Easy Homemade Sugar-Free Refrigerator Dill Pickles Recipe
Easy homemade sugar-free refrigerator dill pickles! This recipe is simple and yields the most delicious crunchy pickles that are fresher and tastier than store-bought!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh cucumbers (You can use more or less, you’ll just have to adjust the brine quantity)
- 1.5 cups of water
- 1.5 cups of apple cider vinegar*
- 4 to 5 garlic cloves, minced
- a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional for added heat and spiciness)
- 5 or 6 fresh dill sprigs or 1 tablespoon dried dill
- 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt
You will need 2 – 16oz mason jars (or similar) or one tall glass jar that holds around 32oz.
Instructions
- Clean your jars (and lids) with boiling water and dry. Set aside.
- Wash the cucumbers and then slice into spears (my favorite) or rounds.
- Add pickles and fresh dill sprigs (if using dry dill I add it to the brine instead – see step #4) to the jar.
- Prepare the brine. Add water, apple cider vinegar, salt, dried dill (if using fresh dill I just add it directly into the jar), pinch of red pepper flakes, and minced garlic to a saucepan and bring to a boil to dissolve the salt. Remove from heat and let the brine cool down slightly. Then add to the jar with the pickles, making sure that the brine covers the pickles entirely.
- Tightly close up the jars and once they’ve reached room temperature, store in the refrigerator overnight. Pickles will taste better as they age in the brine and soak up the flavors. You can eat these right away but they will not be very flavorful – I suggest letting them sit in the fridge for at least 12 to 24 hours.
Notes
- Cucumbers will change color from bright green to a darker green after soaking in the brine, this is normal and expected.
- You can use white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar but I like using ACV for its beneficial health properties.
- Homemade refrigerator pickles are so delicious that they never last that long in our household. I’d say these are safe to eat within a few weeks of making them as long as they are kept in the refrigerator. Other sources online say that they can last up to 2 to 3 months but I have not tested this myself. Like anything else regarding food safety, if pickles develop an “off” smell or look moldy, it’s best to throw them out.
- These must be kept refrigerated.
Keywords: pickles, homemade pickles, cucumbers,