Bread and Butter Pickles are easy to make and have a wonderful sweet and tangy flavor.
Have you ever made homemade pickles? This recipe comes from my great-grandmother’s farm kitchen and has been passed down for generations. They are easy to make and you’ll be loving the flavor! Nothing says summer more to me than making a batch of these delicious pickles! We grow our own pickling cucumbers, but you can certainly buy some at the farmer’s market.
Each year, we plant a small vegetable garden and grow our own pickling cucumbers. As you can see, in the picture below, we train the vines to grow up the lattice. This keeps the cucumbers up off the ground, so they grow nicely, take up less space, and keep them in better shape as they mature.
Why do they call it Bread and Butter Pickles?
These delicious pickles supposedly got their name because during the Great Depression, they were an inexpensive staple in households. People used them in sandwiches of Bread and Butter because that’s what they could afford. Many things during that time were rationed too, so they made many things from scratch.
What kind of cucumbers are good for making pickles?
Making homemade Bread and Butter Pickles is relatively easy. While you can certainly use different kinds of cucumbers, pickling cucumbers are the best. They have a thicker skin and are small in size, therefore have less seeds. They can withstand the very hot brine and still come out crunchy.
How to make Bread and Butter Pickles:
Step 1: Wash the pickling cucumbers and cut into 1/4-inch slices.
Step 2: Place the salt, cucumber slices, onion, and bell peppers in a food-safe bucket. Use your hand to stir the mixture so the salt is evenly distributed. I place that bucket into a cooler and place a clean kitchen towel on top of the cucumbers, with few inches of ice on the bucket, as well as ice around the bucket. Allow it to sit for 3-4 hours in a cool place.
Step 3: Drain the cucumbers and set aside. Make the brine. Prepare the boiling water canner. Heat the jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Wash lids in soapy water and rinse well. Set aside. Set bands aside.
Step 4: Place equal amounts of cucumbers, onions, and bell peppers into each hot jar. Ladle hot pickling brine over top of cucumbers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe the rims with a clean, damp paper towel. Center the lids on jars. Apply the bands to fingertip tight.
Step 5: Let the jars cool and the lids will begin to make a “popping” sound as they seal.
Once the jars are sealed, store them in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year. Although, I highly doubt they will last that long!
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Grandma's Bread and Butter Pickles
My mother kept a vintage stoneware crock in the basement of our farmhouse- a symbol of how deep the love of pickles goes in our family. This recipe comes from my maternal great-grandmother's farm kitchen, and I hope you love it as much as we do!
Ingredients
- 25 to 30 pickling cucumbers, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 1/2 cup pickling or kosher salt
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 1 large green bell pepper diced
- 1 large red bell pepper diced
- 7 cups white vinegar
- 6 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons celery seed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
Instructions
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In a 5-gallon food-grade bucket, combine the sliced cucumbers, salt, onion, and bell peppers. Stir so the salt is evenly distributed. Cover the cucumber mixture with a clean kitchen towel or tea towel, and place a few inches of ice on top of the towel. Allow to sit for 3-4 hours in a cool place.
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Drain the vegetables and set aside. Make the brine by bringing the vinegar, sugar, cloves, mustard seeds, celery seed, and turmeric to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Meanwhile, prepare a boiling water canner. Heat the jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Wash the lids with hot soapy water. Set bands aside.
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Place an equal amount of cucumbers, onions, and bell peppers into each hot jar. Press down the mixture, as it will rise when you pour in the brine.
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Use a wide-mouth funnel, ladle hot pickling liquid over top of the cucumbers, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims with a clean, damp paper towel. Center the lids on the jars. Apply the bands until the fit is fingertip tight.
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Process jars in the boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars and allow to cool completely on the counter for 24 hours. Check the lids for seal. The lid should not flex up and down when the center is pressed.
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For best flavor, let stand for 3-4 weeks before enjoying. Store the jars in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year. If a jar doesn't seal, store in the refrigerator and use within 3 months.
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These are such a classic! My grandmother made them all the time. We usually prefer dill pickles, but I think this year I’m going to make some of these too. Thanks for sharing!
Catherine,
These are from my great-grandmother and I hope you’ll love them as much as we do!
Love pickles and love experimenting with new recipes. Will try this one out!
This one is a keeper! I’m glad you’re going to try it!
I love making my own pickles, but I haven’t made them I’m ages! You’ve inspired me, thank you for the recipe!
Kristine,
They are super easy to make!! Get yourself a food safe 5-gallon bucket (at a bakery or something) and get going. They are SO delicious! Thanks for stopping by!
I adore pickled ANYTHING and I love how easy it is to do! I must admit that bread and butter pickles are something I haven’t made at home yet. This looks like a great recipe…pinning and sharing!
I LOVE bread & butter pickles, but I’ve never made my own. Sounds like I should give it a try ASAP!
Tara,
They are super simple to make and hope you’ll love them!
Oh, I love it when old family recipes are being kept alive. That’s much of what we do too. It’s so important to keep those food legacies accessible for future generations.
Thanks for stopping by Pam!! I hope you’ll love these pickles as much as we do!
These cucumbers look amazing and I have everything I need to make them. does the size of the mason jar matter, like can I make larger jars and they’ll still keep ok? tysm for this recipe
Cindy,
You can use whatever size Mason jar you have in stock!! They will keep just fine.
My husband’s grandmother used to make pickles, but they didn’t have onions in the jar like yours, they were sweet. She has since passed and I wish I could make them. Wish I had the recipe.
Bread and butter pickles are my JAM and I was just about to look up a recipe on how to make my own! Perfect!
I love pickels! Especially my grandmas. They are homemade and always so good.
I don’t really eat pickles but this one looks so delicious and the appearance is so inviting. But I am sure my dad will love it because he do loves to eat pickles so much.
I love cucumbers and I will make this pickles soonest thanks for sharing your recipe!
My mum used to make pickles I can’t make them. Now that I have a recipe I will give it a try.
I love pickles, I could eat them all day! This sounds like a wonderful recipe, shall definitely have to make them one day x
My mom used to make bread and butter pickles when we were small. I’ve been making sweet pickles for ages & I’ve just learned how to make dill pickles and would love to try this recipe next. I’ll have to head to the Farmer’s Market this weekend to stock up on cucumbers.
What wonderful recipe. I can tell they will be tasty just form the picture, haha! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I have always wanted to learn how to can. I’ve tried with making apple butter, but they never lasted that long in my family! My great grandmother grew and canned everything. Pretty amazing.
My grandma used to cook PAPAYA pickles. And the recipe was passed down to my mom, which she tried to teach me. And now, I think it is time to learn this recipe on my own. LOL
This recipe is just what I need, now I can stock up!
Yummy! I’m growing cucumbers in my garden this year. Something to keep in mind! It would be nice to enjoy something I grew/made in the Winter!
Such a nice recipe for making pickles. This looks really delicious. Something families can try.
I remember there was a point I was obsessed with eating pickles.