Make the best bread and butter pickles—sweet, tangy, and crunchy with every bite. A detailed, foolproof recipe with step-by-step instructions and old-fashioned flair.

Bread and butter pickles are proof that cucumbers never meant to live a boring life. Sweet, tangy, and with that crunch that makes sandwiches feel naked without them—these pickles have been sitting pretty in mason jars on American kitchen shelves since your grandma’s grandma was a kid!

Bread and Butter Pickle Recipe

Ingredients (Makes about 4 pint jars):

• 2 pounds pickling cucumbers (about 6–7 small-to-medium ones, firm and blemish-free)
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced into rings
• ¼ cup pickling salt (not table salt—it leaves a bitter brine)
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar (for depth and roundness)
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for a kick)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Slice Like You Mean It

Wash cucumbers thoroughly and trim off both ends (the blossom end has enzymes that soften pickles—slice it clean off). Cut cucumbers into ¼-inch slices, uniform as you can, so they pickle evenly. Add onion slices.

Step 2: Salt the Crunch

Place cucumber and onion slices in a large, nonreactive bowl (glass or stainless steel). Sprinkle with pickling salt, toss well, and cover with cold water.

Weigh them down with a plate to keep them submerged. Let sit 2–3 hours. This step draws out water, giving you crisp, never-soggy pickles.

Pro tip: Do not skip the salting step. If you do, you’ll end up with floppy sadness, not pickles.

Step 3: Rinse and Drain

After salting, drain cucumbers and onions. Rinse thoroughly under cold water to remove excess salt, then drain again. Shake off as much water as possible.

Step 4: Build the Brine

In a large pot, combine vinegars, sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, turmeric, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. The smell will be sharp enough to wake your ancestors—that’s how you know it’s right.

Step 5: Marry Cucumbers and Brine

Add cucumbers and onions to the boiling brine. Stir gently and let cook just 1–2 minutes. You’re not cooking them to death—you’re just introducing them to the brine.

Step 6: Jar and Seal

Using sterilized pint jars, pack cucumbers and onions tightly, then ladle hot brine over, leaving ½-inch headspace. Wipe rims clean, apply lids and bands.

• For quick fridge pickles: Let jars cool to room temp, refrigerate, and eat within 24 hours (best flavor after 48). Keeps 2–3 months in the fridge.
• For shelf-stable pickles: Process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Let sit undisturbed 24 hours. Store in a cool, dark place up to 1 year.

Pro Tips from My Apron to Yours!

• Always trim cucumber ends—yes, both sides. One soft cucumber will ruin the batch.
• Turmeric isn’t just for color—it adds a subtle earthy warmth. But yes, it’ll stain your counters like a toddler with crayons.
• Slice onions thinly; they become little ribbons of tangy-sweet joy in every bite.
• Don’t reduce sugar. The balance of sweet-to-tang is what makes bread and butter pickles stand apart from dill.

Serving Ideas

• Stack them in a grilled cheese—melty cheddar + tangy pickle = happiness squared.
• Chop them into tuna salad or potato salad for a sweet-sour surprise.
• Eat them straight out of the jar like I do when nobody’s watching.

These bread and butter pickles aren’t just a recipe—they’re a rite of passage. They remind you that the simplest things (cucumbers, onions, vinegar, sugar) can become extraordinary with patience and love. Make them once, and you’ll never go back to store-bought jars.

As I always tell my readers: The difference between “good enough” and “unforgettable” is the time you spend with your hands in the kitchen. And trust me, these pickles are unforgettable.