Refrigerator Pickles

Do you ever get a craving for the perfect crisp dill pickle?  We’re dill obsessed in this house, and I’ve been on a mission to make the perfect pickles.

For me, the perfect pickle is crisp, with a good snap when you bite into it.  It’s bold and zesty, filled with garlic-dill flavor, and just a tiny bit of kick.  It’s also made with the freshest cucumbers.

The problem is, the time of year when cucumbers are at their peak freshness, is also one of the hottest times of the year around here.  Definitely not when I want to be dragging out canning equipment and boiling a bunch of water.

That’s the genius of these refrigerator pickles, theres’ NO canning required!  Just make a quick brine, add it to the cucumbers and flavor aromatics (garlic, peppercorns, mustard seeds, etc), seal and refrigerate.  Easy peasy!

What do I need to make this recipe?

• Cucumbers – I find pickling cucumbers (sometimes called Kirby or salad cucumbers) worked best.
• Water – nothing fancy, just plain tap water.
• Vinegar – I prefer white or apple cider vinegar for this recipe.
• Salt – there’s a hefty amount of salt in this recipe, but they’re not salty. The salt is part of the pickling process.
• Sugar – the small amount of sugar helps balance all the savory flavors.
• Dill – I find fresh dill is best.
• Garlic – Just as with the dill, fresh garlic is best.
• Peppercorns – I use black peppercorns, but any variety would be good.
• Mustard seeds – this is standard in pickling.
• Red pepper flakes – this adds a touch of heat that rounds out the flavors.
• Celery seed – the celery seed adds a subtle yet delicious flavor.

How to make homemade pickles:

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

1. Slice cucumbers and prepare jars.  If slicing into rounds, cut the slices about 1/4″ thick.  I like to use glass canning jars, but technically, since these pickles aren’t canned, you can use plastic containers, as long as they have airtight lids.
2. Make brine and cool.  Combine the water, vinegar, salt and sugar in a saucepan, and heat until solids are dissolved.  Let cool to room temperature.
3. Add cucumbers and other ingredients to jars.  When adding cucumbers to jars, make sure you leave enough room for the dill, garlic, mustard seed, black peppercorns, red pepper flakes and celery seed, plus the brine.
4. Add brine.  Pour in enough brine to cover the cucumbers, making sure to leave a 1/2″ or so at the top. 
5. Seal and refrigerate.  Seal jars to be airtight and refrigerate for at least 5 days.  Pickles will last 4-6 weeks after those 5 days.

Variations of this recipe

• Sweet – these are definitely not sweet pickles, but if you’d like them more on the sweet side, feel free to increase the sugar amount.  I’ve not experimented to come up with the perfect amount, but I’d suggest to try 1/2 cup and go from there.
• Spicy – I made these a mild heat level to accommodate most palates, but if you want more of a kick, feel free to add as much red pepper flakes as you want.  You could also add some sliced jalapenos, or Thai chiles for some extra heat.
• Cucumbers – I found the cucumbers that had the best crunch were the pickling cucumbers.  They may also be labeled as Kirby, or salad cucumbers.  They’re shorter than regular cucumbers, with a bumpy and sometimes lighter skin.  If you can’t find them, English cucumbers will work as well.  They may also be labeled as hothouse or seedless cucumbers.
• Other veggies – I haven’t specifically tested this brine with other veggies, but I think it would work well with green beans, carrots, cauliflower, etc.  Whatever you normally like to pickle.

Making pickles ahead of time

Pickles are a natural make-ahead recipe, as the recipes are designed to be made a little while before you eat them.  This recipe was developed so the pickles have a week to sit in the refrigerator.

As tempting as it may be to break the seal and go to town before then, they really taste best when left to sit.

Storage

Refrigerator pickles are good for 4-6 weeks, when kept refrigerated and the lids are sealed after each use.

I like to take a permanent marker and write down the date I made the pickles on the lid, so I’ll know when it’s been 4-6 weeks.  Honestly, our pickles never last that long before we devour them!

This recipe was originally posted in June 2020, but has been updated in 2025 with additional information.