Sweet Turmeric Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe (2024)

Sweet turmeric pickles are one of my favorite snacks. They’re a perfect blend of tangy sweetness with a gorgeous pop of yellow color.

These homemade bread and butter turmeric pickles go perfectly as a snack on their own, or in a sandwich or as a side dish.

Plus, homemade sweet pickles made from scratch tastes a world better than store bought!

Sweet Turmeric Pickles

Mixing the bright, earthy flavors of turmeric with the perfect crunch of pickled veggies makes this recipe is a favorite in my pantry.

These sweet turmeric pickles for canning are a tasty, wholesome, treat! There’s something truly special about the ritual of combining the vibrant, earthy punch of turmeric with the satisfying crunch of pickles.

This recipe makes seven pint jars of juicy, crispy butter pickles.

What does turmeric do in pickling?

Turmeric is a deep, golden yellow spice with a pleasant earthy flavor. It gives pickles a nice yellow shade, as well as an extra earthy, spicy taste. A little goes a long way!

Is turmeric good for you?

Johns Hopkins says that turmeric has possible benefits for inflammation, some degenerative eye conditions, anxiety, and more.

What can I substitute for turmeric in pickles?

Here are a few ideas to substitute for turmeric:

• Saffron
• Yellow curry powder
• Ground cumin
• Dry mustard
• Galangal powder
• Paprika
• 2 parts dried ginger to 1 part cumin

While you can use any of the above as a substitute for turmeric, switching the spice will definitely change the color and flavor of the pickles.

Can I substitute for honey or maple syrup for the sugar in pickles?

Yes, you can substitute either honey or maple syrup for the white sugar in this recipe.

Because honey is much sweeter than sugar, substitute 1 cup of honey for the 1 1/2 cups of white sugar.

I love maple syrup in pickles! Just substitute 1 1/4 cups of maple syrup for 1 1/2 cups of white sugar.

Grocery list for turmeric bread and butter pickles

Here’s what you’ll need to make these pickles:

• pickling cucumbers
• white onions
• apple cider vinegar
• white vinegar
• white sugar
• water
• ice
• pickling salt or kosher salt. You can use table salt as well, but the anti-caking ingredients in table salt might make pickle liquid a little more cloudy, and iodine in table salt maymake pickles a little darker. That said, I’ve used regular table salt in sweet pickle recipes many times before, and the pickles turned out perfectly.
• mustard seeds
• celery seeds
• turmeric
• black pepper

Equipment you’ll need for canning

These sweet and crunchy pickles are canned in a water bath. Here’s the canning equipment that you’ll need:

• 7 pint size mason jars, with screw bands and rings and new canning lids
• large canner, with rack
• jar lifter
• small saucepan (for sterilizing lids)
• magnetic lid lifter
• ladle

Here’s how to make and can sweet turmeric pickles. There are no shortcuts here, just a easy-to-follow, tasty homemade recipe.

Prepare the cucumbers and onions

First, wash the cucumbers, throw away (or compost) the ends, and cut into slices. Thinly slice the onions, and put cucumbers and onions into a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Cover with ice and water. Let sit three hours.

Why do this step? It makes the pickles extra crunchy! The salt draws out extra liquid from the cucumbers and onions, making them extra crispy, while the ice keeps the onions and cucumbers crunchy as well.

Sterilize your canning equipment

Next, wash and sterilize canning jars and lids, and sterilize canning equipment, including ladle and bubble remover.

Make bread and butter pickles

In a large saucepan, add sugar, mustard seed, turmeric, celery seed, pepper, cider vinegar, and white vinegar. Heat to a low boil, and let boil for five minutes.

Drain and rinse the cucumber and onions. Add drained cucumber and onion slices to the spice and vinegar mixture in the saucepan. Return to a boil, and let boil for five minutes. Reduce heat and keep warm until you’re ready to use.

Next, can the spicy bread and butter pickles

Using a ladle, spoon pickles and pickling liquid into the sterile canning jars. Leave 1/2 inch of headspace.

Center canning lids on the canning jars. Screw on canning bands lids, and remove air bubbles with the bubble remover.

