Southern fried pickles are crunchy, tangy, and easy enough to make any night of the week. With a quick buttermilk dip, a cornmeal coating, and a fast fry in hot oil, you can bring that restaurant-style appetizer straight to your own kitchen. Don’t forget some comeback sauce for dipping, it’s the best part.
Old Bay Fried Pickle Chips
Crunchy, salty, tangy, fried pickles hit all the right notes. They’re one of those classic Southern snacks you see on a restaurant menu, order on a whim, and then wonder why you haven’t been making them at home all along. A quick dip in buttermilk, a dusting of cornmeal and flour with Old Bay, and you’ve got a golden, crispy shell wrapped around that briny bite.
It takes a little more time than dill pickle cheese Triscuits, but all you need is a skillet, hot oil, and about half an hour. They come out crispy, golden brown, and light without being greasy. It doesn’t even take much oil since they’re so thin.
If you’ve got friends coming over, these are the kind of snacks that disappear faster than you can set them down. I usually set out a Southern Comeback sauce on the side. These will go great next to some savory crescent roll bites and a bowl of seasoned saltine crackers. Fried pickles fit right in with that same Southern-style, finger-food crowd.
They’re best eaten hot with a creamy Comeback sauce (like Thousand Island but less sweet),reasy Ranch dressing from scratch, or even a spicy mayo. This gives them that restaurant-style feel without having to leave your house.
The Southern Magic Behind the Crunch
These ingredients take basic pickles to another level. Make sure to check the recipe card for the full list.
You don’t need much to pull this off, but a couple of things really make them shine:
- Dill pickles – Slice your own for thicker, consistent rounds. They hold up better than flimsy pre-sliced ones.
- Buttermilk – The tangy base that helps everything stick. (Check the recipe card if you need a quick substitute.)
- Cornmeal + flour – That duo gives you a crust that’s crisp without being heavy, with a touch of nuttiness.
Everything else, the Old Bay, a pinch of cayenne, that’s where the personality comes in. Adjust the spice how you like it.
Frying Up the Flavor
Step One: Prep the Pickles
Step Two: Make the Dredges
Dredging: Use a wide, shallow bowl for dredging to keep things neat.
Step Three: Coat the Pickles
Thicker coating: If you like a super-thick coating on the outside of your pickles, run them through the coating twice.
Step Four: Fry Until Golden
Oil temperature: The oil temperature will drop when you add the pickles. This is completely normal. If you have to work in batches, let the oil come back up to temperature before adding the next batch , or the pickles may become soggy and not crispy.
The final step is simple: pull them from the oil when they’re golden and let them rest on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. They don’t stay hot forever, so go ahead and eat them while they’re fresh.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dill pickles
- 1 egg
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Neutral oil for frying vegetable or canola
Comeback Sauce
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup chili sauce/Catsup
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons grated onion
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¾ teaspoon dry mustard
Instructions
- Drain pickles and dry with a paper towel. Slice into ¼ inch slices and pat dry with a paper towel.
- In a bowl, mix together the egg and buttermilk.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, salt, Old Bay and cayenne.
- Coat the pickles in the egg mixture, then coat in the flour mixture and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Let rest for 15 minutes.
- Place clean paper towels on a rimmed baking sheet. Heat 2 inches of oil in an iron-skillet or Dutch oven until it reaches 350º. Try to maintain the temperature of the oil at 350º. Add a few of the pickles to the oil at a time and cook for about 1 minute per side. Remove with a slotted spoon onto the paper towel lined baking sheet and sprinkle with additional salt if needed. Repeat with the remaining pickles.
- Comeback Sauce
- Whisk together all of the ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Reheat: Pop them in a 375°F oven for 5–8 minutes until hot and crunchy again. Avoid microwaving as this can make them soggy.
- These are also great dipped in creamy Ranch dressing.
Nutrition
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