Classic dill pickle slices flavored with garlic and spices come together quickly with no special prep. This small-batch canning recipe yields crunchy sandwich pickles—from garden to jar in under an hour.
These no-sugar dill pickle slices deliver that old-school deli taste: salty, tangy, crisp, and herb-forward. There’s no soaking, salting, or long waiting—simply slice cucumbers, pack jars with garlic, dill, and spices, pour in a hot brine, and process in a boiling water bath. The result is classic dill chips that are crunchy, shelf-stable, and ready for sandwiches, burgers, charcuterie boards, or straight from the jar.
This recipe is ideal when you want traditional dill pickle chips without extra fuss or sweetness. The jars improve with time: they’re tasty after a week and even better after two to three weeks, and they’re easy to customize by adjusting spices or adding extra garlic.
Why You’ll Love It
- No sugar added: Classic sour dills with a bold, briny bite.
- Quick prep: No soaking or pre-treatment—slice, pack, and process.
- Sandwich-ready: Sliced chips perfectly sized for stacking.
Ingredients for Dill Pickle Slices
This batch yields about 5 pints of sliced dill pickles. Most seasonings are measured per jar (1 teaspoon each unless noted).
- Cucumbers: Small, firm pickling cucumbers. Trim both ends and slice into ½-inch rounds for chips; spears or whole cukes work too.
- Water & Vinegar: Equal parts water and white or apple cider vinegar (use 5% acidity). Do not reduce vinegar or the acidity for safe water-bath canning. You may increase vinegar for extra tang.
- Pickling Salt: Adds flavor and helps texture. Use pickling or canning salt to avoid cloudiness; adjust salt to taste.
- Garlic: One clove per pint for a bright garlic note; add more if you prefer a stronger garlic flavor.
- Fresh Dill Heads or Sprigs: Provides the signature dill aroma. If fresh dill isn’t available, increase dill seed.
- Mustard Seed, Dill Seed, Coriander Seed, Black Peppercorns (1 tsp each per pint): A balanced spice blend that brings warmth and complexity. Adjust amounts to taste.
- Pickle Crisp (optional, 1/8 tsp per pint): A commercial crisping agent that helps maintain snap after processing; optional but useful for extra crunch.
How to Make Dill Sandwich Pickles
Set a water bath canner on the stove and bring the water to a gentle boil so it’s ready when your jars are packed. Meanwhile, make the brine: combine equal parts vinegar and water with pickling salt in a saucepan and heat to a boil, stirring until the salt dissolves.
Wash cucumbers, trim both ends, and slice into ½-inch rounds (or cut spears). In each sterilized wide-mouth pint jar add 1 teaspoon each of mustard seed, dill seed, coriander seed, and black peppercorns. Add one sliced garlic clove and a fresh dill head or sprig. If using Pickle Crisp, add 1/8 teaspoon per pint.
Pack cucumber slices tightly into the jars without crushing them, leaving about 1 inch of headspace from the top of the jar to the top of the cucumbers. Pour the hot brine over the cucumbers, leaving ½ inch of headspace at the top of the jar. Use a nonmetal utensil to remove any trapped air bubbles and top off with more brine if needed.
Wipe the jar rims, apply lids and rings, then lower the jars into the boiling water bath. Process pints for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude—see notes). When processing time is complete, remove jars and allow them to cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours. Check seals, label jars, and store in a cool, dark place. The pickles are shelf-stable and usable after about a week, best after 2–3 weeks.
Altitude Adjustments
Increase processing time with elevation to ensure safe preservation. Smaller jars (pints) are recommended over quarts for best texture and shorter processing times.
- 0 to 1,000 feet: Process pints 10 minutes; quarts 15 minutes.
- 1,001 to 6,000 feet: Process pints 15 minutes; quarts 20 minutes.
- Above 6,000 feet: Process pints 20 minutes; quarts 25 minutes.
Dill Pickle Slices
Rate
Equipment
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Water Bath Canner
Ingredients
- 5 lbs pickling cucumbers, small, 3 to 4 inches each
- 4 cups water
- 4 cups cider or white vinegar, 5% acidity
- ½ cup pickling salt
- 5 cloves garlic, sliced
- 5 fresh dill heads or sprigs, 1 per pint
- 5 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp per pint
- 5 tsp dill seeds, 1 tsp per pint
- 5 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp per pint
- 5 tsp black peppercorns, 1 tsp per pint
- ⅝ tsp Pickle Crisp, optional, ⅛ tsp per pint
Instructions
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Prepare brine: Combine vinegar, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until salt dissolves.
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Prep cucumbers: Wash, trim ends, and slice into ½-inch rounds.
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Fill jars: In each pint jar add 1 tsp each mustard, dill, coriander, and peppercorns. Add garlic, dill, and Pickle Crisp if using. Pack with cucumbers, leaving 1 inch headspace above the cucumbers.
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Add brine: Pour hot brine over cucumbers, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust brine level if needed.
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Process: Wipe rims, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes for pints. Adjust time for altitude as noted above.
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Cool & store: Let jars cool 12–24 hours, check seals, label, and store in a cool, dark place. Best after 1–2 weeks.
Notes
Altitude Adjustments
Adjust processing time for elevation to maintain safe preservation.
- 0 to 1,000 feet: Process pints 10 minutes; quarts 15 minutes.
- 1,001 to 6,000 feet: Process pints 15 minutes; quarts 20 minutes.
- Above 6,000 feet: Process pints 20 minutes; quarts 25 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
