Refrigerator Sweet Pickles, an easy sweet dill pickle recipe full of flavor and ready the next day. No canning needed for these simple pickles that can be eaten as a snack, added to burgers, or made into relish!
These easy Refrigerator Sweet Pickles are perfect for summer! Great way to use up some of those summer cucumbers. The best for summer picnics, BBQs, and potlucks.
I’m not one for canning, so refrigerator pickles have been my go-to for years! These sweet pickles are a bit sweet and sour thanks to the sugar and vinegar. If pickles aren’t your thing, give these Pickled Jalapeños a try.
What are Refrigerator Pickles
Refrigerator Pickles are easy homemade pickles that do not need to go through the “canning” method. You generally pour a hot brine over the cucumbers (or vegetables) and refrigerate overnight or longer. Easy!
You do need to store the pickles in the refrigerator. They are not shelf-stable since they did not go through the typical canning method BUT they last a long time in the fridge.
(Full printable recipe card is at bottom of post.)
Sweet Pickles Ingredients
- Fresh dill
- Garlic
- Onion
- Cucumbers (small thin firm cucumbers that don’t have a lot of seeds tend to work best)
- Water
- White vinegar (or vinegar of choice but can change the taste of the pickles quite a bit
- Sugar
- Salt
- Pepper
How to Make Refrigerator Sweet Pickles
- PREP INGREDIENTS. Place dill, garlic, and onion in a large mason jar. Fill jar to top with cucumbers.
- MAKE BRINE. Meanwhile, place the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in small saucepan over high heat. Whisk until the mixture comes to a boil and sugar has dissolved. Pour hot liquid over cucumbers. Cool slightly, then place top on jar and refrigerate overnight. Shake occasionally.
Uses for Sweet Pickles
- Delicious on or in sandwiches (like on this Chick-fil-A Sandwich), burgers (like these Killer Burgers or Pickle Chicken Burgers), and hot dogs.
- Perfect chopped up and put in salads like pasta salads (like this Pasta Salad), chicken salads, and more.
- Chop up the pickles and make a sweet relish.
Quick Tips for Best Results
- Small thin firm cucumbers that do not have a lot of seeds seem to work best. Big wide cucumbers with a lot of seeds just don’t seem to work as well but you’re welcome to try.
- Make sure the brine is hot when pouring over the cucumbers. It seems to soak in the brine a little better.
- Refrigerate the pickles at least 12 hours but a few days is even better if you can.
- Fresh dill works a lot better than dried.
- Wide mouth glass jars, such as wide-mouthed quart mason jars, work well for storing.
- If you can shake the jar every now and then for the first day or so.
Refrigerator Sweet Pickles FAQ
How should I store the pickles?
Store the pickles covered in the fridge. They are not shelf-stable.
Can I freeze them?
No, I would not suggest freezing them.
How long will the Refrigerator Sweet Pickles last?
Depending on how fresh your ingredients are, they should last at least a few weeks to a few months.
Substitutions?
Instead of granulated sugar, you could try other sweeteners. Different kinds of vinegar would also be fun to experiment with.
Can I use low-fat ingredients?
All the ingredients should already be low-fat.
What else can I add to this recipe?
You can add your favorite spices or herbs. Mustard seed, celery seed, or even turmeric would be good. For a sweet and spicy pickle, a few slices of jalapeño would be great.
Didn’t turn out, what went wrong?
It’s generally the type of cucumber people use. Wide watery cucumbers full of seeds do not usually work well.
Can I make this vegan/vegetarian/low carb/gluten-free?
Here are some suggestions, but I can’t guarantee results. Be sure as always to check particular brands and ingredients if you’re following a specific diet or have diet restrictions or allergies.
Vegan – All ingredients should be vegan.
Vegetarian – All ingredients should also be vegetarian.
Low-Carb – You can try a sugar substitute for a lower carb version.
Gluten-Free -All ingredients should be gluten-free.
I’m a bit of a refrigerator pickle addict, so check out all my other pickle recipes!
Other Refrigerator Pickle Recipes You May Enjoy
- Italian Pickles – Delicious dill pickles with Italian seasoning.
- Mexican Pickles – Another easy dill refrigerator pickle recipe with Mexican flavors.
- Overnight Homemade Pickles – A simple traditional refrigerator pickle recipe.
