🥒 Easy Bread and Butter Pickle Recipe: Sweet, Tangy, and Perfectly Crunchy

If you’ve never made your own pickles before, this Easy Bread and Butter Pickle Recipe is the perfect place to start. With just a few pantry ingredients and fresh cucumbers, you can whip up a batch of sweet, tangy pickles that beat any store-bought jar. They’re crisp, flavorful, and a nostalgic bite of summertime in every forkful.

Whether you’re new to home canning recipes or just craving that classic deli crunch, this bread butter pickle recipe brings old-fashioned flavor without all the fuss. No complicated brines, no specialty gear just honest ingredients and simple steps.

🥪 Serving Versatility

These pickles are magic on burgers, perfect with pulled pork, and addictive all on their own. Use them in tuna salad, on grilled cheese sandwiches, or chop them up for a relish with a kick. They’re even delicious right out of the jar.

📋 Ingredients

• 4 cups thinly sliced cucumbers (pickling or Persian)
• 1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 ½ cups white vinegar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp celery seed
• Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes

Print Pin

Bread and Butter Pickles

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 minutes minutes

Servings 5 pint jars

Calories 50

Sweet‑tangy, crispy cucumber slices pickled in a classic brine of vinegar, sugar, and spices perfect for sandwiches or snacking.

Equipment

• Water Bath Canner
• Canning Jars
• Canning Lids and Rings
• Jar Lifter
• Funnel
• Bubble Tool or Plastic Utensil

Ingredients

Cucumbers & Onions

• 4 lb pickling cucumbers (sliced ¼″)
• 2 lb onions (thinly sliced)
• ⅓ cup pickling salt

Brine

• 3 cups white vinegar (5%)
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp mustard seed
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp celery seed
• 1 tsp ground ginger (optional)
• 1 tsp peppercorns

Instructions 

• Combine sliced cucumbers, onions, and pickling salt in a large bowl. Cover with ice and let sit 2–3 hours at room temperature.
• Drain and rinse mixture thoroughly; drain well again.
• Heat vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, turmeric, celery seed, ginger (optional), and peppercorns in a large saucepan until sugar dissolves and brine simmers.
• Add drained cucumbers and onions to brine; bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
• Pack hot pickles and brine into sterilized pint jars, leaving ¼″ headspace. Use a bubble tool to remove air bubbles; wipe rims.
• Apply lids and bands fingertip‑tight. Process jars in a boiling‑water canner for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude).
• Remove jars and let rest unopened 5 min, then remove bands and cool undisturbed 12 hours. Test seals and store in cool dark place up to 1 year.

Notes

This adapted recipe balances sweet and tangy flavors with classic pickling spices. Salt‑soaking ensures crunch and bright color. If skipping canning, use as refrigerator pickles store chilled and enjoy within a month.

Calories: 50kcal

Course: Preserve, Side

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Bread & Butter Pickles, Canning, Cucumber

🥄 Instructions

1. Salt the Cucumbers: Combine cucumbers and onions in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt, stir, and let sit for 1 hour. Rinse and drain well.
2. Prepare the Brine: In a saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, turmeric, mustard seed, celery seed, and optional pepper flakes. Bring to a gentle boil.
3. Add the Veggies: Stir the cucumbers and onions into the hot brine and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Pack and Store: Use tongs to transfer pickles into clean jars. Pour hot brine over to cover. Seal jars and cool.

For canning bread and butter pickle recipe easy, follow a basic canning pickles process: sterilize jars, process sealed jars in boiling water for 10 minutes, and store in a cool, dark place.

⏱️ Quick Details

• Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 1 hour salting)
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: ~1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: ~3 pints
• Calories: ~25 per 2 tbsp serving

💛 Why You’ll Love This Bread and Butter Pickle Recipe

• ✅ No fancy tools needed just jars and a saucepan
• ✅ Great for beginners in canning pickles
• ✅ Sweet, tangy, crunchy pure nostalgia!
• ✅ Perfect way to use up garden cucumbers
• ✅ Keeps in the fridge or can be water-bath canned

🌿 A Quick Pickling Note

While these are refrigerator pickles, you can absolutely turn this into a bread and butter pickles canning project. If you’re aiming for shelf-stable storage, just follow safe home canning recipes with proper sterilization and water bath canning. This also works beautifully as a fermented bread and butter pickles base if you prefer the probiotic twist just skip the vinegar and sugar and use a brine.

🥒 Serving Suggestions

• On burgers, pulled pork, or fried chicken sandwiches
• Tossed into pasta salads or potato salad
• Tucked into wraps or Cuban sandwiches
• Chopped finely for a tangy hot dog relish

👩‍🍳 Pro Tips

• Use a mandoline for evenly sliced cucumbers.
• Choose small, firm cucumbers (like pickling cucumbers or Persian).
• Always pack jars while everything is still hot to avoid soggy pickles.
• Let them chill for 24 hours for best flavor before serving.

🧊 Storage and Shelf Life

• Refrigerator pickles: Store in the fridge for up to 3 months.
• Canned pickles: Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to 12 months.
• Once opened, keep refrigerated and use within 2–3 weeks.

For another canning favorite, try our Canning Peaches Recipes sunshine in every jar!

🥰 Final Thoughts from Emma

This Easy Bread And Butter Pickle Recipe has been in my summer canning routine for years. It’s that perfect blend of sweet and tangy with a crunch that sings. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned canner, these pickles are a crowd-pleaser every time.

Want more pickle love? Follow me on Pinterest for home canning recipes, garden-to-jar tips, and the best pickles you’ll ever try. 💛