There are deviled eggs, and then there are these Million Dollar Deviled Eggs. This is my favorite, best recipe, and it includes a secret ingredient that notches up the filling to the next level. Top everything off with paprika and bacon (if you feel so inclined) and enjoy!
The Best Deviled Egg Recipe
Let’s start the week off with a classic. While Monday morning might have you reaching for a peach bellini kind of classic, I have something slightly different for you today: the best deviled egg recipe that I have in my repertoire.
It’s also a little different from the classic deviled egg recipe that you might have stowed away, scribbled on a scrap of paper in the back of your kitchen cabinet, and that’s largely due to my addiction to secret ingredients.
That’s right, there’s a secret ingredient in these deviled eggs. Can you spy it below?
What Ingredients Do I Need for Deviled Eggs?
- Hard Boiled Eggs
- Mayo
- Butter. This is it, the secret ingredient! We’re going to talk a little bit more about why we add butter below, but this is what makes these “Million Dollar” Deviled Eggs.
- Mustard (you’ll need yellow and dijon mustard)
- Sweet pickle juice
- Sugar (just a pinch!)
- Salt & pepper
- Tabasco sauce (optional, just a dash of heat is a great addition, though!)
- Optional toppings: paprika, sweet pickle slices, crumbled bacon.
The Secret Ingredient
Do you see it? Right there ⬆️⬆️, at 11 o’clock. That’s one tablespoon of pure, delicious, sweet cream butter.
Have you ever made deviled eggs with butter before? It’s a sneaky secret ingredient, nearly imperceptible except that the filling is just a touch creamier, just a tad more velvety, there’s just something about it that you probably won’t quite be able to put your finger on…
Something really, really good, but not overpowering. Just a little bit extra without being overwhelming, subtle, but so important.
In addition to preferring my deviled eggs with a spoonful of butter, I also prefer them to be slightly on the sweet side of things. To this end I’ve added a splash of sweet pickle juice and a sprinkling of sugar.
I’m told sweeter deviled eggs are a southern thing (while sweeter cornbread is a northern thing, go figure), but I happen to live just a notch above the Mason Dixon Line and can vouch for their deliciousness here, too.
I topped off about half of these eggs with bacon (mostly for my Zach’s benefit, he prefers deviled eggs with bacon) and cross-sections of sweet pickles, and all of them got a sprinkle of Paprika.
How Far In Advance Can I Make Deviled Eggs?
For best results, you should not assemble your deviled eggs more than a day in advance. If you’d like to make them two days in advance you can boil, cut, and remove the yolks from the whites. Make your filling and then store the eggs and the prepared filling in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve the eggs, give the filling a quick stir and everything can be quickly assembled.
Deviled Eggs should always be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Let me know what you think!
And if you happen to have some really amazing tricks for peeling fresh eggs, I want to hear them! My parents have chickens so I’m lucky to have a constant flow of farm-fresh eggs BUT those eggs cling to their shells like they were laid by hens with superglue diets. We’ve tried the baking soda trick, the ice bath trick, the spoon trick… none of it has worked here! I’ve heard great things about using an Instant Pot, though, and am considering getting one solely for this purpose!
Other Recipes You Might Like:
- Broccoli Salad
- Macaroni Salad
- Ramen Noodle Salad
- Corn Salad
- Pulled Chicken
- If you appreciate secret ingredients, check out my “Worst” Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Million Dollar Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
- 12 large eggs
- 1/4 cup mayo (55g)
- 1 Tablespoon butter softened to room temperature
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons sweet gherkin pickle juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- dash Tabasco sauce optional
- paprika for sprinkling
- bacon pieces optional
Instructions
How To Hard Boil Eggs
- Place eggs in a large saucepan and cover with water.
- Transfer to stovetop over high heat until water begins to boil.
- Boil for one minute, cover with lid, and remove from heat. Allow to sit for 17 minutes and then drain and transfer to an ice bath.
- Peel eggs and set aside.
How To Make Deviled Eggs
- Slice eggs in half lengthwise.
- Remove yolks and transfer to a medium-sized bowl.
- Add mayo, butter, mustards, pickle juice, sugar, salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce. Use a fork to mash well.
- Spoon filling into each egg white. Sprinkle with paprika and bacon (if using) and serve.
- If desired, top with a small slice of sweet gherkin pickle, as seen in pictures.
Video
Nutrition
Treat yourself to a FREE E-BOOK!
This Million Dollar Deviled Egg recipe was originally published 07/24/2017. Recipe remains the same but post has been updated as of 05/08/2019.
