Grandma Peg Stagner’s 9 Day Sweet Pickles

Jun 29, 2026 | Tonya's Kitchen

Ingredients

Pickles & Brine

  • Cucumbers (tiny whole cucumbers or large cucumbers sliced)
  • 1 pint salt
  • 1 gallon hot water

Alum Solution

  • 1 gallon boiling water
  • 1 heaping tablespoon alum

Syrup

  • 6 cups sugar
  • 6 cups vinegar (not white)
  • 1 tablespoon pickling spice
  • 1 tablespoon mustard seed
  • 1 tablespoon celery seed
  • 1–2 drops green food coloring

Instructions

Days 1–3 (Brining)

  1. Wash cucumbers (leave whole if small, slice if large).
  2. Place in glass jars (no metal containers).
  3. Make brine:
    • Dissolve 1 pint salt in 1 gallon hot water.
    • Bring to a boil, stirring until salt is dissolved.
  4. Pour brine over cucumbers to fully cover.
  5. Cover and let stand for 3 days.

Day 3

  1. Drain pickles.
  2. Wash with clear water and drain.
  3. Cover with fresh water and let stand 1 day and 1 night.

Day 4 (Alum Step)

  1. Drain and rinse again.
  2. Make alum solution:
    • 1 gallon boiling water + 1 heaping tablespoon alum.
  3. Pour over pickles.
  4. Let stand 1 day and 1 night.

Day 5

  1. Drain and wash with clear water again.

Days 5–7 (Syrup Process)

  1. Make syrup:
    • Combine sugar, vinegar, spices, and food coloring.
    • Bring to a boil.
  2. Pour syrup over pickles.
  3. Repeat the following for 3 days in a row:
    • Drain syrup, reheat it, and pour back over pickles.
    • Each day, add 1 cup sugar to the syrup before reheating.

Day 8 or 9 (Finishing)

  1. On the final day:
    • Heat syrup one last time.
    • Pack pickles into jars.
    • Pour hot syrup over pickles.
  2. Seal jars.