Gluten Free Classic Dill Pickles
Crunchy, garlicky, and loaded with fresh dill, 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 — nothing hidden, nothing processed, just clean ingredients you can actually read. That matters more than people realize, because store-bought pickles can sneak in additives or be processed on shared lines that introduce unwanted ingredients. Here, you control everything from the garlic and peppercorns to the optional kick of red pepper flakes. Trimming the blossom end of each cucumber is a small but smart step that keeps the spears genuinely crisp rather than soft and sad after a day in the jar. Grape or horseradish leaves are an optional old-school trick that also helps maintain that satisfying snap. Pack the jars tight, pour over the hot brine, and give them at least 48 hours in the fridge — the wait is absolutely worth it.
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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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