These cinnamon pickles are a hit in our region, but we have an aunt from Kansas that remembers them from her childhood.
PREPARATION TIME:
Ingredients:
- 12 large cucumbers – peeled, seeded, and quartered lengthwise
- 1 cup pickling lime (calcium hydroxide)
- 1 gallon water
- 1 gallon cold water, or as needed to cover
- 1 ¾ cups white vinegar, divided
- 1 ¼ cups water, plus more as needed
- 12 ½ ounces cinnamon red hot candies
- 1 ½ teaspoons red food coloring
- ½ teaspoon alum
- 1 ¼ cups white sugar
- 4 (4-inch) cinnamon sticks
- 6 pint-sized canning jars with rings and lids
Directions:
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Put cucumber spears in a large container. Stir pickling lime into 1 gallon of water in a large pitcher until lime is dissolved; pour over cucumbers. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
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Drain cucumbers and rinse well; return to large container. Pour enough cold water over the drained cucumbers to cover. Soak at least 3 hours; drain. Transfer cucumbers to a large pot.
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Stir 1 ¼ cups of vinegar and 1 ¼ cups of water together in a bowl; add cinnamon red hot candies. Set aside to soak, stirring occasionally.
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Stir 1/2 cup vinegar, red food coloring, and alum together in a bowl until alum is dissolved; pour over cucumbers and add enough water to cover. Put a lid on the pot, place the pot over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours; drain and return cucumbers to the pot.
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Pour cinnamon candy mixture into a saucepan; add sugar and cinnamon sticks. Bring the mixture to a boil; cook and stir until the candies and sugar are dissolved completely into a syrupy liquid. Pour the liquid over the drained cucumbers. Refrigerate 8 hours to overnight.
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Drain liquid from the cucumbers into a heavy saucepan; bring to a boil and pour again over the cucumbers. Refrigerate 24 hours.
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Drain liquid again from the cucumbers into a heavy saucepan; bring to a boil and pour again over the cucumbers. Refrigerate another 24 hours.
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Heat cucumbers and syrup to a boil.
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Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack cucumbers into the hot, sterilized jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids and screw on rings. Refrigerate until chilled before serving.
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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
63 Calories 0 g Fat 16 g Carbs 1 g Protein - Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 48 Calories 63% Daily Value *Total Fat 0 g 0%Sodium 14 mg 1%Total Carbohydrate 16 g 6%Dietary Fiber 1 g 4%Total Sugars 11 g Protein 1 g 1%Vitamin C 2 mg 2%Calcium 34 mg 3%Iron 0 mg 2%Potassium 112 mg 2%
