Quick and Easy Refrigerator Pickles
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Refrigerator pickles are quick and easy to make — no sterilizing jars or special equipment required.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
The kids and I discovered a jar of these homemade refrigerator pickles in my parents’ refrigerator door one day and since then, no deli or store-bought pickles have ever come close. They were made by one of my mom’s oldest and dearest friends, Joanne Biltekoff, who is like an aunt to me. The best thing about Joanne’s pickles is that they’re quick and easy — no sterilizing jars or special canning equipment required. All you do is slice Kirby cucumbers into spears, cover them with brine, tuck them into the fridge, and they’re ready to eat the next day.
What You’ll Need To Make Refrigerator Pickles
The most important part of the recipe is to start with Kirby or pickling cucumbers. They’re short, squat and sometimes full of warts, but they make deliciously crisp pickles. Don’t be tempted to substitute another kind of cucumber or you’ll end up with soggy pickles.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by making the brine. Combine the vinegar, salt and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat and stir until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved. Whisk in the cold water, then chill.
When cooking high-acid foods, be sure to use a cooking vessel made of a nonreactive material such as stainless steel, glass, ceramic or Teflon. Pots made from metals like aluminum, copper or cast iron will react with the acid and give your food a metallic taste.
Next, stuff the cucumbers into two 1-quart jars. Add the coriander and mustard seeds, garlic, red pepper flakes, dill sprigs to the jars, dividing evenly.
Cover the cucumbers with the chilled brine.
Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for about 24 hours, then serve. The pickles will keep in the fridge for up to one month.
These pickles will disappear quickly and you’ll likely get requests for more. You don’t have to start from scratch. You can use the pickle brine more than once — it should last for another batch or two of pickles!
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Quick & Easy Refrigerator Pickles
Refrigerator pickles are quick and easy to make — no sterilizing jars or special equipment required.
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 cups cold water
- 1¾ to 2 pounds Kirby cucumbers (about 6), cut into halves or spears
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 6 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 16 dill sprigs
Instructions
- Combine the vinegar, salt and sugar in a small non-reactive saucepan (such as stainless steel, glass, ceramic or teflon) over high heat. Whisk until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Transfer the liquid into a bowl and whisk in the cold water. Refrigerate brine until ready to use.
- Stuff the cucumbers into two clean 1-quart jars. Add the coriander seeds, garlic cloves, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, dill sprigs, and chilled brine into jars, dividing evenly. If necessary, add a bit of cold water to the jars until the brine covers the cucumbers. Cover and refrigerate about 24 hours, then serve. The pickles will keep in the refrigerator for up to one month.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I am a HUGE OUAC fan and am working my way happily through the cookbook which I highly recommend. These pickles are amazing. There is never a time when I do not have them in my refrigerator. Many people have told me I should be selling them! I say, “not my creation”!!
Reading your review, and curious to know if they are really edible in just one day?
….of course…..another perfect recipe! For presentation sake, I suggest lining some of the dill on the outside of the jar, as you stuff the jar, as well as adding half the spices and garlic to the bottom of each jar, and half to the top.These will not last long!
Delicious snack. I made them and had to make more the next day, as they went so quickly.
You are my favorite chef, bar none, and I could review many of your recipes and give them five stars, but I chose this one because since I made these pickles for the first time, they have always been in my refrigerator. Always! Family members ask for them when they visit because they love them and know they will be there. I have not bought one commercial pickle since I started making these. I have also used the same brine to pickle carrots, peppers, and cauliflower. It’s just so easy, and the results are amazing.
Hi Jen,
Can you substitute table salt for the kosher salt? I notice you use kosher salt and sea salt in a lot of your recipes. Are they all interchangeable and if so are the measurements the same? I love your site and never get my recipes anywhere else. Yours always comes out fantastic and I know I can count on yours to taste fabulous the first time! Also I love how you “teach us in your recipes why we do something a certain way”. I also love your “text ingredients”. This is great because when I’m at the grocery store I know I have all the ingredients. Thanks for a great site and a great cookbook!! Denise Ksen-Smith
Hi Denise, Yes, you can use table salt here. And kosher salt and sea salt are interchangeable with table salt, but the measurements are slightly different; when a recipe calls for kosher salt (or another coarse grain salt) and you want to use table salt, cut the amount back by 1/3. And so glad you enjoy the recipes and the “text ingredients” function! đŸ™‚
Best pickles ever!
These pickles were so easy to make. I followed the recipe exactly and my entire family loved them…even the child who claims that she “doesn’t like pickles”! The hardest thing for me was to find the Kirby cucumbers. In my opinion, they were essential to the success of the recipe.
