Bread and Butter Pickles
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Sweet, tangy, and just the right amount of zippy, these bread and butter pickles are perfect for piling onto sandwiches, topping burgers, or eating straight from the jar.
Crisp, sweet, and tangy with a hint of spice, these bread and butter pickles are a summertime staple. They’re quick to make—no canning required—and so much better than anything from the store. You simply layer cucumbers with onions and peppers, pour over a brine infused with warm spices, and let the fridge do the rest. If you’re new to pickling, this recipe is the perfect place to start: simple, foolproof, and guaranteed to convert you into a homemade-pickle person.
In case you’ve ever wondered about the name: Some say bread and butter pickles date back to the Great Depression, when farmers would trade jars of their homemade pickles for everyday staples like bread and butter. Others point to the simple bread-and-butter sandwich, a cheap but filling meal of the time that was made far better with a few tangy pickles tucked inside.
Flavor-wise, they’re a bit different from classic refrigerator pickles—instead of a sharp, garlicky bite, bread and butter pickles have a sweet-and-tangy brine infused with mustard seeds, celery seeds, turmeric, and cloves. That spice blend, plus the sweetness, gives them their unique flavor and makes them perfect for piling onto burgers, sandwiches, or cheese boards.
What You’ll Need To Make Bread and Butter Pickles
- Cucumbers: Always use Kirby or pickling cucumbers. They’re short, squat and sometimes full of warts, but they make deliciously crisp pickles.
- Yellow onion, red bell pepper & garlic: Yellow onion, red bell pepper & garlic: The onion and pepper pickle right along with the cucumbers, adding sweetness, crunch, and color to the mix (the pepper is optional, but it makes the jars especially pretty). The garlic adds a punch of flavor without overpowering.
- Salt: Draws out excess moisture from the veggies so the pickles stay crisp.
- White vinegar, granulated sugar & light brown sugar: The base of the brine—vinegar brings tang, while the mix of white and brown sugar creates the signature sweet-and-sour balance.
- Mustard seeds, celery seeds, ground turmeric, whole cloves & crushed red pepper flakes: This spice mix is what gives bread and butter pickles their classic flavor—warm, a little tangy, lightly spiced, and just a touch of heat.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Salt the veggies. In a large bowl, toss the cucumbers, onions, and bell pepper (if using) with the salt. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to draw out excess water. Rinse well under cold water, then drain thoroughly.
Step 2. Make the brine. In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, granulated sugar, brown sugar, garlic, mustard seeds, celery seeds, turmeric, cloves, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then remove from the heat and let cool (speed this up by transferring to a heatproof container and chilling in the fridge).
Step 3. Pack the jars and begin pickling. Divide the cucumbers, onions, and peppers between 4 clean pint jars (or 1 quart jar). Pour the brine over top, ensuring the vegetables are fully submerged. If needed, top off with a splash of water. Seal the jars and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving. They’ll keep in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Pro Tip: Go through a jar fast? Don’t toss the brine—you can reuse it for a second batch. As long as it looks clear, smells fine, and hasn’t been hanging out in the fridge for more than a couple of weeks, just add fresh salted-and-drained veggies and you’re good to go. If the brine is older or cloudy, bring it to a simmer, strain out any solids, let it cool, then reuse.
Quick Pickles, Salads, and More to try
Bread and Butter Pickles
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Kirby cucumbers (6 to 8), sliced into ⅛-inch (3-mm) rounds
- 1 small yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 2¼ cups distilled white vinegar
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1½ teaspoons mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon celery seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 whole cloves
- ½ teaspoon teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Salt the veggies: In a large bowl, toss sliced cucumbers, onions, and bell pepper (if using) with the salt. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge for 2 hours. This step draws out excess water and helps keep the pickles crisp. Rinse well under cold running water, then let drain thoroughly.
- Make the brine: In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, granulated sugar, brown sugar, garlic, mustard seeds, celery seeds, turmeric, cloves, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves, a few minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature (you can speed this up by transferring the brine to a heatproof container and chilling in the fridge).
- Pack the jars: Divide the cucumbers, onions, and peppers between 4 clean one-pint jars (or one large one-quart jar). Pour the brine over top, making sure the pickles are fully submerged. (If you come up a little short on brine, it's fine to top off the jars with a splash of water—just make sure the cucumbers are fully submerged.)
- Pickle: Seal with lids and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. They will keep nicely for up to 1 month in the fridge.
Notes
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I haven’t made these yet but I’m giving it 5 stars as I know it will be good! I’m confused about the brine instructions. You say to cool the brine to room temperature then you say to pour the hot brine over the vegetables. Should it be hot or room temperature?
Thanks for catching that, Kathy – it should be cool. Recipe is updated!
Jenn,
I made these a few weeks ago when you sent me the recipe, they are sooo good! We have eaten them with so many different things. My family always says, “Jenn’s recipes never fail!” Thanks for sharing and keep sending!