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Grandma's No Cook Refrigerator Pickles

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Grandma's No Cook Refrigerator Pickles. Sweet and tangy with a delightful celery accent. Not like any pickle you have eaten. And, of course, no need to turn your kitchen into a sweat room.

no cook refrigerator pickles in a white bowl

Just like Grandma made. Grandma's No Cook Refrigerator Pickles. Sweet and tangy.

Easy No Cook Refrigerator Pickles

Making these icebox pickles is easy, but you have to wait a few days to eat them.

One day when I stopped by my neighbor Diane Bayer's house, she was in the middle of making No Cook Refrigerator Pickles, a recipe she got from an older woman in her church. A few days later (after they aged) I tried them. Wow! De-LISH-ous! They are sweeter than a bread and butter pickle and tangier than sweet pickles, with a flavor all their own.

Diane gave me the recipe and I went home and made some. And I've been making them ever since. homemade pickles are so much better than canned pickles!

Take a look at the no-cook refrigerator pickle recipe video

Watch the WHSV TV3 video of me telling Bob Corso on the 1-on-1 Program how to make these pickles.

Reuse & recycle the pickle juice

The recipe is SO EASY and the pickles keep indefinitely in the fridge. Not only that, but when you finish all the pickles, you can use the juice again to make another batch. Wowie!

Use other veggies too

The last time I made these pickles, I made some with green beans, too. You make them exactly the same, except you have to blanch the beans before you put them in the jar. Try it! Quick pickles will become household favorites 🙂

Other veggies you can pickle this way:

  • carrots
  • parsnips
  • cauliflower
  • peppers
  • beets
  • etc.
Pickled Green Beans

Pickled Green Beans

Ingredients for easy no-cook refrigerator pickles

This recipe only calls for 6 ingredients and can easily be multiplied if you have an abundance of cucumbers, or your family just loves pickles with every meal 😉

refrigerator pickle ingredients

  1. cucumbers
  2. onion (I used a yellow onion, but you can use red onion and even sweet onion: whatever you have on hand)
  3. white vinegar (apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar can work too, but I like the white vinegar)
  4. granulated sugar
  5. iodized salt
  6. celery seeds

This recipe is very basic, and it works well that way. But, if you want to play with your spices, here are some ideas. And feel free to experiment with other spices and herbs you love (or grow in your garden).

  • add a few pepper flakes or garlic cloves for spicier pickles
  • mustard seeds
  • bay leaves
  • black peppercorns
  • fresh dill sprigs (dry works too, but fresh looks much better in your jar)

Tools you need to make these fridge pickles

  • a knife (or one of these mandoline slicers if you want your pickles sliced up faster and more uniform)
  • cutting board
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • a large jar to store your pickles
  • a funnel would also be helpful.
  • but what you really want is a good dish to serve them. Am I right?

How to make icebox pickles

Simple, simple, simple. Just 6 ingredients.

  1. Slice the cucumbers and onions.
  2. Put them in a large glass container with a lid (like these).
  3. Mix the vinegar dressing and pour it over the veggies.
  4. Refrigerate for three or more days, turning the jar over every once in a while.

Don is delighted. His mom used to make pickles like these, and he loves them. You will need some covered half-gallon jars or something to make and store them in.

What to serve these pickles with?

Now that you made pickles, how can you use them? what other foods can you pair them with?

Well, U love them as a low-calorie snack, so maybe give that a try. But they also go well with:

  • soups
  • burgers
  • potato salad
  • wraps
  • sandwiches

Grandma's No Cook Refrigerator Pickle Recipe

Lois
No Cook Refrigerator Pickles, just like Grandma used to make. They keep indefinitely in the refrigerator. Tangy and sweet.
3.84 from 30 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 24
Calories 141 kcal

Ingredients
  

Ingredients

  • 8 cups medium-sliced cucumbers about 4 large
  • 1 medium yellow onion (or use red onions for more color) sliced in half rings
  • 2 cups white vinegar
  • 4 cups sugar
  • ¼ cup salt
  • 2 tablespoons celery seed

Instructions
 

  • Combine the cucumber slices and the onion slices in a half-gallon jar or container with a leak-proof cover.
  • In a bowl, mix the vinegar, salt, sugar and celery seed until the sugar dissolves.
  • Let the vinegar mixture stand about a half hour.
  • Pour this mixture over the pickles and onion slices.
  • Tightly cover the jar or container and refrigerate. Turn the jar over periodically (once or twice a day) to mix the ingredients, and let age for 3 days or a week to enhance flavor.

