Homemade pickles, ready overnight!
I hated pickles as a kid. Sweet and salty, dill, or kosher. It didn’t matter. I gave them ALL to my Mom or Dad.
Flash-forward 15 years when I bit into a Chick-fil-a sandwich. What was that unique and INCREDIBLE flavor?! When I peeled back the bun, much to my surprise, there it was… a PICKLE!?
And so my pickle obsession began.
One of the hardest things about making homemade pickles is how long you have to wait to enjoy them. As a rather efficient woman, I needed to come up with a quick way to cure my newfound cravings… that’s when this Overnight Refrigerator Pickles were created! (Shortly followed by Pickled Red Onions, Pickled Carrots, and even Pickled Beets!)
Simple Ingredients You’ll Need
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Seedless Cocktail Cucumbers. Also called “mini cucumbers.” You can find these in your produce section in a small plastic bag and they are about 4-5 inches long. If you cannot find the cocktail cucumbers, you can also opt for the English seedless cucumbers. Just cut them into similarly sized spears that will comfortably fit into a mason jar.
- Vinegar. Distilled white vinegar is the best type of vinegar to use when pickling cucumbers. Any other type, like apple cider vinegar, will largely impact the finishing taste and flavor.
- Salt. Salt is the main component that gives them a salty flavor.
- Sugar. Good ole’ regular white granulated sugar is the way to go. Please do not try to substitute for a healthier alternative such as coconut sugar or another unrefined sugar. They will not taste like the authentic pickles you know and love!
- Dill. In order to give that bright flavor, you will need a few sprigs of fresh dill. Dried can be used but won’t be quite as flavorful and you’ll have to decrease the amount used by a third.
- Garlic. While not absolutely necessary, the garlic does give a nice depth.
- Peppercorns. If you cannot find whole black peppercorns simply substitute for a pinch of ground black pepper.
Step-by-step Instructions
Below you’ll find the simple steps to make this Refrigerator Dill Pickles recipe. Jump to recipe for the printable instructions.
Make the pickling solution.
Add distilled vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a medium-sized sauce pan or pot and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce heat to low and let the vinegar solution simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until the sugar is completely dissolved. Set the pickling brine to the side to cool for a few minutes.
Pro Tip: Keep a close eye on the vinegar solution. If reduced too long, you’ll end up having to add too much water to the jars.
Cut cucumbers into spears.
If using cocktail cucumbers simply cut each one in quarters lengthwise to create spears. For larger cucumbers, cut them in half lengthwise and then again into quarters to get spears about 4-5 inches long.
Add spears and other ingredients.
Place the garlic, peppercorns, red pepper flakes, and dill sprigs at the bottom of a 16-oz. mason jar (these fit 4-inch spears perfectly!) Add the cucumbers to the jar.
Jar Tip: Wide mouth pint jars are are best since you have more room. Also, use one that’s made out of glass and has a secure lid since you’ll be pouring in hot liquid. Do not make them in a plastic container as the acidic solution will leach plastic into them.
Fill with pickling brine and water.
Pour the warm vinegar mixture over the cucumbers and spices.
Add extra water until the solution completely covers the veggies. You do still want to leave a little headspace in the jar, though.
Be sure to wipe the rim and screw the lid on tightly. Refrigerate overnight or up to 4 days before enjoying.
This recipe is not shelf stable. You MUST store in the refrigerator.
Prep-Ahead and Storage Tips
- To Prep-Ahead: Refrigerate pickles for at least 8 hours, or up to 3 days for the best results.
- To Store: Keep pickles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. This is the ideal -time frame to maintain their crisp and crunchy texture. After this time they will begin to get soft and will not have that same delicious crunch.
More Flavor Variations
Mix up the flavors and add in some coriander seeds, mustard seeds, bay leaves, or other spices. Or you can even try this pickling spice!
FAQs
Seedless cocktail cucumbers are a great option for their size and texture. English seedless cucumbers may also be used, however they will need to be cut down into smaller spears.
Both styles use dill weed and dill seed for flavoring. However, kosher dill pickles use garlic and a salty brine to give them their classic flavor.
While you can use dried dill, you won’t get the same fresh flavor. If you need to, use 1-2 teaspoons of dried dill in place of 1 tablespoon fresh.
Yes, you absolutely can. However, since there’s less surface area exposed, it will take longer for the solution to soak into the cucumbers. You’ll need to let them sit for at least 4-5 days until they’re ready to eat.
