Deli style dill pickles are tangy, sandwich-ready pickle slices made with a balanced brine and a warming pickling spice blend for that classic deli flavor. These are milder than old-school hamburger dills, designed to complement sandwiches rather than overpower them.
This recipe has been reviewed for safety and accuracy by a Master Food Preserver certified through the University of Cornell Cooperative Extension.
If you want pickle slices that taste like they came from a deli counter, this is the recipe. The brine keeps a bright vinegar tang but adds sugar to round the acidity, and a combination of bay leaf, garlic, mustard seed, and pickling spice delivers that familiar sandwich-shop profile.
This version is adapted from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving and yields a friendlier, more balanced deli-style dill compared with sharper hamburger dills. The pickling spice lends warmth and depth without making the pickles sweet; it simply smooths the edges so the dill and garlic come through clearly.
Notes from My Kitchen
I use this recipe when I want pickles that layer on a sandwich instead of stealing the show. The modest amount of sugar softens the sharpness of the vinegar so the dill, garlic, and spices are more balanced. The recipe yields about five pints and improves with 2–3 weeks of curing in the jar.
Even people who prefer punchier, no-sugar dills tend to reach for these for everyday lunches. If homemade dills have come out too sharp for you in the past, this brine is an easy fix.
Quick Look at the Recipe
- Recipe Name: Deli Style Dill Pickles
- Recipe Type: Cucumber Pickle Recipe
- Canning Method: Water Bath Canning
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Canning Time: 15 minutes (pints)
- Yield: About 5 pints
- Jar Sizes: Pints
- Headspace: 1/2 inch
- Ingredients Overview: Pickling cucumbers, apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, pickling salt, pickling spice, bay leaf, garlic, mustard seed, fresh dill.
- Safe Canning Recipe Source: Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
- Difficulty: Easy — a raw-pack quick-process pickle with a short brine simmer.
Ingredients for Deli Style Dill Pickle Slices
The essentials are the same as any vinegar dill: firm pickling cucumbers, a strong vinegar brine, and plenty of dill. What sets these apart is the half vinegar, half water brine with sugar and warm spices to round the flavor.
- Pickling cucumbers: Use small, firm pickling cucumbers for the best crunch and texture. Slice lengthwise into spears or strips for classic deli-style slices.
- Apple cider vinegar: Use commercial vinegar labeled at least 5% acidity. Apple cider vinegar gives a rounder flavor and slightly amber color; white vinegar will be brighter.
- Sugar: About 3/4 cup per batch softens the bite without making the pickles sweet—just enough to create that sandwich-shop balance.
- Pickling spice: A mixed pickling spice provides the rounded deli flavor. Tie it in cheesecloth for easy removal if you prefer no whole spices in the jars.
- Bay leaf and garlic: One bay leaf and one garlic clove per pint add a subtle, classic finish. Garlic is allowed in tested pickle recipes and won’t affect safety.
- Mustard seed and fresh dill: Mustard seed supports the spice blend, while a head of fresh dill per jar keeps the pickles unmistakably dill-forward. Substitute dill seed or dried dill if needed.
- Pickling salt: Use pickling salt for a clear brine and consistent flavor. Table salt can cloud the brine and varies by crystal size.
Tips for Crisp Pickles
For the crispiest results, start with very fresh cucumbers and handle them carefully. Keep cucumbers cold while prepping, trim about 1/16 inch from both ends to remove the blossom end, and keep jars and brine hot so the cucumbers don’t sit and soften. For extra crunch, you can add 1/8 teaspoon Pickle Crisp (calcium chloride) per pint jar, though it’s optional.
Step by Step Instructions
- Wash the pickling cucumbers under cold running water and drain well.
- Trim about 1/16 inch off both ends of each cucumber.
- Slice the cucumbers lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices.
- Pack the cucumber slices into hot pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
- Add 1 bay leaf, 1 sliced garlic clove, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, and 1 head of fresh dill to each pint jar.
- Combine vinegar, water, sugar, and pickling salt in a large non-reactive pot. Tie pickling spice in cheesecloth, add to the pot, bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 15 minutes to infuse.
- Remove and discard the spice bag. Ladle the hot brine over cucumbers to 1/2 inch headspace, remove air bubbles, wipe rims, apply lids, and process pints for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath canner (adjust for altitude).
