Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

Name: Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 d 25 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 lbs. cucumbers; 1 small onion, sliced; 3 Tablespoons kosher salt; 1 cup white distilled vinegar; 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar; 1/3 cup brown sugar; 1 Tablespoon coriander seeds; 6 garlic cloves, peeled; 1 teaspoons mustard seeds; 1/4 teaspoons red pepper flakes, optional

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Last Updated on June 7, 2025 by Allison Lancaster

These Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles are cool, crisp, and perfect on a hot summer day! They’re the perfect side to our BBQ dishes whenever we’ve got the grill going.

A white bowl with Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles.

In our home, pickles are not only a side dish, they’re absolute summer staples. We always have a jar of these Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles chilling in the fridge for when we’re grilling burgers or packing up for a weekend picnic. We love how sweet, tangy, and crunchy these easy homemade pickles are. Not only that, but these pickles are so affordable to make.

A jar of pickles from our favorite grocery store certainly do the job in a pinch, but once we tried making our own, we never looked back. Not only is this an easy recipe, it also allows you to control the ingredients and the flavor profile. That means no artificial preservatives and no mystery additives. It’s just pure, garden-fresh goodness. What’s more, it’s a great way to use up an abundance of cucumbers if you’re harvesting your own, or if you scored a great deal at the farmer’s market.

Most importantly, this recipe is one of those little things that adds big flavor to your everyday meals. These are perfect for topping burgers, layering into sandwiches, or simply serving as a crunchy, zesty snack on its own. We love pairing these Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles with Venison Roast with BBQ Sauce Sandwich and Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sliders.

If you’re looking for an easy, satisfying way to bring something homemade to the table, you’ll definitely want to give this butter pickles recipe a try.

Why are these called Bread and Butter Pickles?

Closeup shot of a Bread and Butter Pickles in a white bowl.

Bread and Butter Pickles had their humble beginnings in the Great Depression. They become such a staple back then that the name just stuck.

When there’s an abundance of cucumbers, they’re prepared by salting cucumber slices and placed in canning jars. Then, hot brine is prepared and cooled, and poured over the cucumbers. Then, it’s preserved by hot water bath when refrigeration wasn’t widely available. Once ready, the pickles are often enjoyed with slices of homemade bread and some butter.

Why You’ll Enjoy These Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

Quick and Easy: This recipe doesn’t require canning. You only need to follow the steps to make a simple brine, prep the sliced cucumbers, chill it, and enjoy!
Delightfully Balanced Flavors: These Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles are sweet, tangy and have just a touch of heat.
Family-Friendly: Even the pickiest eaters love them! These homemade pickles are so good, even the pickiest eaters love them!
Cost-Effective: Store-bought B&B pickles have nothing on these delicious pickles! Plus, they’re cheaper to make. This Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles recipe makes a small batch, but with a few adjustments, it can yield jars of pickles.
Make-Ahead Convenience: Sometimes last-minute meals and snacks are inevitable, so these pickles are great to keep on hand.
Customizable: You can easily adjust this recipe’s taste to your liking. Like tangy pickles? Increase the amount of vinegar you’re using and use less sugar. Prefer sweet pickles? Add more sugar or sweetener of your choice to the hot brine to dissolve it, and you have a sweeter mixture. You can even add fresh or dried dill and dill seeds, and you’ll have dill pickles.
Perfect for Summer: These Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles recipe may be born out of hard times, but they’re an amazing match for grilled food during outdoor gatherings.

Ingredients to Make Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

Flat lay shot of the ingredients for the Bread and Butter Pickles. There's a small pile of cucumbers, a measuring jug with apple cider vinegar, another jug with distilled vinegar, red pepper flakes, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds, in separate glass bowl, another glass bowl with brown sugar and a container with salt. All ingredients are on a white surface.

Cucumbers – Use fresh, firm cucumbers that give you that signature crunch and the best texture. Choose smaller cucumbers like Kirby cucumbers or English Cucumbers.
Small red onion, sliced – Sliced onions add a subtle sweetness and depth of flavor to the pickles.
Kosher salt – This helps draw out excess moisture from the cucumbers and onions, enhancing the crispness.
White distilled vinegar – A good distilled vinegar will provide the classic sharp tang that balances the sweetness.
Apple cider vinegar – Adding this will give your pickles that fruity complexity and mellows down the overall acidity of the brine.
Brown sugar – As the key to adding sweetness to the pickle mixture, brown sugar pairs perfectly with the tangy vinegar.
Coriander seeds – Lends a warm, citrusy note that elevates the overall flavor profile. This elevates the overall flavor profile of this simple pickle recipe with its warm and citrusy note.
Garlic cloves, peeled – Adds that savory depth and a punch of natural umami to the brine.
Mustard seeds – Has a subtle spiciness and texture that makes the flavors of these Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles even better.
Red pepper flakes (optional) – Gives a hint of heat that balances the sweetness from the sugar and tanginess from the vinegars.

