Go Back
Homemade refrigerator pickles in 3 mason jars on a counter surrounded by cucumbers, garlic bulbs, and dill herb
Victoria Pruett

Easy Refrigerator Pickles

4.78 from 9 votes
Make these easy refrigerator pickles in no time! This recipe is delicious and makes super crisp pickles that are full of flavor (and even a little heat if you like them that way!). Once you make them, you’ll never buy store-bought pickles again!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 48 spears (4 pint jars)
Course: From Scratch
Cuisine: American
Calories: 8
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 pounds Pickling Cucumbers about 20 small cucumbers
  • 1/2 cup pickling salt
  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 3 cups water
  • 4 tablespoons dried dill
  • 1-2 tsp peppercorns
  • 12 garlic cloves whole and peeled
  • 3-6 whole habanero peppers fresh

Method
 

  1. Combine the water, vinegar and pickling salt in a large pot and let boil while you prep the jars and cucumbers.
  2. Prep each jar (recipe should make about 4 jars), with about 1 tablespoon dried dill, 2-3 peeled whole cloves of garlic, 6-8 peppercorns, and 4-5 slices of fresh habanero pepper (optional)
  3. Cut the ends of your cucumbers off and slice them in half long ways, and then slice each half into 3-4 wedges each. Check the height of your cucumber against your jars and shorten as needed.
  4. Stuff your jars tightly with cucumber slices. If you can fit your finger in the jar easily, you can fit more slices in.
  5. Use a ladle to fill each jar with brine all the way to the top.
  6. Screw the lids on tightly. Wait 15 minutes and then re-tighten the lids as needed.
  7. Refrigerate for one week before consuming.
  8. Store in the fridge for up to 6 months for crisp dill pickles.

Notes

  1. Buy pickling cucumbers specifically, not big slicing cucumbers. If you don't grow them, check out your local Farmer's Market!
  2. Leave out the habanero peppers if you don't want spicy pickles.
  3. Heavily seeded pickles don't make good pickles and can be bitter. Taste the pickles before pickling them to make sure they're not bitter. If they aren't, just trim some of the seeds off before pickling them.