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’ve been making these for weeks, as my cukes have been coming in droves from the garden! Everyone, bar none, has exclaimed these are the absolutely the best pickles and all are asking for more! Also used the brine recipe with sliced yellow squash, adding cilantro, coriander, peppercorns and garlic as in your book. Delicious!
Hi Lynne, I’m so glad it’s been such a hit!
Can you put them on meat burgers too or only vegetarian options. I like meat. Can I still make this recipe without inferring my distaste for vegetarians and their hidden agenda?
Third year making these, they are great! Can’t get dill pickles in the stores in Sweden so making my own are my only option. Love this recipe!
Hi… I love your jars. What brand and/or where do you buy them? I just use the traditional Ball jars with a screw top and would love new ones.
Hi Kristi, they’re Weck jars, the link to this specific size is below the recipe. I love them!
Hi. Do they have to be Persian cucumbers?
Hi Deb, they don’t but I like the thin skin on Persian cucumbers.
I make these every year. Do you have a different recipe for water bath canning?
Hi Diana, no, I don’t have experience canning.
Thank you. I did some research and was told it could be water bath canned. There is enough acid to can safely.
I really enjoy this recipe, I have used the same recipe for carrots and red onion, came out fantastic! I do add a little extra garlic and a little less sugar but this recipe is great and very easy!
I’m so glad you’ve loved it for all vegetables!
I live in Nepal and we don’t have pickling cucumbers. Can I use any type of cucumber?
Can these also be stored in a basement or do they have to be refrigerated?
Hi Danielle – refrigerated, they’re not shelf stable without canning them properly.
Do you have to use can sugar? Would unrefined sugar work as well?
regular sugar would work too!
YOu do not mention boiling the jars first. do you do that and if so what method do you use?
Hi, these are meant to be refrigerator pickles, I don’t preserve them.
These are delicious and so easy to make. I’ve been adding hot pepper flakes to mine for an added zing. Thanks!
Yum, I’m glad you’ve enjoyed them!
Hello. I just made it and I forgot to add sugar. Is there any way I can add it later?
Hi Tania, it won’t really dissolve the same, but I would go for it and just try adding it in.
I haven’t tasted them yet but they look yummy. I ended up with 4 8-oz jars and three 16-oz jars. I didn’t look through all the comments but wandering if the jar sizes are wrong?
Hi Margie, they’ll vary depending on the size of your cucumbers! As long as they’re all submerged, they’ll be fine.
Mine turned out very vinegary
2 cups vinegar and 2 cups water right? I followed the reicpie except I added dried onion. They just seem to vinegary. Maybe I will cut down on the next batch. Any thoughts?
Hi Tim, did you use the written amount of sugar? How long have they been in the fridge so far? Two things might help: letting them sit another few days (the other flavors will infuse more), or you could increase the sugar that would help cut the sharpness. We like them tangy, so it may be personal preference but one of those two tips should help.
Thanks for the reply. I did follow all the measurements given, unless I screwed up. I will try a bit more sugar next time. They have been going for almost two weeks now.
Dried dill I suppose is OK for taste. I have lots and I used it along with pickling spice I bought in the bins at winco. It just looks like grass clippings floating around in the jar. (Dried dill) so the sprigs of fresh dill are tidier. Happy pickling, reader!
Took a pickle juice shot with the leftovers after preparing a container of pickles. The pickle juice tasted Exquisite! And the pickles afterwards were great.
I’m so glad you loved it!
Use that juice in a bloody Mary, with or without the vodka. Fantastic.
I’d like to can pints of sliced pickles. Will the recipe remain the same?
Hi Teri, I’m not sure if this recipe is safe to preserve, it might be, it’s just not my area of expertise.
If the pH is less than 4.6, yes. With that much vinegar (from the store), it will be.
Great recipe! Can these be stored in a cool, dark place? The lids seal as they cool. Thanks!
Hi Melissa, this specific recipe is for refrigerator pickles.
What’s the shelf life?
about 2 to 3 weeks in the fridge