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Bread and Butter Pickles

ByBrandie Skibinski
2 Reviews
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This recipe for Bread and Butter pickles require just a handful of ingredients, a couple tips and you’ll have delicious pickles in no time!

A SIMPLY DELICIOUS PICKLE RECIPE

Bread and butter pickles are a little sweet and a little sour. A delicious combination that makes them the perfect snack pickles!

cucumbers soaking in bread and butter brine.

BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLE MIX

So let me show you how simple this is. I’m making my favorite Bread and Butter Pickles. I make these a lot. And I’m gonna show you my little secret. This stuff right here; Ball’s Bread & Butter Pickle Mix. You don’t have to go out and buy all the individual spices and pickling salt. It is all right in this little container and it makes it so easy and it tastes great! You measure once – then you’re done.

Ball Canning Bread and Butter pickle seasoning.

TIPS FOR MAKING THESE PICKLES:

  • Many recipes for these will have you sprinkling the fresh cucumbers with salt and then letting it soak overnight to pull a lot of the liquid out of the cucumbers. If you prefer to do that, feel free, but I prefer not to do that because I think it takes away from the crispiness of the pickle. I like a good crunch with these!
  • If you can’t find the Ball Bread & Butter Pickle Mix, just make your own:
    • 2 Tablespoons mustard seed
    • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
    • 2 teaspoons celery seed
    • 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
Easy Homemade Bread and Butter Pickles recipe.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

  • pickling cucumbers
  • white vinegar
  • granulated sugar
  • Ball Bread & Butter Pickle Mix
  • canning jars (pint-sized) and lids with bands
cucumbers, vinegar, bread and butter seasoning, sugar.

HOW TO MAKE BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES:

The first thing you need to do is wash your jars and lids in warm soapy water.

washing pint-sized mason jars.

And then give them a good, thorough rinse.

rinsing Ball mason jars

If you haven’t done so already, slice up your cucumbers. I’m using pickling cucumbers. They are a little smaller than average. But you can use regular ole cucumbers for this. Pickling cucumbers are usually smaller than your average salad cucumber. They are firmer and crisper and have a tender skin that is less bitter. They are unwaxed so the brine can penetrate the skin better. First thing you want to do is give them a good rinse under running water. Then trim off the ends and discard those.

sliced cucumbers on a cutting board.

Slice them up into 1/4-inch slices.

quarter inch cucumber slices with ridges.

I think Bread & Butter slices should be kinda thick. That’s how I like them. I also use this Crinkle Cutter that I got last year when I hosted a Pampered Chef party. It is not necessary at all. I just love those little ridges it makes when you slice the cucumbers.

sliced pickling cucumbers with ridges.

Now pack all those cucumbers into the pint jars. Not sure if you can tell from the below picture, but I try to stand the bottom layer of cucumbers on their side instead of flat. I think this helps to pack more in. But go with what works easiest for you.

layered cucumbers in the bottom of a mason jar.

Keep going until all your jars are full.

mason jars filled with sliced cucumbers.

In a stainless steel saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar and bread & butter pickle mix.

bread and butter seasoning mix

Whisk to combine.

bread and butter seasoning mixed with vinegar

And bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

bread and butter seasoning mix, vinegar and sugar in a saucepan

Turn off heat and begin pouring hot brine over packed cucumbers.

pickling brine poured over sliced cucumbers in mason jars

The hot brine will start to soften the cucumbers.

cucumbers soaking in bread and butter brine

After it cools a bit, you’ll be able to push down some with your fingers to make sure all the cucumbers are immersed in the brine (using super clean fingers, of course.)

bread and butter pickles in canning jars

They will continue to settle as the brine does it’s job. You just want to make sure you leave about 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean cloth or paper towel.

wiping the rim of a mason jar with a towel

Center the lids on the jars.

placing lids on Ball mason jars

Screw bands on until tight. Now, at this point, you really could just allow them to cool, then store in the fridge for up to 3 months. But if you want to preserve them, you gotta make sure there’s not gonna be any harmful bacteria that can grow while they are hanging out in your pantry for the next few months. So you gotta boil the jars for a few minutes.