Are you kidding me! These came out delicious. The taste reminded me of my childhood, when we would sneak into the cellar of my best friends house and eat all the jarred pickles his Mom had made. Delicioso!!
Hi Jenn-
I saw this recipe in your FABULOUS cookbook and I’ve always wanted to try it! My kiddos don’t like any sweetness in their pickles. Should I omit the sugar in the brine or is it even detectable when the pickles are ready to eat?
Thanks,
Mindy
Hi Mindy, They really don’t taste sweet; the sugar just balances the flavor. Maybe cut it in half?
I seem to have not too good tasting Brine. I used an old dutch oven pot to make the brine.
Hi Margaret, Dutch oven‘s are generally cast iron with an enamel coating on top. You mentioned your Dutch oven is old — is the coating wearing off at all? I so, that could impact the taste of your brine.
These pickles are the best! Will make them again and again. Used Kirby cukes. The skin seemed tough tho. Any suggestions?
Hi Barbara, I’ve never had that problem. May have just been the batch of cukes you got. I would suggest trying it again with new cucumbers (once these are used up) and you’re likely to have better luck the second time around
Wow! I was looking for a recipe to use some cukes that were given to me and I had to use them fast. They weren’t Kirbys but I peeled and seeded them, threw in a Poblano pepper and didn’t have mustard seeds. I did have fresh dill and dried pepper flakes. Followed the recipe and voila! I opened the jar after 4 days and they are so good. I was afraid they might not be crunchy but they are.
Hi Jenn! Your recipe calls for distilled vinegar. Can I substitute it with white vinegar? Can any other type of vinegar be used? Many thanks from your big fan.
White vinegar should work here, Olga. Hope you enjoy!
Thanks, Jenn! How about apple cider vinegar? (The first jar I made with white vinegar was gone in one evening)
Hi Olga, I’ve never tried these with apple cider vinegar, so I can’t say for sure – I’m sorry! I’d love to hear how they turn out if you try them that way, though!
Hi Jenn, I’ve made them with apple cider vinegar (everything else was exactly as in your recipe). They turned out delicious. They have a more subtle taste than the ones with white vinegar, which I like (my husband loved them too). But my 8-year olds prefer your version. I will be making two jars now, one for adults and one for kids.
Wonderful tasting pickles! I’ve yet to dare change anything in your recipes because they all turn out great!
I only have canning salt can I use that?
Yes definitely!
Best dill recipe I’ve made in years (well, maybe forever!) I have 4 quarts in the refrigerator right now.
Can it be used to pickle lovely long green beans? TW
Hi Te, Glad you like these! I haven’t pickling other vegetables with this recipe, but I suspect it should work. Because green beans are so much thinner than the cucs, they will not need as much time to pickle. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you try it!
These were a big hit with my family – wanlted to see what they tasted like after a week in the fridge but they didn’t last that long. Will be making another batch to see if flavour potency increases with age.
đŸ™‚
Wow, wow, wow! So delicious! And I am a picky pickle person. For me the perfect balance of salty and just a hint of sweetness. I realized I didn’t have any coriander in the house so I omitted it and even without these are extremely tasty. (I did add a ton of dill because I had a surplus) Thank you for sharing!
Can you reduce the amount of salt? I’m on a low sodium diet and I love pickles but I can’t have the store bought ones. I’d like to make these, I’m just not sure about the amount of salt.
Yes, that’s fine Candi but I wouldn’t reduce too much or they’ll be bland.
This is a great recipe! Such a fantastic way to use bountiful southern Ontario produce this time of year. I’ve loved every recipe in your book so far!
Hi Jenn,
I’m trying to stick with a no-added-sugar diet. Your recipe sounds wonderful! Do you think I could omit the sugar? What other parts of the recipe might need adjusting? Thanks!
-Cathy
Hi Cathy, If you’re able to have a little sugar, I’d suggest cutting the sugar in half as it balances out the flavors nicely. While I’ve never made these without sugar, I think it can be done with no alterations. They may just be lip-puckeringly vinegary. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you try them!
Yum! These pickles are so easy to make. My family really likes them.
Wow! Another winner Jennifer. I never would have believed that you could infuse that much flavor into those cucumbers in 24 hours. My grandchildren are coming to visit today and they’re going to love them. Thanks for another wonderful recipe!
