definition of regular pickles is. Assuming most people think of dill pickles as the standard pickle flavor, then yes, bread and butter are different.
Bread and Butter Pickles are made with a variety of spices that include celery and mustard seed and sometimes people add cloves or turmeric. Our recipe also adds onion and crushed red pepper flakes. Dill pickle brine is mainly flavored with dill.
Bread and Butter pickles also have more sugar which yields and sweet and more mild flavor that that of their sour counterpart.

What gives bread and butter pickles their flavor?

In this recipe, the base flavor comes from the mix of vinegars: white and apple cider, as well as the sugar. From there we add white onion, celery seed, mustard seed, and red pepper flakes.
Also, time is key for these pickles having the best possible flavor. We love letting them brine for 2 weeks before using to let the flavors penetrate the cucumbers and meld together.

Why are my bread and butter pickles mushy?

As long as you follow the recipe and store these in the refrigerator, they should not get mushy. Pickles become overly soft when the salt and vinegar brine isn’t strong enough. Storing at room temperature will also cause them to ferment and become slimy.

Is there a difference between bread and butter and sweet pickles?

Bread and Butter pickles are sweet pickles. But there are versions of sweet pickles out there that are sweeter and may not be called bread and butter.

Let’s Connect!

If you’ve tried thisrecipe, please let me know how you liked it in the comments below and leave a review. I love hearing from you!

Don’t forget to tag me – @sugarandsoulco on Instagram and Pinterest with your photos or join our Sugar & Soul Show-offs Community and share them there, where you can join our recipe challenges!

Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe (9)

Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe (10)

4.93 from 42 votes

Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickle Recipe


Author Rebecca Hubbell

Course Side

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Chill Time 1 day day 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 day day 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

This recipe for homemade bread and butter pickles is easy, delicious, and doesn’t require canning. Just 20 minutes of prep and let your refrigerator do the rest of the work!

Ingredients

  • 7 pickling cucumbers
  • 1 white onion
  • 3 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons celery seeds
  • 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

  • Slice the cucumbers and onion into thin slices and place in a large bowl and toss with the salt. cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

  • Transfer the cucumbers and onions to a colander and rinse off the salt. Drain any excess water from the bowl and put the cucumber and onions back in.

  • In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, vinegars, and spices and heat over medium-high heat until the sugar has dissolved. Pour over the top of the sliced cucumbers and onions and allow the bowl to come to room temperature before placing in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Video

Notes

  1. The best flavor will come about 2 weeks after brining.
  2. Store in an airtight container for 3 to 4 months in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 417kcal | Carbohydrates: 92g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 7024mg | Potassium: 1166mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 83g | Vitamin A: 603IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 206mg | Iron: 3mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

Don’t forget to share it with me on Instagram @sugarandsoulco and follow on Tiktok @sugarandsoulco and Pinterest @sugarandsoulco for more!

Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What gives bread and butter pickles their flavor? ›

Dill pickles have one main spice/herb that's used: dill. They're often on the sour side with a strong briny bite. In contrast, bread and butter pickles use a blend of turmeric, clove, celery seed, and red pepper flakes for a rounded-out flavor. None of the spices stand out, but all blend together for a richer taste.

Can I use Mrs wages bread and butter pickle mix for refrigerator pickles? ›

Each pouch makes 4 pints of crisp, crunchy pickles. Refrigerator Pickles without the work or the wait compared to the Quick Process® Pickles. Boiling water bath method not required if you simply make and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months unopened. Ready to eat in 24 hours after preparation.

What's the difference between pickles and refrigerator pickles? ›

Not only does the heat treatment kill off bacteria, it also makes them shelf-stable—meaning you'll find these spears on the shelves of your grocery store's pickle aisle. Refrigerator pickles, on the other hand, are not heat-processed and need to be kept cold.

What's the difference between regular pickles and bread and butter pickles? ›

Bread and butter pickles usually have a few more inclusions than sweet pickles – none of them actually being bread and butter of course. These extra ingredients are usually onions, green or red peppers, and various seeds from coriander, mustard, and celery plants.

