Spicy Bread and Butter Pickles
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Apr 22, 2026 
I love these spicy bread and butter pickles so much that I’ll snack on them straight from the fridge. I make them the old-fashioned way with sweet onions, crushed red pepper, mustard seeds, and celery seeds for that perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy. This easy recipe works for quick refrigerator pickles or traditional canning, depending on what I’m in the mood for.
I’ve already shared my favorite (and famous) refrigerator pickles recipe, so I thought it was about time we talked about the homemade pickles I make most at home: bread and butter pickles. My family loves pickles of all kinds, but they are especially partial to sweet ones. If I don’t have a jar in the fridge at all times, let’s just say, things turn a little sour. In this recipe, I’ve kept the flavorings for this Southern staple simple with the classic combo of whole mustard seeds, crushed red pepper, and celery seeds, and I’ve also added whole cinnamon sticks for a little warmth. Plus, they look so pretty in the jar! Whether you make these as a refrigerator pickle or follow a traditional canning method, I love that within 48 hours, you’ll have made the snappiest sliced pickles with just the right amount of sweetness and crunch!
PS, my latest briny addiction is making pickled green cherry tomatoes. If you’re looking for something a little out of the box, this is it!
Macie – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The perfect pickle recipe! It was super easy and they turned out amazing!
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
Easy to customize – I really dig that you can make the preserved cukes more or less spicy and add some extra oomph with just a few tweaks to the ingredients list. Adding whole peeled garlic cloves is one of my go-to adjustments, as is upping the spice level! You can also experiment with whatever whole spices take your fancy, or add a little turmeric to make slightly yellow brined cucumbers! I love doing this when I want them to stand out on a charcuterie board.
Two different methods – Because the pickling liquid is boiling-hot when it goes into the jars, you can make this either a quick refrigerator pickles recipe or as sweet pickles for canning. I almost always use the refrigerate method, because we go through them fast, but either way works.
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Pickling cucumbers – I usually choose smaller cukes with thin skins, like Kirby, Persian, or English cucumbers.
- Sweet onion – Sweet and crisp Vidalia onions are my favorites in the summer! However, any onion will work here.
- Seasonings – I use classic pickling brine ingredients like kosher salt (or pickling salt), whole mustard seeds, crushed red pepper, and celery seeds. I’ve also added cinnamon sticks for a little warmth.
- Granulated sugar – I find that just simple white cane sugar is perfect.
- Apple cider vinegar and white vinegar – I use both for a quality brine that has a delightfully tangy and not overwhelming taste. Perfect pickles are all about balance!
How to Make
Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Slice – First, I slice the cucumbers into even 1/8-inch rounds using a mandolin. Then, using a sharp knife I quarter and slice the onion into short segments. Sometimes I use the mandolin for this as well.
Toss with salt – Next, I toss the cucumber slices and onions in a bowl with kosher salt. Then I transfer them to the fridge to rest for 1–3 hours. Pro Tip: This is my secret step for creating a nice and crisp texture, and bold flavor. It pulls excess moisture out of the cukes, so they firm up, and it helps the brine not to taste diluted when I add the slices later. Removing some of the cucumber juices also means there’s room for brine absorption in each slice… So I end up with crunchy little tang bombs.
Aromatics – Meanwhile, I set out four clean pint jars and divide the mustard seeds, crushed red pepper, celery seeds, and cinnamon sticks evenly between them. This is where you could go crazy on personalization… But I suggest you make them my way first, then make adjustments on the second batch. *wink*
Rinse the cucumbers – Once the cuke slices have had time to rest and release their juices, and absorb a little of the salt, I rinse them in cold water to remove any excess. Then I divide them and the onions between the prepared jars.
Heat vinegars – Next, I set a small saucepot over high heat and add the sugar, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, and turmeric, and bring the mixture to a boil.
Add the liquid to the jars – Once it’s boiling, I carefully ladle the hot pickling liquid into the jars. If any cucumbers are still sticking out above the liquid, I add a tablespoon or two of hot water to cover them. Then I screw the lids on tightly and give the jars a shake.
Cool and chill – If I’m making refrigerator pickles, I let them sit at room temperature for about an hour before moving them to the fridge. If I plan to can them, I follow proper canning procedures at this point. I then wait 48 hours before eating the pickles!
Recipe Variations
- I sometimes add more or less red pepper flakes to make these pickles milder or have a greater kick of spicy heat.
- Often I change things up by adding whole (peeled) garlic cloves to the pickling liquid to give the pickles an earthy flavor more similar to dill pickles… But, you know, without the dill.
- I love to add some turmeric powder for that lovely classic yellowish pickle color, depending on what I’m serving these sweet-heat cucumbers with.
