These Fried Pickles are light and airy with a slight tang and satisfying crunch. A truly addicting snack or appetizer you’ll want to make again and again. If you love pickles, you’ll certainly love fried pickles!
More fried food favorites include our fried green tomatoes and fried shrimp tacos.
Easy Deep Fried Pickles Recipe
We’re enormous pickle lovers, so naturally we’ve tried pickles a million different ways. Fried pickles are always a favorite at the fair or at restaurants, so I needed to try making them at home.
These fried pickles come out light and airy with a slight tang and lovely crunchy texture. This recipe is a little on the tedious side since you have to batter a lot of pickles and you can’t fry too many at a time or they will stick together, but in the end it is so worth the effort!
Fried pickles make a great side for burgers, hot dogs, and fried chicken but we love eating these as a snack too. Just like potato chips, you won’t be able to eat just one!
Ingredients Needed
These deep-fried pickles require just 5 ingredients.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Oil – I recommend either canola or soy bean oil for frying.
- Pickles – I used hamburger dill pickles.
- All-purpose flour
- Yellow cornmeal – This gives the coating a little crunch.
- Creole seasoning – Adds flavor to the batter.
- Pickle juice – Just a bit of pickle juice in the batter ups the pickle flavor in these. So good!
- Water
Recipe Variations
Want to switch up the flavor of this deep-fried treat? Here are a few suggestions.
- What pickles should I use? I like to use classic dill pickles but use whatever pickle variety you like.
- Can I use different seasonings? Of course! Other seasoning blends that would be good include blackening, old bay, bbq, or lemon pepper.
- What fryer should I use? Any deep fryer or dutch oven that holds up to 3 inches of oil will work. This is the deep fryer I use.
How to Make Fried Pickles
The process of making these fried pickles is quite easy, though it will take some time as you need to fry them in batches.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Drain the pickles. Drain the pickles from the jar then place them on paper towels. Use more paper towels on top to press out the liquid from the pickles. Removing all of the liquid is the best way to ensure crispy fried pickles.
- Make the batter. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, and seasoning, then add the water and pickle juice. Stir until smooth.
- Fry. Add a handful of pickles to the batter, making sure they are not sticking to each other. Drop into the oil one at a time. Fry until crispy, stirring to make sure they cook evenly.
- Serve. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to get rid of any excess grease. Enjoy hot with ranch dressing or other dipping sauce.
Can You Make Fried Pickles in the Air Fryer?
Yes, fried pickles can be made in the air fryer. Follow all of the directions above then place in a single layer in the air fryer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes at 400F. Make sure the air fryer is preheated ahead of time for the best results.
Serving Suggestions
Half of the fun of eating these pickles is the dipping sauce! While ranch dip is the standard option, and one I love, why stop there? Experiment with dipping your fried pickles in a variety of sauces to see which you like best. A few possibilities are honey mustard, comeback sauce, remoulade, chick-fil-a sauce, garlic aioli, blooming onion sauce, and BBQ sauce.
How to Store, Reheat, & Freeze
Like all fried foods, these are best eaten immediately out of the fryer while the coating is hot and crispy, but you can store leftovers.
- Storing leftovers. They should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. To reheat, place them back into a heated fryer until hot. I do not suggest microwaving or placing them in the oven to reheat as the coating may become soggy.
- To freeze. Fried pickles can also be frozen for up to 3 months. I recommend flash-freezing them on a baking sheet first, then transferring them to an airtight container. Reheat in the deep fryer or air fryer.
More Pickle Recipes:
- Dill Pickle Dip
- Bread and Butter Pickles
- Pickle de Gallo
- Dill Pickle Bread
- Dill Pickle Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Fried Pickles
Ingredients
- canola or soy bean oil , for frying
- 2 cups hamburger dill pickles , drained
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
- 3/4 teaspoon creole seasoning
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon reserved pickle juice
- ranch dip , for serving
Instructions
- Add oil to a deep fryer or a dutch oven 3-inches deep. Heat the oil to 350°F.
- Place paper towels on a sheet tray. Place the pickles on the paper towels, not touching. Take more paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and press out as much of the liquid from the pickles as you can. They need to be completely dry.
- In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the flour, cornmeal, and creole seasoning. Add the water and pickle juice, stir to combine until smooth.
- Once the oil is up to temp, add handfuls of the dried pickles to the batter. Using a slotted spoon or your hands, separate the pickles making sure they are not sticking.
- Carefully drop them into the hot oil one at a time. (If using a deep fryer, I like to shake the basket around to make sure they don’t stick to the bottom.)
- Fry until crispy and lightly golden brown, about 4 minutes. Stir them around every so often to make sure they are browning evenly.
- Take the fried pickles and place them on a paper-towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Immediately place the pickles onto a wire rack over a sheet tray to catch any drips.
- Repeat with the remaining pickles. Serve with ranch for dipping.
