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Bread and butter pickles are the pickle almost everyone likes. They seem to have that balance between tangy, sour, and sweet. It’s just enough sourness to tickle the side of your cheek, but it soon leaves with a pleasant sweetness left behind.
Like a lot of homemade goods, you can now easily find packets that only require vinegar and water to create the brine. They work and taste fine, but are also packed with more sugar and more salt. That’s no good as we get more than enough of those two from so many other sources.
This recipe offers a completely homemade approach. The mixture has simple ingredients that come together for a perfectly simple and crave-able pickle.
What makes a bread and butter pickle unique?
I always ask myself: why do so many of us seek out a bread and butter pickle? I think it’s due to one main thing. Dill pickles have one main spice/herb that’s used: dill. They’re often on the sour side with a strong briny bite.
In contrast, bread and butter pickles use a blend of turmeric, clove, celery seed, and red pepper flakes for a rounded-out flavor. None of the spices stand out, but all blend together for a richer taste. The brine is heavy on vinegar but is balanced out with sugar to give a slight sweetness. This all creates a perfectly neutral pickle that both sour and sweet fans like.
Can any cucumber be used for pickles?
I grow various types of cucumbers and they all can be delicious when made into pickles. But there are a few things to know about which varieties work best.
Most homegrown cucumbers are called pickling cucumbers and have telltale distinctive bumpy skin and smaller size. Smaller cucumbers, in the range of one to two inches, have fewer seeds in the middle, which makes them perfect for slicing into chips or spears.
While they may be easier to find, the English or hothouse style cucumbers, known for their smooth skins, that come wrapped in plastic at grocery stores are not the best option. They have a tendency to get soft once canned. No one wants that!
If possible, it’s best to stick with a pickling cucumber.
Each altitude can require a different processing time. I’m located between 0 and 1,000 feet above sea level. If you are at a different elevation, make sure to check the USDA Canning Guide for your processing time:
| Elevation | 0 to 1,000 ft | 1,001 to 6,000 ft | 6,000 ft + |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | 10 minutes | 15 minutes | 20 minutes |
More pickle recipes
Canned Dill Pickles
Refrigerator Dill Pickles
Quick Pickled Carrots
Bread and Butter Quick Pickles
Watch how to make these bread and butter pickles
Note: This recipe was updated in August 2024. The written instructions in the recipe card below differ slightly from the video but are the correct process to follow.
Food safety tip: This recipe may not be approved by the USDA. To prevent the risk of botulism, always check with the USDA Canning Guide.
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
How to Can Bread and Butter Pickles
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 lb pickling cucumbers 4 to 6 inches in length
- 3 medium onions sliced
- ½ cup canning salt
For the brine
- 3 cups distilled white vinegar (5%)
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp whole cloves
- 1 ½ tsp celery seed
- 2 tsp mustard seed
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Prepare the cucumbers. Cut ¹⁄₁₆-inch off the blossom end of each cucumber and discard. Cut into ¼-inch slices. Combine cucumbers, onion, and salt in a large bowl. Mix to combine and cover with ice cubes. Refrigerate for 4 hours, adding more ice as needed. Then, drain the cucumbers and onions.6 lb pickling cucumbers, 3 medium onions, ½ cup canning salt
- Prepare the water bath. Get ready 8 pint jars, lids, and rings.
- Prepare the brine. In a 4-quart kettle, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, turmeric, cloves, celery seed, mustard seed, and red pepper flakes. Stir to dissolve the sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer to keep the brine warm.3 cups distilled white vinegar (5%), 2 cups water, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 ½ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp whole cloves, 1 ½ tsp celery seed, 2 tsp mustard seed, ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- Prepare the jars. Pack sterilized jars with drained cucumbers and onions, leaving ½-inch headspace. Pour brine over prepared cucumbers and onions, still leaving that ½-inch headspace. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean cloth to remove any drips. Place on lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tightness.
- Place jars in the boiling water bath. Bring back to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Check with the USDA canning guide and adjust the processing time for altitude.
- Remove from the water bath and cool for 12 to 24 hours. Remove rings to ensure a good seal and store for up to one year.
I’m going to make pickles this weekend, going to try your recipe.
I had to use dry mustard, no mustard seeds to be found anywhere locally. Still tastes good. Btw, the recipe calls for 2 top sale yet instructions say 3 tsp…I used 2 tsp.
Can’t wait to share with family.
I made these this week. My first attempt at canning ever. It was so much easier than I expected. All the jars sealed. Hooray! We tasted them today and they are delicious! Thank you!♥️
OMG, that is wonderful brine! Had a bunch of cucumbers at end of season, already had our first frost here in SE Idaho. Was craving my grandmother’s bread and butter pickles. Put them up in 12 oz jars as just 2 of us and husband more of a dill pickle fan. (But then he tasted the brine, may have to fight him for them, lol). We had a few slices left and put them in a glass container with rest of brine and stuck them in fridge. Hoping they’ll be decent in a couple days. Thank you for your videos, keep them coming, I enjoy them so much!
Hi Kaleb
Watched your video on Facebook for bread and butter cucumber pickles looks easy and yummy so I’m making them this afternoon
I’m learning from your videos keep them coming
Thanks Gail
Great job love the video
Yippee, I finally found a bread and butter pickle recipe I love!!
Once again, Kaleb nailed it! Love the aromatic spices in this recipe, especially the cloves. Don’t leave out the cloves! So fragrant and yummy.
