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Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles

These easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles are crisp, tangy, garlicky, and packed with fresh dill flavor. Best of all, there’s no canning required! Fresh cucumbers are packed into jars with garlic and dill, then covered with a simple vinegar brine and refrigerated until they’re perfectly pickled.

If you’ve never made homemade pickles before, refrigerator pickles are one of the easiest places to start. You don’t need a water bath, pressure canner, or any special canning equipment. Just slice the cucumbers, make the dill pickle brine, fill your jars, and put them in the refrigerator.

After about 24 hours, you’ll have delicious homemade dill pickles. Give them 48 hours and the garlic, dill, and vinegar flavors become even better.

They’re perfect for burgers, sandwiches, cookouts, picnics, or snacking straight from the jar.

Why You’ll Love These Refrigerator Dill Pickles

Homemade dill pickles are surprisingly simple to make.

You’ll love this recipe because it’s:

• No canning required
• Quick and easy to prepare
• Crisp and crunchy
• Packed with fresh dill
• Full of garlic flavor
• Made with a simple vinegar brine
• Perfect for garden cucumbers
• Easy to customize
• Great for burgers and sandwiches
• Ready to start eating the next day

What Are Refrigerator Dill Pickles?

Refrigerator dill pickles are fresh cucumbers that are preserved in a vinegar-based brine and stored in the refrigerator.

Unlike traditionally canned pickles, refrigerator pickles aren’t processed in a water bath for long-term pantry storage.

That makes them much easier for beginner pickle makers.

You prepare the cucumbers and brine, combine everything in clean jars, and refrigerate.

Because these pickles aren’t canned, they must remain refrigerated.

Ingredients

• 4 cups sliced pickling cucumbers
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, optional
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
• 6 to 8 sprigs fresh dill
• 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

What Cucumbers Are Best for Homemade Pickles?

Small pickling cucumbers are the best choice for refrigerator dill pickles.

Kirby cucumbers are especially good because they’re firm, crunchy, and have thinner skins than many large slicing cucumbers.

Persian cucumbers also work really well.

If you have fresh garden cucumbers, use them. Refrigerator pickles are a great way to use an abundance of cucumbers during the summer.

Regular grocery store slicing cucumbers can be used, but they may not stay quite as crisp.

If you’re using large cucumbers with thick skins, you can peel them completely or peel alternating strips before slicing.

How to Make Refrigerator Dill Pickles

Prepare the Cucumbers

Wash the cucumbers thoroughly under cold water.

Trim a small amount from both ends.

You can cut the cucumbers into:

• Round pickle chips
• Thick slices
• Spears
• Sandwich slices
• Halves
• Quarters

For pickle chips, slice the cucumbers approximately 1/4-inch thick.

For spears, cut each cucumber lengthwise into quarters.

Try to make the pieces approximately the same size so they pickle evenly.

How to Keep Refrigerator Pickles Crunchy

Start with very fresh, firm cucumbers.

If your cucumbers have been sitting in the refrigerator for several days and have already started becoming soft, they won’t produce the crunchiest pickles.

For extra-crisp refrigerator pickles, place the whole cucumbers in a large bowl of ice water for about 30 minutes before slicing.

This is especially helpful if the cucumbers aren’t freshly picked.

Don’t cook the cucumbers in the brine. The hot brine should be prepared separately.

Add the Dill and Garlic

Place fresh dill sprigs in the bottom of clean glass jars.

Add the garlic cloves.

I like lightly smashing the garlic cloves before adding them because this helps release more garlic flavor into the brine.

Add the peppercorns and mustard seeds.

For spicy dill pickles, add red pepper flakes.

Pack the Cucumbers Into the Jars

Add the cucumber slices or spears to the jars.

Pack them snugly without crushing them.

Try to leave enough room for the brine to move around all of the cucumbers.

Add another sprig of fresh dill near the top of each jar.

Make the Dill Pickle Brine

Add the water, white vinegar, kosher salt, and optional sugar to a small saucepan.

Heat over medium heat, stirring until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved.

You don’t need to boil the brine for an extended period.

Once everything has dissolved, remove the saucepan from the heat.

Let the brine cool for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Do You Need Sugar in Dill Pickles?

No.

The teaspoon of sugar in this recipe is completely optional.

It isn’t enough to make the pickles sweet. It simply softens the sharpness of the vinegar slightly.

If you prefer a very tart, classic dill pickle, leave it out.

Pour the Brine Over the Cucumbers

Carefully pour the brine over the cucumbers.

The cucumbers should be completely covered with liquid.

Gently tap the jar against the counter to help release any trapped air bubbles.

Add additional brine if necessary.

Allow the jars to cool before adding the lids.

Once cooled, cover tightly and place them in the refrigerator.

How Long Do Refrigerator Dill Pickles Take?

This is the hardest part: waiting.

The pickles will start taking on flavor within several hours, but I recommend refrigerating them for at least 24 hours before serving.

They’re even better after 48 hours.

If you’re making thick pickle spears or whole small cucumbers, give them a little more time for the brine to penetrate the center.

Thin pickle chips develop flavor much more quickly.

What Do Refrigerator Dill Pickles Taste Like?

These homemade pickles are bright, tangy, salty, garlicky, and full of fresh dill flavor.

The garlic becomes stronger as the pickles sit, while the dill infuses the entire jar.

Peppercorns and mustard seeds add classic pickle flavor without making the brine complicated.

They’re simple, old-fashioned dill pickles you can make right in your refrigerator.

Fresh Dill vs. Dried Dill

Fresh dill gives refrigerator pickles the best flavor.

