Crispy dill pickle slices coated in seasoned flour and dipped in a buttermilk-and-egg wash are fried near 365 F for a Buffalo Wild Wings-style result. Thorough drying, a thin layer, and small batches give you a crisp, golden crust with a tender, tangy center.
You’ll find guidance for selecting pickles, building the coating, controlling oil temperature, comparing cooking methods, pairing sauces, reheating, and serving each batch while its surface remains crunchy.
The Variables Behind a Crisp Dill Pickle
Restaurant-style fried pickles depend on three variables: pickle moisture, coating thickness, and frying temperature. Extra brine creates steam inside the crust, while a heavy coating hides the dill and can darken before the pickle cooks through.
This recipe is a home-kitchen interpretation, not a description of Buffalo Wild Wings’ proprietary preparation. Thin dill pickle chips, buttermilk, egg, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and neutral frying oil give you a practical path to a crisp, tangy result.
Use a wire rack for the best drainage, and serve the pickles while the coating still feels dry and firm.
Selecting Pickles That Drain and Crisp
Refrigerated dill pickle chips near 1/4 inch thick give you a useful balance of pickle flavor, surface area, and quick cooking. Their concentrated brine generally creates fewer loose slices than fresh cucumber pickles, whose extra moisture can soften the coating.
Pickle spears offer a stronger pickle-centered bite, but thickness slows the center’s cooking. Split thick spears lengthwise, then cut them into pieces that fit your skillet without crowding one another.
| Pickle choice | Best use | Texture concern |
|---|---|---|
| Dill pickle chips | Fast, even frying | Wet brine |
| Small pickle spears | Larger pickle-centered bites | Longer cooking |
| Fresh cucumber slices | Mild pickle flavor | Extra moisture |
Drain refrigerated chips in a colander for 10 to 15 minutes. Blot both sides firmly with paper towels, and discard cracked slices, loose seeds, or pieces with dripping liquid. A second blot removes brine transferred by your fingers.
For your next batch, gather dill pickle chips, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, buttermilk, egg, salt, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, optional cayenne pepper, and neutral oil such as avocado, canola, or peanut oil.
Mixing a Thin, Adhesive Flour Coating
A thin coating preserves the pickle’s sour, herbal flavor. Combine the flour and cornstarch before adding the seasonings, then keep the buttermilk mixture in a separate shallow bowl. This order helps the dry blend stay even and limits batter buildup around each chip.
Your wet pickup should coat the pickle without hiding its edges. Let excess buttermilk drip away, press the slice into the flour, and lift it carefully. A wire rack keeps coated pieces separated before they reach the oil.
- Drain the pickles. Let refrigerated chips sit in a colander for 10 to 15 minutes, then blot both sides until no brine beads remain.
- Combine the dry blend. Mix 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
- Add optional heat. Stir in cayenne pepper according to your tolerance, keeping the total thin enough for the pickle’s shape to remain visible.
- Prepare the wet mixture. Beat 1/2 cup buttermilk with 1 large egg until smooth and lightly foamy.
- Coat each slice. Dip a pickle into the buttermilk, allow excess liquid to drip off, then drag it through the dry mixture.
- Separate the pieces. Place coated pickles on a lightly floured tray or wire rack so wet slices do not cling together.
Your coating can be slightly heavier without becoming a full batter, but repeated soaking fills gaps in the flour. Cook one test slice and adjust the blend before preparing the entire batch. Excess moisture produces clumps rather than a distinct crust.
A successful test slice establishes the coating baseline before oil temperature turns crispness into a controlled result.
Controlling Oil Temperature and Fry Time
Oil near 365 F cooks the flour coating into a rigid crust while the pickle remains moist. Set the heat between 350 and 375 F, using a thermometer rather than the burner alone, because a crowded pan can lower the temperature quickly.
Use a heavy skillet filled no more than halfway with oil. Keep water and wet utensils away from the hot oil, and use a long-handled slotted tool that keeps your wrist and forearm outside the vessel.
| What you see | What it means | Corrective step |
|---|---|---|
| Weak bubbling | Low oil temperature | Wait for 350 F or raise the heat slowly |
| Very dark coating | High oil temperature | Lower the heat and inspect the coating thickness |
| Greasy crust | Crowded vessel | Cook fewer pieces at once |
| Pale center | Thick pickle pieces | Slice thinner or extend cooking slightly |
Fry thin chips for about 2 to 4 minutes. Turn a piece once if its underside browns faster, and watch for lively bubbles and an even golden-brown surface. Thick spears generally need about 4 to 6 minutes.
Your oil temperature can fall after a batch goes into the skillet. Wait for it to return to 350 to 375 F before adding more food, because a crowded vessel darkens the coating before the centers heat through.