Canning Deli Style Dill Pickles
Lower filled jars into a boiling water bath canner with at least 1 inch of water above the jars. Cover and return to a full rolling boil before starting the processing time. Ball recommends 15 minutes for pints, with altitude adjustments as noted below. After processing, turn off heat, remove the lid, and let jars rest in the canner for 5 minutes to reduce siphoning.
Move jars to a towel-lined counter and cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours. Check seals, remove rings for storage, label, and store sealed jars in a cool, dark place. Allow at least 2–3 weeks before opening so flavors fully develop.
Altitude Adjustments
Processing times increase at higher elevations:
- 0 to 1,000 feet: 15 minutes
- 1,001 to 6,000 feet: 20 minutes
- Above 6,000 feet: 25 minutes
Yield Notes
This recipe requires about 13 cups of sliced cucumbers (roughly 4 pounds whole) to fill five pint jars. Yield varies with cucumber size and packing method. The recipe is tested for pint jars; half pints are acceptable (process the same time), but quarts are not safe for this version.
Serving Ideas
Deli style dill pickle slices are perfect on burgers, ham-and-cheese, BLTs, club sandwiches, and grilled chicken sandwiches. The lengthwise slices cover more of the bread than rounds, which is ideal for sandwich layering.
They’re also excellent chopped into tuna or potato salad, folded into deviled eggs, or served with a cheese board. Save the brine after a jar is empty for quick refrigerator pickles of onions or radishes. Remember to wait 2–3 weeks for the flavors to mature before opening.
Deli Style Dill Pickle FAQs
They’re not candy-sweet. The sugar is only enough to balance the vinegar and mellow the bite, producing a mild, rounded, sandwich-friendly pickle.
Yes. Reducing sugar is an acceptable change in tested quick-process pickle recipes and will yield a sharper flavor. If you want no sugar, try a hamburger dill recipe designed for that profile.
No. A spice bag keeps the brine clearer and prevents whole spices in the jar, but you can simmer spices loose and strain the brine or allow the spices to remain in the jars if you prefer.
These pickles are best after at least 2 weeks; flavor typically settles in around 2–3 weeks and continues to develop for months.
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If you try this Deli Style Dill Pickles recipe, leave a star rating and share your feedback in the comments!
Deli Style Dill Pickles
Rate
Equipment
- Water Bath Canner
- Canning Jars, Lids and Bands
- Jar lifter
- Canning Funnel
- Large non-reactive pot
- Cheesecloth or spice bag
- Sharp knife or mandoline
Ingredients
- 13 cups pickling cucumbers, trimmed, sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices (about 4 pounds)
- 3 Tbsp mixed pickling spice
- 4 cups apple cider vinegar, 5% acidity
- 4 cups water
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup pickling salt
- 5 Large bay leaves, one per pint jar
- 5 cloves garlic, one per pint jar
- 2 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp per pint jar
- 5 heads fresh dill, one per pint jar
Instructions
- Set up a water bath canner and bring the water to a simmer. Wash pint jars in hot soapy water and keep them hot until ready to pack. Have lids and bands nearby.
- Tie the pickling spice in a square of cheesecloth to make a spice bag, or simmer loose and strain if you prefer.
- Combine vinegar, water, sugar, and pickling salt in a large non-reactive pot. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve, add the spice bag, reduce heat, and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
- While the brine simmers, wash cucumbers, trim both ends, and slice lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices.
- To each hot pint jar add 1 bay leaf, 1 garlic clove, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, and 1 head fresh dill. Pack cucumber slices into jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
- Remove and discard the spice bag. Ladle hot brine over cucumbers to maintain 1/2 inch headspace, remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center lids, and screw bands fingertip tight.
- Process pints for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath canner, adjusting for altitude. After processing, let jars rest in the canner for 5 minutes, then cool undisturbed 12–24 hours. Check seals, label jars, and store sealed jars in a cool, dark place. Wait 2–3 weeks before opening.
Notes
Designed to be tangy but not harsh, with sugar and warm spices for a deli-style profile. Use pickling cucumbers for best texture.
Use vinegar labeled at least 5% acidity. Pickling salt helps keep the brine clear; table salt can cloud it.
Optional: add 1/8 tsp Pickle Crisp (calcium chloride) per pint for extra crunch.
Altitude Adjustments
- 0 to 1,000 feet: 15 minutes
- 1,001 to 6,000 feet: 20 minutes
- Above 6,000 feet: 25 minutes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.
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