Can you can sweet and spicy pickles?
Yes. Sweet and spicy pickles are a sweet pickle with some heat, and they can be water-bath canned. The key is to start from a recipe tested for canning, not to improvise the sugar, vinegar, and vegetable proportions. Heat can usually be added with dry seasonings such as red pepper flakes, which makes this an easy pickle to customize without changing the safe part of the recipe.
What are sweet and spicy pickles called?
There is no single official name. You will see them called “sweet heat pickles,” “sweet and spicy pickles,” or “spicy bread-and-butter pickles.” Some commercial brands have a similar style. Most are a bread-and-butter pickle (cucumbers, onions, a sweet vinegar syrup, turmeric, mustard seed) with added hot peppers or pepper flakes.
Start with a tested base
The National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) publishes a bread-and-butter pickle recipe with a processing time. Several popular sweet and spicy recipes online resemble it, but their times and proportions differ, and some use 15-minute processing without altitude adjustment. We suggest building from the tested one.
Ingredients
As NCHFP lists it at the time of writing (verify against their page before you start), the recipe makes about 8 pints:
- 6 pounds pickling cucumbers, 4 to 5 inches long
- 8 cups thinly sliced onions (about 3 pounds)
- 1/2 cup canning or pickling salt
- 4 cups vinegar (5% acidity)
- 4 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons mustard seed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons celery seed
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
For the spice: red pepper flakes, added modestly to the syrup (for example, 1 to 2 teaspoons for the full batch to start), is a flavor addition, not a tested change. Fresh hot peppers add low-acid material, so we do not suggest adding large amounts to a canned batch. See “Adding heat safely” below.
Method
- Prep and salt. Wash the cucumbers and trim 1/16 inch from the blossom end. Slice about 3/16 inch thick. Combine with the onions and the salt, cover with about 2 inches of crushed or cubed ice, and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours. Drain well.
- Make the syrup. In a large pot, combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, celery seed, turmeric, and any pepper flakes. Boil for 10 minutes.
- Heat the vegetables. Add the drained cucumbers and onions and slowly reheat to a boil.
- Fill the jars. Fill clean, hot jars with the slices and syrup, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Wipe the rims, add lids, and tighten bands to fingertip tight.
- Process in a boiling-water canner for the time below.
Processing and altitude
For hot-packed bread-and-butter pickles in pints or quarts, NCHFP lists:
| 0 to 1,000 ft | 1,001 to 6,000 ft | Above 6,000 ft |
|---|---|---|
| 10 minutes | 15 minutes | 20 minutes |
Some blog recipes list 15 minutes at all altitudes. Use the time for your altitude from a tested source. NCHFP also describes a low-temperature pasteurization option that can help keep pickles firm; follow its exact instructions if you try it.
Adding heat safely
- Dry seasonings such as red pepper flakes, a small pinch of cayenne, or a dried chile in each jar are the simplest way to add heat.
- Fresh hot peppers are low-acid. A few slices as seasoning are common in published recipes, but replacing a large part of the cucumbers or onions is not covered by a tested recipe. NCHFP has its own pickled pepper recipes for those, and our banana pepper canning guide covers the principles.
- Keep the syrup as written. Do not reduce the vinegar or increase the vegetables to make room for peppers.
- Sugar substitutes. Sugar in a sweet pickle mainly affects flavor and texture, but substituting it in a canning recipe changes the result. Look for a tested reduced-sugar pickle recipe.
For a savory approach to the same idea, see our jalapeno garlic dill pickles. For an old-fashioned sweet spear, see icicle pickles.
Aging and storage
After the jars cool and seal, store them in a cool, dark place. NCHFP suggests letting bread-and-butter pickles rest for 4 to 5 weeks for the flavor to develop. Refrigerate after opening. Discard jars that are bulging, leaking, moldy, or smell off.
Troubleshooting
- Soft pickles: old cucumbers, blossom ends not removed, or overprocessing.
- Floating pickles: often from packing loosely; usually harmless.
- Cloudy brine: can come from table salt, hard water, or spices. A sour smell or bulging lid is a reason to discard.
FAQ
What is the 3-2-1 rule for pickles? A popular shorthand for refrigerator pickle brine, with 3 parts vinegar, 2 parts sugar, and 1 part water. It is not a tested canning formula.
Can I make a refrigerator version instead? Yes. Skip the canner and keep the jars cold. See easy pickle recipes for canning for a simple fridge option.
Do I have to use two vinegars? No. Many recipes use white distilled and cider vinegar together, but both must be 5% acidity.