How to Make Spicy Pickles from Store Bought

Homemade spicy pickles in a ball canning jar

How to Make Spicy Pickles from Store Bought

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.

Course Appetizer Recipes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Resting time 2

Total Time 15

Servings

Calories 157kcal

Author Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

2 46-oz jars whole dill pickles drained
4 cups sugar
1 ½ tablespoons hot pepper sauce Tabasco works well here
1 tablespoon dehydrated minced garlic Or onion flakes, see note below.
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

Instructions

Drain and discard the pickling juice from the dill pickles.
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.
Once the sugar is dissolved, place the chips in jars distributing the liquid among the jars. Wipe rims with a clean we cloth, seal and refrigerate for 3 or 4 days before enjoying and gift giving.

Notes

Dehydrated Garlic Flakes, or Dehydrated Onion Flakes: Some brand of Kosher Dills can already have a strong garlic flavor. Whereas, pickles that are not Kosher will not. Use either garlic flakes or onion ... or a little bit of both.

Tip: Save That Pickle Brine. I've never made them, but use the pickle brine to make chicken wings. Check out my friend Nick's recipe for Pickle Brined Chicken Wings.

Tip: The sugar liquid created from these pickles is very sticky. Use a clean damp cloth to wipe the rims of the jars before placing on the lids. This will keep the lids from sticking when ready for use.

Nutrition