Super easy, Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles are both sweet and tangy. Made with minimal ingredients, they’re the perfect summertime treat. Fantastic on burgers, with sandwiches or just as a snack.

Bread and Butter Pickles in a jar with a cocktail fork leaning next to it.


Let’s throw it back a couple years….um, decades? I grew up in a REALLY old house….like really old, when we moved in we found a set of skeleton keys that actually worked on a lot of the doors.

The stairs leading to the basement (which I would absolutely NEVER go down) were lined with shelves filled with jars of homemade canned goods. Things like grape jelly, pickled beets, strawberry jam, spaghetti sauce and….Bread and Butter Pickles.

 I remember the pickles were my favorite thing and if there was anything that could get me to open the basement door, it was the Bread and Butter Pickles.

Bread and Butter Pickle on a fork propped on the top of a jar of pickles.

Bread and Butter Pickles

If you’ve never tried a Bread and Butter Pickle, you’re in for a real treat. These pickles are like my favorite thing ever and I can polish off a whole jar in just one sitting.

Homemade Bread and Butter Pickles are a sweet pickle with a bit of a puckery tartness making them fantastic on burgers. They’re made from a smaller Kirby cucumber which can be found at most grocery stores and farmer’s markets. 

This is seriously the easiest refrigerator pickle recipe around because there are only a few steps before you’re stashing them in the refrigerator to pickle for an hour. Yes, your bread and butter pickles will be ready to eat in just one hour!

Ingredients for Quick Pickles

  • Cucumbers – We use cocktail cucumbers, Kirby cucumbers or English cucumbers that don’t need to be peeled.
  • Vinegar – Apple Cider Vinegar is used here for an extra hint of sweetness.
  • Brown Sugar – We love using brown sugar, light or dark will work well.
  • Spices – Pickling spice is a blend of Cinnamon, Allspice, Mustard Seed, Coriander, Bay Leaves, Ginger, Clove, Red Pepper, Black Pepper, Cardamom and Mace. You can make your own blend or buy your favorite brand of spice blend.

How To Make Bread and Butter Pickles

I have a vague recollection of how they were made but I’ve developed my own version and came up with this easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickle recipe. So simple even my basement hating child-self could make them with minimal assistance.

  1. Make the Pickle Brine – Boil the vinegar, water, sugar and pickling spice.
  2. Slice the Cucumbers – Using a mandolin or sharp knife, cut the cucumbers into slices and transfer to a clean jar.
  3. Pickle the Cucumbers – Pour the pickle brine into the jar with the cucumbers and chill for 1 hour or overnight.
  4. Enjoy – Serve your pickles with sandwiches, top burgers or just snack.
cucumbers being sliced on a mandolin
sliced cucumbers in a jar for pickles.
pickle bring being poured into a jar of cucumbers for pickles.

Why are they called Bread and Butter Pickles?

Bread and Butter Pickles were named during the Great Depression. They are an inexpensive kitchen staple so people used them in sandwiches made of bread and butter because they were affordable.

There are other stories on the origin of the name and the spread of their popularity in the United States. Attributed to Omar and Cora Fanning, a pair of Illinois cucumber farmers who started selling sweet and sour pickles in the 1920s and filed for the trademark “Fanning’s Bread and Butter Pickles” in 1923 (though the recipe was developed earlier as history has it written.)

Apparently, the Fannings survived the depressive years by making cucumber pickles with their surplus of undersized cucumbers and trading them with their grocer for staples such as bread and butter.

How To Cut Cucumbers for Pickles

To make my Quick Bread and Butter Refrigerator Pickles pretty I used a mandolin. You can use a handheld slicer for a less expensive option but I like the versatility of a mandolin.

How Long Do Pickles Last

Though your Refrigerator Pickles will be ready to eat in an hour, they’re even better if you let them sit for a few days. Your Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles will last (refrigerated, of course) for up to 3 months.

But, the longer your refrigerator pickles sit the more they’ll lose their crunch. So, more flavor, less crunch but still mighty tasty!

jar of pickles with a cute cocktail fork leading on the side.

Serving Suggestions

We ALWAYS have these easy Bread and Butter Pickles at family barbecues but they’re also fantastic on sandwiches. 

More Easy Pickle Recipes

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jar of pickles with a cute cocktail fork leading on the side.

Get the Recipe: Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 20 minutes
Ready in an hour, these super easy Bread and Butter Refrigerator Pickles are sweet and tart.
4 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 6 small English cucumbers
  • 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pickling spice

Equipment

  • mandoline

Instructions 

  • Using a mandolin, slice the cucumbers into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place the cucumbers in canning jars and set aside.
  • In a small saucepan, add the vinegar, water, brown sugar and pickling spice. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
  • Pour the liquid into the jars filling approximately 3/4 full. Place the lid on the jars and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight. 
  • Serve as desired.

Notes

Pickles will last approximately 2 months in the refrigerator if you don’t eat all of them first.
If you’re looking for something a little spicy, check out these easy Pickled Jalapenos!
Calories: 61kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 0g, Fat: 0g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 7mg, Potassium: 199mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 120IU, Vitamin C: 3.3mg, Calcium: 31mg, Iron: 0.5mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American