Great Grandma Bonnie was the spunkiest old lady I’ve ever met! Even in her old age, she never got grumpy and she was constantly smiling and joking – I loved her smile! She’s been gone awhile now, but I can still hear her, plain as day, poking me in the ribs as we shared a laugh and exclaiming, “I’m telling you, kid!”, one of her favorite sayings from her youth.
Grandma always wanted to feed everyone who came to her house. Her freezer pickles were one of my favorite snacks and are such a quick and easy recipe to throw together. The work is in the peeling and slicing of the cucumbers, but after that it’s a breeze. You just combine all the ingredients and place them in the refrigerator for 24 hours before placing them in small freezer containers to be removed from the freezer one at a time as you use them. You may notice that I left out the green bell peppers. They’ve never been a favorite of mine.
Oh and Grandma Bonnie would definitely want me to tell you that not only was she my Great Grandmother, she was also a Great-GREAT Grandmother to my kids and goodness was she ever proud of that. I can hear her now: “I’m a Great GREAT!!!!!” We sure miss that spunky lady!
Great Grandma Bonnie's Freezer Pickles Recipe
Ingredients
- 7 cups pickling cucumbers sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 2 onions sliced
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 2 cups white sugar this is an old fashioned recipe when sugar wasn't thought of as being as bad for you as it is today. Feel free to use less sugar!
- 1 tsp. celery seed
- 1 tbsp. kosher salt
Instructions
- Peel pickling cucumbers.
- Mix vinegar, sugar, celery seed and kosher salt.
- If your sugar isn't dissolving well into the liquid, heat up in the microwave for 30 to 40 seconds until your sugar is no longer gritty in the liquid.
- Mix in remaining ingredients and place into the refrigerator for 24 hours before placing in a freezer container and freezing.
- Remove from freezer and let thaw as needed.
Yay! You did it, Carli. But you didn’t say if they were sweet or not
with all that sugar. Or does it taste like a bread and butter pickle?
I can’t remember. lol I know your girls will eat them right out of the container. lol
I’m unsure what a bread and butter pickle is, to tell you the truth. They definitely have a different taste than a sweet pickle despite the amount of sugar used. The vinegar must balance out that sweetness quite a bit. Whatever the case, they were delicious! Yes, my kids were in no way about to wait that 24 hour refrigerator time. They started eating them immediately. Even Jaydin, who had once turned up her nose at the fact that I wasn’t making a dill pickle, changed her tune really quick when she tried them. They were good immediately but better after frozen – there was a certain crunch that the freezer added. They were darn good!
This is same recipe my grandma made except 1/4 tsp of mustard seed is in her recipe as well. This makes a bread n butter pickle. These are my favorite pickle. I leave the peel on.
I cannot wait to try these!
Just like my grandma and mom used to make. skipped the peppers also, had to find the recipe as my mom has passed to Heaven and we have eaten the last of her frozen pickles 🙂
Jerry, so glad I was able to jog a great memory for you. Enjoy!!!
My 10 year old son and I made these and LOVE them! They are very similar to my husband’s grandmother’s “refrigerator pickles” recipe, but we have never known that we can FREEZE them successfully! I am VERY excited about being able to do this! Thanks!
Glad I could help! You’ll love them after freezing. Something about the freezing process gives them a different (wonderful!) kind of crisp. 😉 Enjoy!
Could you take these out of the freezer and thaw then add oil and have cucumber salad?
Hi Karen, I’d probably drain most of the liquid prior to putting a splash of olive oil in it. That sounds delish!
These look yummy! I’m wondering what it would hurt to leave the peeling on the cukes… I’ve got three little ones running around and I’ll be lucky to find the time to make these at all. It would cut out a lot of time if I could skip the peeling process. Has anyone tried that?
After making these, I’m sure peeling them is an unnecessary process, Emily. They get so incredibly crispy that you won’t even notice the skin on them. If they didn’t get crispy, you might notice the skins as being a little tougher than the rest but that’s just not the case. If you do make them with the skin on, please will you let us know what you think?