Wipe jar rims with a clean cloth, and place sterilized jar lids on top. Screw on canning jar bands until finger tight.

Place jars carefully into the water bath canner, using the jar lifter. Next, add water until water level is 2 inches above the jars.

Add cover to canner, and bring to a rolling boil over medium heat.

Once the water has reached a full, rolling boil, process pickles for 15 minutes.

Turn off heat, and carefully use jar lifter to place jars on kitchen towels on canner.

Let jars cool for a few hours. Test jars to make sure that they’ve sealed. The center of the canning lid should be pushed down, indicating the lids have sealed.

Important! If the center of the lid is still pushed up, the jar hasn’t sealed. Place these jars in the fridge, and use within a week. Canning lids usually make a satisfying “ping” sound when they seal!

Remove screw on bands from sealed jars. Label, date, and store in a cool, dark place. Use within a year.

Looking for some more yummy snacks?

• These sweet and spicy bread and butter pickles are crispy and delicious!
• air fryer pickles
• air fryer French fries
• baked purple kale chips

Yield: 7 PINT JARS

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes

These sweet turmeric pickles are the perfect combination of sweet and crispy, with a gorgeous yellow color.

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 pounds pickling cucumbers
• 1.5 pounds white onions
• 1/3 cup pickling salt
• 8 cups water
• 4 cups ice
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons mustard seeds
• 3 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup white vinegar

Instructions

Prepare cucumbers and onions

1. Wash cucumbers, discard the ends, and slice into 1/4 inch slices.
2. Thinly slice white onions, and place in a large bowl with sliced cucumbers.
3. Sprinkle canning salt over the cucumbers and onions. Cover with ice and water, and let sit for three hours.

Get canning equipment ready

4. Wash canning jars and lids in warm and soapy water, and rinse.
5. Place jar rack in canner, and place empty canning jars on the rack. Add water to cover the jars.
6. Bring the water to a boil, and let boil for 10 minutes to sterilize the jars.
7. Carefully sterilize ladle and bubble remover in the boiling water.
8. Sterilize canning sealing lids according to package directions. Add about 3 inches of water to smaller saucepan. Bring water to boil, and boil for a few minutes. Take saucepan off the heat, and let lids sit in water until ready to use.

Prepare turmeric bread and butter pickles

1. In a large saucepan, add sugar, mustard seed, turmeric, celery seed, pepper, cider vinegar, and white vinegar. Heat to a low boil, and let boil for five minutes.
2. Drain and rinse the cucumber and onions. Add drained cucumber and onion slices to the spice and vinegar mixture in the saucepan. Return to a boil, and let boil for five minutes. Reduce heat and keep warm until you’re ready to use.

Canning bread and butter pickles

1. Remove warm jars from the canner, draining water back into the canner. Set jars on a kitchen towel on the counter.
2. Using a ladle, spoon pickles and pickling liquid into the canning jars. Leave 1/2 inch of headspace.
3. Center canning lids on the canning jars. Screw on canning bands lids.
4. Remove air bubbles with the bubble remover.
5. Wipe jar rims with a clean cloth.
6. Top with sterilized jar lids, and screw on canning jar bands until finger tight.
7. Place jars carefully into the water bath canner, using the jar lifter. Add water until water level is 2 inches above the jars.
8. Add cover to canner, and bring to a rolling boil over medium heat.
9. Once the water has reached a full, rolling boil, process pickles for 15 minutes.
10. Turn off heat, and carefully use jar lifter to place jars on kitchen towels on canner.
11. Let jars cool for a few hours. Test jars to make sure that they’ve sealed. The center of the canning lid should be pushed down, indicating the lids have sealed.
12. If the center of the lid is still pushed up, the jar hasn’t sealed. Place these jars in the fridge, and use within a week.
13. Canning lids usually make a satisfying “ping” sound when they seal!
14. Remove screw on bands from sealed jars. Label, date, and store in a cool, dark place. Use within a year.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 70 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 24Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 11mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 0g

All information and tools presented and written within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information should only be used as a general guideline.