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Pickle Recipe: Sweet Icicle Pickles

Icicle pickle recipe

This sweet icicle pickle recipe is and old fashioned recipe. It is definitely a lot of work, but I think if you are a pickle lover you will think it is worth every bit of it.

It really works best if you have a place where you can put the crocks aside and tend to them quickly on a daily basis as you will need to do.

I am not sure how often I would go through the process of making these sweet pickles, as they do take a LONG time.

There is not actually a lot of work each day for the most part, but they do take days to make.

If you have a garden though and your family loves pickles I think you will find it worth the effort for sure, as they taste great.

Sweet Pickle Recipe

Sweet Icicle Pickles

This sweet icicle pickle recipe does require some work, but if you are a pickle lover you will think it is worth every bit of it.

5 from 1 vote
Course Condiments and Jellies, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 60 Servings
Calories 125 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 20 cucumbers, medium , quartered, or about 60 tiny cucumbers
  • 2 cups pickling salt
  • 1 gallon water
  • 5 cups vinegar, 5% acidity
  • 8 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons mixed pickling spice

Instructions
 

  • Place the cucumbers in a large crock, glass or stainless steel container and set aside. Combine the salt and water and bring to a boil. Pour the water over the cucumbers. Place a dinner plate or saucer on the cucumbers. Place a weight on the plate to submerge the cucumbers in the brine.
  • Cover the container with a clean cloth and let the cucumbers stand for 1 week in a cool, dry place. Remove the scum that will appear on the brine everyday by skimming it off the top.
  • Drain the cucumbers and rinse well. Cover the cucumbers with boiling water and let stand for 24 hours. Drain and cover the cucumbers with boiling water again, Let stand for another 24 hours and drain.
  • Combine the sugar and vinegar in a Dutch oven. Tie the pickling spices in a cheesecloth bag. Put the bag in the vinegar mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Pour the syrup over the cucumbers. Cover and let stand for 24 hours.
  • Drain the syrup and bring it to a boil. Pour the syrup over the cucumbers and let stand for another 24 hours. Repeat this procedure 4 more times.
  • Pack the pickles into hot sterilized quart jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove the spice bag and bring the syrup to a boil. Pour the hot syrup over the pickles, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove the air bubbles. Cover at once with metal lids and screw on bands.
  • Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Makes 3 quarts.

Nutrition

Calories: 125kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 6mgPotassium: 137mgFiber: 1gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 72IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Suggestions:

  • This recipe is delicious but it is a LOT of work. Personally, I would multiply the recipe several times and make a much larger batch than this. While you are at it, might as well make enough to make it worth your while.
  • I like the tiny cucumbers pickled this way, but larger ones certainly work, especially if you have a garden and it is overrun with ripe cucumbers in the summer.

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Sweet Pickle Recipe


5 thoughts on “Pickle Recipe: Sweet Icicle Pickles”

  1. 5 stars
    My mother made large batches of Icicle Pickles (with the added alum) every summer under the right signs, according to the Farmer’s Almanac. They were the best sweet pickles ever, and everyone raved about her Icicle pickles. She is gone now and we miss her terribly. We especially miss those Icicle pickles.

    Reply
  2. This the same recipe I have used for 50 years except if you want a crisp pickle or larger sliced pickle you need to definitely add a large tablespoon of alum before making spice bag (I always leave the spices free in the syrup and can them that way.
    add the alum dissolved in a gallon of water and stand for 24 hours rinse and proceed with spices

    Reply
    • So after the 24 hr in alum you go straight to spices and vinegar, no boiling water stand for 24×2
      then vinegar, sugar, spices?

      Reply

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