I made a batch of these last night and left the skin on and they are terrific! Definitely my newest craving… I froze a jar of them and then thawed them to see how they would hold up with the skin on and they’re nice and crispy! I would highly recommend skipping the peeling step as it is not necessary. I’m going to have to cut down on the amount of sugar I use in my next batch, because I’m going to be eating these nonstop! 🙂
I know, they are totally addictive, aren’t they? Glad to hear that you really don’t need to peel them. I think my next batch will have the skin on them too then! 😉 Thanks for letting me know, Emily!
Okay, this has got to be one of the best pickle recipes I’ve ever tried. My in-laws are also hooked on em. I was eating them straight out of the fridge while I was attempting to put them in a freezer container, lol. Great recipe and a definite keeper. Already looking forward to making another batch. Thanks for a great, new recipe.
You are so very welcome, Marlene! My great grandma would be beaming if she could see your comment. Enjoy, my friend! 😉
Carli,
This recipe sounds yummy. I’d like to make some to share with my parents but, my father is diabetic. I’m curious to know if you or others have tried this with artificial sweeteners.
Hi Kris!
I have not tried making the pickles with artificial sweeteners, however, we use a lot of stevia around here and I’m certain that would taste just as good! We use the alcohol free stevia extract. Next time I make them I’ll substitute with stevia and will report back to you. If you try it first will you let me know the conversion you used? I’m sure your diabetic dad and my diabetic daughter will appreciate it! 😉
I have made freezer pickles with powdered stevia (the really concentrated stuff with no filler-Iused KAL brand) and they turned out great. Since the sugar isn’t doing anything for preserving, just for flavor (since the pickles are frozen), I can’t see how there could be a problem.
how long will they stay good after being frozen. My father in law planted 230 cucumber plants this year and I have so many to use up. I’ve canned a lot of pickles this year but this method seems like it would save me time.
Hi Patricia, they never last long enough to prove their longevity around here but I have no doubt that they will be good from 6 months to a year after freezing if using freezer storage containers. Wish I could take some of those cucumbers off your hands!
Can I put these in zip lock freezer bags?
Hi Phyllis, I don’t see a reason why you couldn’t. Would be a great space saver too. Let us know how it goes!
-Carli
I cannot eat onions. Can I make this recipe without them and still have them taste as wonderful as all are saying they are?
I’ve never made them without onions Pam, but give it a try and report back! 🙂
Carli. Thanks for sharing this recipe with us. Had lots of cukes and made your recipie. I added a bag of frozen mixed broccoli, cauliflower and carrots to the mix and some pickleing spice. Put them in freezer bags. So easy and good. Family loved it. Eileen
That sounds great, Eileen! Must try!!!
Do you have to use pickling cucumbers? What type of cucumbers are pickling cucumbers anyway? I think my cucumbers are just the run of the mill burpless type.
You can use any type, Sue. Pickling cucumbers just tend to make crisper pickles.
Absolutely delicious! The first batch never made it to the freezer! I have two more batches sliced and ready to make now. Thank you for the recipe and also to your Great Grandma Bonnie!!
So glad to hear that you like it as much as we do, Lisa! I laughed about the first batch not making it to the freezer. Each time I make it, I know that after they come out of the freezer I will like them even more because of the awesome crunch the freezer gives them but it never fails, I still have the problem…enjoy the rest of them!
I made these 8/25/17 with surplus cukes in a very good season, and they were as excellent as you promised!!! My husband was like your kids….chomping a ton before I was able to freeze them! I am making more tonight for us because I decided to bring saturday’s to a family pig roast! TYVM for sharing!
This is how my mom made them….. without the peppers and salt. We use 1 cup each vinegar, water, and sugar. I’ve loved these things since I was little. Like 40 years ago. They r so good. Didn’t think I could freeze them though. Thanks. Now I can do something with all these cucumbers.
Can they be made with Long English cucumbers, we are inundated with them and hate to waste them.
Absolutely Regina!
Hello, and Thank you!
Another way to save goodies til next season!
Blanching to freeze is not a fav…this recipe makes it easier on these ole hands!
Have boiling-processed, dried and refrigerated…now to better freezing!
Again, THANK YOU!
😍🍴😀
You are so welcome Sister Donna! 😀
Love these , but had to add some water to get enough liquid. Plan to make more as my bunch loves them too! Will try mixing other veggies in as Eilene did. Sounds really good!