Easy Homemade Pickles

Make Easy Homemade Pickles: crisp cucumber rounds or spears in a tangy-sweet brine. Easy Homemade Pickles in 15 minutes prep.

Ingredients

• 1 medium-to-large cucumber or 2 small cucumbers (ideally 12 ounces total)*
• ½ cup water, at room temperature or cooler
• ½ cup rice vinegar
• 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup or sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
• 20 twists of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 leafy sprigs of fresh dill, roughly chopped (about ¼ cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 bay leaf

Instructions

Step 1: Slice the cucumbers

Using a sharp knife, slice the cucumber into thin rounds about 1/8‑inch thick for pickle “chips,” or cut into spears by halving the cucumber lengthwise, quartering, then eighthing the quarters lengthwise to create long spears. If any spears are too tall for your jar, trim them through the middle so they sit neatly—arrange the cut pieces on a clean plate as you work so they’re ready to pack.

Step 2: Mix the brine

In a clear glass liquid measuring cup combine 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup rice vinegar, then add 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup (or sugar), 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional), and 20 twists of freshly ground black pepper. Stir with a small spoon until most of the salt and sugar dissolve and the liquid looks slightly glossy; keep the measuring cup nearby at room temperature so it’s ready to pour.

Step 3: Pack the jar with aromatics

Place the prepared cucumber slices or spears into a wide‑mouth pint‑sized jar (3–4 inches in diameter) so they fit snugly. Top the cucumbers with the roughly chopped fresh dill, tuck in the peeled, smashed garlic cloves, and slide a bay leaf along the jar’s inner wall for visual layering. The jar should show clear layers of bright green cucumber, feathery dill, pale garlic cloves, and a single bay leaf.

Step 4: Pour the brine and chill

Pour the prepared brine from the measuring cup into the jar until all cucumbers are fully submerged, the brine glistening with suspended pepper flakes and tiny air bubbles. Cover and refrigerate—at least 1 hour for rounds or at least 3 hours for spears—and note that flavor deepens over the next few days; these keep up to 3 weeks in the fridge.

Notes

• Use Persian or Kirby cucumbers for extra crispness
• Keep pickles fully submerged in brine to extend shelf life
• Adjust sweetness with honey, agave, or extra maple syrup
• Use clean utensils to remove pickles and avoid contamination
• Label jars with date and variation to track favorites