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Tired of the same old popular picnic food? Then you should try Kool Aid Pickles! They’re a little sweet, a little tart, and a lot of fun to make and eat. A real adventure for your taste buds!
Koolickles aka Tropickles aka Pickoolas
What Are Kool-Aid Pickles?
Simply put, Kool Aid Pickles combine the traditional pickle brine with Kool Aid and sugar. Folks in the south, specifically the Mississippi Delta region takes credit for this sweet yet savory condiment.
Whether they’re called Koolickles, Tropickles, or Pickoolas, they’re now gaining popularity all over the country. Turns out, we all LOVED them, even our kids! Something about the tart flavor and the bright color of the pickles makes this one fun snack to keep in the refrigerator.
You can check out our Grilled Pork Loin, German Potato Salad and Saucy BBQ Hot Dogs that best pairs with the Pickles.
What Do They Taste Like?
Quite simply, these pickles taste just like the flavor of Kool-Aid you use, with a tangy pickle aftertaste. Kind of like sour pickle candy. So you could enjoy lime pickles, cherry red pickles, tropical punch pickles, you get the idea. Love grape kool-aid? Maybe grape flavored pickles will be your new favorite treat! If people in the Mississippi Delta have been making these for years, it couldn’t hurt to give them a try!
These pickles are a fun and tangy snack to munch on straight from the jar, or serve them alongside grilled burgers and potato salad.
What is in Kool Aid Pickles?
The ingredients in this recipe are quite simple: a jar of your favorite pickles and kool-aid packets. Oh, and some sugar. Here’s all you need:
- Dill Pickles – you can use spears, pickle chips, whole pickles, etc. Just pick your favorite pickle jar and crack it open!
- Kool-aid mix – get creative with the drink mix. All you need are a few kool-aid packets in your favorite flavors.
- Sugar – you’ll mix the sugar right in the pickle juice along with the kool-aid.
Steps to Make Kool Aid Pickles
A jar of Kool-Aid Pickles comes together in just a couple of simple steps:
- First, drain about a third of a cup of pickle juice out of a 24 ounce jar of pickles.
- Next, add 2/3 cup of sugar and one packet of Kool-aid mix.
- Screw the lid back on tight and shake.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to a week before serving, for maximum flavor.
Popular Flavors
Have a favorite kool aid flavor? Any flavor is like a brand new experience when mixed in pickle brine! Try some of your favorites, and pucker up for a tangy treat!
- Watermelon
- Lemonade
- Orange
- Grape
- Strawberry
- Cherry
- Tropical Punch
- Blue Raspberry
- Pineapple
- Fruit punch
How Long Does it Take?
Once you add all the ingredients, store in the refrigerator for about a week before serving, for maximum flavor. The flavors will marinate in the pickles and turn the spears a bright color. You can sneak a taste on day three or so, but the longer they sit, the more intense the flavors will become.
How Long Do They Last?
These kool-aid pickles will stay nice and crisp in the refrigerator as long as a normal jar of pickles would. Keep the lid tightly closed, and then when you’re ready to eat, give the jar a good shake and enjoy.
More Fun Snack Ideas
Looking for more fun and unique snacks for kids? Here are some of our favorites:
How to Make Kool Aid Pickles
Kool Aid Pickles
Video
Ingredients
- 24 oz. Jar of Dill Pickle Spears
- 2/3 c. Sugar
- 1 Packet Kool Aid Mix Pick any flavor you want!
Instructions
- Empty ⅓ c. of pickle juice from the jar of pickles.
- Pour sugar straight into the pickle jar.
- Add Kool Aid packet.
- Close the lid on the pickle jar and shake vigorously to dissolve the sugar and Kool Aid.
- Refrigerate for 7 days, shaking once per day to achieve full flavor of the Kool Aid pickles.
I had to make these with my kids when I saw them. We all had so much fun, and we were pleasantly surprised with how they tasted!
My kids think these are hilarious. We’ve only tried them with the cherry flavor – will have to try the others as well!