Cinnamon Apple Ring Pickles from Scratch

Declicious sweet, spicy pickles. Made with cucumber, but tastes like cinnamon apples. You will need canning jars and lids for preserving these.

• Ready In: 99 hrs
• Yields: 2 Gallons

Ingredients

• 2  gallons cucumbers, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch rings
• 2  cups pickling lime
• 8 1⁄2 quarts water
• 1  cup vinegar
• 1  ounce  red food coloring
• 1  tablespoon alum
• 3 1⁄2 cups water
• 3 1⁄2 cups vinegar
• 11  cups sugar, divided
• 12  ounces  red-hot candies
• 8  cinnamon sticks

Directions

1. Day 1:
2. Combine cucumbers, pickling lime, and 8 1/2 quarts of water in a large, non-aluminium pot. Let soak for 24 hours.
3. Day 2:
4. Remove pickles from lime water. Rinse 3-4 times until water runs clear. Put pickles in ice water and soak 3 hours. Drain. Combine vinegar, food coloring, and alum and simmer in a large pot. Add pickles and enough water to cover. Simmer for 2 hours. Do not boil. Drain pickles and discard mixture. Combine remaining ingredients less one cup sugar and bring to a boil. Pour over pickles. Let stand 24 hours.
5. Day 3:
6. Drain mixture, but do not discard. Add remaining cup of sugar and bring to a boil. Pout over pickles. Let stand 24 hours.
7. Day 4:
8. Drain mixture, but do not discard. Bring to a boil. Pack pickles in jars. Pour mixture over pickles and seal jars.