Bread and Butter Pickles
Updated
Updated
These homemade refrigerator bread and butter pickles are sweet, zesty, and crunchy. This recipe is so easy to make and rival anything you’ll buy at the store. A perfect condiment for a burger or sandwich, or enjoy them as a snack on their own!
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5 STAR REVIEWS
We are a pickle loving family over here. 1000% if that was a thing. My pantry is never ever without dill pickle potato chips and my refrigerator is always stocked with pickled beets and pickled eggs. Not to mention that I have countless varieties of vinegar in my cupboard. Pucker up!
While dill pickles are #1 for us, bread and butter pickles are right on their heals. We’ve been known to polish off an entire jar of these in an afternoon. And making homemade bread and butter pickles is so easy! There are only a few simple steps, some resting time, and then chilling. Take these to a summer barbecue and make all the friends!
Helpful Tips
- Pickling cucumbers. These pickles are made from a smaller cucumber than you use on a salad. They’re marketed as pickling cucumbers and can be found at most regular grocery stores. Use the freshest, unblemished ones you can find.
- The thickness of the slices matter. The cucumber slices should be about 1/4-inch thick. You want some crunch! Too thin and they can disintegrate when soaked with the hot brine. Too thick and they won’t soak up the brine enough.
- Use a mandolin, if possible. I highly recommend using a mandolin, which ensures the slices are all the same size. It also makes the process so much easier and faster!
- Don’t skip the sugar. You need the sugar to balance out the vinegar or the brine will be too harsh. This recipe includes both granulated and brown sugar for the best flavor. I have not tried this recipe with any sugar substitutes, so without further recipe testing, I can’t vouch for the results.
- Chill overnight for optimal flavor. For the truest flavor, these are best chilled in the fridge overnight, but if you’re really impatient, they do taste great after only a few hours.
Bread and Butter Pickles
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 pounds pickling cucumbers, , sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 5 & 1/2 cups)
- 1 & 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
- 1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
- 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
Instructions
- Combine cucumbers and salt in a large, shallow bowl; cover and chill for 1 & 1/2 hours.
- Move cucumbers into a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Drain well, and return cucumbers to bowl.
- Add onion to the bowl and toss with the cucumbers.
- Combine the granulated sugar, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds and ground turmeric in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Pour the hot vinegar mixture over cucumber mixture; let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
- Cover and refrigerate 24 hours. (If you’re really impatient, though, they taste great after only a few hours!)
- Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 month.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!
Why are they called bread and butter pickles?
Some say they gained popularity during the Great Depression. Since they were a cheap kitchen staple, people would use them on buttered sandwich bread for an easy, inexpensive lunch.
Another story is that Omar and Cora Fanning, who were Illinois cucumber farmers back in the 1920’s, pickled and sold their small cucumbers and would also trade the pickles with their local grocer for essentials, like bread and butter. They ended up filing for a “Fanning’s Bread and Butter Pickles” trademark.
Are bread and butter pickles sweet?
Unlike dill pickles, they’re definitely on the sweeter side, but they’re also tart, with a slight kick. They’re infused with a sugar-vinegar brine and other spices that make them pretty irresistible and perfect on sandwiches!
Proper Storage
These pickles are not shelf stable without going through the canning process and do need to be stored in the fridge. Store them in a sealed glass or ceramic container, not metal or plastic, in the refrigerator. They will keep up to 4 weeks.
More Pickle Recipes
Looking for more cucumber recipes? Try my Cucumber Tomato Salad, Creamy Cucumber Salad, Beet and Cucumber Salad.
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This recipe is so easy and tastes delicious. They rival theatres bought for sure
Will these pickles keep on shelf if sealed
No, the way this recipe is written is for refrigerator pickles. You’d need to go through the canning process for them to be shelf-stable.
This recipe is amazing. Had an excess of cucumbers in the garden. The cucumbers and onion stay so crunchy. Bo us so easy to do and your instructions so clear. Thank you
I used swerve sugar and brown sugar substitutes. I loved them. A very simple recipe.
So delicious! This recipe is so easy and quick to make. The pickles have the perfect crispness. My husband can’t stop raving about them.
Amy, I made this using 1cip of swerve granular and 1/4 cup of trivia brown sugar and it turned out great. I’m diabetic but wanted some of these bread and butter pickles , certainly brings back memories. Thanks!
Just fantastic. Already making another batch. Followed the recipe to a T and they are delish!!
I am not much of a pickle eater. When My husband planted one cucumber plant I realized I needed to make pickles. This is the only recipe I have tried. It is easy and amazing. I have made the recipe three times in the past 6 weeks and twice it was a double recipe! Thank you, my husband thanks you and my neighbors thank you!
I’m doing full time rv living so space for canning is limited. This recipe was so easy and they turned out great! I’m excited to share my bounty with my friends.
I’m on my second batch from my garden harvest. I sliced thinner than recommended (personal preference). Great on burgers! Oh, and I happen to use “substitute” sugar and they are delicious!
Absolutely delicious!! I am here to say that I made half this recipe with Lakanto Monk Fruit and half with granulated sugar. I didn’t have molasses to make my own brown sugar so I just added 2 tbsp of monk fruit and sugar to each half of the recipe (sugar free and with sugar). Both recipes were fantastic. I’ve tried making this with erythritol last year and the vinegar liquid crystallized in clumps so it wasn’t nearly as good. This recipe is a keeper!!
