I remember my grandmother making ‘refrigerator pickles’ when I was little. I have always loved the sweet, vinegary taste. I feel like they go well with almost any meal! Now that it is cucumber season here, I made my first batch of refrigerator pickles today, and wanted to share the recipe with you!
Ingredients you will need:
7 Cups Cucumbers (Thinly Sliced)
1 Cup White Onion (Thinly Sliced)
1.5 Cups White Sugar
1 Cup Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Celery Seed
1 Teaspoon Mustard Seed
You will also need a couple of quart canning jars or large glass container with a lid. Grandma used to keep them in the fridge in an ice cream pail – so that is an option too! You don’t need to heat or seal these pickles. They will keep in the fridge for months (if you don’t eat them all sooner)!
First, thinly slice the cucumbers. I use the slicer pictured below. You could also slice them thinly with a knife. If you like a larger pickle you can slice them on the diagonal. If you like a smaller pickle you can slice them in coins.
I use my slicer right over the bowl so it doesn’t make a mess.
Next, thinly slice the onion.
Next, add all of the ingredients together in a large bowl & stir to combine.
Let this mixture sit in the fridge for about an hour, so the cucumbers release some of their juices.
Finally, after the pickles have rested in the fridge, use a canning funnel and ladle the pickles into the container(s) you are using to store them in the fridge until you enjoy them!
- 7 Cups Cucumbers (Thinly Sliced)
- 1 Cup White Onion (Thinly Sliced)
- 1.5 Cups White Sugar
- 1 Cup Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Celery Seed
- 1 Teaspoon Mustard Seed
- Begin by thinly slicing 7 cups of cucumbers (4 large or 5-6 medium cukes)
- Next thinly slice 1 cup of white onion.
- Add all ingredients together in a large bowl & stir to combine.
- Place the bowl in the fridge to rest for approximately 1 hour.
- After an hour, use a canning funnel and ladle the pickles into two quart jars.
- Store in the fridge.
- Enjoy!
That’s it! Super simple! Tell me in the comments – have you tried refrigerator pickles before? Do you like them?
Feel free to pin this post to save it for later! Come back and tell me what you think in the comments if you try them!
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Hi, my name is Asha. I am 34-years-old and am a nurse by profession. Right now I am battling Breast Cancer. My husband and I have been married for 8 years and together we have a sweet seven-year-old daughter, a fun four-year-old son, and a lovable bunny named Caramel. I enjoy spending time with family, taking photographs, scrapbooking, hunting, fishing, cooking and gardening.
This post currently has 30 responses.
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Peggy Nunn
That is so simple. I will be making these soon. I remember having these at my grandmother’s too.
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monique s
THis looks really easy to do and would be a great zippy side to burgers or chicken
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Michelle S
This looks really easy! I always thought canning veggie would be difficult.
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Mia E.
I remember my mom making these every summer when she would get batches of cucumbers from the garden. I have never made them myself but it looks simple enough.
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Sarah L
My question is: no vinegar? I thought you needed vinegar to make pickles.
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Asha
Good catch Sarah! It does use vinegar! I will fix!
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Lillian Durfee
It clearly says 1 c of vinegar in the recipe right under the 1.5 c of white sugar.
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It clearly says 1 c of vinegar in the recipe right under the 1.5 c of white sugar.
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Barrie
I’ve always wanted to make pickles, and this recipe looks so easy! Except for the canning, it reminds me of my mom’s sweet and sour cucumbers!
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Dana Rodriguez
I have never made them but these sound yummy! Thanks for the recipe!
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gloria patterson
OMG I have not had these in years!! When I would go to TN to visit in the summer who ever in the family that was cooking always had these made. But I think my aunt made the best.
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Michele C
I have never tried to make these before, but I do love them. I’m inspired and may give it a try.
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Vickie L Couturier
no I have never tried these before,but that does look good an easy to make,,how long wil it last in the frig after its been made?
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Sue E
I have been a pickle fan since I was a little girl and I can buy me a giant whole pickle right out of the barrel from the corner store! I love dill, sweet, garlic pickled, you name it! I haven’t thought about making my own, but I will now with this pinned recipe! Thank you for sharing!
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Denise Low
We have plenty of cucumbers in our garden. I will try this recipe out. It sounds easy and they look delicious.
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Helga
We grow cucumbers every year so I will save this recipe for next year. I love sweet pickles.
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Lauryn R
I have never had refrigerator pickles before, they sound delicious! I am definitely going to make some. I love that they keep for so long. Thank you so much for sharing!
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Carolynn
Hi, I’m doing these tomorrow can the be put in the canner pot and canned? So don’t have to leave in fridge? If so how long. Thank you
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Hi, I’m doing these tomorrow can the be put in the canner pot and canned? So don’t have to leave in fridge? If so how long. Thank you
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Danielle
How long I can keep this in the fridge for
Thank you -
How long I can keep this in the fridge for
Thank you -
Jane
I decided to give these a try but I took a bit of a risk by cutting the recipe down to 1/4 – one person can only eat so many pickles lol. I’m happy to report that they turned out just great, in fact I’m about to make another batch in a few minutes. Until I found this recipe I had never even heard of refrigerator pickles before, I just remember mom making batch after batch of dill or bread and butter pickles and spending days canning them. This is much better in my opinion if you only need a jar or two.
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Miranda
What kind of vinegar do you use?
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What kind of vinegar do you use?
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Tanya
Do you HAVE to leave them in the fridge? Can they be stored in the pantry?
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Barb Golden
Just made these. I make crispy refrigerator dills but have never made sweet. Next time I’ll use Splenda ( I’m a diabetic) so I can enjoy them along with my husband. Thank you for sharing.
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EB
Doesn’t seem like nearly enough liquid. Aren’t the cucumbers supposed to be submerged while stored?
We are finally getting some cucumbers from the garden, so we will have to give this recipe a try!