Chestnut Free Classic Dill Pickles
Crunchy, garlicky, and loaded with fresh dill flavor, these homemade pickles are the kind of thing you'll want to keep stocked in the fridge at all times. The brine is a simple mix of distilled white vinegar, water, kosher salt, and a touch of sugar — clean, straightforward ingredients with zero ambiguity about what's in the jar. For anyone navigating a tree nut allergy or sensitivity, store-bought pickles can occasionally raise eyebrows due to shared production facilities, but making your own at home puts you fully in control. Trimming the blossom end of each cucumber is a small but smart step that keeps the texture snappy rather than soft, and packing the spears tightly with peppercorns, mustard seeds, and red pepper flakes means every bite has real depth. The optional grape or horseradish leaves are a classic trick for maintaining that satisfying crunch through the brining process. After just 48 hours in the fridge, you'll have tangy, aromatic pickles that put anything from the grocery store shelf to shame.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 2 lbs kirby or persian cucumbers (about 8–10 small cucumbers)
- 1 ½ cups distilled white vinegar
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 4 sprigs fresh dill
- 1 tsp dill seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 2 grape leaves or 2 horseradish leaves (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Trim about 1/8 inch off the blossom end (the end opposite the stem) of each cucumber — this removes enzymes that can soften the pickles. Cut the cucumbers into spears by halving lengthwise, then halving again, or slice into 1/4-inch rounds.
- 2
Divide the garlic, fresh dill sprigs, dill seeds, black peppercorns, mustard seeds, and red pepper flakes (if using) evenly between two clean wide-mouth quart mason jars. If using grape or horseradish leaves, place one in each jar against the inside wall.
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