This recipe is awesome! I used it for a batch of leftover pickling cukes and a batch of slicing cukes. Both came out sooooo delicious! I’ll never buy store bought bread and butter pickles again! Thank you for sharing this incredible recipe!! ????
(The question marks were meant to be cucumber emojis!)
3rd time making these…I never even liked bread and butter pickles, but I absolutely love this recipe!
These pickles are awesome. Thank you for sharing.
I had never made any kind of pickles. My sister gave me a huge batch of cucumbers. So…. I decided to try this recipe after reading the excellent reviews. OMG! It is the BEST. I was making them and planning to keep them for a family camping trip in August—- I can’t keep the folks in the house out of them!! I actually hid the rest in the second frog in the garage! ??. This is the BEST recipe ever! Try it! You won’t be disappointed!! Thank you for sharing this!
Can I use English cucumbers to make bread and butter pickles
Just made these and wow!! SO GOOD!! They are so easy to make and my new favorite!
We love them. Can I can the extras so we have them all winter?
Hi JoAnn – I haven’t tried canning these, but if you followed proper canning instructions, I can’t see why it wouldn’t be fine.
How long will these keep in the refrigerator?
Love this recipe but can you give me the measuring amounts for one case or appproximately 25 pounds of pickling cucumbers?
They didn’t last more than a few days, couldn’t stop eating them. Getting ready to make another batch.
3rd time making these, and we love them. its easy to make, I will never go back to store bought.
Have made this recipe 3 times now! They are a hit! Family eats them up!
Can you tell me why we chill the cups with the salt ? I’ve only ever seen this with your recipe and it must add to the deliciousness somehow. I’m curious, Thank you.
I believe it is to take out the excess water in cukes. Someone can correct me if I’m wrong. Edythe
Making this recipe again this year and can’t believe it is so easy. The taste is great.
I made it with sugar substitute. Swerve granulated and brown sugar. As a carb counter I really enjoyed the bread and butter pickles.
These pickles are so easy to make! They’re so yummy I can’t wait 24 hours to have some!
We loved the pickles!!! Soo tasty. And great on burgers!
Lovely recipe, but I found them a little sweet, can I reduce the sugar or is there a safety reason to have 1 cup, Bearing in mind, I suspect these pickles are only going to last a week in my fridge, they are sooooo good.
You need the sugar to balance out all the vinegar. If you cut back on it, the vinegar flavor will be very strong. Bread and Butter Pickles are meant to be sweet.
I made these for my husband because he loves bread and butter pickles. Me, not so much – until I had these! Absolutely delicious! I never thought I would love a bread and butter pickle. These are the very best! Not your typical bread and butter pickle! Make these! Very easy and you won’t be disappointed!
I love this recipe as a base… I add red pepper flakes, ginger & garlic salt… mix up the vinegars by adding basalmic vinegar & red wine vinegar… minced onion, minced garlic, extra turmeric… pack the onions & cucumbers in Mason jars and pour liquid in while boiling… seal jars… no refrigeration needed.. works great.
I’ve made several batches of this pickle and it always turns out amazing. I brought a double batch to a party recently and everyone who tried them wanted the recipe.
I made this for the 1st time. Outstanding!! I added 2 habanero peppers cut in half to the brine while cooking. Oh yeah!!
Very good!!
These pickles are awesome!!!
This recipe looks great,but my question is, can these pickles be canned? Do I just increase the ingredients for a large batch?
I don’t recommend canning these. This recipe is for refrigerator pickles, which typically have a lower ratio of vinegar to water and are not shelf-stable.
Great recipe, and so easy
Flavor was so good and the perfect crunch. Would make this recipe again for sure.
Love this recipe! It reminds me of a bread and butter pickle recipe my grandmother made when I was growing up. We have a garden so I’ve picked 10 batches or more this summer. Thank you for sharing!
First time making pickles and they are so dang good! I added red chilli flakes and 1 jalapeño to it with some seeds as I wanted a sweet and spicy flavour.
Can you reduce the sodium and still have them taste good. For people on sodium restriction
Love these pickles! Easy too! Thank you!
Can Splenda be used instead of the white sugar?
Hi Dianne – this recipe hasn’t been tested with sugar substitutes so I can’t vouch for results, but you can try it.
First time making pickles and these were amazing! Everyone who had some loved them.
This recipe is fantastic. I made this recipe using sugar substitutes, splenda and splenda brown sugar, cup for cup. (using the exact same measurments) The pickles came out delicious and with the perfect amount of crunch! Thank you so much!
So So good. !!! Thank you so much
Easy, and are very delicious.
This is the easiest and very tasty sweet pickles. I just made a couple jars, and I am hooked. I will be making some more that’s for sure.
So happy to find this small batch recipe that doesn’t require me to pull out all the canning stuff. Looking forward to trying them for supper tonight….they smell SOOOOOO good and look perfect!
Hi Amy,can you use regular cucumber for this recipe?
Hi CJ. Technically, you can pickle any kind of cucumber, but because of the moisture content in common cucumbers and English cucumbers, they will be more mushy. If the texture isn’t an issue for you, they will still taste great. Not our preference, though.
Such a delicious recipe and so easy to make. Loved by everyone in my family
Fantastic! I added some red bell pepper strips for a little color.
I’ve made at least a gallon of these over the past few years.
This was my first time making pickles- it was a complete success! This was so easy, I’m making my next batch today!