Fried pickles are one of the ultimate snacks. Full stop. They’re salty, savory, crisp, and a fixture at just about any tailgate no matter what team is playing. But they're just never quite as crunchy as I want them to be because their high moisture content quickly turns them limp. Not only do these stuffed fried pickles raise the ante with a surprise center of ooey-gooey cheese and a hint of spice, but they’re so crisp your neighbor could hear you take a bite out of them.
How Do You Make Stuffed Fried Pickles?
The glory of this recipe lies in the layers of texture. We stuff these with a zesty mixture of two cheeses, herbs, pickled jalapeños, and spices, then wrap each in an egg roll wrapper blanket before frying to golden brown deliciousness. Even better, you don’t have to bother with the mess of battering teeny pickle slices. You can simply slice the pickles in half and scoop out some of the insides, or use an apple corer to scoop then stuff them.
Serving Stuffed Fried Pickles
Serve at your Super Bowl party, holiday gathering, or for a midweek pick-me-up. To really gild the lily, serve them with a creamy dip. They come together in no time for fast snacking when you need it. And yes, they are a pretty big dill.
Recipe Tips
- You can use a variety of tools for scooping the innards out of the pickles, but grapefruit spoons and small melon ballers work best.
- You can deep fry or shallow fry, but I prefer deep frying to allow the egg roll wrapper to expand and really get that nice crunch to it.
- You can use any herbs, spices, or other ingredients you have on hand to stuff your pickles. Just don’t skimp on the cheese!
- It’s OK if the filling oozes out of the pickle when you sandwich it back together. It all gets wrapped up in the egg roll wrapper, so no one will see it and you get even more flavor.
The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
“Not just your average wimpy little fried pickle slices, these are the whole package stuffed to the brim with the good cheesy stuff. There’s lots of room for personal touches on this one so be brave and experiment with some substitutions to fit your taste.” —Noah Velush-Rogers
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
-
12 dill pickles
-
4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
-
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
-
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
-
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
-
1 pickled jalapeño, diced
-
1 tablespoon honey
-
1 tablespoon garlic powder
-
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
-
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-
12 egg roll wrappers
-
Vegetable oil, for frying
Steps to Make It
-
Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
-
Halve the pickles lengthwise, then scoop out the innards and remove to a small bowl.
The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
-
Combine the cream cheese, cheddar, chives, dill, pickled jalapeño, honey, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and mix until combined.
The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
-
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture into one of the pickle halves (or enough of the mixture to fill the pickle nicely), then enclose with the other half. Repeat with remaining pickles and filling.
The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
-
Place an egg roll wrapper on a clean surface with one corner facing you (it will look like a diamond shape, not a square) and place a stuffed pickle in the center.
The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
-
Fold up the bottom of the wrapper and tightly fold in the sides. Gently roll, then seal closed with a couple drops of water. Repeat with the remaining pickles.
The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
-
Add enough oil to a large pot to reach 2 inches up the sides. Heat over medium until the oil reaches 350 F. Add about 4 egg rolls at a time being careful to not crowd the pot, then fry until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool slightly.
The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
-
Serve stuffed fried pickles warm on their own or with your favorite dipping sauce.
The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
How to Store
You can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 400 F oven until heated through, about 5 minutes.
Recipe Variations
- Fill the hollowed-out pickles with a prepared flavored cheese spread such as Boursin.
- Feel free to make the filling as spicy as you like, adding chopped fresh chiles, pickled Calabrian chiles, or cayenne pepper to amp up the heat.
- After frying, roll the still-warm pickles in Trader Joe's dill pickle seasoning for even more pickle flavor.
