Bread and Butter Pickles (2024)

Delightfully crunchy with the perfect balance of sweet and tart, these bread and butter pickles are a breeze to make and can be stored in the refrigerator or canned for long-term storage. These are practically a staple in our home and we love them on sandwiches, burgers, or chopped up in a variety of salads!

The Best Bread and Butter Pickles

Despite their name, they have neither bread nor butter in their list of ingredients. So where did the name come from? We don’t know for certain but some trace their origin back to the Great Depression when homemade bread and butter could be made inexpensively as were pickles made from homegrown cucumbers. Slices of white bread were spread with butter and layered with pickles. And so the term bread and butter pickles came about.

These old-fashioned bread and butter pickles have the perfect balance of sweet and sour and retain their crunch beautifully if you store them in the fridge. If you decide to water bath can them they’ll retain some crunch but not as much and the crunch will continue to decrease over time.

My favorite way to enjoy these pickles is on sandwiches. They make any cheese and cold cuts sandwich ten times better! They’re also great on burgers or chopped up and added to potato, macaroni, chicken, or tuna salads.

What Kind of Cucumbers Should I Use?

Look for “pickling cucumbers.” These are small, thin-skinned cucumbers that are specifically meant for pickling, whether for pickling whole, as spears, or in slices. Avoid the large waxed cucumbers as the skins are very thick and…well, waxy…and they have a lot of seeds. If you grow your own cucumbers you can use regular cucumbers if they’re picked while small.

What Kind of Salt Should I Use?

Table salt contains additives like iodine and anti-caking agents that, while “safe” to use, will turn your pickles an unattractive grayish color and will turn your brine cloudy. Use either pickling salt (also called canning salt) or kosher salt which do not contain additives.

What Kind of Vinegar Should I Use?

Be sure to use vinegar that is at least 5% acidity. We’re using a combination of apple cider vinegar and white vinegar for optimal flavor and tartness.

Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe

Let’s get started!

Wash your cucumbers, slice off 1/8 inch from each end (discard), and slice the cucumbers into 1/4 inch rounds. You can do this by hand or, to ensure the slices are uniform, you can use a mandolin. Some mandolins also come with a crinkle cut blade if you prefer that shape.

Place the sliced cucumbers in a large bowl. Sprinkle the salt over them and toss them to distribute the salt. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and place them in the fridge for at least 2 hours (or up to 4 hours). This will draw excess water out of the cucumbers to prevent the brine from being diluted (and ensure safe canning) as well as increase the crunchiness of the pickles.

Thoroughly rinse the cucumbers, drain, and then rinse and thoroughly drain again. Toss in the thinly sliced onions.

Pickling Brine

Place the remaining ingredients in a medium sized pot and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Pack the cucumbers and onions into glass jars up to at least an inch from the rim (if canning, be sure to sterilize the jars first).

Pour the hot brine over the cucumbers and onions in the jars until the they are covered in brine. If you’re planning on storing the pickles in the fridge, allow the jars to sit at room temperature until completely cooled, then screw on the lids and place the jars in the fridge. For best flavor, wait at least one week before eating. Occasionally give the bottle a shake to redistribute the spices. The flavor will continue to improve over time.

Canning Pickles

Pack the cucumbers and onions into sterilized jars an inch from the rim. Pour the hot brine into the jars 1/2 inch from the rim. Screw on the sterilized lids. Place the jars in the boiling water bath and process for 15 minutes (20 minutes for altitudes 1001-6000 feet or 25 minutes for altitudes over 6000 feet). Carefully remove the jars from the canner and place them on the counter to sit undisturbed for 24 hours. Remove the rims, check the seals, and transfer the jars to a cool, dark place where they will keep for up to one year, though for best texture use within 6 months. (If the jars didn’t seal properly transfer them to the refrigerator.) Wait at least one week after making the pickles to eat them, preferably two weeks, for best flavor.

Enjoy!

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For more great pickling recipes be sure to try our: