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
- ¼ cup (55 g) mayo
- 1 Tablespoon butter softened to room temperature
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons sweet gherkin pickle juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ 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.12 large eggs
- 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.¼ cup (55 g) mayo, 1 Tablespoon butter, 2 teaspoons yellow mustard, 2 teaspoons dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons sweet gherkin pickle juice, 1 teaspoon sugar, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon pepper, dash Tabasco sauce
- Spoon filling into each egg white. Sprinkle with paprika and bacon (if using) and serve.paprika, bacon pieces
- If desired, top with a small slice of sweet gherkin pickle, as seen in pictures.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
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.
Sonia
Here in Spain, we fill the eggs with a mixture of the egg yolks and canned tuna, mayo, and ketchup. It´s interesting to know a diferent way.
Sam
Hi Sonia! I have never heard of that! It certainly sounds like a lot different flavor. Maybe I will try it one day. 🙂
Maria
After you let the eggs cool but, not completly, put them on a hard surface and roll them very fast. It’s worked for me in the past! Thank you so much for this recipe! I can’t wait to try this out!!!
Sam
I’ll have to try that next time! Thanks, Maria!
Dana
Instead of boiling your eggs, steam them for 12 minutes. Immediately put in cold water to cool. Let them get to room temperature or cool enough to peel.
Leslie
I have very good luck with a plain old steamer for 21-23 minutes. Then ice water.
Naomi
Fresh eggs peel great when you stream them, vs a regular boil. I only do that now and it works great. 🙂
Mary
Instant pot is the answer! Works so great!!!
Cynthia Burrows
I have no problem peeling eggs and you don’t add anything. All I do is bring the eggs to a boil, let them boil for 4 minutes. Turn off the heat put cover on the pan, let set for at least 10 minutes. Remove eggs. I crack the rounded end on the counter and then the smaller end. Then roll it on its side on the counter. The shell will come off easily. Works every time for me.
Jacqueline
To peel perfect eggs, after boiling, place in a bowl big enough to hold eggs and a ice with a little room to spare. Put water halfway up on bowl and seal it. Now just shake the bowl, dance with it 😜 then open. Your eggs will peel perfectly every time! ( p.s. you really don’t have to dance with it, just makes it fun! )
Sam
Haha, I’ll definitely be dancing with mine! 😉
Thanks for the tip, Jacqueline!!
Bobby
I have used something like this with my qual eggs and they were great. As for peeling them. Only boil them for 1 min. let set in water for 3 min. Take out of water and cover with white vinger, leave for2 or 3 hrs. and the shell peel off like spelling a orange .
Jason
INSTANT POT makes perfect eggs every time!!!!
Sam
My mom just recently got one and swears by it, too!
Carolyn
I agree – I always had trouble with peeling eggs and the Instant Pot has been a huge success!!
Rafus Runnels
Try putting some salt in the water while eggs are cooking let me know how it works out
Fran
Instant pot ! The shells slide off!
Christine
The secret to perfect eggs is to cook them in an Instant Pot! They slide right out of the shell every single time! So easy!! I’ll never boil another egg on the stove top again!!
Kimberly
To peel: Poor off the water. Put the lid on. Shake the eggs in the pan with the lid on. Place pan in sink. Take off lid and run high pressured cold water over the egg while you are peeling it. Be sure the shells do not go down the disposal. This was method was passed down to me from my mother.
Danielle
To peel fresh eggs easier I add a little vinegar to the water while boiling. It doesn’t change the flavor and helps alot. Just be sure your eggs are also cooled down all the way.
Nick Herrera
Put eggs in a Mason jar and shake for 5 seconds. Peels like a dream.
Janis
I have had chickens for over forty years and I have NEVER found a way to peel fresh hardboiled eggs (although not having an Instapot myself, I can’t vouch for that or not). For me, the only way to peel fresh hardboiled eggs is to make them not fresh. In other words, I keep a dozen or two in the back of the refrigerator to age – just for hard boiled. I don’t even try until they’re AT LEAST two or three weeks old. Don’t worry – eggs actually keep for a long time, much longer than most people realize, especially if you don’t wash them before putting in the carton and then into the refrigerator. Those eggs you get in the stores can sometimes be months old – which is why store bought eggs peel so much easier than fresh home grown. Once they have “aged” for awhile, I take them out of the refrigerator and let them sit out on the counter for an hour or so so that when they go into the room temperature water, they are also room temperature. I bring to a boil, uncovered, let boil for five minutes, remove from heat, cover and let sit for fifteen minutes, then run under cold water. Works every time – as long as I’m not dealing with super fresh eggs.