Refrigerator Bread And Butter Pickles Recipe (+ Canning Instructions)

A jar of home-canned bread and butter pickles.

4.56 from 29 votes

Refrigerator Bread And Butter Pickles Recipe (+ Canning Instructions)

These are the best refrigerator bread and butter pickles with just enough sugar to lend a sweet tang. Easy enough for a beginner to make with no canning required!

Prep Time20

Brine Time14

Total Time14 20

Course: Appetizer, Condiment, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Bread and Butter Pickles, Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles, Refrigerator Pickles

Servings: quart jar

Calories: 592kcal

Author: Melissa Norris

Cost: varies

Equipment

1 Quart Mason Jar or two pint-sized Mason jars
1 Large Pot
1 funnel
1 Ladle

Ingredients

2 cups pickling cucumbers trimmed and sliced
1/2 cup onion sliced
1/2 cup peppers sliced
2 cups white vinegar
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 whole cloves
2 teaspoons salt

Instructions

For Refrigerator Pickles

Sterilize quart-size mason jars and lids. Wide mouth jars work best when stuffing them for pickles, but the regular mouth will work as well.
In a stainless steel saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, salt, and spices. Bring the pickle brine to a boil at medium-high heat and boil for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, rinse the peppers, cucumbers, and onions. Cut off the blossom end of the cucumber and slice evenly. Cut up all the rest of your vegetables and place them in a large bowl.
Layer the vegetables in the clean mason jar – thinly sliced cucumbers, peppers, and onions. Push down lightly to pack vegetables down and get a few more in. Allow 1/2″ headspace at the top of the jar. Place the jar on a towel folded in thirds.
Using a canning funnel and a ladle, pour the pickling liquid over the vegetables. You may have a slight amount left over, depending on how tightly you packed your jar.
Wipe the rim and apply the lid.
Allow to cool to room temperature for 30 minutes and then place in the refrigerator.
Pickles should marinate for two weeks and be used within three months. Confession: I always taste-test mine after two days and usually end up eating them all well before the two-week mark! But know the flavor will intensify over time.

To Can Pickles

Follow the instructions above and while you're packing your jars with the bread and butter pickles, prepare your water bath canner by filling it 2/3 full of water and bringing it to a low simmer on the stove.
When you’re ready to start canning, bring the water to a boil and place canning jars into the canner carefully.
Once all jars are in, bring the water back to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. (Check the altitude adjustment chart below if you’re 1,000 ft above sea level for total time.)
When time is up, remove each jar from the water bath and place it on a towel-lined counter.
Let cool for 12-24 hours. Remove rings to ensure a good seal. Wipe jars, if needed, label and date and then store in the pantry for up to one year.

Notes

Nutrition facts are calculated for an entire jar of pickles, minus the vinegar and spices.
Pickles should marinate for two weeks and be used within three months. Confession: I always taste-test mine after two days and usually end up eating them all well before the two-week mark! But know the flavor will intensify over time.
Be sure to cut the blossom end off the cucumbers, it contains an enzyme that softens pickles (and no one likes mushy pickles!).

Adjust canning times based on this altitude chart:

Feet Above Sea Level	Increase in Processing Time
1,001-3,000 ft	5 minutes (Total of 15 minutes)
3,001-6,000 ft	10 minutes (Total of 20 minutes)
6,001-8,000 ft	15 minutes (Total of 25 minutes)
8,001-10,000 ft	20 minutes (Total of 30 minutes)

Nutrition