Homemade Refrigerator Pickles

Homemade refrigerator pickles are a quick-brine pickle made by pouring a hot apple cider vinegar brine over thinly sliced cucumbers and onions. They take about 10 minutes to prepare, need at least 4 hours to chill, and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. One batch makes 10 servings and works as a topping for burgers, sandwiches, nachos, and relish trays.

If you open my refrigerator right now, there is a jar of pickles in there. Probably two, or five. I genuinely cannot help myself.

Something about that cold, tangy brine just hits different, and I have been known to sneak a few straight from the jar before I add them to whatever I’m making.

These homemade refrigerator pickles are the ones I make most often. The brine uses apple cider vinegar with a little brown sugar to balance the sourness.

The whole batch comes together in about 10 minutes. No canning equipment, no special skills, and no waiting days for the flavor to develop. Four hours in the fridge and you have crisp, tangy pickles that taste better than anything you buy at the store.

I also have a homemade Spicy Pickle Recipe for when you want something with more of a kick, plus Pickled Red Onions that go on absolutely everything.

If you’re pickling your way through summer, my Taco Pickles with jalapeños, radishes, and carrots are a must-try for taco toppings, and Pickled Asparagus Spears are worth making at least once while asparagus is in season.

More Ways To Enjoy Pickles

Fried Pickle Dip – creamy dip with crispy fried pickle topping
Ham Wrapped Pickles – three ingredient party appetizer
Bacon Wrapped Pickles – smoky, salty, sweet finger food
Air Fryer Fried Pickles – crispy pickles with no deep frying

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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.

Ingredients Needed

Cucumbers – Any variety works. Kirby, English, Persian, and regular salad cucumbers are all fine. Slice them very thin so the brine soaks all the way through. Thicker slices take longer and can stay crunchy in the middle without absorbing much flavor.

Apple cider vinegar – This is what gives these pickles their slightly mellow flavor. You can swap in distilled white vinegar for a sharper, more traditional dill pickle flavor.

Brown sugar – Just 2 tablespoons balances the acidity without making these sweet pickles. Do not skip it or these will taste flat.

Kosher salt – No need for pickling salt here. Kosher salt dissolves cleanly and does not require a trip to a special store. I don’t have time for that!

Whole peppercorns – Using whole peppercorns instead of ground keeps the brine clear and makes them easy to leave behind if someone does not want them.

Mustard seeds – Yellow mustard seeds add a mild, slightly bitter note that rounds out the brine. Black or brown mustard seeds work too.

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How to Make Homemade Refrigerator Pickles

5. Let the jar cool to room temperature uncovered, then seal tightly and refrigerate. They are ready to eat after 4 hours but taste even better the next day.

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Storage

Refrigerator: Keep tightly sealed in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. Always use a clean utensil to pull pickles out of the jar to keep them fresh.

Don’t Freeze: Freezing breaks down the cucumber texture completely and they get mushy. I don’t recommend freezing them.

Make Ahead: These are an ideal make-ahead recipe. The flavor actually improves after 24 hours in the brine, so making them the day before you need them is the move.

This pickling method is quick and the food needs to be stored in the fridge to keep them from going bad. It’s not like the regular canning method where you basically sterilize the food. So please, don’t store them in the pantry or think they will last a year if not eaten. Enjoy these soon after you make them.

Variations

Spicy – Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the jar before pouring the brine. For serious heat, use a sliced fresh jalapeño.

Garlic Dill – Add two or three peeled garlic cloves and a generous handful of fresh dill sprigs to the jar. This is the closest you will get to a classic deli pickle at home.

Bread and Butter Style – Add 3/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of celery seed to the brine for a sweet pickle version. Some even add 1/4 teaspoon turmeric.

White Vinegar – Swap the apple cider vinegar for distilled white vinegar for a sharper, more traditional flavor profile.

Other Vegetables – This same brine works on green beans, okra, jalapeño peppers, and red onions. You can even make Zucchini Pickles with that leftover squash from the garden! The technique is the same across all of them.

What Is the Difference Between Refrigerator Pickles and Regular Pickles?

Store-bought pickles and shelf-stable canned pickles are processed using a water-bath canning method or fermentation, which makes them safe to store at room temperature until opened. The heat processing creates a sealed, shelf-stable environment.

Refrigerator pickles skip that entire process. You pour the hot brine directly into the jar, let it cool, and store it in the fridge. Because they are never fully sterilized and heat-processed, they need to stay refrigerated at all times.

They will not last a year in the pantry. But what they lose in shelf life they make up for in texture. Refrigerator pickles stay crunchier because they never go through that high-heat processing step that softens commercially canned pickles.

What Cucumbers Are Best for Refrigerator Pickles?

Kirby cucumbers are the classic choice because they have thin skin, fewer seeds, and stay crunchy in brine longer than most other varieties.

English cucumbers and Persian cucumbers are also great options. Regular salad cucumbers from the grocery store work just fine too, which is what this recipe uses.

Avoid large, wax-coated cucumbers if possible because the wax coating can prevent the brine from absorbing properly. If that is all you have, peel them first.

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Put Those Pickles To Work

Big Mac Sliders – secret sauce and pickles stacked high
Dill Pickle Chicken Salad – creamy chicken salad loaded with dill pickle
Relish Tray – pickles anchor a colorful snack board
Pickle de Gallo – fresh salsa with a tangy pickle twist

Frequently Asked Questions

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Slice as thin as you can. A mandoline set to 1/8 inch is the perfect size.
• Let the brine cool slightly before pouring if your jar is cold from the fridge so the jar doesn’t crack.
• Taste them at 4 hours, then again the next morning. The flavor gets better the longer they sit.
• For garlic dill pickles, add the garlic and dill to the jar raw.
• Keep a jar going all summer. Once you finish a batch, you can start a new one the same day. They are that fast to put together.

This homemade refrigerator pickles recipe makes crisp pickles to enjoy on all your burgers, sandwiches, or even mix in your salads. A great way to add some tangy flavor to them!

If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!

{Originally published 06/06/16 – photos and recipe notes updated 05/07/24}

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