Hello. A man here that grew up on Alot of garden veggies. That being said. I’m still a little confused. Is this also considered “fermenting” I understand the entire concept. But I hear conflicting information regarding safety of bacteria and mold etc. That can happen if not sealed right etc. Like in canning. I also see special fermenting lids which is not listed here. Can we clarify this please. Thank you!
Hi Ronnie, This is different than fermenting. They are not intended for canning, but will last up to a month in the fridge. Hope that clarifies!
Can you make the brine and just keep it in the fridge as needed? Using this recipe for 2 years and they are great. Would love to make up several batches of the brine and just keep it on hand as the cucumbers come out of the garden.
Sure!
Delicious! Made this with my pickle-loving grand daughter. It was fun and we could hardly wait to try them. She made labels for the jars and we posted our accomplishment on Facebook.
Extra brine we used with shaved red onions and made amazing pickled onions!
I have dill growing in my garden – but most of it is in heads now- can I use that? and if so, how much per jar?
Sure, Julie – amount should be the same.
I only have fresh dill head (seed). How much would you recommend to replace dill sprigs?
I’m not 100 percent sure, but my guess would be that you’d use around the same amount.
These pickles were the best ever! My daughter loves things extra spicy so we added a sliced jalapeno to one of the jars . . . delicious! I don’t think I’ll be buying pickles from the grocery store anytime soon!
Is the dry ingredients per jar or per the 2 guarts?
Hi Jesse, The recipe is enough for two jars. Hope that helps!
I searched several stores for Kirby cucumbers but never found them so I settled on small Persian cucumbers and hoped for the best. The only other ingredient difference was that I omitted the crushed red pepper. The pickles turned out great. My little girls finished one jar in an afternoon!
Jenn, these pickles are absolutely amazing! We love them so much that I just had to share the recipe on my blog – with full credit to you, of course! I feel as though my search is over for the perfect homemade dill pickle. And, btw, love your cookbook!
So glad you enjoyed them, Rosemary! I checked out your blog and it is lovely — your photos are so beautiful.
My friend made and brought these pickles to an Shakespearean outdoor play in Asheville, NC. I love pickles anyway but these are the best. she later sent the recipe and I made the pickles for the first time. Super easy and just as tasty as my friend’s! I have since turned by boyfriend on to Jenn’s recipes and we have since made the chicken pot pie and crustless broccoli quiche. I made a fan out of many non pickle lovers as well as anti broccoli folks through Jenn’s fabulous recipes! And of course I have preordered her cookbook!
I have a small-mouth quart jar – how much room should I leave at the top before popping these (covered) babies into the fridge? Thank you!
Hi Caitlin, you want the brine to just cover the cucumbers. If you need to, add a little cold water to get the cucumbers completely covered. Hope you enjoy!
Can you use ground mustard and coriander?
Sure, Jen. Hope you enjoy the pickles!
I’ve made several batches of pickles this summer. This was, BY FAR, the best recipe. I’m actually making them again today.
I did sub ground coriander and dill seed because that’s what I had on hand- and they were wonderful. Thanks for a great recipe!
Is there anyway to make these last longer than a month? Can you use the recipe as is, but then use a hot water bath to can it?
This recipe is not meant for canning, Allison. Sorry!
Super easy and deliscous … They way I like to cook. Had small batches of cucumbers coming from the garden and this was perfect. Much easier than canning a whole pile of cukes at once … Plus there’s no waiting to enjoy your harvest. The first quart was devoured the second we opened them. I’ve made this twice now in a week and will be my pickle recipe forever… I substituted mixed pickle spice for the coriander and mustard seeds, since that’s what I had planning to make canned pickles, and it worked great.
Excellent recipe. Thanks.
I was looking for a refrigerated dill pickle recipe and found your recipe. I made them last week and the pickles are great. They have a nice fresh taste and are better than other recipes. I will definitely make them again.
Trying to fix my batch of pickles before throwing out all my hard earned cucumbers. I made these as directed and they are really, really bad. There is a strange aftertaste that I can’t even name. Any ideas?
Sorry they didn’t turn out, Julie. Any chance to used a reactive pot (such as aluminum) to make the brine? That would lend an unpleasant metallic aftertaste.
Could be the coriander. Coriander is the same thing as cilantro. So, if you don’t like cilantro, that could be the taste you are picking up on.
Just a comment for Jenn. Sometimes the cucumbers themselves can be bitter. I always taste a slice first before pickling them. Also, now live in a country where pickling cucembers aren’t readily available. I use thinly sliced English cucumbers — it’s not the same, but still delicious.
