Fried Pickles with Buttermilk-Herb Ranch Dressing

I vividly remember the first time I had fried pickles—a southern specialty dating back to the 1960s—on a trip to North Carolina. They were scalding hot right out of the fryer and served with a creamy ranch dipping sauce that cut through the brininess of the pickles. What a combination! Where had these been all my life?

Today, fried pickles are one of my favorite air fryer recipes. With a simple flour-egg-bread crumb coating and just a spritz of oil, these fried pickles come out extr