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This easy Dill Pickles Recipe makes pickles fast in the fridge, and no water bath or canning is required. Pickles add a pop of flavor to sandwiches, salads, and so much more, and you can tweak your herbs and spices to customize your ideal pickle.
Meggan’s notes
Crispy, tangy, and as spicy as you like, this easy refrigerator pickles recipe requires zero special canning equipment. Plus, prep time is a mere 5 minutes; far quicker than you could even drive to the supermarket to snag a jar of pickles!
Discover how to make homemade pickles so you can control the spiciness and or sweetness (or dill-forward or garlicky they are for that matter!).
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Pickling cucumbers: Pickling cucumbers are grown to be uniform in size, short in length, and sturdy in width. Lighter green and less bitter than regular cucumbers, these also have a drier flesh that absorbs the pickling solution well. A half pound of pickling cucumbers is about three 4-inch pickling cucumbers. If desired, start with 1 standard, hot house, or Persian cucumber, sliced, instead.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a sauce pan, bring the water, vinegar, salt, and sugar to a boil. Stir until sugar has dissolved.
- In each of two pint-sized (16 ounce) Mason jars, add 8 ounces cucumbers, 2 sprigs dill, 2 cloves garlic, 1 bay leaf, ½ teaspoon peppercorns, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or substitute one quart-sized (32 ounce) Mason jar).
- Slowly drizzle the vinegar mixture into the jar. (You may have some extra pickling liquid.)
- Let cool completely at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for about 4 days before serving.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This homemade pickle recipe creates 1 pint of pickles. Feel free to use a Dutch oven and double the ingredients for even more crispy, briny goodness.
- Storage: Transfer the jar to the refrigerator and the pickles will last for up to 1 month. No canning required!
- Make ahead: Pickles are one of those lovely dishes that are designed to age, and even get better with a few days under their belt. Prepare them 4 to 7 days in advance and refrigerate to allow the cucumbers to max out their flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
For pickle spears, cut cucumbers into 10 spears instead of chips. Follow the same method below. For whole pickles, tag in whole pickling cucumbers, follow the same method, then allow them to sit for 7 days before serving.
Try this same savory pickling solution with other vegetables like asparagus, beets, cauliflower florets, carrot sticks, green beans, or mushrooms. If you enjoy these flavors, also don’t miss my homemade Pickled Shallots and Pickled Garlic recipes.
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Dill Pickles Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup salt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 pound pickling cucumbers sliced into ½ inch rounds (see note 1)
- 4 sprigs fresh dill
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring the water, vinegar, salt, and sugar to a boil. Stir until sugar has dissolved.
- In each of two pint-sized (16 ounce) Mason jars, add 8 ounces cucumbers, 2 sprigs dill, 2 cloves garlic, 1 bay leaf, ½ teaspoon peppercorns, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or substitute one quart-sized (32 ounce) Mason jar).
- Slowly drizzle the vinegar mixture into the jar (you may have some extra pickling liquid.) Cool completely at room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for about 4 days before serving.
Notes
- Pickling cucumbers: Or substitute 1 standard, hot house, or Persian cucumber, sliced, instead.
- Yield: This homemade pickle recipe makes 2 pinst of pickles. Feel free to use a Dutch oven and double the ingredients for even more crispy, briny goodness.
- Storage: Transfer the jars to the refrigerator and the pickles will last for up to 1 month. No canning required!
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
This recipe is out of this world! I’m not an avid pickle lover, but there is no denying how deliciously fresh these pickles are – packs a wonderful crunch when using mini cucumbers too! Nothing like homemade pickles for a low-cal snack!
I’m so happy you loved them, Yolanda! Take care! – Meggan