How to Make Pickles

Making your own pickles is easier than you think! I’ll show you how to make pickles at home step by step—no canning needed!

Course condiment

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Pickling Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings servings

Calories 29

Author Jessica Hylton

Ingredients

4 small cucumbers or several mini cucumbers or 2 medium to large cucumbers
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup filtered water
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 tablespoon coconut sugar or cane or brown sugar
Lime slices optional
Handful of peppercorns + fresh dill + any additional seasonings, cumin seeds, jalapeño etc.

Instructions

Wash, dry, and slice the pickles. Add them tightly packed to a mason jar (you might need two jars). Set aside for now.
In a pot, add the vinegar, water, sea salt, sugar and peppercorns. If using any other additional seasonings, add them now too. Stir together. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool for 1 minute.
Pour the liquid into the mason jar(s) and completely cover the cucumbers. Add in the lime slices (optional), and shake slightly to mix everything together.
Allow the mixture to cool completely to room temperature. You can serve immediately once cooled, but if you let it sit and continue to pickle for 24-48 hours, the flavours meld incredibly. I tried mine 48 hours later and they were perfect.
They will last several weeks in your fridge in a mason jar that has the cover tightly screwed on.

Video

Notes

Store homemade pickles in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Use clean utensils when retrieving pickles from the jar to avoid contamination and maximize their storage life.