Why are my bread and butter pickles bitter? ›

Why do pickles have a strong, bitter taste? This happens when you use old spices, cook too long in vinegar, or you use too much spice.

What can I add to pickles to make them taste better? ›

Spicing Up Store Bought Pickles
  1. Heat – whole dried peppers, red pepper flakes, cayenne, black pepper corns, prepared horseradish, or hot sauce.
  2. Garlic – jarred minced garlic or garlic powder, stay away from fresh garlic because of the bacteria issues they can cause.

Can you reuse pickle juice to make refrigerator pickles? ›

To be on the safe side, we wouldn't recommend reusing it more than once, although some say you can safely reuse it 2 or 3 times. Again, watch for changes in the clarity of the brine. BONUS! Refrigerator pickles aren't the only use for pickle juice.

How long do homemade refrigerator pickles last? ›

Kosher or pickling salt is best. If you do need to use table salt, reduce the amount by half. Know When to Discard. Technically speaking, you're supposed to store refrigerator pickles no more than a week, but I've kept them for 2 to 3 weeks, and other sources say they'll keep for a month.

What is the ratio of vinegar to water for refrigerator pickles? ›

The basic ratio for quick pickles is 1:1 vinegar to water, and includes some combination of salt and sugar. Another ratio that is commonly followed is the 3:2:1 method, using three parts vinegar, two parts water, and 1 part sugar.

Why are refrigerated pickles better? ›

Fermenting might take weeks, after which refrigeration slows the process and keeps the pickles crisp.

Are refrigerator pickles as good as canned? ›

Refrigerator pickles, or quick pickles. These guys aren't shelf-stable (meaning that they need to stay chilled in the refrigerator rather than at room temperature), and they won't last as long as canned pickles, but then again they don't need to because they are so delicious, crisp, and versatile.

Why do Claussen pickles have to be refrigerated? ›

Fresh cukes, every time: Unlike other pickle brands, Claussen cucumbers go from vine to brine in 10 days or less,and are pickled under refrigeration, meaning they are never heated or pasteurized. With minimal processing, Claussen refrigerated pickles deliver superior color, taste and crunch every time!

Can you eat too many bread and butter pickles? ›

Eating too much sodium can cause your kidneys and liver to work harder. Also, the high blood pressure that often follows diets high in sodium puts even more stress on these organs. As a result, eating too many pickles may be risky for anyone with liver disease or kidney conditions.

Why are bread and butter pickles so good? ›

Bread and butter pickles are best described as being a lot like sour dill pickles, but with sweet onion and sugar added to the pickling mix to give them their one-of-a-kind flavor. They are right at home on deli sandwiches, burgers, and charcuterie boards. And they're fantastic just straight out of the jar!

Why are my bread and butter pickles soft? ›

Using too weak a salt brine or vinegar solution may cause soft or slippery pickles, as can using moldy garlic or storing the pickles at too warm a temperature. These pickles are spoiled and should be discarded.

What ingredient gives flavor to the pickles? ›

Acetic acid, or vinegar, is added to the cucumbers. After water, vinegar makes up most of the pickle juice. It also adds to the pickles' sour taste.

How do pickles get their flavor? ›

Pickling Spices are a blend of spices, differing from packer to packer, and can include allspice, bay leaves, black peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon bark, cloves, coriander seeds, dill seeds, ginger, hot pepper flakes, juniper berries, mace, and mustard seeds. Kosher Dills have garlic added.

What gives flavor to pickles and makes the product crisp? ›

Alum, short for aluminum sulfate, is used in pickling to promote crisp texture and is approved, though not recommended, as a food additive by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

What gives the characteristics flavor of pickles? ›

Salt provides a suitable environment for lactic acid bacteria to grow. The lactic acid that they produce gives the pickle the characteristic flavour and preserves the vegetables. Salt can either be added to the vegetables as dry salt or made into a brine that the vegetables are soaked in.

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