Red Hot Cinnamon Pickles (Canning Recipe)

These are one of my favorite “specialty” jars to pull out around the holidays: bright red, crisp, and full of cinnamon flavor. This recipe is my favorite version, made with pickling lime for crunch and those classic red hot candies for cinnamon flavor. If you’ve never these before, I know they sound weird and…complicated. But they’re worth the four-day process. Really! I’ll show you how to make them.

They’re crisp and tangy like a classic pickle, but with sweet heat from the cinnamon candies. If you’re experienced with waterbath canning recipes, these will be easy. Nothing about them is hard, there’s just a lot of steps.

What You’ll Need

Equipment You’ll Need

• Large crock or food-safe nonreactive container 
• Colander or large strainer 
• Large stockpot (big enough to hold the syrup and simmer the cucumbers)
• Water bath canner with rack 
• 5–6 pint canning jars with lids and rings (new lids each time for a good seal)
• Jar lifter and canning funnel 
• Bubble remover/debubbler tool (a chopstick works in a pinch)

Day 1 Ingredients

• 16 cups cucumbers, peeled and chopped (pickling cucumbers are easiest to work with, but slicing cucumbers can be used too)
• ⅔ cup pickling lime (keeps them crisp; rinse thoroughly to avoid bitterness)
• 1 gallon water

Day 2 Ingredients

• 2 cups white vinegar (5% acidity), divided (must be 5% for safe canning)
• 1 teaspoon alum (optional, but helps with crunch)
• 5 ¼ cups sugar
• 1 ½ cups water
• 12 oz red hot cinnamon candies (the key to flavor and color… there is no substitute)
• 5 cinnamon sticks (this one is optional)

How to Make

Day 1: Soak the Cucumbers in Lime Water

First you’ll need to prep your cucumbers. Traditionally, these pickles are made in spears, which helps them stay firm during the long soaking and cooking process. But you can cut them into rounds, chunks, or even leave them in halves if you prefer. I’ve never done this because I like the spears, but there’s no reason you can’t.

Just keep the pieces fairly thick, because thin slices will soften too much.

The soak is the part that keeps your pickles crisp. Dissolve the pickling lime completely in the gallon of water before adding the cucumbers. (Be sure to use a nonreactive container (like enamel or food-safe plastic).

If you leave chunks, you’ll end up with bitter spots. Once the cucumbers are in, cover and let them sit for 24 hours. Don’t worry if the mixture looks a little chalky, that’s normal.

Day 2: Rinse and Ice Bath

The most important thing today is rinsing the cucumbers really well. Lime that’s left behind will make the pickles bitter, so wash them 3–4 times in cold water.

Spread the rinsed cucumbers in a colander and toss them with your hands to be sure all the lime is gone.

After rinsing, cover with ice water for a few hours to refresh them.

I know this sounds like a ridiculous number of baths for these cucumbers, but I promise you each step has a purpose… and we have more.

Simmer with Alum and Vinegar

Drain the cucumbers from their ice bath.

Put the cucumbers in a pot with ½ cup vinegar, the alum, and enough water to cover. Simmer gently for 2 hours. Then drain them…again.

Make the Syrup

In a large stockpot, combine the rest of the vinegar, sugar, water, red hot candies, and cinnamon sticks. Stir until the candies dissolve and the syrup is bright red. It smells amazing at this point!

Pour this over the drained cucumbers and let it sit for 24 hours.

It will change color over time as it sits but it won’t be that final bright red until tomorrow.

Day 3: Reheat the Syrup

The next day, drain off the syrup, boil it again, and pour it back over the cucumbers. This step layers in flavor and deepens the color.

Then let it sit another 24 hours. I know, I know.

Day 4: Heat and Can

On the final day, heat the cucumbers and syrup together to 190°F. Don’t let it boil, you don’t want to actually boil the cucumbers or turn the syrup into candy. Pack the hot cucumbers and syrup into sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Remove bubbles, wipe the rims clean, and seal with lids and rings.

Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes (adjust for high altitude).

When finished, let jars sit undisturbed for 12–24 hours, then check seals.

Storage Instructions

Once the jars have cooled and the seals are set, remove the rings and wipe the jars clean. Store the sealed jars in a cool, dark pantry for up to 12–18 months (or follow your lid manufacturer’s guidelines).

After opening, keep the pickles in the refrigerator and enjoy within 4–6 weeks for the best flavor and texture.

How to Eat Them

Of course you can eat these as a snack, but I love them best on a cheese board with crackers, brie, and sharp cheddar. Perfect for holiday parties.

Troubleshooting

More Ways to Preserve Your Cucumbers

Don’t worry, all the rest of these are way easier.

• The simplest thing is to make these refrigerator dill pickles. Easy as can be.
• Sweet relish makes great use of pounds of cucumbers and is super versatile.

Printable Recipe