How to Make These Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

Prep the Vegetables: Firstly, use a crinkle cutter to slice the cucumbers into ¼-inch rounds. Slice the onions into thin ¼-inch pieces. Combine the two in a large mixing bowl.
Salt and Set: Next, sprinkle the sliced cucumbers and onion with Kosher salt and toss to coat evenly. Set it aside for 30 minutes. This will draw out the moisture and improve the crunch.
Prepare the Vinegar Mix: Then, in a small bowl, pour the white vinegar and set it aside. In a small saucepan, combine apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, coriander seeds, garlic cloves, mustard seed, and red pepper flakes (if using). Heat over medium fire, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves.
Mix and Combine: Once the mixture has simmered and the sugar dissolved, remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the hot mixture into the bowl with white vinegar.
Rinse and Add Veggies: Now, take the salted cucumbers and onions and give them a thorough rinse. Place them in a clean bowl.
Pour and Chill: Lastly, pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers and onions. Let it cool down to room temperature. Then, cover the bowl and refrigerate for 24 hours before serving these Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles.

A glass bowl with sliced cucumbers in it.

A generous amount of salt added to the glass bowl with sliced cucumbers and onions.

How to Serve these Bread and Butter Pickles

These Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles are incredibly versatile. Here are just a few ways we love to enjoy them:

On grilled burgers and sandwiches, piled high.
A satisfyingly crunchy and zesty side dish to BBQ ribs or pulled pork.
As an addition to a charcuterie or snack board for a sweet-savory crunch.
Chopped or diced and added into potato salad or coleslaw for added flavor.
As a delicious base to our favorite side dish: Oven Baked Bacon Wrapped Fried Pickles
Straight from the jar

A white bowl with Bread and Butter Pickles.

How to Store Leftovers

My Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles are best kept in an airtight glass jar or container. If stored properly in the fridge, they will stay fresh for up to 2-3 weeks. Always use clean utensils when serving these pickles to prevent contamination.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Do I need to peel the cucumbers?

Not at all. The peels even add texture and color. Just make sure to wash the pickles well before slicing.

Can I use a different type of vinegar?

Yes, you can. But, I suggest sticking with vinegars that have at least 5% acidity. Rice vinegar or white wine vinegar can work, but it may slightly alter the flavor.

Are these Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles spicy?

Only a little, and only if you use the red pepper flakes. Feel free to leave them out for a milder tasting brine.

Can I use regular table salt instead of kosher salt?

I highly suggest using Kosher salt. I find that table salt makes the pickles too salty and cloudy.

Partial, flat lay shot of a white bowl with Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles.

Can I double the recipe?

Absolutely! To double these Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles, scale the ingredients evenly and make sure you have enough mason jars or containers.

How soon can I eat them?

While I suggest waiting 24 hours for the flavors to develop, it won’t hurt to sneak a taste or two after just a few hours of chilling!

Can I add other vegetables?

Yes, you can! You can add thin slices of carrots, bell peppers, or even jalapeños for variety. Additionally, you can even add celery seeds (if you have them) for a more aromatic flavor.

Can I make these sugar-free?

You can by substituting a sugar alternative like monk fruit or erythritol, but the flavor will be slightly different.

Making these Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles is not only easy, it’s so rewarding. They add a burst of bright and homemade flavors to any dish on backyard cookouts and weekday lunches. If you give this recipe a try, let me know how you go in the comments!

Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

Yield: 2 cups

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 1 day

Total Time: 1 day 25 minutes

These Easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles are cool, crisp, and perfect on a hot summer day! They’re the perfect side to our BBQ dishes whenever we’ve got the grill going.

Ingredients

2 lbs. cucumbers
1 small onion, sliced
3 Tablespoons kosher salt
1 cup white distilled vinegar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon coriander seeds
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoons mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoons red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

Use a crinkle cutter to cut cucumbers into 1/4” slices.
Slice onion into 1/4” slices and place in a bowl along with the cucumber slices.
Toss the onions and cucumbers with the salt and set aside.
Meanwhile, place the white vinegar in a bowl, set it aside.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Once the brown sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat and pour into the white vinegar.
Once the cucumbers and onions have set for 30 minutes, rinse and place in a bowl.
Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers. Let it cool down to room temperature. Refrigerate for 24 hours.