Learn how to make easy refrigerator dill pickles for your home! Using simple ingredients of cucumbers, water, vinegar, sugar and salt, this recipe will become a family favorite!

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This dill pickle recipe is one I make every year. We always make a lot because they are great to serve on hamburgers as pickle slices, or pickle spears as a side to a meal or a simple snack. Even though they crowd our basement refrigerator, it is well worth it!
I love when food recipes have meaning. Whether that’s my great-grandma’s Black Raspberry Cake or Christmas Sandbakkels, making recipes that have been in the family for generations is always special. My grandma started this tradition. Her recipe was titled “Russian Dill Pickles” and I grew up making these with my mom, and now I make them for my family.
What’s the difference between refrigerator pickles and canned pickles?
Refrigerator pickles are processed in a vinegar brine, but not water bathed like regular canned pickles. Refrigerator pickles need to be stored in the refrigerator to stay good, unlike canned pickles which are shelf stable.
Now, with this recipe I will tell you that my grandma didn’t put them in the refrigerator. Her recipe also doesn’t include water bathing. Yes, she put them on the shelf, making sure the jars sealed, with no problems.
My mom did it that way too. When I started making them, the first year of our marriage we had a casualty of eight pickle jars that went bad. It probably was an error on my end, but since then I have been putting them in the refrigerator. I work hard at making them and don’t want them to go bad.
Since doing it this way, I also find that my pickles stay more crisp because they are in the cold. Even if they get left in the refrigerator for a year (that’s happened when we’ve had bumper crop years), they still are crisp – no soggy pickles!
Can you pickle regular cucumbers?
No, you will want pickling cucumbers to make these dill pickles.
There are two different kinds of cucumbers – slicing and pickling. Varieties that are a slicing cucumber are meant for fresh eating. These are the cucumbers you typically see in the stores, which are meant to eat as a side to a meal, in salads or for vegetable trays. They are long, with smooth dark green skins.
The pickling cucumber varieties are cucumbers that are meant for just that – pickling! They will appear bumpy and spiny on the outside, with a lighter green color to them. While I have sliced them up for my kids for fresh eating, my kids definitely notice the difference because their skins are slightly bitter. They love them as pickles though!

What kind of vinegar is best for dill pickles?
Distilled white vinegar of 5% acidity is best for making dill pickles. It doesn’t have a fruity flavor like apple cider vinegar or other various vinegars, and I prefer it for using it to do any pickling.
Apple cider, as long it is 5% acidity, will work to use in your pickling, if you so choose. You will just have a slightly different flavor than that of other dill pickles that use distilled white vinegar.
What is dill pickle brine made of?
The brine for this recipe is water, vinegar, sugar and salt. From there, you add dill and other ingredients (if desired) to your jars for extra flavor.
The recipe I have makes 5-7 quarts. If you don’t intend to make that many pickles, or are simply trying this recipe out to see how you like it, I suggest cutting the recipe in half.
How long do refrigerator pickles last?
True refrigerator pickles will last between 1-2 months in the refrigerator. This recipe, however, and the way I go about it will ensure your pickles can last up to a year in the refrigerator.
How? I get my mason jars to seal, just like my other summer canning projects.
Remember I told you my grandma always stored them on a shelf with no water bathing? Sealing her jars was how she got them shelf stable. I simply keep them in the refrigerator now to make sure none of mine go bad, and I enjoy their crisp flavor that comes from being stored in the refrigerator!

Ingredients for Dill Pickles
- Cucumbers
- Dill (we’ve found fresh or frozen dill has the best flavor for this recipe, but dried dill will work too)
- Onions
- Celery (optional)
- Garlic (optional)
- Water
- Vinegar
- Granulated Sugar
- Kosher or Canning Salt
Supplies for Dill Pickles
- 5 – 7 mason jars (we like wide mouth the best to make pickles, but I use regular mouth as well)
- Large bowl
- Large Pot
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Canning Funnel
How to make Dill Pickles step-by-step
First, rinse your cucumbers off and place them in your large bowl. Fill the bowl with cold water and soak the cucumbers for 2 hours. (If you accidentally leave them in longer, they will be fine). Don’t skip this step because this is what helps make your pickles crisp and crunchy!
Towards the end of the soaking period, prepare your quart jars and lids by washing and sterilizing them. You can sterilize them in hot water, or I put them in the oven on 170 – 200 degrees, and the lids and rings are separate from the jars on a plate.
When the cucumbers are done soaking, drain the water from the bowel.

