Spiced Pickles

Spiced pickles in this old Pennsylvania Dutch style are not your average dill-and-garlic jar from the supermarket shelf. The brine leans warm and sweet, with whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, and dry mustard layered between fat little gherkins for a flavor that lands somewhere between a pickle and a holiday spice cookie. In the best possible way.

Scalding the pickles in boiling water first sets the color and softens the skin just enough for the brine to penetrate. Don’t skip this step, dropping cold pickles into hot brine gives an uneven, leathery result.

The brine is heavy on apple cider vinegar, which brings its own fruity tang to the cinnamon-clove warmth. The sugar tames the bite, and the dry mustard gives it that distinctly old-world Pennsylvania character.

These are crock pickles, meant to sit in a cool spot and develop slowly over weeks. The longer they sit, the deeper the spice penetrates and the more complex the flavor becomes. Pull them out for a holiday spread or alongside a cold cut sandwich.

Pro Tips

• Use a non-reactive crock or ceramic vessel, metal containers will react with the vinegar and discolor the pickles.
• Pour the brine over the pickles while it is still hot, that initial heat starts the pickling process.
• Submerge the pickles fully and weight them down with a small plate, anything sticking out of the brine will spoil.
• Wait at least two weeks before tasting, four to six weeks gives the deepest flavor.

Variations

• Add a few star anise pods or a teaspoon of allspice berries for additional warm-spice depth.
• Swap apple cider vinegar for white wine vinegar for a brighter, sharper pickle.
• Use small whole cucumbers instead of gherkins if you can find them at a farmers market.