Serving Suggestions
Honestly, I often snack on these tangy cukes right out of the jar, and if I want to build out my snack a bit, I add bites of cheddar cheese. But, when I’m thinking about my family or guests (and you know, not just my own cravings!) I usually include them on charcuterie boards and antipasto platters.
They also work great on the side of some of my favorite Southern dishes like smoked brisket, fiery Nashville hot chicken, and smoked pork belly burnt ends. And they are perfect for making Cuban-pressed sandwiches and for classic toppings on hamburgers and smash burgers. Or go great on top of or the side of nearly any sandwich, like Reubens, sliders, my fabulous copycat Chick-Fil-A honey pepper pimento chicken sandwich!
I sometimes even chop them up and use the sweet pickle relish and juice to make other recipes like tuna salad, my remoulade sauce, and spicy tartar sauce.
Storage Notes
I find that refrigerator pickles keep well for about 2 months. But note that they tend to lose their crunchiness the longer they sit. Pickles that have been canned can last 1-2 years at room temperature if sealed properly.
Frequently Asked Questions
They are essentially a sweet pickle. Traditionally, Bread and Butter Sweet Pickles include a smidge of spiciness to help balance the sweetness! They also include different spices than dill pickles, plus more sugar. Therefore, the flavor is sweet and spicy, not as sharp and herby as dill pickles.
I think sweet pickles are relatively wholesome! Just keep in mind that the pickle brine here does use a lot of salt and sugar, but it’s not all absorbed into the slices.
Pickles that are preserved using the traditional water bath canning method will keep shelf-stable for up to 2 years, unopened. On the other hand, refrigerator bread and butter pickles need to be kept in the fridge (obviously) and need to be eaten within 2 months. I prefer the refrigerator method as it is much quicker and there is less safety information to follow, but you do you!
As this recipe yields approximately 64 servings split between four large pint jars, I get why you might want to scale it down a bit! All you have to do is halve the ingredients to make just two pints. There is a servings slider in the recipe form below to help make these adjustments.
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More Briny Recipes
Spicy Bread and Butter Pickles
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds pickling cucumbers
- 1 cup sweet onion slices
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon whole mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon celery seeds
- 4 whole cinnamon sticks or 8 whole cloves
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 ¼ cup white vinegar
- Pinch turmeric for color
Instructions
- Set out a large mixing bowl and a mandolin slicer if you have one. Slice the pickles into even 1/8 inch rounds. Then quarter and slice the onion into short segments.
- Place the cucumber slices and onions in the bowl, and toss with kosher salt. Set in the fridge to rest for 1-3 hours.
- Meanwhile, set out four clean pint jars. Divide the mustard seeds, crushed red pepper, celery seeds, and cinnamon sticks between the four jars. (Sometimes I use whole cloves or allspice here instead of cinnamon sticks.)
- Once the cucumber slices have had plenty of time to rest, release their juices, and absorb the salt, rinse them in cold water to remove the excess salt. Divide the cucumber slices and onions between the four jars.
- Set a small saucepot over high heat. Add the sugar, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, and turmeric. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, carefully ladle the hot pickling liquid into the jars, dividing it evenly. If some of the cucumbers are still sticking out of the top of the jar, uncovered, add a tablespoon or two of hot water to the jars. Screw the lids on tight and shake the pickle jars.
- If planning to make refrigerator pickles, let the pickles sit at room temperature for one hour, then moved to the refrigerator. If planning to can the pickles, follow proper canning procedure at this point.
- Let the pickles rest at least 48 hours before eating. The texture and flavor will improve over the next week.
These turned out great! I used whole cloves rather than cinnamon stick—family loves them.
Just finished with your bread and butter pickles. Had 4 pint jars with spices and only had enough liquid to fill 3 jars. Just waiting now to refrigerate and taste. I’ll let you know.
Hi, I’m new to pickle-making but with all the cucumbers on my vines wanted to give it a go. Your recipes look great! I’m wondering firstly, do most pickle recipes use onions and are they essential? If I leave them out will it make it taste less picklely or less oniony? Second, why do the recipes always call for the boiled ingredients to go over the cukes? Does this not affect the crispness? I’ve been wondering this since I started looking at recipes. Thanks!
A Great Recipe for Bread and Butter Pickles!
Do you have to use cloves..
Hi Angelika,
No, you do not have to use cloves, but they do offer a deep spicy note that is a quintessential part of sweet pickle flavor. If you prefer allspice, I would substitute that instead of omitting the spice altogether. Hope this helps!
This pickle recipe is so perfect! Thanks for sharing!
The perfect pickle recipe! It was super easy and they turned out amazing!
Summertime classic! We’ll have these for all our friends’ gatherings!
I won’t touch bread and butter pickles from the store, but these pickles are actually pretty tasty