Use a knife and cutting board to cut off both ends of the all cucumbers. Then, cut the cucumbers into spears or slices depending on the kind of cucumbers you want to make.

Pack the cucumbers spears or slices into the prepared quart jars. Make sure you get them as tight as possible, otherwise you will have more brine than pickles in your jar!

Pack an onion and sprig of dill in each jar. If using the optional garlic and celery, place a clove of garlic and 1/2 stalk of celery in each jar as well. Set aside the jars.

In a large pot, mix your water, vinegar, sugar and salt together (this is your brine mixture). Place over high heat and bring your brine to a boil, stirring occasionally to fully dissolve the sugar and salt.
Once boiling, ladle your brine mixture into your jars leaving a 1/2 inch headspace.

Remove the air bubbles in the jars with a chopstick or other small object. Once finished, if you need more brine to bring it up to the 1/2 inch headspace, ladle in more brine.
Wipe the jar rims clean with a towel, and securely fasten the lids.
Let the jars sit in an undisturbed place until cool. Place in refrigerator for 1 – 2 days at least for the cucumbers to absorb more of the brine mixture before eating for the best flavor.

Notes
- The soaking period for the cucumbers help them stay crisp and crunchy as pickles. You will not want to skip this step!
- Since I usually sterilize my jars in the oven on 170 – 200 degree heat, I will leave my lids in the oven until I am ready to fasten them on the jars. The hot brine and hot lids are usually enough to get the jars to create a seal, which helps them last longer in the refrigerator.
- If you don’t want to wait so long to put your brine in the jars once you are done packing, mix the brine ingredients together and start it on the stove while you pack your cucumbers in the jars. (Just be sure to stir it occasionally to help the sugar and salt fully dissolve!)
If try this recipe and love it like our family does, I would love it if you gave it 5 stars! Thank you!

Dill Pickles Recipe
Crunchy, crisp and full of flavor, these easy refrigerator dill pickles will be a family favorite during summer barbeques or for an afternoon snack!
Ingredients
- 10 - 14 pounds of cucumbers
- 5-7 sprigs of dills
- 5-7 small onions
- 4 stalks of celery (optional)
- 5-7 cloves of garlic (optional)
- 2 qts. water
- 1 qt. vinegar
- 3 c. white sugar
- 3/4 c. Kosher or canning salt
Instructions
- Soak whole cucumbers in cold water for 2 hours in a large bowl.
- Towards the end of the soaking period, prepare the quart jars and lids by washing and sterilizing them.
- Remove the water once done soaking, and cut off both ends of the cucumbers.
- Cut the rest of the cucumber lengthwise into spears or slices.
- Pack the cucumbers spears or slices into the prepared quart jars, and pack an onion and sprig of dill in each jar. If using the optional garlic and celery, place a clove of garlic and 1/2 stalk of celery in each jar as well. Set the jars aside.
- In a large pot, mixture the water, vinegar, sugar and salt together. Place over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to full dissolve the sugar and salt.
- Once boiling, ladle your brine mixture into your jars leaving a 1/2 inch headspace.
- Remove the air bubbles in the jars with a chopstick or other small object. Ladle in more brine, if needed.
- Wipe the jar rims clean with a towel, and securely fasten the lids.
- Let the jars sit in an undisturbed place until cool. Place in refrigerator for 1 -2 days at least for the cucumbers to absorb more of the brine mixture before eating for the best flavor.
Notes
1. I usually sterilize my jars in the oven on 170 - 200 degree heat. I will leave my lids in the oven until I am ready to fasten them on the jars. The hot brine and hot lids are usually enough to get the jars to seal.
2. If you don't want to wait so long to put your brine in the jars once you are done packing, mix the brine ingredients together and start it on the stove while you pack your cucumbers in the jars.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 42 Serving Size: 2 spearsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 84Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2425mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 1gSugar: 17gProtein: 1g
These sound delicious! Thanks for sharing a great guide to make these!
This recipe looks delicious. I’ve been wanting to try and make some refrigerator pickles, so I will have to try this recipe out. Thank you for sharing!!