Simple Living With Nature

Grow Forage Cook Ferment logo
  • Grow
  • Forage
  • Cook
  • Ferment
  • Herbalism
  • Homestead
  • Start Here
  • Resources
  • Books
    • Healing Herbal Infusions
    • Wildcrafting Weeds
    • Simple Mead Making
    • Herbal Immune Support
    • Dandelion Recipes
    • Edible Flower Recipes
    • The Backyard Forest Garden
    • Healing Kitchen Herbs
    • Botanical Holiday Cocktails
  • About
    • About Me
    • Contact
  • Foraging Course
  • Subscribe!
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Home » Cook » Preserving » Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

May contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my privacy policy and affiliate disclosure.

Originally published on August 11, 2023. Last updated on April 23, 2024

345 shares
  • 108
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
how to make refrigerator pickles
refrigerator bread and butter pickles

Pickles are a necessity for a happy life, and these refrigerator bread and butter pickles are mega delicious and super easy to make. With a taste that is vinegary, a little sweet, and a little salty, this bread and butter pickle recipe is a perfect way to preserve summer cucumbers.

Bread and butter pickles in an open jar, on a wooden cutting board with a gray background.

Want to save this post for later?

We'll send it to your inbox, plus get updates from us every week!

Bread and Butter Pickle Folklore

Ever wonder why exactly bread and butter pickles are called that? Some people also call them pickle chips, which makes more sense. I always assumed it meant they went on sandwiches, which would explain the “bread” part…. but butter?

Some say that they’re called bread and butter pickles because during the Depression when many foods were scarce people ate them on bread with butter and nothing else.

Another theory is that a young couple who were cucumber farmers started making these pickles out of small cucumbers they would have otherwise thrown away because they were struggling financially.

When they couldn’t make ends meet they used these pickles to trade for bread and butter. Hence the name bread and butter pickles!

Omar and Cora Fanning were those cucumber farmers, and they are the ones who patented the name bread and butter pickles. It stuck!

Either way, these pickles have an amazing taste and a perfect shape to grace any sandwich, burger, or snack.

An open jar of pickles on a wood cutting board, with a small bowl of pickles next to it with a fork to the side, gray background.

Refrigerator Pickles for Happiness

When it comes to pickling, refrigerator pickles are by far the easiest process. There is no canning required, and they are super simple to put together. All you need is cucumbers, brine, and a little time!

Refrigerator bread and butter pickles are perfect for making a small batch of pickles, so if you don’t have a huge amount of cucumbers to use, that’s ok.

I also have a recipe for refrigerator dill pickles if that’s what you prefer!

A canning project is sometimes better if you have tons of one veggie at a time, so they can go on the shelf instead of taking up tons of room in the fridge.

Try these Kosher Dill Pickles for canning if you have a giant garden yield of cucumbers to pickle, it’s one of my favorites!

Homemade bread and butter pickles will increase your happiness, and you can make them one jar at a time, or as much as you want.

The process is so simple, and in a few day’s time, you’ll be enjoying these quick pickles on everything you eat!

Want more refrigerator pickle recipes? Here are 16 Quick Pickle Recipes to try!

How to Make Bread and Butter Pickles

This bread and butter pickle recipe makes one jar, but it can easily be adjusted if you have more cucumbers to use up. I tend to make one jar at a time as my cucumbers grow since this is such a quick and easy process.

That way I have continuous pickles which makes my life happier and makes everything more delicious!

A jar of bread and butter pickles with a fork lifting some out of the jar, top view. Resting on a wood cutting board with a gray background.

Ingredients

White vinegar: Use what you have on hand, just regular white vinegar for the brine.

Apple cider vinegar: I recommend using this apple cider vinegar with the mother, it’s the best.

Sugar: Bread and butter pickles have a little bit of a sweet flavor to them, so add sugar to the brine.

Brown sugar: This goes into the brine too, for a perfect flavor!

Pickling salt: Use your favorite pickling salt, or non-iodized sea salt is ok too.

Cucumbers: Use any type of cucumber, but pickling cucumbers are most commonly used. However, I’ve had good luck with many different varieties!

Onion: This will be thinly sliced, if it’s a huge onion just use half.

