Delicious dill pickle slices are dipped in a seasoned batter and then deep fried until crispy and golden. Fried pickles are perfect for snacks, topping a burger, or serving as a crowd-pleasing appetizer!
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Pin RecipeIf you have ever had fried dill pickles at a country fair, then you already know how delicious this little snack can be. The fried pickle slices are the perfect size to pop right into your mouth!
Just like Fried Green Tomatoes and Fried Chicken, there are certain recipes where it’s totally worth going all in and deep frying and this is one of them. Frying in oil is the best way to get crispy, absolutely irresistible fried pickles. You can’t do that in the oven!
Crispy Fried Pickles Recipe
Fried pickles (frickles?) are a super fun, crave-worthy appetizer that you are going to go crazy for. This recipe is really easy, too and uses simple ingredients to create a fried pickle that every pickle lover will adore. I love the ease of dipping the pickles in perfectly seasoned batter rather than using breadcrumbs, which can be messy. The batter also fries beautifully, giving each pickle a beautiful golden brown crust with a soft pickle center.
Serve these fried pickles with homemade ranch dressing, a spicy aioli sauce, or blue cheese dressing. Your favorite dipping sauce will be the perfect addition! They are also delicious on their own, warm out of the fryer.
Give this fun little snack a try and you will be hooked. The only thing more addictive than a dill pickle is a deep-fried dill pickle!
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Ingredients for Fried Pickles
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Vegetable oil – Canola oil also works well for frying. You want a neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point.
- Flour – All-purpose flour is best.
- Dried basil
- Dried parsley
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Cayenne pepper – Cayenne pepper is optional, but it does add a nice kick to the fried pickles. Chili powder will work as well!
- Milk – Whole milk is best, but skim or 2% milk will work too.
- Dill pickle slices – Any brand of dill pickles works. Look for pickle slices that are cut on a diagonal, making the slices larger but still nice and thin.
Variations
Here are a few ingredient substitutes and variations that will work well.
- Any type of pickle slices will work well. Bread and butter sweet pickles are nice and sweet and make amazing fried pickles, too!
- Use pickle spears instead of slices. You will need to increase the cooking time for about a minute longer since the spears are thicker than the slices. Whole pickles will not work, however, as they are too large to fry well.
- Replace the basil, parsley and garlic powder with 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning.
- Add a teaspoon of hot sauce to the batter to make it extra spicy. A teaspoon of Cajun seasoning added to the batter also makes for a great recipe twist.
How to Make Fried Pickles
- Heat the oil: Add the vegetable oil to a large heavy-bottomed pot and heat over medium heat. The oil needs to be about 375º F to fry the pickles.
- Dry the pickles: Strain the pickles and pat them dry. The slices need to be dry for the batter to stick. This may be the most important thing to remember in this recipe!
- Make the batter: Whisk the flour, basil, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper together in a shallow bowl. Whisk the milk into the flour mixture until smooth.
- Dip and fry: Dip the dried pickle slices in the batter and place them directly into the hot oil. Fry the pickles for 1 ½ minutes, flipping halfway through. They should be golden brown on each side. Fry the pickles in small batches so they are not overcrowded in the pan. Fried food needs space in the pan to cook evenly! A big batch in the pan may result in the pickles cooking unevenly and turning soggy.
- Drain: Remove the deep-fried pickles from the oil using tongs or a slotted spoon. Place them in a single layer on a paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet to cool slightly. Enjoy while hot with your favorite dips!
Quick Tip
Let the batter sit for about 10 minutes to thicken. When the batter sits, the flour in the batter will absorb some of the milk; this will help coat the pickle slices better and prevent the batter from dripping off the pickles.
How to Store Fried Pickles
If you happen to have any leftover fried pickles, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat the fried pickles in an air fryer for about 5 minutes. This will make them crispy without needing any more oil. You can also reheat fried pickles in a skillet with a little oil. Heat them in the pan for a minute or two, then enjoy!
FAQs
Make sure the pickles slices are dry before dipping them in the batter. The batter will slide off the wet pickles. Patting each side of the pickle with paper towels before dipping them in the batter will really help the coating stick.
Reheat the pickles in an air fryer to make them crispy once again. You can also reheat them in a large skillet with a tiny bit of oil. Crisp them on both sides in the pan and you will no longer have a soggy pickle problem!
If your fried pickles are soggy straight out of the frying oil, the oil may have been too cold when you started frying. I recommend using a thermometer to test the temperature of the oil before you begin frying. This will ensure the oil is super hot and won’t absorb into the batter.
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Fried Pickles
Ingredients
- About 1 quart of vegetable oil for frying
- 16 ounces dill pickle slices drained
- ½ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ cup milk
Instructions
- Add the vegetable oil to a large pot and heat the oil over medium heat until it is 375º F. I recommend using an oil thermometer so you can monitor the temperature of the oil. It should stay right around 375º F for the whole cooking process.About 1 quart of vegetable oil for frying
- Drain the pickles through a colander then spread the pickles on a paper towel-lined plate. Pat the pickles with a paper towel to dry them well. The batter will stick to the pickles better if they are nice and dry.16 ounces dill pickle slices
- While the oil heats, make the pickles. Add the flour, basil, parsley, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne to a shallow bowl and whisk together.½ cup flour, ½ teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon dried parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 tsp garlic powder
- Add the milk to the bowl and whisk again to make a smooth, thick batter.½ cup milk
- Work in batches to coat and fry the pickles. Add about ¼ of the dried pickles to the batter and toss them to coat the slices in the batter.
- Remove the battered pickles, one at a time, and place them directly into the hot oil.
- Fry the pickles for about 1 ½ minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove the fried pickles from the oil and place them on a clean paper towel lined plate to drain. Continue to fry the remaining pickles following the same battering and frying steps.
- Serve with ranch dressing for dipping.
Notes
- Make sure you dry the pickle slices well. The drier the pickles, the better the batter will stick to the slices.
- Use this recipe to make fried pickle spears. Follow the same directions to dry, batter, and fry the slices. Spears will take about 2 minutes to fry.
