A homemadePickling Spice recipeto make refrigerator pickles, overnight pickles, canned pickles, and more! This simple recipe will take you less than 10 minutes.

Top view of a bowl of cucumbers, slice cucumbers on the side, and a jar of pickling spice.

This recipe might not be one that you make tomorrow, but when you are in the middle of making pickles (the canned kind or the simple refrigerator kind) and you run out of pickling spice (or your little store doesn’t carry it), this might just come in handy. I’m here to save the day, friends, one pickle at a time.

I am pickle crazy, if you haven’t noticed. I love normal canned pickles,overnight pickles, pickled peppers, andpickled hot peppers. Heck, I’ve even been getting intofermented pickles, and they are amazing. All of them are so great in my opinion, and I’m here to get you excited about making pickles, too. In the world of homemade pickles, pickling spice is essentially just a blend of spices that you use to season your pickles. It’s what makes a good pickle taste like a good pickle!

Top view of a close up of a jar of pickling spices

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Perfect for refrigerator pickles, overnight pickles, canned pickles, and more, making it a staple for any pickle enthusiast.
Takes less than 10 minutes to prepare, so you can enjoy delicious, homemade pickles without the hassle.
Includes an optional tablespoon of crushed red pepper flakes, allowing you to adjust the spice level to your preference.

Recipe ingredients

Black peppercorns
Mustard seeds
Coriander seeds
Dill seed
Allspice berries
Bay leaves– Crumbled
Red pepper flakes– Optional

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities

How to Make Homemade Pickling Spice Recipe

Step #1.Break the bay leaves into small pieces with your fingers.

Step #2.Combine all the ingredients in a small jar.

Step #3.Stir everything together to mix well.

Step #4.Seal the jar with a lid and store until needed.

Recipe FAQs

What is pickling spice made of?

I make mine from a mix of black peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, dill seed, allspice berries, bay leaves, and optional crushed red pepper flakes. Some recipes include cinnamon, but it’s not my favorite in it, so I don’t include it.

What recipes do you use pickling spice in?

I have a few pickle recipes that I LOVE and make often. Here’s the list:Sweet and Spicy Cucumbers and VinegarQuick Dilly Cucumbers in VinegarHomemade Claussen Knock-Off Pickles from Foodie with Family (this recipe is AMAZING and I give it as gifts all summer long)

Can you reuse the brine?

The fun part about those recipes is that you can reuse the brine! I just toss in more cucumbers when we’ve eaten through the jar of pickles. I’ll do this a time or two before tossing out the brine and the cucumbers still taste delicious.

A hand holding a tablespoon filled with pickling spice.

Expert Tips

Use thefreshest spicespossible to ensure the mostrobust and vibrant flavorsin your pickling.
Feel free totweak the spice quantities to match your personal tastepreferences or the specific type of pickles you’re making.
Store the spice mix in anairtight container in a cool, dark placetomaintain its potencyfor longer.
For a finer texture, you canlightly crush the spiceswith a mortar and pestle before mixing them.