Move finished pickles to a wire rack or paper-towel-lined plate in one layer. Piled pieces trap steam, which softens their undersides. A light sprinkle of seasoning salt or paprika adds flavor without another wet layer.
Comparing Deep, Shallow, and Air-Fried Textures
Deep frying gives you the most even browning and substantial crunch because hot oil reaches several sides of the coating. Your closest restaurant-style result comes from a deep skillet or home deep fryer with enough oil to float each slice about halfway.
Shallow frying uses less oil, although the exposed upper surface may remain softer. Turn each piece once and rotate the skillet as needed. A batch of six to eight chips fits the shallow surface and allows each coating more contact with the oil.
Air frying avoids a pot of hot oil and produces a lighter surface with less blistering. Arrange the coated slices in one layer, apply a light coat of cooking spray, and cook at 400 F. A second short pass can improve browning.
| Method | Result | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Deep frying | Even, substantial crunch | Restaurant-style texture |
| Shallow frying | Good crunch with careful turning | Small batches and less oil |
| Air frying | Crisp, lightly blistered coating | Less oil and simpler cleanup |
Your equipment choice determines the final texture. Deep frying suits an abundant, blistered crust, while air frying suits a crisper surface with less oil. Shallow frying occupies the middle ground but requires more attention during turning.
Preparing Sauces and Serving Small Batches
Prepare the dip before heating the oil so serving stays efficient. Thick ranch dressing provides a familiar cooling contrast, while chopped dill, chives, and a little lemon give the sauce a brighter profile. Blue cheese dressing adds richness and sharpness.
Keep sauces beside the pickles rather than beneath them. A puddle under a hot slice softens the coating quickly, so fried pickles with ranch dressing work best in separate bowls. Small batches also let you serve each group before trapped steam dulls its crust.
Your first batch should fry for 2 to 4 minutes, drain on the rack, and reach the table immediately. Later batches can repeat that timeline after the oil returns to temperature. This sequence preserves more crunch than holding every slice until the meal is assembled.
You can use a small spoon or narrow cup for portioning ranch. Your serving tray also needs enough room to keep the pickles in a single layer, particularly during a party where hands return to the plate frequently.
Because serving batches cool before everyone finishes, thoughtful reheating can restore crunch without sacrificing the center.
Reheating Fried Pickles Without Softening Them
A short oven hold can bridge the gap between frying and serving. Place the pickles in one layer at 300 to 325 F for no more than about 15 minutes, and watch the coating closely. Prolonged heat can dry the crust before the center regains heat.
Your air fryer also refreshes cooled pieces at 375 F for about 5 to 8 minutes. Leave space between slices so hot air reaches both sides, and stop once the coating feels hot and firm.
A 375 F oven offers another option for a wider batch. Spread the pickles on a rack rather than a plate, and check them during the final minutes. Reheating restores much of the crunch, though a fresh fry keeps a softer center and more defined blistering.
Your Final Serving Checklist
Your strongest result begins with dry dill pickle chips, a thin flour-and-cornstarch coating, and oil near 365 F. Cook only as many pieces as the pan can handle, then drain them in one layer and serve them promptly.
A thick ranch dressing provides the classic pairing, while blue cheese or Buffalo-style sauce creates a sharper or hotter contrast. Your fastest path back to a crisp surface is a brief oven or air-fryer pass rather than stacking the pickles with sauce.
FAQ
What type of pickles work best for Buffalo Wild Wings copycat fried pickles?
Thin, refrigerated dill pickle chips near 1/4 inch thick provide the most predictable frying. Their concentrated brine drains more evenly than fresh cucumber slices, and the cut size cooks quickly beneath a thin coating.
What is the best coating for crispy fried pickles?
A thin blend of all-purpose flour and cornstarch creates a light, crisp crust. Buttermilk and egg help the coating adhere, while paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and optional cayenne pepper supply seasoning.
Should I use fresh dill pickles, refrigerated dill pickles, or pickle chips?
Refrigerated dill pickle chips drain more evenly and hold their shape better than fresh cucumber slices. Small spears offer a larger pickle-centered bite, but their thicker centers need roughly 4 to 6 minutes.
What temperature should the oil be when frying pickles?
Aim for 365 F, with 350 to 375 F as the working range. A thermometer gives you a more reliable reading than the burner setting, especially after a cold batch lowers the oil temperature.
How long does it take to fry pickles?
Thin chips take about 2 to 4 minutes, while pickle spears need roughly 4 to 6 minutes. Even golden color and lively bubbling provide better visual cues than elapsed time alone.
How do I keep fried pickles crisp after draining them?
Drain the pickles on a wire rack in one layer, and avoid piling or covering them. Serve them promptly for the best crunch, or refresh cooled pieces at 375 F for about 5 to 8 minutes.