Notes

Note 1: The longer you keep these pickles, the better they get! Nutrition is based on one-third cup per serving.
Note 2: You can re-use the juice to make another batch (or sometimes 2) of pickles so don't throw the brine out.
Note 3: If you heat the vinegar (stirring constantly), sugar and salt mixture on top of the stove for about 5 minutes, the sugar will dissolve quicker and more thoroughly. Be sure to let it cool before pouring it over the cucumbers.
Note 4: Your cucumbers will reduce in size after about a day. Add another sliced cucumber to the jar to fill it up.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/3 cupCalories: 141kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 0.4gFat: 0.3gSaturated Fat: 0.02gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 1182mgPotassium: 75mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 32IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 0.4mg
Keyword refrigerator pickles
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Recipe nutrition information

This recipe is GF, DF, NF, SF, EF, CF (use sea salt), V, VG*

allergen key

Note: If you have serious allergies or sensitivities, to be considered free of these allergens, you need to use products specifically marked "gluten-free," etc. There can be cross-contamination in facilities.

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

More cucumber recipes

  • Refrigerator Dill Pickles (no cooking)
  • Pickle Wraps
  • Donna's Cucumber and Onion Salad
  • Dill Cucumber Salad
  • Cucumber Salsa
  • Pea and Cucumber Salad
  • Fennel Orange Cucumber Salad

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EAsy no cook refrigerator pickles

Grandma's No Cook Refrigerator Pickles. Awesomely easy.

This recipe was originally posted on Recipe Idea Shop on July 27, 2015, and updated on June 8, 2022.

Last Updated on June 8, 2022 by Adriana

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kristin Gettle

    July 30, 2019 at 7:38 pm

    5 stars
    Our family found it hard to wait until Day 5. I made my second batch today because they disappeared immediately.

    Reply
    • Lois

      July 30, 2019 at 8:01 pm

      Super! Don loves these pickles.

      Reply
  2. Juliana Leo

    August 02, 2020 at 9:20 pm

    5 stars
    I haven't made these yet, but the recipe sounds wonderful. I've already shared it with a friend of mine on Facebook!

    Reply
    • Lois

      August 02, 2020 at 10:05 pm

      I hope you love them.

      Reply
  3. Kathhy

    August 07, 2021 at 3:30 pm

    what type of salt do you use kosher or table?

    Reply
    • Lois Crawford

      August 07, 2021 at 4:47 pm

      I use sea salt, but kosher is fine too as long as it’s not the huge kind.

      Reply
      • Kathy

        August 09, 2021 at 5:10 pm

        ThankYou

        Reply
        • Lois Crawford

          August 10, 2021 at 10:49 am

          My pleasure. I hope you enjoy them. We do!

          Reply
  4. Susan A

    July 06, 2022 at 4:42 am

    Do you have to include onions?

    Reply
    • Adriana

      July 06, 2022 at 9:49 am

      You don't have to, but they are nice together 🙂

      Reply
  5. Amy

    July 17, 2022 at 9:55 am

    5 stars
    Just made these for the first time. Was very nervous that I was misunderstanding the recipe because of how much sugar it calls for, but was pleasantly surprised when I tasted the brine! Looking forward to using this recipe for years to come.

    Reply
    • Adriana

      July 17, 2022 at 10:16 am

      Yes, it "seems" like it's too much sugar, but it makes delicious pickles! So glad you gave it a try and ended up loving it!

      Reply
  6. Kathy Highfill

    July 19, 2022 at 2:29 pm

    I am on a Low SodiumDiet and wonder if I can reduce the amount of salt by half and get the same results? Thank you 😊 Kathy

    Reply
    • Adriana

      July 19, 2022 at 2:38 pm

      I don't know for sure. I'd try it though. might not taste the same, but probably still good.

      Reply
  7. Jodi

    July 28, 2022 at 4:07 pm

    Has anyone tried adding any hot peppers or crushed pepper flakes to these? I love refrigerator pickles but was hoping to add a little spice to them.

    Reply
    • Adriana

      July 28, 2022 at 10:39 pm

      You can definitely add some heat. Try a small jar first, to make sure you like it. But I'd experiment and have fun with it 🙂

      Reply
  8. Damien

    August 07, 2022 at 5:01 pm

    How long do these last? I have read that the sugar (even in vinegar) will start to grow bacteria after a few days and shouldn't be kept longer than that without boiling the solution. Any thoughts?

    Reply
    • Adriana

      August 08, 2022 at 10:41 pm

      They last 4 to 6 weeks in the fridge.

      Reply

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