- Ranch Pickles – Dill pickles with ranch seasoning, delicious!
- Spicy Pickles – A bit of a kick in this one.
Hope you enjoy this quick and simple homemade refrigerator pickle recipe. Tell me in the comments if you added any other herbs or spices!
Like cucumbers? You might also like this Cucumber Raita recipe!
Refrigerator Sweet Pickles
Ingredients
- 1 cup (or handful) of fresh dill sprigs
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 3 cups thinly sliced small cucumbers
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup white vinegar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place dill, garlic, and onion in a large mason jar. Fill jar to top with cucumbers.
- Meanwhile, place the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in small saucepan over high heat. Whisk until the mixture comes to a boil and sugar has dissolved. Pour hot liquid over cucumbers. Cool slightly, then place top on jar and refrigerate overnight. Shake occasionally.
Notes
(Nutrition data is provided when available for informational purposes only and calculated using an online nutritional calculator. For the most accurate information please calculate based on specific ingredients and brands you use as well as any changes you made to the recipe. I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietician and any nutritional information provided should only be used as a general guideline and estimate.)
This post was originally published in (month year), but updated in (month year) with additional information.
Renae says
Hi, I noticed all your other pickle recipes take 1.5 cups water but this one only half a cup when the vinegar stays the same. Is this accurate or a typo?
Lisa Huff says
Thanks for asking! It is accurate. There is more sugar in this one so need to make sure it all fits in the jar. :)
Adam says
What can I do to make them shelf stable?
Lisa Huff says
Sorry, you’d have to go through a canning process and to be honest I’m not sure if this recipe is safe for canning.
Judy says
I am anxious to try these but a quick question…..if I don’t have fresh dill, is dill weed ok? How much dill weed to equal one cup of fresh dill?
Lisa Huff says
I would strongly recommend fresh dill. Not sure how well dried dill will work but if you still want to give it a try I’d start with one teaspoon of dried for every Tablespoon of fresh.
Mark Kestner says
I made these this morning. I used 4 cups of sliced cucumbers and adjusted the recipie accordingly. I filled 2 quart jars with the sliced cucumbers and had to make another single batch of brine to get enough brine to fill both jars. Not sure what size container you used for this recipe. My increase wasn’t all that significant and I figured the ratios for the increased brine. Still had to make more.
Lisa Huff says
I used quart jars with 3 cups of cucumbers and 1 cup of fresh dill. If you split 4 cups between 2 jars you probably had a lot more room in the jar and that’s why you needed more liquid. Next time, I’d suggest just filling up the jars with as many cucumbers as you can before adding the liquid.
Sheri says
Why does all Sweet pickles recipes have Onion in it but when I buy sweet pickles there is no onion or dill in it?
Lisa Huff says
Well you could definitely try without and see if you like.
Lloyd Beaman says
Very good information, BUT, I have a concern.
My Green Cucumbers are turning white on half of them after they have been picked for several days. Should this be a concern?
Lisa Huff says
After being picked or pickled? Turning white after being picked could have different causes I believe so I think I’d suggest googling that one and see what possible causes may pertain to your cucumbers and area.
Mark says
How long do they last in the fridge?
Lisa Huff says
At least a few weeks if not longer.
Crystal says
This is my go to recipe for pickles. I have been using it for the past year. Question , can you can these ? Just looking for options than taking up space in fridge , thanks
Lisa Huff says
Thank you so much! Unfortunately, I’m not much of a canning expert so can’t really say if it’s safe for canning. I would guess it would change the taste and texture though.
Erica says
These were AMAZING!! I hate pickles so I was shocked when I ate 1/2 the jar!!! I love the sweet crunch. These are a staple in our house now.
Lisa Huff says
Thank you so much Erica! So happy to hear you enjoy the pickles!
John says
Excellent better then store bought small cucumbers work best
Lisa Huff says
Thank you so much! And yes, the smaller thinner cucumbers seem to work the best.
Patty at Spoonabilities says
I could totally eat the entire jar. These look amazing!
Sara says
I had no idea you could make pickles without canning! I am going to try this with some fresh farmers market cucumbers!
Amy says
Yum these pickles look so tasty!
Sue says
Pickles without all the work of canning? I am THERE! Thank you for this easy recipe.