Traditional Dill Pickle Canning Recipe

Crisp, tangy, and packed with flavor, this traditional dill pickle recipe has been passed down for generations. Water bath canning locks in the crunch of fresh cucumbers, the bite of garlic, and the earthy aroma of dill, creating a pantry staple that never goes out of style. Whether you’re new to canning or adding another batch to your yearly rotation, these homemade pickles deliver heritage and flavor in every jar.

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By Diane Devereaux | The Canning Diva® 
Last updated: September 2025

A Brief History of Pickles

I am having a blast researching what makes a pickle a pickle, where they originated, how they have affected a countries economy and much more. My favorite source of well-researched facts and history is from the Pickle Packers International organization, who strives to educate our youth on this amazing vegetable and the process of making pickles. Now I am even more excited to share my Traditional Dill Pickle canning recipe that has circulated for generations across the United States.  But before then, let’s do some learning…

Pickles have been part of American food culture since colonial times, when they were often the only green vegetable available through the winter. Puritan settlers served them daily as a “sour” reminder to appreciate the “sweet” gifts of the land. By the mid-1600s, Dutch settlers in Brooklyn grew cucumbers and sold them to pickle dealers who cured them in barrels—launching America’s pickle industry.

Even America’s founding figures loved pickles. George Washington, Dolly Madison, and John Adams were devoted fans, and Thomas Jefferson once wrote, “On a hot day in Virginia, I know nothing more comforting than a fine spiced pickle.”

Today, Americans consume more than nine pounds of pickles per person each year. From Amish “seven sweets and seven sours” to the classic dill, pickles remain one of the most beloved preserved foods.

Revolutionary pickle lovers include George Washington, Dolly Madison and John Adams. Pickles inspired Thomas Jefferson to write “On a hot day in Virginia, I know nothing more comforting than a fine spiced pickle brought up trout-like from the sparkling depths of the aromatic jar below the stairs in Aunt Sally’s cellar.”

Today, pickles remain a popular food even though the need for pickling as a preservation method is not as great. In the United States, people eat over nine pounds of pickles per person each year. However, some form of pickles are enjoyed worldwide by almost everyone regardless of social, economic and geographical boundaries. I think it is safe to say the traditional dill pickle is a hands-down favorite in my household. Is it in yours?

Traditional Dill Pickle Canning Recipe

Makes approx. 7 pints or 3 quarts

This is my family’s favorite traditional dill pickle canning recipe on my pantry shelf. Actually, I preserve several batches each season because my daughter will eat the whole jar to herself (if I let her haha). Just know, you are welcome to swap white vinegar with apple cider vinegar and white sugar for brown sugar – the flavors vary slightly but no matter the choice, are always delicious.

Ingredients

• 13 cups small pickling cucumbers, about 8-9 pounds
• 3 tablespoons pickling spice
• 4 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
• 4 cups water
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup canning and pickling salt
• 7 bay leaves
• 7 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
• 7 heads of fresh dill flowers, or 7 teaspoons dill seeds
• 14 fresh grape leaves or maple tree leaves

Instructions

1. Wash cucumbers well to remove any dirt and debris. If keeping whole, simply remove the vine end of each cucumber. If slicing, cut into ¼” round pieces. Set aside.
2. Using a 5” square piece of cheesecloth, create a spice bag by placing the pickling spice in its center and tie the edges together.
3. In a large stainless steel stock pot, combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt and the spice bag. Bring contents to a boil over medium high heat, stirring often to dissolve the sugar and salt. Reduce heat and simmer on low for 15 minutes to infuse the spices into the brine.
4. Place 1 bay leaf, 1 garlic clove, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 head of dill flower (or 1 teaspoon of dill seeds), and two grape leaves into each clean, hot jar. If using quarts, double the amount in each quart.
5. Raw Pack cucumbers into hot jars keeping a ½” headspace. If using sliced cucumbers, be sure to pack them in tightly to avoid more liquid in each jar versus pickles after processing.
6. Ladle hot brine atop cucumbers, keeping the ½” headspace. Remove any air trapped air pockets and add additional brine if necessary to maintain the headspace.
7. Wipe each jar rim with a warm, wet wash cloth dipped in vinegar. Place a lid and ring on each jar and hand tighten.
8. Place jars in water bath, being sure each is covered with 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil and process pints for 10 minutes. If using quarts, process for 15 minutes. Be sure not to start your timer until the water is at a full rolling boil. After processing, wait 5 minutes before removing the jars from the canner.

Traditional Dill Pickle Canning Recipe

Recipe by The Canning Diva

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

This is my family’s favorite dill pickle recipe, and I make several batches each season because my daughter would happily eat a whole jar herself. You can adjust the vinegar and sugar type to match your taste preferences without losing flavor or crunch.

Ingredients

US Metric

• 13 cups 13 small pickling cucumbers, about 8-9 pounds

• 3 tablespoons 3 pickling spice

• 4 cups 4 white vinegar (5% acidity)

• 4 cups 4 water

• ½ cup sugar

• ½ cup canning and pickling salt

• 7 7 bay leaves

• 7 7 garlic cloves

• 2 tablespoons 2 mustard seeds

• 7 heads 7 fresh dill flowers, or 7 teaspoons dill seeds

• 14 14 fresh grape leaves or maple tree leaves

Instructions

• Wash cucumbers well to remove any dirt and debris. If keeping whole, simply remove the vine end of each cucumber. If slicing, cut into ¼” round pieces. Set aside.
• Using a 5” square piece of cheesecloth, create a spice bag by placing the pickling spice in its center and tie the edges together.
• In a large stainless steel stock pot, combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt and the spice bag. Bring contents to a boil over medium high heat, stirring often to dissolve the sugar and salt. Reduce heat and simmer on low for 15 minutes to infuse the spices into the brine.
• Place 1 bay leaf, 1 garlic clove, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 head of dill flower (or 1 teaspoon of dill seeds), and two grape leaves into each clean, hot jar. If using quarts, double the amount in each quart.
• Raw Pack cucumbers into hot jars keeping a ½” headspace. If using sliced cucumbers, be sure to pack them in tightly to avoid more liquid in each jar versus pickles after processing.
• Ladle hot brine atop cucumbers, keeping the ½” headspace. Remove any air trapped air pockets and add additional brine if necessary to maintain the headspace.
• Wipe each jar rim with a warm, wet wash cloth dipped in vinegar. Place a lid and ring on each jar and hand tighten.
• Place jars in water bath, being sure each is covered with 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil and process pints for 10 minutes. If using quarts, process for 15 minutes. Be sure not to start your timer until the water is at a full rolling boil. After processing, wait 5 minutes before removing the jars from the canner.

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About the Author:
Diane Devereaux, The Canning Diva®, is a nationally recognized food preservation expert, author, and educator with over 30 years of home canning experience. She’s the author of multiple top-selling canning books and teaches workshops across the U.S. Learn more at TheCanningDiva.com.

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