Description

This Homemade Claussen Pickles recipe guides you to create crisp, tangy, and flavorful dill pickles using traditional fermentation and a simple brine. Made with fresh pickling cucumbers, aromatic spices, and fresh dill, these pickles develop a perfect balance of sourness and crunch over a few days at room temperature before storing in the fridge. Ideal as a side dish or snack, this vegan and gluten-free recipe brings the classic Claussen pickle taste right to your kitchen.

Ingredients

Scale

Pickles

10–12 small pickling cucumbers (washed and ends trimmed)

Brine

4 cups cold water
1 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar
1/3 cup kosher salt

Flavorings and Spices

6 garlic cloves (peeled and smashed)
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp dill seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
8–10 fresh dill sprigs
1/2 tsp alum (optional, for extra crispness)

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Instructions

Prepare Cucumbers: Slice the cucumbers into spears or leave them whole according to your preference. Make sure they are washed clean and ends are trimmed for best texture.
Make the Brine: In a large bowl or pitcher, combine cold water, distilled white vinegar, and kosher salt. Stir the mixture thoroughly until the salt is fully dissolved, creating a flavorful brine.
Add Spices to Jar: In the bottom of a large clean glass jar or container, place the garlic cloves, mustard seeds, dill seeds, black peppercorns, red pepper flakes if using, and half of the fresh dill sprigs to infuse the pickles with aromatic flavors.
Pack Cucumbers: Stand the cucumbers tightly packed upright in the jar. Tuck the remaining fresh dill sprigs around the cucumbers for additional fragrance and flavor.
Pour Brine and Add Alum: Pour the prepared brine over the cucumbers until they are completely submerged. Add alum if you choose to use it to help maintain crispness.
Fermentation: Cover the jar loosely with a lid or cloth to allow airflow and let it sit at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. This allows fermentation to take place, developing the signature tanginess.
Refrigeration: Once the pickles reach your desired level of flavor and sourness, seal the jar tightly and transfer to the refrigerator. The pickles will continue to develop flavor and maintain crispness for several weeks.

Notes

Use pickling cucumbers for optimal texture and crunch.
If you skip alum, be sure to store the pickles in the refrigerator promptly after fermenting to maintain their crunch.
Feel free to add sliced onions, jalapeños, or extra garlic cloves to customize the flavor.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Side Dish
Method: No-Cook, Fermentation
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 pickle
Calories: 10
Sugar: 0g
Sodium: 310mg
Fat: 0g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 0g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 2g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg