Step 1: Prep the Peppers

Wash your peppers thoroughly under cool water. Slice them into 1/4-inch rings, removing the stems as you go. This is also the moment to decide how spicy you want your final product: leave the seeds and membranes in for maximum heat, or scrape some out with the tip of your knife for a milder result. Since you’re working with a mix of peppers, you can even customize heat pepper by pepper — leave the jalapeño and Fresno seeds in, but remove the seeds from your mini sweet peppers, for example.

Step 2: Pack the Jar

Pack the sliced peppers into a clean glass jar or airtight container. Don’t be afraid to pack them in fairly snugly — they’ll shrink down slightly once the warm brine hits them, and a tightly packed jar means more flavorful peppers per bite.

Step 3: Add the Aromatics

Tuck the sliced garlic and onion throughout the jar, distributing them evenly so every layer of peppers gets some. Then scatter in the black peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, celery seeds, crushed red pepper flakes, and bay leaves. Layering the spices as you pack rather than dumping them all on top helps distribute the flavor evenly through the whole jar.

Step 4: Make the Brine

In a saucepan, combine the white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, water, hot honey, and pickling salt. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the honey and salt have fully dissolved into the liquid. Keep an eye on it and don’t let the brine come to a full boil — you just want it hot enough to dissolve everything, not simmering and reducing.

Step 5: Pour and Seal

Carefully pour the warm brine over the peppers, making sure they’re fully submerged. If you’re short on liquid, top off with a splash of hot water or extra vinegar so nothing pokes out above the surface — any exposed peppers won’t pickle evenly and can spoil faster.

Step 6: Cool and Refrigerate

Let the jar sit at room temperature until it’s cooled down, then seal it tightly with a lid. Once sealed, transfer it to the refrigerator.

Step 7: Let Them Pickle

Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before your first taste — this gives the flavors time to start melding. For the best sweet-and-spicy balance, let the peppers pickle for 3 to 5 days before digging in. The longer they sit, the more the hot honey, garlic, and spices penetrate the peppers.