Bread and Butter Pickles in jars

Bring water to gentle boil in a large stock pot. There needs to be enough water to cover the jars completely. Put your 3 jars into this handy dandy canning rack.

mason jars placed in rack

Then gently lower rack into boiling water.

canning rack lowered into boiling water

Then cover with a lid.

covered pot

Boil for 10 minutes. Remove lid. Wait 5 minutes. Then gently lift out jars. Allow them to cool. Then store.

cooling pickles in mason jars

You may hear the lids begin to make a popping sound as the jars cool and the lids seal. And that’s it! We just made pickles. These pickles will stay good in my pantry for up to a year. I’m definitely going to make more as I get more pickling cucumbers from my garden.

Bread and Butter Pickles in jars

CRAVING MORE RECIPES?

Bread and Butter Pickles recipe

Bread and Butter Pickles

This recipe for Bread and Butter pickles are incredibly easy. Just a handful of ingredients, a couple tips and you’ll have delicious pickles in no time!
2 Reviews
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 12
Author: Brandie Skibinski

Ingredients

  • 6 cups sliced cucumbers, trim off ends
  • 1 ¾ cups white vinegar
  • 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons Ball Bread & Butter Pickle Mix
  • 3 pint-sized canning jars and lids with bands

Instructions

  • The first thing you need to do is wash your jars and lids in warm soapy water. And then give them a good, thorough rinse.
  • Slice cucumbers into 1/4-inch slices and pack them into the jars.
  • In a stainless steel saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar and bread & butter pickle mix.
  • Whisk to combine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  • Turn off heat and begin pouring hot brine over packed cucumbers. The hot brine will start to soften the cucumbers.
  • After it cools a bit, you’ll be able to push down some with your fingers to make sure all the cucumbers are immersed in the brine (using super clean fingers, of course.)
  • They will continue to settle as the brine does it’s job.
  • You just want to make sure you leave about 1/2-inch head space.
  • Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean cloth or paper towel.
  • Center the lids on the jars. Screw bands on until tight.
  • Now, at this point, you really could just allow them to cool, then store in the fridge for up to 3 months.
  • But if you want to preserve them, you gotta make sure there’s not gonna be any harmful bacteria that can grow while they are hanging out in your pantry for the next few months. So you gotta boil the jars for a few minutes.
  • Bring water to gentle boil in a large stock pot. There needs to be enough water to cover the jars completely.
  • Gently lower jars into boiling water using a canning rack or if you have those special rubber-tipped tongs used for canning. Then cover with a lid.
  • Boil jars for 10 minutes. Remove lid. Wait 5 minutes.
  • Then gently lift out jars. Allow them to cool. Then store.

Notes

  • These pickles will stay good in your pantry for up to a year if you properly can them.
  • Many recipes for these will have you sprinkling the fresh cucumbers with salt and then letting it soak overnight to pull a lot of the liquid out of the cucumbers. If you prefer to do that, feel free, but I prefer not to do that because I think it takes away from the crispiness of the pickle. I like a good crunch.
  • If you can’t find the Ball Bread & Butter Pickle Mix, just make your own:
    • 2 Tablespoons mustard seed
    • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
    • 2 teaspoons celery seed
    • 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
Course: Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 99kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Sodium: 3mg | Sugar: 21g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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511 Comments

  1. I want to start canning but haven't gotten to the investing in the equipment stage. Not sure my husband believe me but just retired and want to get started. Thank you for arranging this giveaway.

    Reply

  2. I've canned watermelon pickles after trying my mother-in-law's. Then I found a recipe for pickled pumpkin which I tried but the family is not so keen on them. Not the same as the watermelon pickles. Would love to try the bread and butter pickles, though. Planning a place with some land to grow our own veggies so I can seriously can!

    Reply

  4. WOW! Great give-away! This would certainly get me back to canning! LOVE your blog! GREAT recipes! I "liked" Ball canning on Facebook. THANKS!

    Reply

  5. My grandma, great aunts all did canning.My mom too!I love your pics on here and hope to come here often to be inspired by yours pics and instructions!Love it so far and so happy I saw you on FB.We have cucs plant this year and our growing season is short here.Hoping for some good ones for pickles! ( : thanks very much for making my day special by finding you here on FACEBOOK> ( :

    Reply

  6. I like Ball Canning on Facebook. One of my favorite things to can from the garden is chow chow and I love canned green beans in the winter! I recently just started canning soups.

    Reply

  7. Many years ago I always helped my mom & grandma can preserves, tomatoes, pickles and pretty much everything that came out of the garden. I haven't tried recently but have talked about getting back into canning. Hubby would love it if I did!

