Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles (Small Batch Sweet Pickles)

Make crisp refrigerator bread and butter pickles with fresh cucumbers, onions, and a lightly sweet vinegar brine. This small-batch recipe makes two pint jars, and the pickles are ready to enjoy in about 24 hours—no canning required.

If you love the classic flavor of bread and butter pickles but don’t want to pull out the canner, this refrigerator version is a simple solution.

These quick pickles are made with fresh cucumbers, onions, and a traditional bread and butter pickle brine flavored with mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric. The cucumbers are lightly salted first to help keep them crisp, then covered with warm brine and stored in the refrigerator.

Unlike traditional bread and butter pickles that are processed in a water bath canner for long-term pantry storage, this recipe is made for the refrigerator. The pickles are ready to enjoy in about a day and keep well in the fridge for several weeks.

This small batch makes about one quart (two pint jars), which is perfect when you have just a few cucumbers from the garden or farmers market.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Small batch recipe: Makes just two pint jars, perfect for using up a handful of cucumbers.

• No canning required: These pickles are stored in the refrigerator, so there’s no need for a water bath canner.
• Crisp and crunchy texture: The sliced cucumbers are lightly salted before pickling, which helps draw out excess moisture and keeps the pickles crisp.
• Classic bread and butter flavor: Sweet and lightly spiced with mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric.
• Quick and easy to make: The cucumbers rest briefly with salt, then are covered with a warm, flavor infused brine and refrigerated.
• Great for burgers and sandwiches: These crunchy sweet pickles add bright flavor to burgers, sandwiches, and charcuterie boards.

Tips for Making Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

These small-batch refrigerator pickles are easy to make, but a few simple tips will help you get the best flavor and texture.

Use Fresh Pickling Cucumbers

You can use any type of cucumber, but for the crispiest pickles, fresh pickling cucumbers work best. These are shorter and firmer than slicing cucumbers and hold their texture better when pickled.

Choose cucumbers that are:

• Firm with no soft spots.
• Bright green and freshly harvested.
• About 3 to 5 inches long.

If you’re harvesting from the garden, try to pickle them the same day they’re picked for the best crunch.

Slice the Cucumbers Evenly

Cut the cucumbers into 1/4-inch slices so they pickle evenly. A mandoline slicer can help create uniform slices, but a sharp knife works just fine. Even slices help the cucumbers absorb the brine evenly.

Don’t Skip the Salt Rest

Lightly salting the sliced cucumbers before adding the brine helps draw out excess moisture, which improves the texture and helps keep the pickles crisp.

After the cucumbers sit with the salt for about 20 to 30 minutes, simply drain off the liquid before packing the jars.

Customize the Pickling Spices

Bread and butter pickles are known for their sweet and tangy flavor with warm spices like mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric. You can easily adjust the flavor to your preference.

Try adding:

• A pinch of red pepper flakes for a little heat.
• A few whole cloves for a warmer spice note.
• Extra mustard seed for stronger pickle flavor.
• A pinch of ground ginger for subtle sweetness.

You can also use Homemade Pickling Spice if you already have a blend prepared.

Keep the Pickles Submerged

Make sure the cucumbers stay fully covered with the pickling brine while they are stored in the refrigerator. This helps them pickle evenly and prevents the exposed pieces from drying out.

Give Them Time to Develop Flavor

Refrigerator pickles need a little time for the flavors to develop. While they can be tasted after several hours, they are best after 24 hours in the refrigerator, and the flavor continues to improve over the next few days.

Ingredients for Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

This small-batch refrigerator recipe uses simple ingredients to create the classic sweet and tangy flavor of bread and butter pickles. Here is an overview of what you will need:

Pickling Cucumbers

Pickling cucumbers are the best choice because they stay firmer and crisper than slicing cucumbers. Look for small, firm cucumbers with smooth, bright green skin.
You’ll need about 1 pound of cucumbers, which will make roughly two pint jars of pickles.

Onion

Thinly sliced onion adds a mild savory flavor that balances the sweetness of the brine. Yellow or sweet onions work well in bread and butter pickles.

Pickling Salt

A small amount of pickling salt or kosher salt is used to lightly salt the cucumbers before pickling. This step helps draw out excess moisture and improves the texture of the finished pickles.

Avoid iodized table salt if possible, since it can sometimes affect the color and clarity of pickled vegetables.

Vinegar

For best results, use a vinegar that is at least 5% acidity. This helps maintain the proper balance of flavor and acidity for refrigerator pickles.

• Apple cider vinegar gives bread and butter pickles their classic flavor with a slightly sweet, mellow taste. It pairs well with the sugar and warm spices in the brine.
• White vinegar creates a sharper, more traditional pickle flavor.
• White wine vinegar offers a milder, slightly fruity taste.

Avoid strongly flavored or low-acid vinegars, as they can affect both the taste and quality of the finished pickles.

Sugar

Granulated sugar gives bread and butter pickles their classic flavor and helps balance the vinegar. It also dissolves easily into the brine for a smooth, consistent result.

Since this is a refrigerator pickle recipe, you can experiment with a few alternatives depending on your taste:

• Honey adds a mild floral sweetness and slightly softer flavor.
• Maple syrup gives a deeper, richer sweetness.
• Light brown sugar adds a hint of molasses flavor.

