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Fresh, flavorful and delightfully crunchy! This Refrigerator Pickles recipe couldn’t be easier – no special equipment or sterilizing required. All you have to do is pack the cucumbers into jars with some dill, garlic and a simple brine and then all that’s left to do is wait for a day and they’re ready for snacking!

Every year I tell myself I’m going to limit the cucumber plants I grow and then every year I disregard my plan and end up with more cucumbers than I can handle.  But then I tell myself that it’s okay, because not only do I bring smiles to the faces of friends and neighbors when I show up at their door with a basketful of fresh cukes, it also gives me the perfect excuse to make at least a couple of rounds per season of a favorite snack:  Refrigerator pickles!

And really, like I need my arm twisted to put these garden-fresh beauties to use.

You just need a small handful of ingredients to churn out delicious pickles. And you can be as simple or elaborate with the spices as you prefer. Here’s what you’ll need to make these homemade refrigerator pickles:

Making homemade pickles couldn’t be easier. But there are a few important things to be mindful of that could cause some poor results if not observed:

Follow these steps and you’re on your way to enjoying beautifully and deliciously crisp and refreshing homemade refrigerator pickles!

Let’s get started!

First prepare the brine. See the note about using hot brine versus cooled brine for making refrigerator pickles in the “Pickling Tips” section above. Place the brine ingredients in a pot and bring it to a boil. Once the salt and sugar are dissolved, turn the stove off and let the brine sit until it has cooled to room temperature.

Next prepare the cucumbers. Depending on the size, cut them into halves or quarters to make spears. Or if you prefer, you can slice them into rounds (1/8 to 1/4 inch thick). Place roughly half of the dill and garlic into the bottom of each 1-quart jar ( with large openings are best for getting the pickles in and out).

Pack the cucumbers into the jars (you can add some onion if you like), packing them in as firmly as you can. Stuff in the remaining dill and garlic.

Once the brine is roughly room temperature (it can be a little warmer or chilled), pour it over the pickles into the jars (try to divide the peppercorns between the two jars). You want to make sure the pickles are fully covered. If you find you don’t have enough brine, you can more equal parts of vinegar and water.

Screw on the lids and if they’re fully cooled, chill them in the refrigerator. For best results wait at least 24 hours before eating. They will keep in the fridge for up to a month. Just be sure the pickles are always immersed under the brine.

First and foremost, you pull them out of the jar and immediately chomp into them! But beyond fresh snacking here are some additional ways you can put these crispy, juicy, tangy pickles to use:

Enjoy!

Calories: 14kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 0.3gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.01gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.004gSodium: 656mgPotassium: 48mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 25IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 0.1mg

Let us know how it was!