Candied Dill Pickles

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These crunchy candied dill pickles are so easy to make and are delightfully pickled in a tart, savory, and sweet combination of white vinegar, sugar, and pickling spice.

Jar of overflowing candied dill pickles.

I dearly love getting to hear the stories and memories of your childhood. Knowing how much recipes are a part of our heritage, when you share one of your treasured recipes with me I take it to heart and consider it a great honor to receive such a gift. Today’s recipe is from Julie Hutson, and it is one she shares by way of her dear grandmother.

She said the smell and taste of this easy candied pickles recipe instantly transports her to her childhood and I totally understand that feeling, don’t you? Her Nanny would make a fresh batch as soon as the pickle jar was almost empty (a woman after my own heart).

I hope you enjoy this candied dill pickle recipe as much as I do! We pickle our dill pickles in a simple combination of white vinegar, sugar, and pickling spice. It’s quick and easy to make, we just have to be patient and let them sit in the pickling liquid for up to 5 days. We all know patience isn’t my strong suit, but these candied dills are worth the wait, I promise you!

They’re tart, sweet, crunchy, and just plain old delicious! Like bread and butter pickles without being too sweet. If you like this recipe, check out my sweet pickle recipe too. Now, I’ve included some serving ideas below, but let me tell you, they pair so well with so many Southern main dishes. Alright, let’s make some homemade candied dill pickles!

Labeled ingredients for candied dill pickles.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Whole dill pickles
  • Granulated sugar
  • White vinegar
  • Pickling spice

How to Make Candied Dill Pickles

Drain off pickles into a large bowl.

Drain pickles into a large bowl, reserving about half a cup of pickle juice (save for later).

Slice pickles into thick slices.

Slice whole pickles into slices (I prefer thick slices rather than thin slices).

Place sliced pickles back into the large bowl.

Place sliced pickles back into the large bowl.

Cover sliced pickles with sugar.

Cover the pickle slices with sugar.

Stir together pickles and sugar.

Give that a good stir.

Add reserved pickle juice to bowl.

Then pour the reserved pickle juice…

Add half a cup of vinegar to bowl.

And half a cup of vinegar over the pickles.

Stir thoroughly.

Stir thoroughly.

Allow pickles to sit in liquid at room temperature for several hours, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved.

Tie up pickling spice in the cheesecloth.

Place the heaping tablespoon of pickling spice into the center of the cheesecloth square. Tie up corners or secure it with a piece of string.

Drop pickling spice bundle into jar.

Drop the pickling spice bundle into the pickle jar.

Return pickles and juice to jar.

Return the pickles and juices back into the jar as well.

Secure lid and let candied dill pickles sit in fridge for 4 days.

Secure the lid and place it in the refrigerator.

Pickles need to “sit” for about four days, but turn the jar upside down every so often to mix the juices.

Candied dill pickles after 4 days.

After 4 to 5 days, your candied dill pickles are ready to enjoy!

You can discard the pickling spices at this time.

Bowl of candied dill pickles.

Grab a bowl and find out below how I love to serve them.

Storage

Store your candied dill pickle jar in the fridge for up to a month. But I don’t think they’re gonna last that long!

Recipe FAQs

What’s the best vinegar for pickling?

Any type of vinegar, like white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, and rice vinegar all work well in pickles.

Why do you use sugar in pickling?

Sugar helps balance out the tartness of the vinegar. If you were to omit the sugar, you’ll find the vinegar makes most pickles too sour.

How do you serve candied dill pickles?

Here are some serving suggestions:

I tell you, a candied pickle jar is as much a staple in my kitchen as the mayo and butter!

You may also like these other recipes:

Easy Pickled Onions

Sweet Pickles

Recipe for Fried Pickles

How To Make Kimchi At Home

Asian Relish (Achar)

Jar of overflowing candied dill pickles.

Candied Dill Pickles

These crunchy candied dill pickles are so easy to make and are delightfully pickled in a tart, savory, and sweet combination of white vinegar, sugar, and pickling spice.
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pickles

Ingredients

  • 1 46-ounce jar whole dill pickles
  • 3 cups sugar
  • ½ cup white vinegar
  • 1 heaping tablespoon pickling spice

Instructions

  • Drain off the pickles into a large bowl, reserving about half a cup of pickle juice (save for later). Slice whole pickles into slices (I prefer thick slices rather than thin slices).
    1 46-ounce jar whole dill pickles
  • Cover the pickle slices with sugar and stir. Then pour the reserved pickle juice and half a cup of vinegar over the pickles. Stir thoroughly. Allow pickles to sit at room temperature for several hours, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved.
    3 cups sugar, ½ cup white vinegar
  • Place the heaping tablespoon of pickling spice into the center of the cheesecloth square. Tie up corners or secure it with a piece of string.
    1 heaping tablespoon pickling spice
  • Drop the pickling spice bundle into the pickle jar and return the pickles and juices back into the jar as well. Secure the lid and place it in the refrigerator. Pickles need to “sit” for about four days, but turn the jar upside down every so often to mix the juices.
  • After 4-5 days the pickles are ready to enjoy!
Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

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128 Comments

  1. I love candid dill, but you can’t always find in some stores.. I’m trying this recipe soon an I’m adding sm. pearl onions to the jar, also thinking about a little of short slivered red peppers in it also.. Now do I need to steam the peppers a little before adding to pickles?

  2. I put the cut up pickles back into the gallon jug, alternating pickles with sugar (because I am diabetic I use stevia sugar) . Instead of using cheesecloth for pickling spices I have a tea caddy that I put spices in .I leave jar on counter and keep turning upside down and rolling it on it’s side for several days.

  3. I first tasted these when i was in Kentucky. I ate almost the whole small jar. I looked all over our town in Cali but could never find them. I found these and have made them ever since. In fact I have some sitting now. My grandson will be tasting them for the first time. I added some Tabasco to these. There are so many wonderful southern recipes that we on the west coast can never find. My second love is salt cured ham.

  4. So glad I saw this recipe…I used to buy Sweet dill pickles at Apple Hill –just outside of Sacramento, Calif. and WOW just loved them….but haven’t seen them anywhere for quite some time now. I’m going to make these for Christmas gifts along with the Cowboy Candy ( sweet pickled jalapenos ) & a couple of sweet breads….hoping everyone loves them as much as we do.
    Thanks for all the great recipes………

    1. I lost my recipe for cowboy candy. Really love them. Have not been able to find it anyplace. Can I get your recipe please. Thanks

  5. My best friend’s mother made these and kept them in the bottom rack of her refrigerator all the time. I remember that they were a bright green so she must have added green food coloring. I always loved them.

  6. I make candied dill slices by buying cheap hamburger dill slices, drain the juice out. Add a capful of liquid shrimp boil. Then fill with sugar, let melt and add more until jar is full. May add more or less of the shrimp boil depending on how spicy you want. This makes them just like the ones we had when I was a child. They stay very crisp.

  7. Hmm sounds something like my great aunts “magic pickles” but she only used sweet gherkins in a jar of dill juice after the pickles were gone? It was goood though.

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