Bread and Butter Pickle Recipe: Sweet and Tangy Cucumber Slices

By Aquarium Guides Editorial Team · Updated November 10, 2026

Last Updated: November 10, 2026

Bread and butter pickles are sliced cucumbers and onions in a sweet, tangy brine flavored with mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric. The salt-and-ice soak at the start is what keeps them crisp. This recipe makes about six pint jars, with directions for a quick refrigerator batch and a canned batch.

Canning Safety Note

Use a tested recipe and processing time from the National Center for Home Food Preservation, USDA, or a university extension service when making jars for pantry storage. The vinegar must be 5 percent acidity, and the ratio of cucumbers and onions to brine should not change. Do not use a lower-acid vinegar or replace vinegar with water. Do not add other vegetables unless the tested recipe includes them. If you want fewer steps, the refrigerator version needs no processing.

Ingredients

• 4 pounds pickling cucumbers (3 to 4 inches long), sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 6 medium white onions (about 2 pounds), sliced thin
• 1/2 cup pickling or canning salt
• Crushed ice or ice cubes (about 4 cups)
• 4 1/2 cups white or cider vinegar (5 percent acidity)
• 4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons mustard seed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons celery seed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric

For a smaller refrigerator batch, scale down: 1 1/2 pounds sliced cucumbers, 1 onion, 3 tablespoons salt, 1 1/2 cups vinegar, 1 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons mustard seed, 1 teaspoon celery seed, and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric.

Instructions

1. Prep the cucumbers. Wash well and trim 1/16 inch from the blossom end, which contains enzymes that soften pickles. Slice into 1/4-inch rounds.
2. Salt and chill. In a large bowl or non-reactive container, toss cucumbers and onions with the salt. Cover with 2 inches of crushed ice. Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours, adding more ice if it melts.
3. Drain and rinse. Drain in a colander and rinse briefly under cold water. Shake off excess liquid.
4. Cook the brine. In a large pot, combine vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
5. Heat the vegetables. Add the drained cucumbers and onions. Return to a boil, then remove from the heat immediately. Do not cook them further or they will turn soft.
6. Pack. Fill hot pint jars with the vegetables, then ladle in hot brine to 1/2 inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles and wipe rims.

Refrigerator Option

Cool jars at room temperature, cap, and refrigerate. Wait 3 days before eating. They keep about 1 to 2 months.

Canned Option

1. Put on lids and bands to fingertip tight.
2. Process in a boiling water bath. Tested bread and butter pickle recipes commonly list about 10 minutes for pints and quarts at elevations up to 1,000 feet, with added time at higher altitude. Use the time from your source.
3. Turn off the heat, rest 5 minutes, then place jars on a towel. Check seals after 12 to 24 hours.
4. Store 4 to 6 weeks before opening for full flavor.

Why the Ice Soak Matters

Salt pulls water out of cucumber and onion cells. Chilled and drained, the slices hold their texture during the short cook and in the jar. Skipping this step usually results in limp, watery slices and a diluted brine.

Tips

• Use cucumbers within 24 hours of picking if possible.
• Choose uniform slices so they pickle at the same rate. A mandoline helps.
• Do not use aluminum or cast-iron pots, which can react with vinegar. Stainless steel or enamel works well.
• Keep the heat-through step short. The goal is to warm the vegetables, not cook them.
• Turmeric stains. Wipe spills quickly and avoid light-colored towels.

Variations

• Spicy: Add 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 2 sliced jalapeños to the brine.
• Brown sugar: Replace up to half the white sugar with light brown sugar for a molasses note (refrigerator batch; keep tested ratios for canning).
• With peppers: Add sliced red bell pepper to the refrigerator version for color. Canned versions should follow a tested recipe that includes peppers.
• Whole spice: Add a few allspice berries or whole cloves to each jar.
• Zucchini: Replace cucumbers with zucchini in a refrigerator batch for a softer pickle.

How to Serve

• On burgers, pulled pork, and grilled cheese
• Next to roast chicken or ham
• Chopped into tartar sauce, egg salad, or potato salad
• Alongside sharp cheddar and crackers

Storage

Sealed jars keep best quality for about a year in a cool, dark place. After opening, store in the refrigerator for a month or two. Discard jars with bulging lids, leaking, or any sign of mold or off smell.

Where the Name Comes From

The name is usually traced to home cooks of the early twentieth century who made sweet pickles from inexpensive garden produce and served them on buttered bread. The sweet and sour profile, with onion and warm spices, sets them apart from dill pickles. The yellow color comes from turmeric, and the sharp tang from mustard seed and celery seed working with the vinegar.

Sandwich Pairings

• Cheddar and apple sandwich on rye
• Smoked turkey with cream cheese on a bagel
• Pulled pork slider on a soft roll
• Egg salad or ham salad on toast
• Fried chicken sandwich with a creamy sauce

Batch Planning

Slice cucumbers and onions on the same day you plan to salt and ice them. Cooking and filling should happen in one session, because the chilled vegetables are at their crispest straight from the ice. If you need to pause, keep the drained vegetables in the refrigerator for no more than an hour or two, and bring the brine back to a boil before continuing.

Slicing Notes

Even slices matter more than most cooks expect. Thick slices stay crunchy but take longer to absorb the brine, while thin slices pickle quickly and can go limp. A thickness of 1/4 inch is a reliable middle ground. A mandoline set to that thickness saves time, and a guard protects your fingers. Slice onions into half-moons so they separate easily in the jar.

FAQ

Why are my bread and butter pickles soft?

Common causes are old cucumbers, skipping the blossom-end trim, skipping the ice soak, or cooking the slices too long.

Can I cut the sugar?

For refrigerator pickles, yes, though they will taste sharper. For canned jars, follow a tested recipe, since sugar and vinegar balance is part of the validated formula.

Why did my pickles turn dark?

Hard water, iodized salt, ground spices, or reactive pots can darken pickles. Using pickling salt and stainless steel helps.

Do I need to peel the cucumbers?

No. The skin adds texture and holds the slices together.

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