Learn how to make pickles at home! This easy 8-ingredient recipe yields crisp, tangy dill pickles that are a delicious snack or sandwich topping.
The first time I tried this dill pickle recipe, I wondered why on earth I’d spent so many years buying pickles at the grocery store. Sure, store bought pickles can be tasty, but these little guys take dill pickles to a whole new level. They’re super easy to make (the refrigerator does most of the work for you!), and they taste awesome. They’re crisp, tangy, and refreshing, with an addictive garlic-dill flavor. Most often, I eat them as a snack right out of the fridge, but they’re delicious on sandwiches and veggie burgers too. If you like dill pickles, you’re going to love this recipe.
How to Make Pickles
My method for how to make pickles couldn’t be simpler! Here’s how it goes:
- First, slice the cucumbers. I usually make this recipe with Persian cucumbers, but small pickling cucumbers work here too. Slice them lengthwise into quarters to make spears, or thinly slice them horizontally to make dill pickle chips.
- Then, fill the jars. Divide the cucumbers among 4 8-ounce or 2 16-ounce jars, and add fresh dill, halved garlic cloves, mustard seeds, and peppercorns to each jar of pickles.
- Next, make the brine. I use a mix of water, white vinegar, sugar, and salt. If you’re not a sweet pickle person, don’t worry! The sugar doesn’t actually make the refrigerator pickles sweet. Instead, it balances the pungent vinegar and salt to create an irresistible sour pickle flavor. Heat the brine on the stove until the sugar and salt dissolve and pour it over the jarred cucumbers. Then, set the jars aside to cool to room temperature.
- Finally, chill! This is the hard part! These guys aren’t ready right away – they need some time in the fridge to soak up the brine and become really flavorful. Dill pickle chips will be ready in 24 hours, while spears will take at least 48. They’ll keep in the fridge for several weeks, and they get better as time goes on. For best flavor, wait about 5 days.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Dill Pickle Recipe Serving Suggestions
These homemade pickles taste great on sandwiches, burgers, and more! Pile dill pickle chips onto veggie burgers, mushroom burgers, cauliflower po’ boys, black bean burgers, or BBQ jackfruit sandwiches at your next cookout. Alternatively, serve spears alongside one of these sandwiches for a deli-style lunch:
- Caprese Sandwich
- Avocado Sandwich
- Chickpea Salad Sandwich
- Egg Salad Sandwich or Vegan Egg Salad Sandwich
If you’re not in the mood for a sandwich, try adding your refrigerator pickles to a salad. I love to toss diced dill pickles into my Easy Macaroni Salad.
Last but not least, they’re delicious on their own! Enjoy them straight out of the fridge for a tangy, refreshing snack.
More Favorite Homemade Pickles
If you love this dill pickle recipe, try making pickled jalapeños, pickled red onions, or banh mi pickles next!
Dill Pickles
Ingredients
- 12 to 14 Persian cucumbers or 8 to 10 pickling cucumbers
- 4 garlic cloves, halved
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons peppercorns
- a few good-sized dill sprigs, per jar
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups distilled white vinegar
- ¼ cup cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
Instructions
- To make dill pickle spears, slice the cucumbers lengthwise into quarters. To make dill pickle chips, thinly slice them horizontally.
- Heat the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 1 minute. Let cool slightly and pour over the cucumbers. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then store the pickles in the fridge.
- Pickle spears will be lightly pickled in 2 days, but their best flavor will start to develop around day 5 or 6. Pickle chips will be lightly pickled in 1 day, and will become more flavorful every day after that. Store in the fridge for several weeks.
I know you said this dill pickle recipe is easy to make but…. do you know about how long they take to make overall?
Hi Alex, about 10 minutes to prep and then refrigerate them overnight.
Distilled white vinegar is not a healthy product, can you replace it with Apple cider vinegar?
you can
This recipe is definitely one that I will try! What is the shelf life of pickles made from this recipe?
They’re fridge pickles – so they’ll keep for about 2 weeks stored in the fridge.
These are delicious and easy to make. My husband loves them and suggested we give as Holiday gifts. I want to send to family but fear they won’t ship without refrigeration.
I love this recipe, but I am wondering if I can preserve these by using my Hot Water canner. Thank you for your time
We’re never buying Vlasic again. This recipe is the bomb! These were THE most delicious flavored pickles with the perfect amount of crunch. I made spears for my boyfriend, who loves pickles and pickle juice more than anyone I know, and ovals for me, who likes pickles in smaller doses. I used 2 of the huge ball mason jars and after sampling them (after 1 week of pickling) they are nearly gone in just 5 days. The pickle juice is really good too.
P.S. The sugar compliments the other ingredients without making them sweet.
P.S. To anyone asking about omitting ingredients, these are PERFECT as is. Thank you so much to whoever posted this delicious recipe.
Maybe try googling a different recipe minus the ingredients you don’t like.
Ha, I’m glad you loved them so much!
Hey, just wondering if all the extra ingredients are needed?
Okay, ummm.. these are delicious. I am a freshman in college and I had to make pickles for a lab experiment. Really great flavor! Thanks!
These turned out really good. Thank you.
I want to make pickle slices and not whole pickles or pickle quarters. Should I use “Pickle Crisp” to make sure they maintain their crispness?
Hi Dianna, I’m not familiar with pickle crisp, so I’m not sure.
How did you prep your jars? Just wash or did you boil? I’m using ball jars and wondering if I need to boil the lids.
Hi Andrea, you don’t have to boil them if you’re going to store them in the fridge, just make sure they’re clean.
I can’t find mustard seeds. Can I use ground? How much?
I’d go with maybe 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground. Should be fine!
These were simple and absolutely delicious. I will never buy pickles off the shelf again because these are the best! Thank you!!
Do the pickles have to be refrigerated? I don’t have room in my fridge for all the jars
Hi Kate, yep, they do.
Hello, could I use Apple cider vinegar instead of the white vinegar?
I think you could, although the taste will be stronger and a bit sweeter (you could cut back on the sugar a touch), since it’s a more flavorful vinegar.
Can you use this recipe for canning pickles.
I think so, but I’d check out a specific recipe for canning to make sure the ratios are safe enough.
Can I substitute something for the mustard seed? My grocery store is completely out!
Hi Kimberly, you can skip them, the garlic and dill will be very flavorful still. Or for a more unique kind of flavor, you could use a few cumin or coriander seeds instead.
I needed a way to use up the abundant crop of cucumbers we got this year and found this recipe. So glad I did! The pickles turned out excellent and was so easy to make. Thank you for this recipe. It is a keeper for sure. I will not be buying jarred pickles again!
I’m so glad you loved it!
Can dill seeds or dill weed be substituted for the dill sprigs? And how much? Would the dill flavor be as tasty I wonder.?
Hi Beverly, you probably could – I’m not sure of the 3 which has the strongest flavor, so I’m not exactly sure what ratio to start with.
My family and I love these pickles. I just made another double batch. Everyone we share them with loves them too.
I’m so glad they’ve been such a hit!