Hooters Fried Pickles are one of my favorite appetizers at Hooters. If you have never tried fried pickle slices, you have been missing a crunchy and tangy treat. I know that once you try these you will want this fried pickle recipe.
You can make these at home. And if you are making some Hooters Wings, why not make some of the fried pickles to go along with them?
I know what you might be thinking, fried pickles do not sound so great, they sound weird. I promise if you try these, you will soon fall in love with these delicious tart snacks.
Best of all you don’t need to go out to make these Hooters Fried Pickles from scratch. For this recipe, you will need a jar of dill pickle slices. I like Del Dixie, but this is a brand in the Houston area.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need:
- Vegetable oil
- Dill pickle chips
- Buttermilk
- Whole-wheat flour
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Paprika
- Cayenne pepper
Ingredient Notes
I drain the number of pickles that I want to cook. You can save the pickle juice it is always good to use in a DIY potato salad or even egg salad.
For me, the buttermilk is what makes this recipe extra special. It seems to counteract the tartness of the pickles perfectly.
We are also using a mixture of flour. We are using white and whole wheat flour. I really think the two types of flour make a difference in the final product. The whole wheat flour and the white flour fry at different levels so the taste is complex.
How to Make Hooters Fried Pickles
- Heat oil to 350 degrees in a large pot or deep fryer.
- Cover a platter with a few layers of paper towels.
- Drain the pickles in a colander.
- Place the pickles in a medium bowl and cover with buttermilk.
- Stir the flours, salt, paprika, and cayenne together in another bowl.
- Take about a handful of the pickles out of the buttermilk and dredge in the seasoned flour.
- Shake off the excess flour and place the coated pickles in the hot grease.
- Fry the pickles until golden brown.
- Scoop the fried pickles out of the oil with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels to drain.
- Continue frying pickles until all are done.
Recipe Variation
If you want a little variety in our deep-fried pickles you could marinate the pickles in beer before you soak them in buttermilk. They are also good like this.
When I grew up there was a local restaurant in Coldspring, Texas called the County Seat, and the owner Mike Kelly, told me he marinated their fried pickles in beer, and they were amazing.
I hope you enjoy these fried pickles at home.
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Be sure to check out more of the best appetizer recipes and my easy game day recipes.
Hooters Fried Pickles
Ingredients
- 2 quarts vegetable oil
- 16 ounces dill pickle chips
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 cups whole-wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a large pot. Cover a platter with a few layers of paper towels. Drain the pickles in a colander. Place the pickles in a medium bowl and cover with the buttermilk. Stir the flours, salt, paprika, and cayenne together in another bowl; mix well. Take about a handful of the pickles out of the buttermilk and dredge in the seasoned flour. Shake off the excess flour and place the coated pickles in the hot grease. Be careful not to place too many pickles into the hot grease, or the pickles won’t fry up crisp. Fry the pickles until golden brown. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and put them on the paper towels to drain. Continue frying pickles until all are done.
Ashley321
Would corn flour work? My husband has a gluten allergy
Stephanie
Maybe I would try corn and rice flour. Rice flour I know really fries up nicely.
Shae's MoMo
Wow very good, if you use olive oil bump it up too 400 degrees to get them crispy. We didn’t have lousiana sauce so we used Franks buffalo sauce great taste. Perfect with the football game on they cook fast!
Kaydee
So i just made these. and they turned out pretty good. they just i little more cayenne pepper and paprika and even though when they started to float and were golden i pulled the first batch out and they didnt seem cooked enough. i waited just a little longer and they came out perfect. Not as good as hooters just close enough and good enough.
val
The brand of pickle matters…..hooters uses claussen
robrob
add cayenne pepper to the batter…
robrob
can i use shake n bake?
robrob
im totally gunna try just to see how it turns out
Picklefreak
Worst recipe ever..followed as stated and they were so bland…
emma
mabye they secretly leave out an ingredient???!!
Sengledow517
Can you use a deep fryer?
Ladysarin91
The hooter sauce is simply hidden valley ranch with Louisiana hot sauce.
stephaniemanley
Thanks!
Dale
That’s awesome I’m from Livingston and I remember that place well! Small world lol and thanks for the recipe they turned out amazing!!
Stephanie
I am glad you liked the recipe!
Reyes.
what can I substitute wheat flour for?
Anonymous
I don’t know of a substitute that will work out the same. You can substitute for regular all purpose flour, the results won’t be quite the same. I didn’t test the recipe for white flour only.
hmmmm
cornmeal is a good subsitute. i did 1 cup of all purpose flour and 1 cup of cornmeal.
Reyes.
what can I substitute wheat flour for?
Ali
Made these tonight. Delicious, once we figured out that our hand-me-down deep fryer was not getting to the temperature it said it was. Hot oil definitely matters, people!! 🙂 I stuck the first battered batch in the fridge for 45 minutes before frying and put the subsequent batches directly in the fryer and the others turned out great. Next time I won’t bother putting them in the fridge first.
Mattstephenson01
How long do you marinate in the butter milk?
Stephanie Manley
I don’t do it too long. I do it while my oil is heating up for the frying.
Casandra Carmona
can you use olive oil?
Anonymous
I would not use olive oil to fry the pickles in.
krystal
if ya love fried pickles ya gotta try ones at movie tavern .. ya can watch ur movie and they serve ya at the same time full menu they have the best spicy fried pickle they are so yummie!!!!
Stephanie
I love the fried pickles. I have been to the movie tavern a couple of times, I never noticed they had fried pickles.
Judy
To get them crispy, let the dredged pickles chill in the fridge in a single layer on a cookie sheet covered in plastic wrap for 45 minutes. Fry for 3-4 minutes and let drain on a cookie rack with paper towel underneath to catch drips. Some great sauce is 1/4 cup Ken’s Steakhouse Ranch dressing with 1 Tbs. Frank’s Hot Sauce.
Christina
How many minutes do you leave it in the Fryer?
Stephanie
You leave them in the fryer long enough for them to float and turn a golden color.
Chuck
WANT! nom
Lin
I love fried pickles! Thanks so much for posting this recipe. Do you happen to have one for the dipping sauce that is sometimes served with? I think it is usually a creamy dill sauce.
I hope you enjoy the fried pickles. I haven’t done the dipping sauce that is sometimes served with the pickles.
Everett
add cayenne pepper to the ranch
Ashley
The closest thing to the Hooters pickles dipping sauce is “Zesty Ranch Dressing” from my own experience. You might even add a little tobasco sauce to it to give it a little kick.
Fran
Ok, I have to do it! I have never had fried pickles but in the past few years have heard of them every summer. I think my day is tomorrow. I’ve got pickles in the fridge. I’m actually kind of excited to do this! 🙂