Mustard seeds: Mustard seeds add such delicious flavor to bread and butter pickles! Buy them online, or sometimes grocery stores have them in the bulk section too.

Coriander seeds: Coriander seeds can be found online, and are another ingredient you can check the bulk section for.

Celery seeds: While traditional to use in bread and butter pickle recipes, celery seed isn’t a common spice in many households. Use it if you have it, but don’t worry if you don’t! It’s totally optional.

Turmeric powder: I prefer to use organic turmeric powder.

Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe

Your happiness is just a quick pickle away! All you have to do is throw these ingredients together, give them some time in the refrigerator, and then enjoy the perfect pickle taste on everything.

Many recipes call for salting the cucumber slices and letting them sit for several hours before brining. I don’t find this to be necessary and I skip it, but it is an optional step if you prefer.

Along with pickles, my happiness also sometimes comes from skipping unnecessary steps. I like to keep it ASAP which to me means: As Simple As Possible. (That’s pickle and life advice.)

Start by making the brine. Combine the white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, water, salt and sugar in a saucepan.

Brine heating up in a saucepan.

Bring the liquid mixture to a simmer, and stir it occasionally to dissolve the salt and sugar.

Meanwhile, slice the cucumbers into round slices, about 1/8-1/4 inch thick.

A wood cutting board with a sliced cucumber on it, gray background, top view.

A crinkle cut slicer is fun to use! It gives the a traditional bread and butter pickles look, but it isn’t required.

Layer the cucumber slices into a quart jar, and alternate layering with the onion slices.

Top view of quart jar with layers of cucumber and onions, on a wood cutting board.

Then add in the mustard seeds, coriander seeds, optional celery seed, and turmeric.

Top view of jar with sliced cucumbers, onions, and whole spices for pickling.

Pour the warm vinegar brine over the cucumbers.

Brine pouring into a jar with cucumbers and pickling spices.

Make sure to cover the cucumbers completely with the brine.

Top view of cucumbers in jar with brine on a wood cutting board.

Cap the jar with a lid and place it in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Waiting this amount of time will let the flavor develop into the pickle-y goodness you need in your life.

Cucumbers sliced in a jar with brine with a lid on, on a wood surface.

Bask in Bread and Butter Pickle Happiness

Eat bread and butter pickles once they are ready after a few days in the fridge and have the flavor you’re craving. Because of their shape, these pickles are perfect for sandwiches or on burgers.

Bread and butter pickles have a little crunch, and a vinegary, slightly sweet, but still salty and tangy flavor.

Top view of jar of bread and butter pickles ready to eat, on a wood cutting board with a gray background.

They’re super tasty to snack on alone or chop up and put in egg salad, tuna salad, or anything else that needs a little kick of pickle.

They will keep for 2-3 months in the refrigerator, although they’re sure to be eaten before then!

More Pickle Recipes for Life Happiness

  • Kosher Dill Pickles for Canning
  • Fermented Cucumber Dill Pickles
  • Quick Refrigerator Dill Pickles
  • Refrigerator Pickled Pepperoncini Peppers
  • Refrigerator Pickled Green Tomatoes
  • Dilly Beans for Canning
  • Pickled Jalapeño Peppers: Quick Refrigerator Recipe
  • Pickled Pumpkin: A Quick Pickle Recipe
  • Quick Pickled Cranberries
  • Quick Pickled Radishes
  • Quick Pickled Asparagus
Bread and butter pickles in an open jar, on a wooden cutting board with a gray background.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

This bread and butter pickle recipe is vinegary, a little sweet, and a little salty, and a perfect way to use summer cucumbers. Makes one quart jar.
Course Condiment
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes minutes
Brine Time 3 days days
Total Time 25 minutes minutes
Servings 16 servings
Calories 49kcal
Author Colleen @ Grow Forage Cook Ferment

Equipment

  • Small Saucepan
  • Crinkle Cut Slicer optional
  • Quart Mason Jar

Ingredients

  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons pickling salt or sea salt, non-iodized
  • 1 pound cucumbers sliced
  • 1 small onion thinly sliced (or ½ large onion)
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • ½ teaspoon celery seed optional
  • 1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder

Instructions

  • Make the brine by combining the white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, water, salt and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to dissolve the salt and sugar.
  • Meanwhile, slice the cucumbers into round 1/8-1/4 inch slices. A crinkle cut slicer is fun and traditional but isn’t required.
  • Layer the cucumber slices into a quart jar, layering with the onion slices. Then add the mustard seeds, coriander seeds, celery seed (if using) and turmeric.
  • Pour the warm vinegar brine over the cucumbers, making sure to cover them completely.
  • Cap the jar with a lid and place in the refrigerator. Wait 2-3 days before eating to let the flavor develop. They will keep for 2-3 months in the refrigerator.