Cindy Livingston says
October 14, 2019 at 7:29 pmI steam my eggs in the Instant Pot using what I’ll call the Triple 5 method. They are super easy to peel! Use 1 cup water and set manual setting for 5 minutes. When the cook timer reaches zero, don’t do anything for another 5 minutes. This is called natural release. Then set it to venting for a quick release so the float valve drops, indicating it is now safe to open. Plunge into an ice water bath for 5 minutes or so. They practically slide out of the shells.
Sam says
October 14, 2019 at 9:19 pmThanks for sharing, Cindy!
Engelica says
October 12, 2019 at 3:22 pmI run my eggs under cold water and then peel them in an ice bath. Works every time for shells that just peel off!
Sugar Spun Run says
October 12, 2019 at 7:17 pmThanks for the helpful tip, Engelica!
Greg says
October 14, 2019 at 4:55 pmHello, I dont know if you searched this or have been informed from others, but farm fresh eggs stick to the shell because they are fresh! If you leave them a week or 2 after laying (refrigerated of course), they are more likely to have separated from the shell. Store bought eggs can already be a few weeks old by the time you purchase them, there for better for bars boiling immediately. I purchase my eggs from a friend who has chickens and have found this to be the solution to the hard boiling problem. Hope this helps!
Sam says
October 14, 2019 at 9:20 pmThanks, Greg!
Lane says
October 5, 2019 at 11:11 pmAdd a little vinegar to the water that will help make them easier to peel .
Sugar Spun Run says
October 6, 2019 at 7:51 amThanks for the helpful tip, Lane! 🙂
Lisa Lowell says
October 5, 2019 at 4:48 pmGoing to an outdoor BBQ this recipe is a great side dish if requested to bring one…. easy-to-make enjoyed the secret ingredient I would have never thought of it thanks..
Sam says
October 5, 2019 at 6:39 pmYou’re very welcome, I’m so glad you enjoyed the deviled eggs, Lisa!! Thank you so much for commenting! 🙂
Terry says
October 3, 2019 at 8:34 pmI’m about to try out your recipe, but in the meantime… I have chickens too, and you are going to LOVE me for this trick. Take your dozen fresh-layed eggs, and place them in a steam basket. Two inches of water in the pot. Put the lid on. Bring to boil. Turn down to gentle rocking and set the timer for 20 minutes. Remove the basket from the steam. Then bathe them in cool water until they are cool enough to touch. I peel them under cool water too. You will be surprised that you won’t lose even one egg! Good luck!
Sugar Spun Run says
October 4, 2019 at 5:43 amThanks so much for the helpful tip, Terry! 🙂
Jesse says
September 29, 2019 at 9:46 amJust made these Million Dollar Deviled Eggs for a dinner party last night and they were a big hit! The butter really does make it so much better, so creamy and delish! Couple of edits, I didn’t have pickles so used a half tsp of relish and left out the hot sauce (I don’t do heat), used my hand mixer to whip it all up and it came out fantastic! Thanks for sharing! 😀
Sugar Spun Run says
September 29, 2019 at 11:30 amThank you so much, Jesse! I am so glad that the deviled eggs were a hit at the party. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
TORI says
October 3, 2019 at 2:12 pmI’ve had great success peeling eggs by putting them in icy cold water and letting them cool. Once I get the heat out of the egg, I give it a knock (and this is the trick) I roll the egg gently breaking the shell but not the inner membrane. Then I start peeling and 19 out of 20 come out amazing smooth. Unfortunately I don’t have access to freshly laid eggs, so I hope this works for you. Also be careful with Ground Pepper, nothing I hate worse than choppy on pepper, so I only use finely ground pepper. GOOD LUCK!
Sugar Spun Run says
October 3, 2019 at 3:33 pmThanks for the helpful tip, Tori! 🙂
Donna says
September 23, 2019 at 12:35 pmEgg cookers steam the eggs and the shells slide right off. Dash is the brand I have.
Sugar Spun Run says
September 23, 2019 at 1:26 pmThanks, Donna! 🙂
Scott says
September 19, 2019 at 8:50 amOlder eggs peel easier. Since they’re Farm Fresh you can let them sit out on your counter for a week or 2 without washing them. I guess you could clean them and put them in the fridge but that’s just wasting space in your fridge.
Sugar Spun Run says
September 19, 2019 at 11:01 amThanks, Scott! I appreciate the tip. 🙂
Samuel Crabtree says
September 17, 2019 at 7:36 pmI use salt in the water when I boil the eggs. It makes the shells nearly slide off. Idk how much salt I use, maybe 1/8 of a cup. It doesn’t make the eggs have a salty flavor either.
joe & Patty says
September 16, 2019 at 5:38 pmI, too, have chickens and couldn’t get the fresh eggs to peel. Now, here’s what I do: Bring the water to a boil before adding the eggs. Add a tablespoon, or so, of baking soda to the water. Boil and peel under running water. Good luck.