If you have access to dill heads from a garden or farmers market, those are wonderful for homemade pickles.

Regular fresh dill sprigs from the grocery store work perfectly, too.

If fresh dill isn’t available, dried dill can be substituted, but the flavor won’t be exactly the same.

Use approximately 1 teaspoon dried dill weed per jar and adjust according to taste.

Can I Use Dill Seed?

Yes.

Dill seed has a slightly different flavor than fresh dill, but it’s delicious in pickles.

Add approximately 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dill seed to the brine or directly to each jar.

You can also use both fresh dill and dill seed for extra dill flavor.

Garlic Dill Refrigerator Pickles

If you’re a garlic lover, add more.

Instead of two garlic cloves per jar, add three or four.

You can also thinly slice the garlic so more of its surface is exposed to the brine.

Keep in mind that the garlic flavor becomes stronger the longer the pickles sit.

Spicy Refrigerator Dill Pickles

Add crushed red pepper flakes or sliced fresh jalapeños to the jar.

For even more heat, add a sliced serrano pepper.

Start with a small amount. You can always make the next batch hotter.

Refrigerator Dill Pickle Variations

Once you’ve made the basic dill pickle recipe, it’s easy to experiment.

Spicy Dill Pickles

Add sliced jalapeño and red pepper flakes.

Extra Garlic Dill Pickles

Double the garlic.

Pepper Dill Pickles

Add extra whole black peppercorns.

Onion Dill Pickles

Add thinly sliced white, yellow, or red onion to the jars.

Dill Pickle Chips

Cut the cucumbers into 1/4-inch rounds. These are perfect for hamburgers and sandwiches.

Dill Pickle Spears

Quarter the cucumbers lengthwise for classic pickle spears.

Can I Add Onions?

Absolutely.

Thinly sliced onion is delicious in dill pickle brine.

Add a few onion slices between the cucumbers as you fill the jars.

The onions will pickle right along with the cucumbers and can be used on burgers, sandwiches, salads, and hot dogs.

Can I Make Whole Refrigerator Pickles?

Yes, especially if you have very small pickling cucumbers.

Whole cucumbers take longer to absorb the brine than sliced cucumbers.

Give whole refrigerator pickles several days before serving for the best flavor.

You can also cut a small slit in the cucumber to help the brine penetrate more quickly.

What to Serve with Homemade Dill Pickles

These crisp dill pickles are perfect alongside just about any casual meal.

Try them with:

• Hamburgers
• Cheeseburgers
• Hot dogs
• Pulled pork sandwiches
• BBQ chicken
• Fried chicken
• Grilled cheese
• Deli sandwiches
• Sliders
• Tuna salad
• Chicken salad
• Egg salad
• Potato salad
• Deviled eggs
• Charcuterie boards

They’re also one of the easiest snacks to grab straight from the refrigerator.

Use Them to Make Homemade Dill Pickle Relish

Have a few pickle slices left in the bottom of the jar?

Finely chop them and turn them into quick homemade dill pickle relish.

Use the relish for hot dogs, burgers, tuna salad, chicken salad, egg salad, potato salad, or deviled eggs.

Don’t Throw Away the Pickle Brine

Once the pickles are gone, there are several ways to use leftover dill pickle brine.

Add a splash to potato salad, chicken salad, tuna salad, or deviled egg filling.

You can also use a small amount in homemade salad dressing.

Always use your judgment with leftover brine. If it looks, smells, or tastes unusual, discard it.

How Long Do Refrigerator Dill Pickles Last?

Store the pickles covered in the refrigerator at all times.

For the best quality and crunch, enjoy them within approximately 3 to 4 weeks.

Always use a clean utensil when removing pickles from the jar.

Discard the entire jar if you notice mold, unusual odors, excessive bubbling, or other signs of spoilage.

Do Refrigerator Pickles Need to Be Canned?

No.

This recipe is specifically designed for refrigerator storage.

These pickles are not shelf-stable and should never be stored in the pantry.

If you want shelf-stable dill pickles, use a tested recipe specifically developed for water-bath canning.

Can I Double the Recipe?

Yes.

Double or triple the ingredients while keeping the proportions of water, vinegar, and salt the same.

Divide the dill, garlic, spices, and cucumbers between clean jars and pour the prepared brine over them.

This is an easy recipe to make in a larger batch when garden cucumbers are plentiful.

Recipe Tips

Use small, fresh pickling cucumbers for the crunchiest refrigerator pickles.

Soak cucumbers in ice water for about 30 minutes before slicing if you want them extra crisp.

Fresh dill gives these pickles the best classic dill flavor.

Add extra garlic if you love strong garlic dill pickles.

For spicy pickles, add jalapeño slices or crushed red pepper flakes.

Don’t cook the cucumbers in the brine.

Give the pickles at least 24 hours to develop their flavor. They’re even better after 48 hours.

Keep these pickles refrigerated at all times. This recipe is not intended for shelf-stable canning.

Homemade Dill Pickles Without Canning

Once you realize how easy it is to make Refrigerator Dill Pickles, it’s hard not to keep a jar in the refrigerator all summer.

There is no complicated canning process and no special equipment. Fresh cucumbers, dill, garlic, vinegar, salt, and a few simple spices are all you need.

Make them in the afternoon, put the jar in the refrigerator, and by the next day those fresh cucumbers have started turning into crisp, tangy homemade dill pickles.

Give them another day and they’re even better.

Whether you pile them onto a cheeseburger, serve them with barbecue, add them to a sandwich, or eat a cold pickle straight from the jar, this is one of the easiest ways to turn fresh summer cucumbers into something delicious.