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Homemade sweet and spicy dill pickles that are crispy, tangy, and flavorful with a perfect balance of sweetness and heat from habanero pepper. Quick refrigerator pickles without any canning fuss.

  • Total Time: 24 to 48 hours (including refrigeration)
  • Yield: Approximately 32 ounces (one 32-ounce jar) / about 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dry dill or 3 teaspoons fresh dill
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 3/4 cup distilled vinegar
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon salt (preferably pickling or kosher salt)
  • 1 to 1.5 tablespoons sugar (can be substituted with honey or maple syrup)
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 fresh habanero pepper (adjustable for heat, can substitute jalapeño or omit)
  • 3 cups sliced cucumbers, cut into 1/4 inch crinkle cut slices

Instructions

  1. Rinse cucumbers, slice off the ends, and cut into 1/4″ crinkle-cut slices or preferred shape (whole, spears, long sandwich slices).
  2. In a saucepan, combine distilled vinegar, apple cider vinegar, water, salt, and sugar. Heat until boiling and sugar and salt are completely dissolved.
  3. Layer into a 32-ounce mason jar in order: dill, mustard seeds, thinly sliced onion, garlic cloves, half a habanero pepper, and cucumber slices.
  4. Pour the hot vinegar brine over the layered cucumbers, making sure they are fully submerged.
  5. Seal the jar with a leak-proof lid and refrigerate for at least 24 hours; for best flavor let pickle 48 hours before eating.

Notes

Flavor develops and deepens the longer the pickles sit, so patience yields better taste., For extra crunch, add a grape leaf, oak leaf, or horseradish leaf to the jar., Adjust heat by replacing habanero with jalapeño for milder pickles or use a whole habanero/crushed red pepper flakes for more spice., Swap vinegars for flavor variation: all apple cider vinegar for fruitier taste or rice wine vinegar for gentle acidity; avoid strongly flavored vinegars like balsamic., Adjust sweetness by reducing sugar or substituting with honey or maple syrup dissolved in hot brine., Add other vegetables like carrot sticks, sliced onions, green tomatoes, or pearl onions for variety, sliced uniformly to pickle evenly., Use pickling or kosher salt for optimal flavor and clarity; iodized table salt may cloud brine and alter flavor., Recipe quantities can be scaled by maintaining vinegar:water:salt:sugar ratios., Best consumed within 2-3 weeks for optimal crunch, but can keep up to two months refrigerated.

  • Author: Laura
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Category: Condiment
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: Approximately 1/2 cup
  • Calories: Approximately 15 calories per 1/2 cup serving
  • Fat: Negligible fat content per serving
  • Carbohydrates: Approximately 3-4 grams per serving (depends on sugar amount)
  • Protein: Less than 1 gram per serving