How to Make Dill Pickle Vodka at Home

Updated: Sep. 21, 2020

It doesn't take long to make infused pickle vodka at home. You'll be ready to make a Bloody Mary later this week!

I like a dirty martini. It’s salty and briny—and beats an overly sweet drink any day of the week. And you can make your martini even brinier with a new ingredient: pickle vodka. It works so well in martinis and adds flavor to Bloody Marys. Let’s start concocting our vodka recipe!

dill pickle vodkaJennifer Schwarzkopf

How to Make Pickle Vodka

It’s a short list to make your own pickle vodka. All the more reason to start making your batch now! Here’s what you need:

  • 1-1/2 cups vodka
  • 1/2 cup pickle juice
  • 1 large dill pickle

Editor’s note: For this recipe, we used approximately 1-1/2 cups of Tito’s vodka, 1/2 cup of Claussen’s dill pickle juice and half of a large dill pickle (plus a few to snack on while we put it all together). The ratio of vodka to pickle juice is 3:1.

Step 1: Mix the Vodka and Pickle Juice

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. If you want a final product that tastes delicious, you need to start with fresh, good-quality ingredients. Choose a vodka brand that you’d enjoy sipping in your standard martini—not the cheapest stuff you can find. The same goes for pickles! Use your favorite brand or homemade pickle recipe.

Once you’ve chosen your ingredients, pour the vodka and pickle juice into a clean glass container. (The container should be able to form an airtight seal.) Then add a whole dill pickle or two.

Editor’s note: Depending on the brand of pickles, there could be pickling spices in the jar, such as black and white peppercorns, maybe some dill. We left the spices in the pickling liquid. Feel free to strain these out, though.

Step 2: Seal

Seal the jar tightly. Then, place it in a cool, dry spot for at least five days for the flavors to really steep.

Step 3: Serve

Mix into your favorite Bloody Mary recipe or serve it straight or on the rocks in a martini glass. Your drinks will impress the pants off of everyone!

The large dill pickle in the jar also makes a nice garnish for finished drinks. Just cut off as much as you would like and keep the rest in the pickle vodka for future use.

Next: Find more pickle-flavored foods for people who are obsessed with pickles.