✔ Updated · fixed flour amounts, oil temp and timings + dipping sauces and air fryer method
My Hooters fried pickles are a copycat-style take on the bar-and-grill appetizer: tangy dill pickle chips with a thin, crunchy, lightly spiced coating, served hot with ranch for dipping. The method is simple.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Pat the pickles dry before the buttermilk and fry at 375°F in small batches, so the coating stays crisp instead of greasy.
Pat the pickles dry, soak them briefly in buttermilk, toss them in seasoned flour and fry them in small batches at 375°F (190°C). The whole batch takes about 30 minutes, and there is an air fryer option too if you'd rather skip the pot of oil.
Why You'll Love These Fried Pickles
- Crunchy outside, juicy inside, with a tangy bite that cuts through the rich coating.
- Pantry ingredients: a jar of pickle chips, buttermilk, flour and a few spices.
- Ready in 30 minutes, so they work as a game-day snack or a last-minute party appetizer.
What Are Hooters-Style Fried Pickles?
Fried pickles are a Southern bar snack that became a restaurant-chain favorite: dill pickle slices coated in seasoned flour or batter, fried until crisp and served with a creamy dip. This copycat-style version uses crinkle-cut dill chips, a quick buttermilk soak and a lightly spiced flour coating, so the outside is crunchy and the pickle inside stays juicy and tangy.
The buttermilk helps the flour cling and softens the sharpness of the pickles a little. A mix of all-purpose and whole-wheat flour gives a slightly nutty, extra-crisp crust, but all-purpose flour on its own works fine. For another restaurant-style version, try our Texas Roadhouse fried pickles, and pair either one with our Hooters wings for a game-day spread.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Dry the pickles first. I spread them on paper towels while the oil heats, because brine on the surface stops the buttermilk and flour from sticking, which is the main reason the coating slides off.
- Use a thermometer. 375°F (190°C) fries the coating crisp in 2 to 3 minutes before the pickles turn soggy. Too cool and the pickles soak up oil; too hot and the flour burns.
- Fry in small batches. A handful at a time keeps the oil hot. Let it come back to temperature between batches.
- Drain on a rack, not a pile. A wire rack keeps the bottoms crisp. Stacking them on paper towels traps steam.
- Go easy on the salt. Pickles are already salty, so the flour needs only a little. Taste one before adding more at the end.
Hooters Fried Pickles (Copycat)
4
servings15
minutes15
minutes310
kcal30
minutesCopycat-style Hooters fried pickles: tangy dill pickle chips soaked in buttermilk, tossed in a paprika and cayenne seasoned flour and fried at 375°F until golden and crisp. Serve hot with ranch.
Ingredients
- For the Pickles
16 ounces dill pickle chips (crinkle-cut), drained
1 cup buttermilk
- For the Seasoned Flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour (or more all-purpose flour)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- For Frying and Serving
2 quarts vegetable or peanut oil, for frying
1/2 cup ranch dressing, for dipping
Directions
- Prep the Pickles
- Drain the pickle chips in a colander, then spread them on paper towels and pat the tops dry. Drier pickles hold the coating better.
- Put the pickles in a medium bowl, pour over the buttermilk and stir so every chip is coated. Let them soak for 10 to 15 minutes while the oil heats.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, black pepper and salt.
- Fry
- Pour the oil into a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven so it is about 2 to 3 inches deep and no more than halfway up the sides. Heat it to 375°F (190°C), checking with a thermometer. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan or line a plate with paper towels.
- Lift a handful of pickles out of the buttermilk, let the excess drip off, then toss them in the seasoned flour until fully coated. Shake off the loose flour.
- Fry the pickles in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crisp. Don’t crowd the pot, or the oil temperature drops and the coating turns greasy.
- Lift the pickles out with a slotted spoon or spider and drain them on the rack. Let the oil come back to 375°F before frying the next batch.
- Serve the fried pickles hot, with ranch or your favorite dipping sauce on the side.
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Dipping Sauces for Fried Pickles
A cool, creamy dip balances the hot, salty pickles. Ranch is the classic choice, and mine too: I fell for ranch with fried pickles back in Austin. Almost any creamy or tangy sauce works.
- Ranch: store-bought or homemade, like our Texas Roadhouse ranch dressing.
- Spicy ranch: stir 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or 1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce into 1/2 cup ranch.
- Horseradish sauce: mix 1/2 cup mayonnaise or sour cream with 1 to 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
- Campfire or comeback sauce: smoky and tangy, like our Red Robin campfire sauce.
- Sweet and creamy: try yum yum sauce or honey mustard.
Air Fryer, Make-Ahead and Storing
- Air fryer: coat the pickles as directed, spray them well with oil and cook in a single layer at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway.
- Prep ahead: mix the seasoned flour up to a week ahead and store it airtight. Drain and dry the pickles a few hours ahead and keep them in the fridge, then soak and fry just before serving.
- Keep a batch warm: hold fried pickles on a rack in a 200°F oven for up to 15 minutes while you fry the rest.
- Leftovers: refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in an air fryer or a 400°F oven for 3 to 5 minutes. Freezing isn't recommended, because the coating loses its crunch.
Variations
- Extra-crunchy: replace 1/4 cup of the flour with fine cornmeal or panko.
- Beer soak: soak the drained pickles in 1/2 cup lager for 10 minutes before the buttermilk for a malty flavor (the alcohol mostly cooks off, but not entirely).
- Spears: use pickle spears, pat them very dry and fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Hotter: double the cayenne or use hot and spicy dill chips.
- Egg wash: whisk 1 egg into the buttermilk for a slightly thicker crust.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sauce goes with Hooters-style fried pickles?
Ranch is the classic dip, and a spicy ranch (ranch with a pinch of cayenne or a splash of hot sauce) is a popular twist. Horseradish sauce, comeback sauce, campfire sauce and honey mustard all work well with the tangy pickles too.
Should I use pickle chips or spears?
Chips are best for this copycat-style recipe because they cook through in 2 to 3 minutes and give the most crunch in every bite. Crinkle-cut chips hold the coating especially well. Spears work, but they need a slightly longer fry and the coating-to-pickle ratio is lower.
Why does the breading fall off my fried pickles?
Usually the pickles were too wet, the pot was crowded or the pickles were moved around too soon. Pat them dry before the buttermilk, shake off excess flour, fry a small batch at 375°F and let them set for 30 seconds before turning them.
Can I make fried pickles in an air fryer?
Yes. Coat the pickles the same way, spray them well with oil and air fry in a single layer at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway, until golden. They will be crisp but a little less crunchy than deep-fried.
How do I store and reheat leftover fried pickles?
They are best eaten fresh. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat them in an air fryer or a 400°F oven for 3 to 5 minutes until crisp again. The microwave makes them soggy, and freezing is not recommended.
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