I stopped at my aunt’s house the other day for some extra cucumbers, so she showed me the sweet refrigerator pickles she was making. She opened the lid and I was instantly back in my grandma’s old kitchen. That sweet and spicy smell reminded me so much of my grandma.
When I told her I wanted to share the recipe here, she was thrilled—she said she didn’t want grandma’s recipe to “die with her.” LOL.
The recipe is actually written in my mom’s handwriting, and all the girls (my aunts) make these refrigerator pickles. But Scott and I don’t actually like sweet pickles, so I’ve never made them.
That’s no reason not to share it though! I’m putting it here so Grandma’s recipe doesn’t get lost. Sweet pickles may not be our favorite, but some family recipes are worth preserving simply because they’re part of where we came from.
A Quick Look at Grandma’s Refrigerator Pickles
What it is: A sweet refrigerator pickle recipe passed down from my grandma and still made by my aunts today.
Flavor: Sweet and tangy with ground mustard and pickling spice.
Best cucumbers: Small, freshly picked garden cucumbers.
How it works: The cucumbers soak in salt water overnight before going into the vinegar brine. Then, ¼ cup of sugar is added each day until all 6 cups have been used.
Canning required: None. These pickles are kept refrigerated throughout the process.
Good to know: More small cucumbers can be prepared and added as they’re picked from the garden.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There’s a reason Grandma’s sweet refrigerator pickles are still being made all these years later. They’re a simple way to preserve small garden cucumbers without canning, and the slow process gives them their distinctive sweet and tangy flavor.
- No canning required. These refrigerator cucumber pickles stay right in the fridge from start to finish.
- Perfect for garden cucumbers. You don’t need a huge harvest all at once. More small cucumbers can be added as they’re picked.
- Sweet and tangy. Vinegar, sugar, ground mustard, and pickling spice create the sweet pickle flavor.
- Simple ingredients. Grandma’s recipe uses basic pickling ingredients without anything fancy.
- A recipe worth preserving. This is one of those family recipes that deserves to be written down and passed along rather than eventually being forgotten.
The process takes a little patience, since the sugar is added gradually each day. But that slow, simple method is exactly how Grandma’s recipe was made—and how my aunt still makes it today.
Ingredients for Sweet Refrigerator Pickles
Grandma’s recipe uses just a handful of traditional pickling ingredients. You’ll also need plenty of sugar set aside because it gets added to the brine a little at a time.
- Small cucumbers: Choose small, freshly picked cucumbers. You can continue adding cucumbers as you pick them throughout the season.
- Red vinegar: The acidic base for Grandma’s refrigerator pickle brine.
- Sugar: A small amount goes into the initial brine, followed by 3 pounds (about 6 cups) that is gradually added over several weeks.
- Canning salt: Used in the brine and for soaking the cucumbers overnight.
- Ground mustard: Adds that distinctive mustard flavor to the sweet pickle brine.
- Pickling spice: A blend of spices that gives the pickles their traditional spiced flavor.
Nothing about the ingredient list is complicated. The unusual part of Grandma’s recipe is what happens next—the sugar isn’t added all at once, but slowly, ¼ cup at a time each day.
What Kind of Cucumbers Should You Use?
Grandma’s original instructions simply say to “pick small cucumbers,” so this recipe is best made with small, freshly picked cucumbers from the garden. My aunt uses them whole rather than slicing them.
You also don’t need to have a large cucumber harvest ready at once. My aunt keeps adding small cucumbers to the refrigerator pickle brine as she picks them, making this a handy way to keep up with the garden throughout cucumber season.
If your cucumbers have gotten large, I’d save those for another recipe. For Grandma’s refrigerator cucumber pickles, stick with the little ones whenever you can.
How to Make Grandma’s Sweet Refrigerator Pickles
These sweet refrigerator pickles aren’t difficult to make, but they do take time. The sugar is added gradually each day, so allow time for that.
Step 1: Wash the Cucumbers
Choose small cucumbers and wash them well. Leave the cucumbers whole.
Step 2: Soak the Cucumbers Overnight
Combine 1 teaspoon of salt with enough water to cover the cucumbers in a large pail. My grandma used ice cream pails. But you can use a food grade pail or a five gallon bucket, if it’ll fit in your fridge. Place the cucumbers in salt water and refrigerate them overnight.
Step 3: Make the Refrigerator Pickle Brine
The next day, combine ½ gallon of red vinegar, 4 tablespoons sugar, 4 tablespoons canning salt, 4 tablespoons ground mustard, and ½ cup pickling spices. Stir to combine.
Step 4: Add the Cucumbers
Remove the cucumbers from the salt water and place them into the prepared brine, making sure they are covered. Refrigerate them.
Step 5: Measure the Sugar
Measure out 3 pounds, or about 6 cups, of granulated sugar for each batch of brine. Set this sugar aside so you can add it gradually over the next several weeks.
Step 6: Add ¼ Cup of Sugar Each Day
Each day, measure ¼ cup of the reserved sugar and stir it into the brine and cucumbers.
Step 7: Continue Until the Sugar Is Gone
Continue adding ¼ cup of sugar each day until all 6 cups have been used. This will take about 24 days. Stir the pickles every so often during this time.