Other Quick Pickling Recipes
Once you see how easy it easy to pickle pretty much ANY vegetable at home, try one of these delicious recipes next:
- Pickled Red Onions, Pickled Radishes, Pickled Carrots, and Pickled Jalapenos are all perfect for topping tacos and soups!
- Pickled Garlic comes in handy when you have a bunch of garlic you don’t want to go bad.
- Pickled Beets take a little more prep work since you have to make boiled beets first, but absolutely worth it! They add the best flavor to salads.
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Overnight Refrigerator Dill Pickles
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Ingredients
- ⅔ cup distilled white vinegar
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 ¼ tsp. salt plus more to taste
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 garlic cloves whole
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes plus more to taste
- 3 dill sprigs
- 4 cocktail cucumbers each cut into 4 spears
Instructions
- Add vinegar, water, salt, and sugar to a medium-sized pot or sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes, whisking occasionally, or until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and let sit while preparing the jars.⅔ cup distilled white vinegar, ⅓ cup water, 1 ¼ tsp. salt, 3 tablespoons sugar
- Place garlic cloves, peppercorns, red pepper flake, and dill sprigs in the bottom of a 16-ounce mason jar. Add cucumber spears to the jar in a vertical orientation. Pour warm vinegar solution over cucumbers and add additional water as needed to completely cover the cucumbers.2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 pinch red pepper flakes, 3 dill sprigs, 4 cocktail cucumbers
- Refrigerate pickles overnight or up to 3 days for the best results.
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Video
Notes
- Nutrition: An estimate based on only half of the solution being consumed.
- Jars: A 16-oz. mason jar works best. The wide mouth jars will also work equally as well. Just make sure you use glass jars with a tight fitting lid. The hot liquid will leach plastic into the pickles!
- Storage: Pickles will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 1 months and will slowly lose their crispness after that.
- Dill: 1 teaspoon dried dill can be used in place of fresh.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Even More Cucumber Recipes
Have a ton of cucumbers on hand? Here are some of my favorite ways to use them up:
Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad
15 mins
Greek Cucumber Salad
20 mins
Greek Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
15 mins
Avocado Corn Salad
20 mins
I wonder if this recipe would also work for green beans. They are my new addiction.
What a great idea! I haven’t ever tried it with green beans but would love to hear if you do, Crystal 🙂
If you’re looking for a true salty dill pickle, I suggest reducing or eliminating the sugar. I had to modify my liquid with more salt and vinegar because I didn’t read some of the other reviews beforehand. But a nice and easy recipe!
Thanks for your feedback, Courtney! Glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for your comment!
Just wondering if you can use regular sized large cucumbers?
Yes, Lindsey – you can definitely use regular sized cucumbers. You’ll want to make sure they’re still seedless though! Hope you enjoy the pickles 🙂
What are your thoughts on reusing the solution once all the pickles are eaten?
Great question, Pam! I have not personally tried this but think it could work. The solution will be a bit diluted, though, as much of the flavor is absorbed by the pickles. I’d love to hear if you try it out, though!
Can I substitute dill sprigs for dill seeds?
I have not personally tried this, but would guess that it will still turn out delicious! Would love to know if you test it out!
I’m about ready to make them…. but one question…. after you boil the vinegar and water , do you need to allow it to cool or no?
Hi Barbara! Great question! No, you do not need to wait for the liquid to cool if you are using glass jars as recommended. Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
I made these 2 days ago and when I tried them they were more sweet than I like. Can I cut back on the sugar?
Hi April! Yes, you absolutely can cut back on the sugar, or leave it out completely! Totally up to you and your taste preference. Thanks for your comment and rating!
These look AMAZING!! Thank you so much for the idea. Your photos are really pretty, too. One question: what should I do if I want them to be spicy?
Great question, Miranda! You can always add a touch more red and black pepper to give it a spicy pepper kick, or try adding in some jalapenos? Would love to know how they turn out for you!
Hi I haven’t made this recipe yet but I was wondering if you could leave the Cocktail cucumbers whole? Please advise. Thanks!
Hi Lynne!! You absolutely can leave the cucumbers whole, they just might take another 24 hours or so to really soak in the vinegar solution. Would love to know what you think when you make them!! 😀
All pickles all the time! We are NEVER without pickles around here and I just bought some mini cucumbers yesterday to make some refrigerator pickles! The “dillier” the better I always say – thanks for sharing!
Yay!! Making your own at home is the best!! You can add as much dill as you want 😉