How To Make Refrigerator Pickles (Easy & Old Fashioned)

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Easy refrigerator pickles are a quick pickle made with sliced cucumbers and a simple spiced vinegar brine, no canning required. This is the classic, old-fashioned way to make homemade pickles at home.

And once you know how to make refrigerator pickles, you’ll have an easy way to use up extra cucumbers all summer long. Unlike traditional canned pickles, these skip the canning process entirely, so you get that same homemade flavor with a fraction of the effort.

A Quick Look At The Recipe

Recipe Name: Easy Refrigerator Pickles
Cook Time: 10 minutes (plus 1 week chilling)
Servings: 2 pint jars
Main Ingredients: Cucumbers, vinegar, pickling spice
Dietary Info: Vegan, gluten-free
Difficulty Level: Easy

Fork lifting a sliced pickle from a glass jar filled with quick cucumber pickles.

This is our classic, go-to refrigerator pickle, the one we come back to whenever cucumbers are piling up in the garden.

If you’re looking for something a little different, we’ve also got refrigerator dill pickles with fresh dill and garlic, or zucchini dill pickles. If it’s zucchini, you need to use it up instead. But if you just want a simple, old-fashioned homemade pickle, this is the one.

Why You’ll Love These
Easy Refrigerator Pickles

No canning required: Just slice, brine, and chill, no canning equipment or processing time needed.
Classic old-fashioned flavor: A simple spiced brine gives you that homemade pickle taste without any fuss.
A great way to use up cucumbers: One of the easiest ways to use up extra cucumbers from your garden or a trip to the farmers market.
Keeps for months: These will keep in your fridge for up to 6 months, so a batch goes a long way.

Ingredients

2 English cucumbers
1½ cups white vinegar
1½ cups water
1 tablespoon coarse salt (or sea salt)
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 teaspoons pickling spice
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 tablespoon sugar

How To Make Easy Refrigerator Pickles

Make The Brine

In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, salt, peppercorns, pickling spice, celery seed, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and let it cool.

Slice And Pack The Cucumbers

Pint sized glass jar filled with sliced cucumbers before the brine and spices are added.

Slice your cucumbers and pack them into the jars.

Pour The Brine

Homemade pickle brine poured over sliced cucumbers in a jar.

Pour the cooled brine over the cucumbers, dividing it evenly between the jars. Wipe the rims clean and place the lids on.

Glass jar filled with sliced refrigerator pickles in brine with peppercorns, pickling spice, and celery seed cooling on the counter.

Let the jars cool to room temperature on the counter.

Chill

Place the jars in the fridge and let them sit for at least a week before eating.

Two jars of sliced cucumber refrigerator pickles in brine with peppercorns, pickling spice, and celery seed.

Recipe Notes & Tips

Storage: These easy refrigerator pickles will keep in the fridge for up to 6 months.
Let the brine cool first: Pouring hot brine over your cucumbers can soften them more than you’d like, so let it cool before pouring.
Slice thickness: Thinner slices pick up flavor faster, while thicker slices or spears hold their crunch a little longer.
Patience pays off: The full week of chilling really does make a difference in how the flavor develops.

Substitutions

No pickling spice on hand? Substitute 1 teaspoon each of mustard seeds and coriander seeds, plus a small pinch of allspice.
Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar can be used in place of white vinegar for a slightly different flavor.
Cucumbers: Mini cucumbers or pickling cucumbers work well too, especially when they’re in season.

Variations

Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a sliced fresh chili to each jar.
Sweeter: Add an extra tablespoon of sugar for a milder, slightly sweeter pickle.
Garlicky: Add a smashed garlic clove to each jar for extra flavor.

FAQ’s

They’ll keep for up to 6 months in the fridge.

No, this is a refrigerator pickle recipe. There’s no processing required, just chill and store in the fridge.

This is our classic, old-fashioned pickle made with pickling spice and celery seed. Our refrigerator dill pickles use fresh dill and garlic for a different, more herby flavor.

Yes, mini cucumbers or pickling cucumbers work well too, especially when they’re in season.

Easy Refrigerator Pickles

This easy refrigerator pickle recipe is a classic, old-fashioned favorite. Made with a simple spiced brine, it’s a great way to use up extra cucumbers with no canning required!

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Refrigerate 7

Total Time 7 10

Serving Size servings (2 pint jars)

Ingredients

2 English cucumbers
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 teaspoons pickling spice
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 tablespoon sugar

Instructions

Place the vinegar, water, salt, peppercorns, sugar, and celery seed in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Wash and slice your cucumbers and pack them into the jars.
Pour the brine over them, dividing the spices equally between the jars. Wipe the jars clean and place the lids.
Place the jars into the fridge and let them sit for at least a week.
They will keep for up to 6 months.

Notes

You can use English cucumbers, mini cucumbers, or pickling cucumbers for this recipe.

Nutrition

These values are from a nutritional database and automatically calculated, and should only be used as an approximation.

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Kim

Kim Mills is a homeschooling mom of 6 and lives on an urban homestead in Ontario, Canada. Blogging at Homestead Acres she enjoys sharing tips to help you save money, grow and preserve your own food.