Sweet and Spicy Cucumbers and Vinegar

Sweet and spicy cucumbers and vinegar make the most delicious refrigeration pickles that only take about 5 minutes to make.

Making your own pickles sounds like a whole lot of work and you might even be thinking of hot water baths, canning, and boiling rings. I’m here to tell you that you can make the most amazing homemade pickles by simply adding cucumbers and vinegar and a few other ingredients together and letting them sit in the fridge. If you’ve never eaten quick pickles or refrigerator pickles, then you are missing out. They have so much flavor and the best texture. The cucumbers stay nice and crisp because they don’t go through much of a heating process. When you can pickles, you are boiling them in a hot water bath inside of the jars for a while, normally at least 10 minutes, which really changes the texture of the cucumber. When you make refrigerator pickles, the fresh cucumbers only get hot water poured over the top of them.

They have all the flavor and such a great texture with half the work! You do need to note that this is not a canning recipe. These pickles are meant to be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within a week. If you are looking for a shelf-stable pickle recipe, this isn’t it. I love that I can make a batch of these sweet and spicy pickles in the morning and they are ready to eat by the afternoon. They are even better if you let them sit overnight.

You’ll love how easy it is to make your own sweet and spicy cucumbers and vinegar!

Tips and tricks for Making Sweet and Spicy Cucumbers and Vinegar

• Sometimes when I make this in the summer and I have jalapeños in my garden along with the cucumbers, I’ll sub in two diced jalapeños for the red pepper flakes. So delicious!
• You can add a clove or two of fresh garlic (cut in half) to the brine if you like garlic pickles.
• You can also add fresh or dried dill to taste.
• You can substitute the peppercorns and whole mustard seed for pickling spice (here’s my homemade pickling spice recipe) if you like. Use a generous tablespoon of pickling spice for this recipe.
• Kirby cucumbers work best for this recipe though you can use just about any kind. The long English and just normal old grocery store cucumbers work fine, though the Kirbys tend to have the best texture for the longest amount of time.
• These are awesome on pulled pork sandwiches, on a hummus and veggie sandwich, and on this turkey sandwich.  And I love them with Sloppy Joe Baked Potatoes, too!

Craving more? Subscribe to Bless this Mess to get new recipes, meal plans, and a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! If you try this recipe, let me know what you think! Leave a comment, pin it, and don’t forget to tag a picture #blessthismesseats on Instagram. I love to see your kitchen skills in action!

Sweet and Spicy Cucumbers and Vinegar

Sweet and spicy cucumbers and vinegar make the most delicious refrigerator pickles that only take about 5 minutes to make.

• Author: Melissa Griffiths - Bless this Mess
• Prep Time: 5 min
• Cook Time: 1 min
• Total Time: 6 minutes
• Yield: 2 cups of pickles

Ingredients

• 2 medium or 5-6 small cucumbers (Kirby are great), about 2 cups.
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons whole yellow mustard seed
• 1-3 teaspoons red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Prepare the cucumbers by slicing them how you like, spears or rounds both work great. Place them in a glass mason jar or a bowl.
2. In a medium pan, add the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, peppercorns, whole mustard seed, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
3. Over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a boil and boil for one minute. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the prepared cucumbers.
4. Let the cucumbers and vinegar mixture rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (though overnight is great, too) before enjoying.
5. Keep pickles in the fridge, submerged in the brine, for up to a week.

Notes

• Sometimes when I make this in the summer and I have jalapeños in my garden along with the cucumbers, I’ll sub in two diced jalapeños for the red pepper flakes. So delicious!
• You can add a clove or two of fresh garlic (cut in half) to the brine if you like garlic pickles.
• You can also add fresh or dried dill to taste.
• You can substitute the peppercorns and whole mustard seed for pickling spice (here’s my homemade pickling spice recipe) if you like. Use a generous tablespoon of pickling spice for this recipe.

Don’t ask me why cucumbers and vinegar make such magic, but man. am I glad I live in a world with pickles.

Enjoy from my kitchen to yours.