Description
Easy no-cook refrigerator pickles with the perfect balance of sweet and heat. Regular dill pickles get a makeover with sugar, fresh jalapeños, garlic, and red pepper flakes for an addictive snack that’s ready in just 1-2 days.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sweet Heat Magic:
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- 1 large jar (32 oz) regular dill pickles (whole, spears, or slices – but NOT kosher dills)
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- 1 cup granulated sugar
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- 2–3 fresh jalapeños, sliced (seeds in for more heat, seeds out for milder)
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- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
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- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
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- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Drain the pickles – Pour out half the brine but save it in a bowl. You’ll need some later.
- Start layering – Drop some pickles in your jar, sprinkle sugar over them, add jalapeño slices, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and parsley.
- Keep going – Repeat this layering until everything’s used up. Don’t stress about making it perfect.
- Wait an hour – Leave the jar on your counter. The sugar starts dissolving and making syrup – it’s pretty cool to watch.
- Stir it up – Mix everything together gently. Add back just enough pickle brine to barely cover everything.
- Chill out – Stick it in the fridge and try not to think about it for 1-2 days. Hardest part of the whole recipe, honestly.
Notes
That room temperature hour isn’t optional – sugar needs time to start working. Save some original brine because it’s already perfectly seasoned. While you can sneak a taste after a few hours, real flavor development takes the full 24-48 hours.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Condiment/Appetizer
- Method: refrigerator pickles
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2-3 pickle pieces
- Calories: 25 per serving
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 280mg
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg