Fried Pickles with Homemade Ranch

close up of homemade fried pickles with buttermilk ranch.

Fried Pickles with Homemade Ranch

These homemade fried pickles (or "frickles") are battered and deep fried to perfection, then served with tangy homemade buttermilk ranch!

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American, Southern

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Total Time 35

Servings servings

Calories 227kcal

Author Kyleigh Sage

Equipment

dutch oven
thermometer
2-4 cups canola oil for frying
spider strainer

Ingredients

Breading

1 ½ cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Pickles

2 (16 ounce) jars dill pickle chips
½ cup buttermilk substitute whole milk + 2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 large egg

Buttermilk Ranch

½ cup buttermilk substitute whole milk + 2 teaspoons lemon juice
½ cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh dill finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chives finely chopped
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
kosher salt to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Buttermilk Ranch

This recipe makes quite a bit of ranch so feel free to halve the recipe if desired!
In a large bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients except the buttermilk until fully combined and smooth. It will be very thick.
Then slowly whisk in the buttermilk until your desired consistency is reached! I think ½ cup buttermilk is perfect for dipping, but you can use a little less for thicker ranch or a little extra for a thinner dressing.
Taste and add salt/adjust seasonings as desired.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week!

Fried Pickles

Pour 2-4 cups of vegetable oil (you want it to be at least 2-3 inches deep) into a large, heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 375°F. Place a cooling rack on top of a lined baking sheet and position it next to your stove.
While the oil is heating, bread the pickles.
First, pat the pickles dry (this helps the breading stick and prevents soggy frickles). I like to firmly press the sliced pickles in a single layer between layers of paper towels to remove all the excess liquid.
On a large plate, combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg (you can also add a few dashes of hot sauce to this if desired).
Take a pickle slice and coat it lightly in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Then quickly dip in the egg mixture and then add it back to the flour mixture to coat fully (the breading should look textured and clumpy). Batter about 10-15 pickles and then fry the first batch.
Once the oil is 375°F, add the first batch of pickles and fry for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Use a spider strainer or slotted spoon to remove the pickles from the oil and place on the wire rack to let the excess oil drip off.
While the oil comes back up to temperature, batter the next batch of pickles. Repeat until all the pickles have been fried (it usually takes me 4-5 batches).
Once fried, you can keep the fried pickles nice and crispy by transferring the baking sheet to a 200°F oven. The low temperature ensures the pickles don't overcook but the heat helps keep the breading from getting soggy.
Sprinkle the fried pickles with flaky sea salt and fresh dill and serve immediately with the homemade ranch!

Notes

Fried pickles are best eaten immediately while still hot, but they will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheat in the oven at 400°F for about 10 minutes, until crispy. I recommend placing them on a rack over a baking sheet so that the air can fully circulate around them and get super crispy again!

Nutrition