Notes

  • Any type of cucumber can be used, but pickling cucumbers are the least likely to go mushy. I’ve had good luck with many different varieties!
  • Many recipes call for salting the sliced cucumbers and letting them sit for several hours before brining. I don’t find this to be necessary and can be skipped, but it is an optional step if you prefer.
  • A crinkle cut slicer will make pickle slices with ridges.
  • Celery seed is traditional to use but isn’t a common spice in many households. Use it if you have it, but don’t worry if you don’t!
  • I used this Weck jar in the photos, but any quart mason jar will work.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 49kcal
  • Join My Free Foraging & Herbalism Email Course!

  • This will also subscribe you to the Grow Forage Cook Ferment newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time. Please see my Privacy Policy.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Previous Post: « Grilled Corn Salad with Fresh Herbs
Next Post: Queen Anne’s Lace Fritters »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kathy Chapman says

    August 19, 2024 at 7:17 am

    5 stars
    I live near Fundy National Park in New Brunswick, Canada. This is my second year making these pickles using your recipe. It makes delicious bread and butter pickles! I saved the brine and kept adding cut-up pickling cukes and they turn out just as good as the first time I made them. I have grown my own pickling cucumbers this year so I need a lot more brine! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with all of us around the world!

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      August 19, 2024 at 9:24 pm

      You are so welcome! I’m so glad you liked this recipe!

      Reply
  2. Rose says

    September 27, 2023 at 7:06 am

    Love that you share the simple recipes for us out here. I live in USA. State of Ga. Near. Savannah Ga. I have the big blue covered book I got from Amazon but right now I can’t find it, I just moved in with my daughter so a lot of things are still packed up. Thank you for all you do for us out here.

    Reply
  3. Adrienne says

    August 18, 2023 at 8:17 am

    these sounds delicious! I’m currently avoiding refined sugar – do you think you could substitute honey for the sugar in this recipe?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      August 18, 2023 at 8:46 am

      Definitely!

      Reply
5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hello there! I’m Colleen.

I want to inspire you to live seasonally, become more self sufficient, and protect your health. I share information on foraging and wildcrafting, fermenting and preserving, cooking whole foods from scratch, permaculture gardening, and making herbal products. And that’s just the beginning! Learn more.

My Books

Spring Favorites

purple dead nettle uses benefits look alike

Foraging for Purple Dead Nettle: an edible backyard weed

50+ Dandelion Recipes: Drinks, Sweets, Soap, Remedies + More!

A jar filled with lilacs and honey, surrounded by fresh lilacs.

Lilac Flower Infused Honey

Dandelion Mead Recipe (Dandelion Wine Made With Honey)

Popular Posts

How to Make Soap For Beginners + Calendula Soap Recipe

10 Reasons to Grow Mint (Without Fear)

How to Make and Use Dandelion Salve

What to Forage in Spring: 20 Edible and Medicinal Plants and Fungi

how to make mead

How to Make a Gallon of Mead: A Simple Mead Recipe

How to Make Hard Cider: Homebrew it!

Fermented Honey Garlic

8 Easy to Identify Edible Mushrooms

Mountain Rose Herbs
×

Join list.

More info

Footer

Explore

  • Grow
  • Forage
  • Cook
  • Ferment
  • Herbalism
  • Homestead

Learn To Forage

The gather + root online foraging course will help you to safely identify, harvest, and use common edible and medicinal plants with confidence.

Enroll Now

As Featured On

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Amazon Affiliate

Copyright © 2025 Grow Forage Cook Ferment & Cocos Creations LLC.

345 shares
  • 108

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.