I ended up with a few bitter spears in my batches, so thanks for your input, Nancy. I will definitely sample each spear next time as the bitter ones are very bitter. And we love these pickles! They will never last a month in my refrigerator. Thanks for the great recipe, Jenn!
My husband loves dill pickles and he devours these! I even use this recipe on zucchini. Not quite the same as pickles but still really good when you have way too many zucchini
This is the tastiest and easiest recipe I have found for refrigerator pickles. They are crisp, delicious and make great gifts. They are best using just picked cucumbers.
I live in Mexico, where the crunchy, savory, seasoned dill pickles of my childhood are simply not a thing. It never occurred to me that they would be possible to make, however, until I stumbled upon this recipe. I have made this recipe over and over again without changing a thing about it, and I’m hooked – better (and far cheaper) than the grocery store variety any day. And endlessly shareable – everyone who has tried them has demanded the recipe from me. Great work!
WOW!!! I thought I loved pickles, but after making a few batches of these, I can’t stand regular supermarket dills!
These also got rave reviews at a potluck. I couldn’t keep track of all the people who asked me for the recipe.
Hey there! I made these before and they were amazing!!! I’d love some for the fall and winter months do you know how to can these? Do you need special tools? Thanks!!!
Hi Lindsey, so glad you enjoyed them! Unfortunately, these pickles are not intended for canning– sorry!
I asked Google, but didn’t find the answer: What is a sprig of dill? Is it the whole piece or is each little branch a sprig? Thanks for your help. I prepared this last night, but I am not sure if I used enough. Thanks for providing so many reliable recipes!
Hi, A spring is one “branch.” Hope you enjoy the pickles!
These are the absolute best pickles I have ever had. I’ve tried to make a few recipes over the years the old fashioned canning way, and they were a mushy mess. I’m now 4 months pregnant and make these refrigerator dills once a week. Haha. My husband and 3 year old love them and routinely ask for them. I also have made them for my office and my neighbors and everyone goes nuts for them. I omitted the sugar and add a sliced jalepeno. The jalepeno doesn’t add much spice at all, just another flavor dimension. Love the whole coriander flavor but the seeds can be hard to find, Whole Foods has it for surprisingly cheap. Please do yourself a favor and make these!!
These look delicious! I love dill pickles! Have you ever tried fermenting them? Not a quick process, but so yummy.
I haven’t Rhianon – sorry!
Great pickles. Soooo easy. Will be serving them on Thanksgiving in a relish tray. Though I hate to share. lol
I love this recipe and so does my family. And so do our friends. Ever since I started making them, I get requests from people to please, please bring a jar when we visit. The recipe is incredibly easy and it truly takes little time to whip up a batch. For our home I double the red pepper flakes as we do like spicy here. But I bring the original recipe to others!
I have no experience with canning & wanted to try to make my own pickles since someone had a garden & brought in small fresh cukes. I didn’t have corriander, & I love pepper so I substituted with peppercorns. The hardest part was waiting to try & boy were they delicious!! I will never buy store bought again. Thanks so much:)
Hello and thanks for the great recipe, I am super excited to start. I do pickles every year but wanted to try something new. I have about 27 pounds, is it ok to quadrupole the recipe and can I leave the pickles whole or do I have to cut them? Thank you!!!
Hi Shannon, It’s fine to quadrupole the recipe and leave the pickles whole; they may just take a bit longer to pickle.
Hi Jenn!
Can you use regular table salt instead of kosher salt and if so is it the same amount? What is the difference between kosher salt, sea salt, and table salt in recipes?
Thanks!
Denise
Hi Denise, yes you can use table salt here in place of kosher salt. I would cut it back to 2 tablespoons. And all the varieties of salt you mentioned taste the same; the texture and the size of the grains are what distinguishes them. You can read more about it here. Hope you enjoy the pickles!
First of all thank you to Jenn for this amazing recipe. I too am a classically trained chef and mom now cooking for my family. Unfortunately I never got to cook in the fancy restaurants…..yet! Lol
Anyhow, I love, love, love this pickle recipe. Not only do I love it but but I made the mistake of sending pickles to work with my husband for the ladies in admin. Every day he comes home telling me stories of how much everyone loves them and now I am being begged to make more. So I made another double batch this morning for my family and my hubbies work family. I actually grow cucumbers and use those. I have been using lemon cucumbers and oh my gosh they are the best pickles I have ever had and everyone who has had them says the same. Thanks again for the wonderful recipe, it will be passed along and down to the kids! đŸ™‚
Made these today. Halved the sugar, omitted the garlic and red pepper flakes and added peppercorns. Delish and so easy!