Best Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe (Canning or Refrigerator)

Say hello to my favorite pickle recipe! These bread and butter pickles are easy to make, deliciously crisp, and the perfect balance of tangy, sweet, and a little bit spicy (if you use the optional hot peppers). I love them with veggie sandwiches, burgers, egg salad, fish tacos and more.

Homemade bread and butter pickles stay good in the refrigerator for several months so I don’t always can mine, but this recipe is safe for canning so I’ve included those instructions too. This is the perfect way to preserve fresh cucumbers from the summer garden!

Inspired by my Dad’s love of bread and butter pickles, I created this recipe by combining the best parts of my favorite refrigerator pickles, zesty zucchini relish, and our ever-popular cowboy candy recipe – and it turned out phenomenal!

What are Bread and Butter Pickles?

Unlike classic sour pickles that rely mostly on vinegar, dill, and garlic for flavor, or sweet pickles that are fairly plain and strictly sweet, bread and butter pickles are made with a more complex combination of vinegar, sugar, and spices like mustard seed, turmeric, celery seed, and clove. They’re sweet, sour, savory, sometimes spicy and usually include onions too.

Apparently the “bread ‘n butter” name dates back to the early 1920’s. Historical sources report that a couple of Illinois farmers, Cora and Omar Fanning, were struggling to make ends meet so they worked out a deal with their local grocer to trade jars of their coveted homemade sweet and sour pickle chips for bread, butter, and other staples. They filed a trademark soon after (now expired) and the name grew in popularity ever since.

The Best Cucumbers to Use

To make the most crunchy bread and butter pickles possible, it’s best to use small cucumber varieties such as Persian or pickling cucumbers. However, I usually just pick my homegrown English cucumbers while they’re still on the small side and they work perfectly too.

It’s also best to use cucumbers that are as fresh and firm as possible. If you grow your own, try to use them within a day or two after harvest (and store them in the refrigerator in the meantime).

If you buy cucumbers, select ones that are still plenty firm and crisp. Cucumbers from the local farmer’s market will always be more fresh than those from larger grocery stores.

Supplies

• mixing bowl
• large colander or strainer
• 4 to 6 quart cooking pot
• knife or crinkle cutter
• optional: canning supplies including jars, lids, a canning pot, rack, jar lifter, etc.

Ingredients

YIELD: This recipe will make about 4 pints of bread and butter pickles

• 3 pounds of small, fresh cucumbers (pickling or Persian preferred)
• 1 medium white or yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2.5 Tbsp sea salt, kosher, canning or pickling salt – not regular table salt (used during pickle prep only, don’t add to brine!)
• Optional: 2 fresh hot chili peppers, sliced into rings (I recommend using red jalapeños or Fresno chiles) or sub with 1 tsp red chili flakes

Pickling Brine

• 3 cups vinegar (5% acidity). I personally like to use half apple cider vinegar and half distilled white vinegar (1.5 cups of each) for the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors.
• 1 to 1.5 cups white sugar (sliding scale for personal preference – my recipe already uses far less than most!)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and thinly sliced (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
• 1 Tbsp yellow mustard seed
• 1 tsp celery seed
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp whole peppercorns
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves or allspice

Instructions 

1) Prep and Salt Cucumbers

Don’t skip this step! Salting the cucumbers helps draw out extra water, which will make your finished bread and butter pickles even more flavorful and crunchy.

• Wash the cucumbers well and trim off (discard) both ends. Then cut the cucumbers into approximately 1/4-inch thick slices. I love to use a crinkle cutter to make my bread and butter pickles extra fun and wavy. (Thinner slices will yield softer, more pliable pickles while thicker slices will stay more crisp.)
  
  
• Peel and thinly slice the onions, along with the optional peppers.
  
  
• Combine the sliced cucumbers, onions, and peppers in a large mixing bowl, and sprinkle with sea salt or canning salt. Gently toss and mix to evenly distribute the salt. (I like to add half the salt first, stir well, add the other half, then mix again.)
  
  
• Cover the bowl and let it rest in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. You should see a lot of water collect in the bottom of the bowl by the end.

TIP: If you want to can your bread and butter pickles, get your canning supplies ready (including pre-heating your water bath canner) while they rest in the fridge. Since pickles are processed for over 10 minutes, it’s NOT necessary to pre-sterilize the jars.