    Reply

  15. I helped my Granmommie can when I was a kid… Have a canner & WANT to can… anything!!! My fav thing was jelly (I got to eat the "foam"!) So I'm wanting to can jam & jelly!! (And these great pickles!!!) I WILL BE "liking" in Facebook & Tweeting on Twitter!! God bless! ☺

    Reply

  16. Katie Blaquiere-Cool giveaway-following ball on FB. Thanks for all you post!k_blaquiere@yahoo.com

    Reply

  17. I "liked" Ball Canning on Facebook.

    What to can? I love to make jam . . . this week it was blueberry jam and peach jam. Earlier in the summer I made strawberry and triple berry (strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry combo).

    Bread and butter pickles are so easy. I have never used the spice mix; I've always used the recipe in my old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook that I got as a bride in 1971! If you have too many zucchini in your garden, you can make bread and butter pickles with the zucchini and no one will know (unless you tell them!)

    Reply

  18. hi, I WOULD LOVE to win this canning set!!! My great grand mother use to can all of the time, she use to work with or cook with believe it or not Col. Sanders! yes the one who started Kentucky Fried Chicken, she even helped make one of his huge birthday cakes! she lived in Louisville, KY. any way she was a wonderful cook and always had a garden and canned the most amazing things!!!All different kinds of veggies and fruits, I always loved every thing she made, but one of my special treats she made for me one time was canned candy apples, and let me tell you they were the best things that could ever come out of some ones kitchen!! I have always wanted to start canning, but unfortunately haven't been able to in the past, but I do have the opprutunity now and would LOVE to win this gift and be able to use it to get started with!!!! Thanks for the chance! seaturtlenut@att.net

    Reply

  23. What a great giveaway!! The measuring spoons are especially adorable!
    So far this year, I've canned beets, pickled beets, garlic dill cukes, strawberry jam (more like thick syrup 🙂 ) and water. 🙂 I use it for a filler in my canner if there is space & then put it in my pantry incase of a water shortage or power outage. 🙂 Im enjoying being prepared.

    Reply

  28. I am following Ball canning on Twitter ( I am one of only a handful of people in the world that doesn't have facebook ;))

    Reply

  29. I would love to try your bread & butter pickle recipe. I have never canned before but my dad loves those pickles and I just think they would make great Christmas, Birthday, etc. gifts since I never know what to get him! Thank you! 🙂

    Reply

  30. I've already canned green beans and will be doing tomatoes soon. Working with my daughter-in-law teaching her to can! I think she'll do fine!

    Reply

  31. Hello

    We are venturing into becoming self suffient here on our ranch. We have a garden with lotts of tomatoes and squash and cucumbers as well as peppers . As well I plan to can some berries and make jam as well to fill our pantry for winters .

    Our progress has been slow due to my husband becoming disabled and were living on SSD now so this would be a great help in our venture towards being self relient

    tyvm Danielle Chapin

    chapinranch@tds.net

    Reply

  32. I would like to start canning salsas and jams again. It has been several years since I have done it and would love to start again.

    Reply

  35. Yes! I would love to have the time to can things! My grandma and my mom always did when I was a kid..now grandma is gone and mom just doesn't see any point since we kids are gone. So…one of us has to continue the tradition. I have a fridge full of cucs and zucchini so I'm anxious to try a new relish recipe to use them up! Would love to win any of these!

    Reply

  37. I can my Grandma's recipe for sweet pickle relish every year. After having her homemade relish, there is no way I could buy it in a grocery store!

    Reply

  39. I started canning about 3 years ago… mostly tomatoes. I am on the quest to can the best spaghetti sauce!

    Reply

  43. Last year I grew tomatoes and made stewed tomatoes and spaghetti sauce and canned both of those. I plan to make and can pickles this year along with green beans, pickled beets, tomatoes and sauce, and will freeze carrots and peas.

    I really like your recipes, btw! We have tried lots of them and really like them. Thanks for all the time you put into this!

    sendaltr@hotmail.com

    Reply

  49. I love bread and butter pickes, but b&b jalapenos even more. That is probably the first thing I would can.

    Reply

  50. We just planted our first garden this year, so my husband is canning beans, peppers, cukes, and venison (not from our garden, ha ha).

    Reply