Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles Recipe

I love how this Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles Recipe captures the simple joy of combining crisp pickling cucumbers, garlic, and fresh dill with a brine of vinegar, water, and kosher salt. The hints of sugar and red pepper flakes add a vibrant twist, making each bite perfectly tangy and refreshingly crisp.

I love whipping up quick recipes that pack a lot of flavor into simple ingredients. My Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles Recipe is one of my favorites because it makes pickles that are crisp and tangy without any canning required.

Using only fresh cucumbers, water, white distilled vinegar, kosher salt and a few extra ingredients like sugar, garlic, fresh dill and whole peppercorns, this method is a foolproof way to get a satisfying bite in a short time. I like that you can play around with the garlic and red pepper flakes if you want a little kick.

It’s amazing how a handful of dill and a squeeze of sugar can bring so much depth to your pickles. This is a real DIY dill pickles recipe that proves great things come from the simplest starts and turns your kitchen into a mini pickle lab in just 24 hours.

Enjoy experimenting with it and making it your own!

Why I Like this Recipe

I like this recipe because it really brings together a bunch of flavors in a simple way. First off, the mix of garlic, dill, and peppercorns makes the pickles super flavorful and aromatic. I love how crisp the cucumbers stay, and it’s awesome that I don’t have to go through a long canning process. Plus, it’s totally flexible—if I feel like it, I can add more sweetness or spice, which makes it feel like it’s my own creation. Lastly, having these tangy pickles on hand makes snack time or meal prep so much more fun, cause I know it won’t take long to whip up something tasty.

Ingredients

• Pickling cucumbers: Crisp, water-rich veggies offering fiber and refreshing crunch to your pickles.
• White vinegar: Provides tangy sourness and acts as a natural preservative by lowering pH.
• Kosher salt: Enhances flavors and draws out moisture to maintain the perfect pickle crunch.
• Garlic: Imparts aromatic warmth, boosts flavor complexity and may offer potential health benefits.
• Fresh dill: Adds bright herbal notes with vitamins and antioxidants plus a signature pickle aroma.
• Sugar (optional): Adds gentle, balanced sweetness that counters vinegar’s sharp tang and preserves flavor harmony.
• Whole peppercorns: Infuse subtle spicy hints that complement garlic, dill, and the tangy vinegar.

Ingredient Quantities

• 4 small pickling cucumbers (or 3 if they are big)
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup white distilled vinegar
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional if you like a bit of sweetness)
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 fresh dill heads or a generous handful of dill sprigs
• 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional for a little kick)

How to Make this

1. Start by thoroughly washing the pickling cucumbers then trim off both ends.

2. In a clean jar or container, add the cucumbers along with the smashed garlic cloves, fresh dill heads or sprigs, whole peppercorns, and red pepper flakes if you want a little kick.

3. In a small saucepan, add 2 cups of water, 1 cup of white distilled vinegar, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon sugar if you choose to use it.

4. Heat the saucepan over medium heat until the salt and sugar fully dissolve in the mixture.

5. Remove the brine from heat and let it cool down a bit before pouring it over the cucumbers and spices.

6. Pour the cooled brine over the cucumbers and make sure they are completely submerged in the liquid.

7. Seal your jar or cover your container tightly and place it straight into the fridge.

8. Let the pickles sit in the fridge for at least 24 hours before eating for best flavor and crunch.

9. Enjoy your homemade refrigerator dill pickles as a snappy, tangy snack or side dish!

Equipment Needed

1. Cutting board for washing and trimming the cucumbers
2. Sharp knife to trim the cucumber ends and smash the garlic cloves
3. Colander to thoroughly rinse the cucumbers
4. Measuring cups to accurately measure water and white distilled vinegar
5. Measuring spoons for kosher salt, sugar and red pepper flakes
6. Small saucepan to heat and dissolve the salt and sugar in the brine
7. Spoon or spatula for stirring the brine in the saucepan
8. Clean jar or container with a tight sealing lid to store the pickles in the fridge

FAQ

Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Instead of white distilled vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar if you want a slightly fruity tang.
• If you don’t have kosher salt around, feel free to use sea salt or even pickling salt – but remember to adjust the amount a bit.
• You can swap the tablespoon of sugar with a drizzle of honey or agave syrup if you’re aiming for a little natural sweetness.
• If fresh garlic isn’t available, try using about 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder for each clove, though the flavor might be a bit subtle.
• Don’t have fresh dill? Dried dill works too, but use less, around one third of the amount, so it doesn’t overpower the pickles.

Pro Tips

1. Make sure your cucumbers are super fresh since any soft spots or blemishes will affect how crunchy they end up being.
2. Always let your brine cool completely before you pour it over the veggies so you don’t accidentally start cooking them, which makes them mushy.
3. Give your jar a good sterilize before you add the ingredients; this helps keep bad bacteria away and makes your pickles last longer.
4. Don’t be afraid to experiment a bit with the spices. If you like it hotter, try adding a little more red pepper flakes or even toss in a pinch of mustard seeds for a twist.