How to Make Fried Pickles – Fried pickles are the ultimate game day snack and truly one of our all time favorite snacks!! Who can resist a tangy dill pickle in a crispy crunch panko crust?! (Not me, that’s for sure)!
I tried deep fried pickles for the first time at a restaurant while travelling and I’ve been hooked ever since. I haven’t found anyone who makes excellent fried pickles near me so I decided to make my own!
I am telling you, these are my newest addiction! (And I may or may not have had a few fried pickles for breakfast today with my coffee… but I won’t say for sure).
You can use any type of dill pickles (sweet pickles don’t have the same impact as a tangy dill pickle) to make these.
Rounds, slices, spears or halves all work but I always choose the sandwich slices because I like the size of them plus they’re perfect for dipping!
Table of Contents
What Kind of Sauce Goes with Fried Dill Pickles?
Anything creamy is a good choice. I personally like dips that have a little hint of heat. While you can use a store bought dip, homemade is much better!
- Buttermilk Ranch Dip Classic and simple. This homemade dip tastes so much better than store bought and is the perfect fried pickle dipper!
- Chipotle Garlic Sauce Creamy and delicious with a little kick!
- Creamy Blue Cheese Dip This simple and easy dip is a classic for a good reason and it goes perfectly with crispy deep fried pickles.
- Creamy Jalapeno Dip This easy dip is made in the blender and perfect to prep ahead of time.
I take the pickles and dab them dry on a paper towel to help keep them from getting soggy.
Next a simple batter is created (you can most certainly use beer batter if you prefer (I love this beer batter recipe)) and then finally a sprinkle of Panko bread crumbs which is the magic ingredient here! They add an amazing crunch to these pickles.
You if you’d like, you can add your favorite seasonings into the batter as well. We add dill and paprika but adding a dash of garlic powder or cayenne pepper is great too!
BEST PICKLES FOR FRYING
There are lots of different pickles you can use for this recipe!
You can use sweet pickles, but we really love dill pickles for breading and frying. If you want to slice your own pickles I suggest cutting them just shy of a ¼ inch thick for the best pickle to batter ratio. However, feel free to use any kind of shape and size of pickle you want—round, ovals, spears or halves.
Take your pickles out of the jar and make sure they are completely dried. Pat them dry and place on a paper towel.
How do you make fried pickles from scratch?
The key to really great fried pickles is to use thicker dill pickle chips (about 1/4 -inch thick)—or slice your own chips from whole dill pickles. The thicker chips will give you a better pickle-to-breading ratio. We fry the pickles in a shallow cast-iron skillet (rather than a deep pot) so that the pickles have space in the pan and won’t stick together.
How do you keep fried pickles from getting soggy?
There’s nothing worse than soggy fried food—that’s just sad. To prevent your pickles from getting soggy, we use a sturdy breading made from buttermilk, egg, and a mixture of flour and cornstarch that helps create the crispy coating that won’t fall apart. It’s the cornstarch in the breading that’s key. This secret ingredient absorbs excess moisture from the wet pickles which results in an even crispier fried coating. Another important step when it comes to frying just about anything is to make sure you fry at the correct temperature (375˚)—any lower and your breading will absorb too much oil, which will make them soggy and less crispy. Always allow your oil to return to the correct temperature before starting your next batch. Then be sure to serve the fried pickles piping hot and fresh from the fryer.
Vegetable oil, for frying2 c.
all-purpose flour 1/4 c.
cornstarch2 tsp.
kosher salt1 1/2 tsp.
ground black pepper1/2 tsp.
paprika1/2 tsp.
garlic powder1/2 tsp.
onion powder1 c.
buttermilk1
egg1
16 oz. jar dill pickle chips, drained and patted very dry
Ranch dressing, for servingDirections
- Heat ¾-inch of vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375˚.
- In a wide, shallow bowl, mix together the flour, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic and onion powders. In a separate wide, shallow bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg to combine.
- Place ¼ of the pickle slices in the buttermilk mixture and gently stir with a fork to coat. Using a slotted spoon, drain the pickles well, place them in the flour mixture and toss to combine. Add the pickles to the skillet and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 2 minutes. Using a clean slotted spoon or a spider, transfer the pickles to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining 3 batches of pickles. Serve immediately with ranch dressing for dipping.
VARIATIONS + TIPS
If you prefer different flavors, feel free to change up the herbs/spices/seasonings in the batter. Add some paprika or chili powder to make it a little spicy. You can even bake these pickles instead of frying or make them in an air fryer!
If you want to BAKE them, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place your breaded pickles in one layer on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
If you’d rather make them in an AIR FRYER, preheat the fryer to 425 degrees. Place the pickles in a single layer in the fryer basket and cook for 7-10 minutes. They should be golden brown and crispy. Then flip the pickles and cook for an additional 7-10 minutes on the other side.
Leftovers: If you happen to have any leftovers, then store them, covered, in the fridge for a couple of days. The best way to reheat them is in the oven. I like to crisp them up under the broiler for 1-2 minutes.
Here are some of our favorite dips to serve these fried pickles with:
Conclusion
Allow temperature to come back up after each batch: as you fry the pickles in batches, the temperature can drop. Allow the heat to work back up before adding the next batch.