2) Strain and Rinse

• When the time is up, transfer the cucumber mixture to a strainer or colander.
  
  
• In the sink, rinse the cucumber mixture very well under cool running water for a couple minutes to wash away the salt, gently stirring and tossing to ensure they’re thoroughly rinsed.
  
  
• Allow the rinsed cucumbers to drip and drain for several minutes, gently shaking the strainer. While they’re draining, start heating the brine on the stovetop.

3) Make Brine and Pickles

• In a large pot, combine the vinegar, sugar, sliced garlic, and pickling spices: mustard seed, celery seed, turmeric, peppercorns, and allspice or cloves. (Do not add salt.) Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
  
  
• Add the sliced cucumber mixture and heat again, but only until the brine comes back to quick and gentle boil – then remove from heat. Stir gently a few times while heating. Overcooking the cucumbers will make your finished bread and butter pickles less crisp.
  
  
• While they’re still warm, use a slotted spoon or tongs to completely pack hot jars with sliced cucumbers, onions, and peppers first (without the brine) – filling the jars up to 1″ of the rim.
  
  
• Then ladle the hot brine or pickling syrup into the jars over the pickles. Leave 1/2″ head space if canning.
  
  
• See canning instructions below. Or to make refrigerator pickles, simply allow the jars to cool slightly before adding a lid and storing them in the refrigerator. The flavor will continue to develop and improve in the days after they’re first made!

TIP: If you have any leftover brine or pickling syrup, add it to a jar with some sliced peppers, green zucchini, green beans, or other veggies to make some quick refrigerator pickles!

Canning Bread and Butter Pickles

• After filling the jars with bread and butter pickles (with ½ inch head space), remove air bubbles from the packed jars with a canning bubble tool, chopstick, or clean butter knife.
  
  
• Wipe the rim of the jars with a damp paper towel or clean cloth. A clean rim is essential for a good seal!
  

• Place fresh canning lids centered on the jars, and then add jar rings. Lightly tighten the jar rings to finger-tight only.
  
  
• Using a jar lifter or canning tongs, carefully transfer the jars of bread and butter pickles into a ready and boiling hot bath canner. The jars should be covered by at least 1 to 2 inches of water, and be resting on a canning rack (not directly on the bottom of the pot)
  
  
• Return to a boil and then process the pickles for 10 minutes at sea level, adjusting for elevation. See chart below.
  
  
• When the time is up, remove the lid and turn off the heat, but let the jars sit in the canner for another 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack. Leave jars undisturbed for at least 12 hours before checking seals. (Do not stack or press on the top of the lids.)

Recommended process time for Bread and Butter Pickles in a boiling water canner.	Process Time at Altitudes of
Style and Jar Size	0 – 1,000 ft	1,001 – 6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft
Hot Pack: half-pints, pints or quarts	10 mins	15	20

Storage and Shelf Life

Canned bread and butter pickles will stay good for one year or longer when sealed and stored at room temperature – and are best stored in a cool dark location such as a pantry, cupboard, basement or root cellar. Refrigerate after opening and use within 3 months. 

Refrigerator bread and butter pickles (not canned) can also last for up to a year, though the quality and texture is best if consumed within 2 to 3 months. Refrigerate at all times. Discard if mold or off odors develop. 

You can also freeze bread and butter pickles for up to a year in airtight freezer containers. Defrost in the refrigerator.

Ways to Use Bread and Butter Pickles

Compared to classic dills, I think the sweet-n-spicy, relish-like flavor of bread and butter pickles compliments an even wider variety of meals.

They’re delicious with burgers, sandwiches, tacos, and salads – including leafy greens, pasta, potato, or tuna salad. They’re also fantastic with egg dishes like scrambled eggs, frittata, egg salad or quiche. I especially love bread and butter pickles with quinoa or salmon bowls, crackers and cheese (or cream cheese), or simply straight out of the jar.

Don’t sleep on eating those pickled onions too!

All in all, I hope you love this recipe as much as we do. Please leave a review below once you give it a try, and feel free to ask any questions in the comments.

You may also like:

• Easy Sweet ‘n Spicy Pepper Jelly Recipe
• Best Refrigerator Pickles: Quick, Easy, Crunchy Dill Pickles
• Easy Roasted Tomato Sauce Recipe (Freeze or Can)
• Cowboy Candy Recipe aka Candied Jalapeños
• Quick Pickled Dilly Green Beans Recipe