#WyseGuide #ThatssoWyse
These are sooop good remind me of my grandmother’s minus the pepper flakes.
I’m like you I love seeing the seeds and onions in my pickles…
I’m from the south louisiana girl originally then to Texas for years.
My husband and I just retired to Missouri
Love the place but the food is DEFINITELY
a real change. I grew up on Southern cooking home cooking, Cajun to Tex mex
I love your cooking as it’s home style.
I’ve always made my own pickles jams jelly and preserves…
If you would like I have a great old recipe for strawberry fig preserves
They are everyone’s fav.
I’m so glad I came across your video.
Thanks for the memories of cooking with my mamaw….
Tess
These were absolutely fantastic! Best bread & butter pickles I’ve ever tried!
Thank you for sharing ❤️
I haven’t made these yet but trust me, I will! I love bread n butter pickles!
I just would like to ask how many cucumbers are required? Some recipes say a gallon of cucumber slices. Well, how many cucumbers does that take? Can’t wait to make these!!
I have a question about the water. Why add back 1 cup water when you used the salt to draw it out?
Great help with the garden and cooking
Hi – I just finished canning your Bread & Butter Pickle recipe but I am not sure how long after they cook can we eat them? I know your Spicy Dill Recipe states 2 weeks to sit – but need to know how soon can we enjoy the B & B recipe 🙂 Great video! 👍
Loved the video. Well done and explained. Great receipt.
I love your recipes and want to make your bread and butter pickle recipe. How many pounds is 1 gallon of pickles?
Thank you!
This was my first time making this recipe and I needed to make another small batch of brine as it wasn’t enough to cover my cucumbers. I am hoping these seal. Will find out soon.
1 gallon of pickles is 5 pounds of cucumbers. Hopefully you have a scale.
I was so looking forward to making these, and they turned out ok. But I had to make two batches of brine, because there was only enough for,4 jars. I thought I had missed something, but the second batch also did 4 jars.
OMGosh Kaleb! What a find to have your recipe for B & B Pickles. Both doable and delicious 😋. This will be my summer project from here on! Thank you so very much!
Hi, I just made these with my garden cucumbers ( english mostly) but I didn’t have any whole cloves, so I put in a pinch of ground cloves. Do you think this will work? Can’t wait to taste the final product. Thank you for your step by step video, very helpful.
I don’t have whole cloves either. Did using ground cloves work for you?
These were very easy to make, and they look beautiful in the jar, but my question is, and maybe I just didn’t catch the answer in your recipe, but how long must they sit in the jar, before they’re ready to eat? Can’t wait to try them!!😋😋😋👍🏼👊🏼😎☕️
I usually let them sit at least two weeks before I pop open a jar, but they could technically be consumed right away. Before opening a jar, I like to place them in the refrigerator to ensure the pickles are cold when eaten. I hope this helps, Christopher!
I served these at a cookout, and everyone loved them, so I want to can them in quart jars, and my question to you is “how long in the canner for quarts?” Most pickle recipes state 10 minutes for pints and 15 minutes for quarts… does that sound correct for this recipe? Delicious pickles Kaleb, kudos!👍🏼👊🏼😎
The flavour is wonderful. Store bought just don’t compare. Caution…cold pickles, even into hot jars, may suffer thermal shock (two of mine) put into very hot canning pot. First time I tried cold cukes into a hot jar then into kettle. Not sure what temp I should have held the canning pot at in order not to suffer shock.
Sounds easy enough going try them.
Just tried these. I made them with my garden cucumbers last summer. They are just as you discrived. My only issue is they are a bit salty so i think i did not rinse will enough 😫 I’m 66 and this was my first attempt at canning thanks to your encouragement!
thankyou for your recipe for taco cassarole. It was straight forward and delicious.I intend to make a lot more of your recipes.
This is by far my favorite B&B pickle! And because there’s a little less sugar than usual, even people that don’t normally like B&B pickles because they’re too sweet – love these! I can’t keep them on my shelf very long! New family request was to make them a little spicy, so with the next batch, I’m going to try adding some red pepper flakes!
I think I may give that I shot next time I make them as well! Thanks for the Suggestion. Altho as you said, these are great just as they are!
I’m looking forward to making this
First of all this recipe is so good! My question is, how long does a jar last when kept in the fridge after opening?
They last forever, sometimes I don’t can and put in the fridge for the year in a gallon glass jar.
I make these every year for my family. This year I didn’t have white vinegar and used apple cider. They look yummy and I’m sure they’ll be delicious. Thank you Kaleb, bleach removes turmeric easily.
I am making them now. How long do I have to wait before eating.
Excellent.
Third year of making this recipe! Love it! I just reduced the whole cloves a bit. But that is just a personal taste!
Thanks for this great recipe, I made these last week and they are great !
Can I add cauliflower to this recipe for canning ?
Thanks
Hi Kaleb
I have a balcony garden and like to make your pickles but I don’t have that many pickles I do I make the recipe with less pickles? Is canning salt a must? Please let me know at your earliest. Thank you and I love watching your videos and great recipes. Thank you. Karen
August 10/2024. Did your bread and butter pickles today. Anxious to taste them.
I had some Extra Brine so I just sliced up some more Cucumbers & Onions and threw them in a jar with the extra… Ate some the next day out of the Fridge, SO GOOD!! I can’t wait to taste the ones that I actually processed per this recipe!!