Step 8: Add More Cucumbers as You Pick Them
As more small cucumbers are ready in the garden, they can be added to the batch. My aunt continues adding cucumbers as she picks them throughout the season, which is how she still makes Grandma’s recipe today.
A Few Notes About Grandma’s Recipe
Because this recipe was passed down through our family, the original directions are pretty simple. My copy is written in my mom’s handwriting, and she doesn’t always write everything out. Some of the little details are simply things my aunts know from making these pickles over the years.
- Keep the pickles refrigerated. This is a refrigerator pickle recipe, not a canning recipe, so the cucumbers stay in the refrigerator throughout the process.
- Start with small cucumbers. Think baby dill sized. The smallest cucumbers you can find in your garden. They should be no bigger than your pinky.
- Add the sugar gradually. Don’t add the 6 cups of sugar all at once. Grandma’s method calls for just ¼ cup each day until it is gone.
- Give them an occasional stir. The original recipe simply says to “stir pickles every so often.” LOL. I’d do it once a day.
- Keep adding cucumbers. You can add more small cucumbers as they’re picked from the garden rather than waiting until you have a large harvest all at once.
There aren’t a lot of precise instructions or explanations written into Grandma’s recipe—and I don’t want to add things that weren’t there. If you have questions, post them in the comments and I’ll ask my aunt. 😉
When Are the Pickles Ready to Eat?
These aren’t quick refrigerator pickles. In our family, the cucumbers went into the brine during garden season, but you didn’t get to eat them until Thanksgiving. According to my aunt, they simply aren’t ready before then.
When I asked her how long Grandma’s refrigerator pickles would keep, her answer made me laugh:
“Forever? Ours never lasted past winter. Kids ate them all up, ha, ha. And we don’t get to eat them until Thanksgiving!”
So while I can’t give you an exact shelf life for this old family recipe, I can tell you how our family has always handled them: keep them refrigerated, let them sit until Thanksgiving, and enjoy them through the winter.
Apparently, figuring out how long they could last was never much of a problem—my aunts and uncles always finished them first. 😂
Frequently Asked Questions
Here’s the answers to questions I had, so I am sure others will as well. If you have more questions, please post them below and I’ll get the answers for you.
Do refrigerator pickles need to be canned?
No. Grandma’s sweet refrigerator pickles are kept in the refrigerator rather than processed in a water-bath canner. They are not shelf-stable and should remain refrigerated.
How long does it take to make sweet refrigerator pickles?
The 6 cups of sugar are added ¼ cup at a time, so it takes 24 days just to add all of the sugar. But you still have to wait. They aren’t ready to eat until Thanksgiving.
Why is the sugar added a little at a time?
That’s simply how Grandma’s recipe was made. Rather than guessing at the reason behind it, I’ve kept her method exactly as it was passed down: add ¼ cup of sugar each day until all of the measured sugar is gone.
Can I add more cucumbers to the brine?
That’s how my aunt makes them. As she picks more small cucumbers from the garden, she adds them to the batch throughout cucumber season.
Do I have to use small cucumbers?
Yes. As small as you can get. My aunt says “pinky-finger-sized”.
Can I slice the cucumbers?
Nope. That is an entirely different recipe. I’ll try to get that one posted as well!
How long do sweet refrigerator pickles last?
My aunt’s first answer when I asked was, “Forever?” 😂 She followed that by saying theirs never made it past winter because the kids ate them all. Since this is an old family recipe rather than a “tested preservation” recipe, I can’t give you a verified maximum storage time. Keep them refrigerated and discard them if you notice signs of spoilage.
Slow Down and Savor It
I may never make a batch of Grandma’s sweet refrigerator pickles for myself. Sweet pickles aren’t really my thing, and Scott doesn’t care for them either.
I will have to stop by my aunt’s on Thanksgiving though, and try hers! Who knows, maybe my taste buds have changed over the years.
But just because we don’t care for sweet pickles, it doesn’t mean this recipe isn’t worth saving.
I only have it now because I stopped at my aunt’s house for cucumbers and happened to follow her into the kitchen. When I told her I wanted to put Grandma’s recipe on Hill River Homestead, she was thrilled.
She said she didn’t want the recipe to “die with her.”
And really, that’s what preserving family recipes is all about. We don’t have to love every dish our grandmas made, but we can make sure their recipes—and the stories that go with them—are still here for the next generation. ❤️
More Recipes for Preserving the Harvest
If the garden is coming in faster than you can use it, here are a few more Hill River favorites for making the most of the harvest.
Cucumber Salad: This simple cucumber and onion salad is the one I make all summer long. I learned how to make it from Scott’s mom.
Dill Pickles: If you’re like Scott and me and prefer dill over sweet pickles, try his mom’s dill pickle recipe. It’s another family recipe we’ve kept around for good reason.
Homemade Cranberry Juice: Preserve fresh cranberries with this simple homemade cranberry juice recipe to enjoy throughout the winter.
Homemade Apple Cider: Turn a fall apple harvest into homemade apple cider with all those cozy fall flavors.
September Harvest Guide: Find even more ideas for cooking, baking, and preserving everything that’s ready to harvest in September.
Whether it’s Grandma’s sweet pickles or one of the recipes we make year after year ourselves, putting these recipes in one place helps keep a little bit of the harvest—and the family traditions that come with it—for later.