Liquid sweeteners like honey or maple syrup can taste sweeter than regular granulated sugar, so start with a slightly smaller amount as you make your brine, and adjust to taste.

Keep in mind that changing the sweetener may slightly alter the flavor and color of the pickles, but they will still store well in the refrigerator.

Spices

Bread and butter pickles get their distinctive flavor from a blend of mustard seeds, celery seeds, turmeric, and black peppercorns. These spices work together to create the signature flavor, golden hue, and aromatic warmth of this old fashioned pickle.

• Mustard Seed: Mustard seed adds a traditional pickle flavor and subtle warmth to the brine.
• Celery Seed: Celery seeds contributes a distinctive savory note that is commonly used in bread and butter pickles.
• Turmeric: Ground turmeric gives bread and butter pickles their signature golden color and a mild earthy flavor.
• Black Peppercorns: Whole black peppercorns add subtle spice and depth to the brine.

You can also experiment with small flavor variations such as a pinch of red pepper flakes or a small dried chili pepper.

How to Make Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

These refrigerator bread and butter pickles are easy to prepare in just a few simple steps. The cucumbers are lightly salted to help keep them crisp, then covered with a sweet and tangy brine and stored in the refrigerator.

The complete, printable recipe with ingredient measurements and instructions is included at the end of the post, but here’s a quick overview of the steps for making refrigerator bread and butter pickles.

Step 1: Gather Your Kitchen Equipment

Before you begin, gather the basic kitchen tools you’ll need:

• Cutting board
• Sharp knife, mandoline slicer, or a crinkle cutter (if you want to get fancy)
• Large bowl
• Colander
• Medium saucepan
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Two pint jars with lids

Wash the jars well with hot, soapy water and air dry until you are ready to use them. Having everything ready will make the pickling process quick and easy.

Step 2: Slice the Cucumbers and Onion

Rinse the cucumbers and trim the ends. Slice them into even 1/4-inch rounds and place them in a large bowl. Thinly slice the onion and add it to the bowl.

Step 3: Salt the Cucumbers

Sprinkle the salt over the cucumber and onion mixture and toss gently to coat. Let the vegetables sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.

The salt draws out excess moisture and helps keep the pickles crisp. Set the cucumbers aside while you prepare the brine.

Step 4: Make the Pickling Brine

In a medium saucepan, combine the apple cider vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, turmeric, and peppercorns if using. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Then remove it from the heat and let it cool down a bit.

Step 5: Pack the Jars

Pour the cucumber mixture into a colander and drain off the liquid that has collected in the bowl. You can rinse the salt off, or leave it for extra flavor.

Divide the drained cucumbers and onions evenly between two clean pint jars. Carefully pour the warm brine over the cucumbers, making sure they are fully covered.

Step 6: Cool and Refrigerate

Allow the jars to cool to room temperature, then cover with lids and place them in the refrigerator.

Step 7: Let the Flavors Develop

For the best flavor, let the pickles sit in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before eating. Give the jars a daily shake to distribute the flavorings. The flavor will continue to develop over the next few days.

How Long Do Refrigerator Pickles Last?

Refrigerator bread and butter pickles should be stored in a covered jar in the refrigerator and are best enjoyed within about 1 month for the best flavor and texture.

Because this recipe is not processed in a water bath canner, the jars are not shelf-stable and must be kept refrigerated.

Over time, the cucumbers will gradually soften, so these quick pickles are best enjoyed within the first few weeks. However, when kept refrigerated and fully submerged in the brine, they may last up to 2 months.

For best quality:

• Keep the cucumbers fully covered in the brine.
• Store the jars in the coldest part of the refrigerator.
• Always use a clean utensil when removing pickles.

If the pickles develop an off smell, unusual texture, or any signs of spoilage, discard them.

Enjoy Your Homemade Refrigerator Pickles

Making your own refrigerator bread and butter pickles is a simple way to enjoy the familiar flavor of homemade pickles without the extra steps of canning. With just a few fresh ingredients and a little time, you can turn a handful of cucumbers into crisp, flavorful pickles ready to enjoy in about a day.

This small-batch recipe is perfect for using up cucumbers from the garden or farmers market, and it’s an easy way to keep homemade pickles on hand for sandwiches, burgers, and everyday meals.

If you’re new to pickling, be sure to check out my How to Make Refrigerator Pickles guide for more tips and variations. You can also experiment with your own spice blends using my Homemade Pickling Spice.

If you are heading into prime pickling season (around July and August in my area), you might like to to home can bread and butter pickles for longer storage, try my Bread and Butter Pickles Canning Recipe, which is processed in a water bath canner and stored on the pantry shelf.

However you enjoy them, these quick refrigerator pickles are a delicious way to make the most of the cucumber harvest one jar at a time.

If you love salsa, consider adding our eBook, Grow a Good Life Guide to 50 Salsa Canning Recipes, to your resource library. This 72-page eBook is packed with a variety of delicious salsa recipes, including classic tomato salsas to roasted and grilled salsas to tomatillo and delicious fruit blends, all safe for water bath canning. It’s the perfect guide to help you preserve your garden harvests.