Homemade Bread & Butter Pickles

My mothers favorite pickles are Bread and Butter Pickles. I'm guessing that's why I love them so much. I remember her eating them all the time, I would sit and eat them right along side her. Not sure why they are my favorite, I think it is because they are a cross between sweet and sour pickle. I don't like the really sweet pickles, so the bread and butter pickles are the perfect combination for me.

I found some pickling cucumbers at a peach orchard a couple weeks back. Since they were priced fairly well I thought it was time for me to try my hand at canning some pickles of my own. I found this recipe at The Frugal Kitchen it looked pretty easy to follow. From start to finish this recipe is really fast so you wont be in the kitchen canning pickles all day.

These are the ingredients you will need: sugar, pickling cucumbers, water, apple cider vinegar, salt, pickling spice, celery seed and mustard seed. (canning jars, lids and rings)


In a 5-quart pot (non-aluminum), combine sugar, vinegar, water and spices.



Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.

Slice the cucumbers into 1/4 inch slices


rinse cucumber slices and and add to the pot.


Return to a boil, stirring gently and trying to submerge slices as they cook.


When the pot returns to a boil, boil for 90 seconds, then remove from heat. The slices should have changed from a bright cucumber green to a darker pickle green.


Sterilize yours jars, add lids and rings to hot water then remove to papers towels, Fill jars with hot pickle mixture and liquid leave 1/8 inch head space, wipe rims clean with a wet cloth and place lids on and screw on the rings. Process jars accordingly.: 20 minutes for quarts, 10 minutes for pints and 5 minutes for half pints.


Remove jars and place on counter overnight make the jars are sealed.




Homemade Bread & Butter Pickles

2-1/2 - cups granulated sugar
2 - cups cider vinegar (5% acidity)
1 - cup water
1 - teaspoon salt
1 - teaspoon celery seed
1 - tablespoon  mustard seed
1-1/2 - tablespoons mixed pickling spice
3-1/2 - pounds cucumbers, cut into 1/4 inch slices

In a 5-quart pot (non-aluminum), combine sugar, vinegar, water and spices. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cucumber slices. Return to a boil, stirring gently and trying to submerge slices as they cook. 

When the pot returns to a boil, boil for 90 seconds, then remove from heat. The slices should have changed from a bright cucumber green to a darker pickle green. 

Using tongs or a slotted spoon, fill hot jars with pickles slices, then fill each with pickling liquid, leaving 1/8″ head space. 

(You may have extra brine; you can refrigerate this up to a week if you are making another batch soon.) Wipe rims clean with a damp paper cloth and add lids and rings. 

Process in a boiling water bath — 20 minutes for quarts, 10 minutes for pints. Begin timing when the water has returned to a boil after you submerge your jars.

Let pickles sit in pantry for 4-5 weeks before opening. This will give time for the flavors to incorporate.

Click here for a canning tutorial. Scroll down to the bottom of the post, this should give you a better idea of how to process your jars.


Recipe courtesy of: The Frugal Kitchen