Artificial Flavors Free Refrigerator Pickles
Crunchy, tangy, and loaded with real flavor, these refrigerator pickles are the kind of thing you'll want to keep stocked in your fridge at all times. Store-bought pickles are a surprisingly common source of hidden additives ā artificial flavoring agents and color enhancers sneak into the brine more often than you'd expect. Here, every ingredient is straightforward and recognizable: apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, mustard seeds, fresh dill, and scallion tops do all the heavy lifting with zero shortcuts. Salting the cucumbers first draws out moisture so the slices stay satisfyingly crisp, and the warm brine pulls everything together in a way that tastes like it took far more effort than it did. A little heat from optional red pepper flakes and the gentle sweetness of maple syrup give these pickles a complexity that's genuinely hard to stop snacking on. They're ready in as little as four hours, but if you can wait a full day, the flavor deepens into something truly special. Two weeks of fridge life means you can make a batch on Sunday and enjoy clean, additive-free pickles all week long.
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Learn more āIngredients
8 servings
- 2 medium english cucumbers (about 1 Ā½ lb total), thinly sliced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
For the brine
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- Ā½ tsp black peppercorns
- Ā½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
For the jars
- 4 sprigs fresh dill
- 4 scallion green tops, cut into 2-inch pieces
Instructions
- 1
Toss the cucumber slices with 1 tsp kosher salt in a colander set over the sink. Let them stand for 10 minutes, then rinse briefly under cold water and pat dry with a clean towel. This draws out excess moisture so the brine stays clear and the slices stay crisp.
- 2
Combine the apple cider vinegar, water, maple syrup, 1 tsp kosher salt, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, and red pepper flakes (if using) in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the salt and maple syrup are fully dissolved, about 2ā3 minutes. Remove from heat and let the brine cool for 5 minutes.
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