Bread and butter pickles are sweet and loaded with flavor. This not-too-sweet version uses maple sugar and bourbon to offer a great alternative to dill pickles.
Why make your own Bread and Butter Pickles?
Well, first of all, they are WAY better than the store-bought versions. But, here are some other good reasons to be making these on your own.
- You control the TYPE and AMOUNT of sugar. Store-bough versions are going to definitely be using ultra-processed sugars. In our version we used pure maple sugar. It may be a bit more expensive, but it’s literally just boiled maple sap….nothing else is used in manufacturing it.
- No artificial colors. The colors of the food you eat should come FROM THE FOOD YOU EAT. You don’t need “Yellow 5”, “Yellow 5 Lake”, “Acid Yellow 23”, or any other crap like this to color your pickles. Turmeric gives all the color you need in this version of bread and butter pickles.
- You control the flavor and spice of the pickles. Want it extra spicy? Add different chiles. Want it sweeter? Add more sugar. They’re yours….make them the way you like them.
What you will need for this recipe.
- Cucumbers
- Onion
- Apple Cider Vinegar and White Vinegar
- Maple Sugar
- Spices: Redmond Real Salt, Mustard Seeds, Celery Seeds, Allspice Berries, Turmeric, and Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Bourbon
- Glass Jars
- Mandoline Slicer or knife
- 4qt pot, minimum
Watch the Video
Maple Bourbon Bread and Butter Pickles
Ingredients
- 4 lbs Cucumbers
- 1 each Yellow Sweet Onion, Thinly Sliced
- 3 Cups Apple Cider Vinegar
- 3 Cups White Vinegar
- 3 Cups Maple Sugar
- 1 Cup Bourbon Feel free to add more. My recipe was a little light on the bourbon flavor.
- ¼ Cup Fine Sea Salt
- 2 Tbsp Yellow Mustard Seeds
- ½ Tbsp Crushed Red Pepper
- 1½ Tsp Celery Seeds
- ½ Tsp Allspice Berries
- ½ Tsp Ground Turmeric
Instructions
- Slice the cucumbers into 1/4 inch thick discs.
- Cut the onion in half through the root end, peel, and then thinly slice. Discard the root end and peels of onion.
- Combine the cucumbers and onions evenly between 3 quart-sized glass jars with lids. Pack the vegetables tightly into the jars. Use a fourth jar if necessary.
- Combine all vinegars and bourbon in a pot over medium-high heat and bring to a light simmer.
- Add the maple sugar and salt to the simmering vinegar/bourbon mix and stir until fully dissolved.
- Add all remaining spices to the pot and simmer for about 5 minutes to allow spices to release their flavors into the vinegar solution.
- Pour the hot vinegar solution directly into the prepared jars and fully cover the cucumbers and onions, ensuring that everything is fully submerged in the liquid.
- Place the lids on the jars and allow to cool to room temperature then store in the fridge.
