Calling all pickle junkies. These are perhaps the easiest and best spicy pickles you can make at home. This is not a recipe for pickling cucumbers, but rather a method for how to make spicy pickles from store bought dill pickles. Quick, easy and full of flavor, these unique Homemade Sweet and Spicy Pickles will be a staple in your refrigerator.
My Aunt Lena always said “You can pickle a beet, but you can’t beat a pickle“.
I wish she was still alive as I’d make these for her on a regular basis. She thought eating a pickle cured any worry, any ache or any pain. And I do believe she’d have loved this recipe.
Homemade Spicy Pickles
What a great way to dress up, spice up and sweeten up a big jar of dill pickles.
And when they’re done you have super delicious, crunchy, spicy pickle chips. With a flavor perfect for snacking, piling onto Kickin’ Chicken Sandwiches, or Buffalo Bill Burgers. Or even chopped up for potato salad or macaroni salads.
And perfect on a hot dog. Instead of Calico Beans or that peach pie, take a big bowl of these pickles to the next back yard BBQ you’re invited to.
Most refrigerator pickles ask you to heat a brine with vinegar, water, sugar and salt. And add a complex mixture of pickling spices.
Do you have sugar? Do you have garlic? Do you have red pepper flakes and Tabasco Sauce? Then let’s get started.
A semi-homemade pickle recipe, here’s how easy it is to make Best Spicy Pickles
How To Make Spicy Pickles From Store Bought
- Buy two large jars of Vlassic Original Whole Dill Pickles. Do Not Use Kosher pickles, the texture will be bad in a rubbery sort of way.
- Remove them from their brine and slice them about 1/2 inch thick into a large bowl.
- Simply add sugar, a big splash of Tabasco Sauce, dried garlic and red pepper flakes.
- Let them sit at room temperature for two hours, stirring now and then.
- During their rest, they will create their own liquid. After the two hours, transfer to jars and let them rest in the refrigerator for three days before eating. And you have some of the best tasting homemade sweet and spicy pickles ever. And they keep their crunch.
I’ve seen similar recipes that are names Fire and Ice Pickles, Texas Christmas Pickles and Cajun Christmas Pickles.
They are great for gifts for my pickle loving family and friends, but I love having them in my refrigerator year round.
Recipe for Best Spicy Pickles, How to Make Sweet and Spicy Pickles from Dill Pickles
I hope you give this easy spicy pickle recipe a try. And if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating.
Your feedback is valuable to me for developing future recipes. And if you have a favorite refrigerator pickle recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
Love pickling? Ever tried pickled beets? Take a look at my step by step recipe for Pickled Beets.
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Best Spicy Pickles, How to Make Sweet and Spicy Pickles from Dill Pickles
Ingredients
- 2 46-oz jars whole dill pickles not Kosher
- 4 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
- 1 tablespoon dehydrated minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Drain and discard the pickling juice from the dill pickles (or save the juice and use to marinate chicken wings).
- Slice the pickles in thick, nice size chips, (larger than quarter-inch, less than half-inch) and place in a large bowl.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix. Allow to rest for about 2 hours. Stir from the bottom several times. The sugar will dissolve and the pickles will produce its own liquid.
- Place the chips in jars distributing the liquid among the jars. Seal and refrigerate for 3 or 4 days before enjoying and gift giving.
I made these for myself and my family tried them. WOW! Now I’m making 4 batches a week. They are That Good!
Thanks so much for taking the time to write a note about these pickles.
We happen to think they’re amazing, so glad you like them. And if there were enough people around our house to eat them, I’d probably make 4 batches a week also.
Make it a delicious day. 🙂
I made these pickles and ate them up real fast… They are so good I followed the exact recipe
THIS is absolutely the BEST recipe ever found for pickles. I ALWAYS have one jar in refrigerator that I am munching on………….and a second jar in the works. At least once per day…..I do just open the jar and munch 1-2 pieces.
I have been using this recipe now for a long time…………This is simply a quick go to snack. They are great on sandwiches, salads, absolutely anything……but mostly used for a quick bite………Thanks for sharing. Do you have other recipes to share? Anyone that could create this – must have additional fantastic recipes.
just made these…my husband is in heaven!!!!! they are so good….will keep this recipe and use over and over…thank you so much!!!!
Hi folks! I made the Best Spicy Pickle recipe 5 days ago. After day 2 I was not sure they would last until day 4! this was an easy recipe and I cannot believe how wicked good these pickles are! Just the right amount of heat , not painful heat, just fun tickle your tastebuds heat! This recipe made 2 pint jars full and one bigger jar that I had purchased kraut in. So a nice amount. And no canning heat and mess! Cannot beieve how easy and good these are! Did I say that before?! I made them exactly like the recipe said and they are perfect. Thank you so much! I will never be without these if I can help it!
Hi Shon. Thank you so much for taking the time to review this recipe. And I’m so glad you liked the recipe. I always have a supply of these on hand. So easy to make and so good. Everyone always raves.
I like my pickles super spicy w/habernero and Thai peppers but no sugar. Would I prep the same way? Also I like mine with garlic in it too. What do you suggest? Thank you!
When adding sugar to the drained and sliced pickles, it creates a syrup. If you delete that step you won’t have that liquid. I can’t see how it would work without it.
My dad made these and they were amazing! However, I try my best to eat low carb. Do you think a sugar substitute like erythritol or xylitol would work just as well?
So glad your Dad gave them a try. They’re popular around here. 🙂 I’m sorry, but I can’t be of any help in this case. I actually know nothing about artificial sweetners. But intuition tells me it wouldn’t work with this recipe. If you try it, let me know.
Why not Kosher dill
I wish I knew. Sorry I can’t answer the question. I’ll email the Executive Chef from Culinary School and see if he knows the chemistry about why. I’ll let you know.
Question: I have limited refrigerator space and was wondering if anyone has canned them after the 3 or 4 day wait period. Love the pickles and would love to give them as homemade gifts. If no one has, I will try and report back. I can sweet pickles in a hot water bath for about 5 minutes so what can it hurt.
Hi Pat. Please let us know how this works. I really can’t see any reason it wouldn’t. And I’m with you. I have limited refrigerator space and would make them more often if I could can them. Thanks so much.
This is a great idea, can’t wait to try this at home! I absolutely love spicy pickles, thanks for sharing!
You are absolutely welcome. I hope you give them and try and let me know what you think.