Honey Free Bread and Butter Pickles
Crisp, tangy, and just the right amount of sweet, these classic bread and butter pickles are the kind of condiment that makes everything it touches better — burgers, sandwiches, cheese boards, you name it. Many store-bought versions sneak in honey as a sweetener, which can make label-reading a frustrating chore, but this brine keeps things simple with plain granulated sugar and a double hit of vinegar. The combination of white wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar gives the brine real depth, while mustard seeds, celery seeds, and turmeric bring that unmistakable old-fashioned pickle flavor. A pinch of red pepper flakes is optional, but even a little adds a subtle warmth that balances the sweetness beautifully. The process is straightforward — salt the cucumbers to draw out moisture, pack the jars, pour over the hot brine, and refrigerate. Within an hour you'll have jars of glossy, translucent pickles that taste like they've been sitting in a farmhouse pantry for days. Once you've made your own, it's genuinely hard to go back to the store-bought stuff.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 ½ lbs english cucumbers (about 2 medium), sliced ¼-inch thick
- 1 small yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
For the brine
- 1 cup white wine vinegar
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp celery seeds
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the sliced cucumbers and onion in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the kosher salt, toss to coat, and let stand for 1 hour at room temperature until the cucumbers have released their liquid and softened slightly.
- 2
Drain the cucumbers and onion in a colander, rinse briefly under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Pack them tightly into two clean pint-sized mason jars.
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