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.
Dawn
My friend told me she uses a little bit of oil in the water before boiling the eggs and she swears her eggs are easy to peel.
leigh emery
I raise my own pastured hens, organically fed. I had to use 5 to 1 day old eggs today to get ready for deviled eggs for tomorrow. I put them, all together, in an already steaming pot, steamed for 14 minutes (my eggs are large to jumbo) and immediately transferred to very icy filtered water. I cracked each egg slightly after about 10 minutes the icy bath and let them sit for about an other hour. I gently did a little more cracking depending on the egg, large end, and dunked them back in the icy water as I started peeling. NO PROBLEM, all of them were easy to peel perfect, no clinging to the shells.
Bruce Bantz
I learned a trick recently. No boiling — STEAMING. The number of eggs or amount of water doesn’t affect the cooking time – 13 minutes. Follow that by cooling them with cold running water. NO ice bath. They come out perfectly cooked, and are a BREEZE to peel. I am never going back to boiling! — Bruce
Amanda
I crack the eggs after a quick rinse in cold water, and leave them to soak in the cold water a few minutes. Then peel under running water. They slide right off!
Sam
Thanks for the tip, Amanda!
Dottie
The lady I get my eggs from told me grocery store eggs work best for peeling, their eggs are always at least 3 weeks old and the older the better for peeling, something about the membrane releasing from the egg better. Hers are always fresh.
Martha
I add about 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup salt to water for boiling eggs….hasn’t failed me yet
Jane
Pressure cooker, 6 minutes, quick release then straight into an ice bath. Perfect EVERY time! Will never do hard boiled eggs any other way again!
Briana
What can I use to substitute the sweet pickle juice?
Sam
Hi Briana! You could substitute vinegar, but they won’t be as sweet. 🙂
Briana
Adding a little more sugar could work, also, thank you for this recipe I love trying different ways to make deviled eggs.
Jennifer
I always use Miracle WHIP instead of mayo. It has a sweet tang & all my eggs get eaten at parties. When I have used mayo, 3/4 of the eggs get eaten. Go figure? I think it’s because miracle whip has a sweetness to it, maybe this recipe with a touch of sugar & pickle juice does the same thing?
I like the idea of a touch of Tabasco.. will give that a try.
Donna
I agree with Jennifer. I always use miracle whip, but this time I followed the recipe and used mayonnaise. These deviled eggs are OK, but not as good as mine. I taste too much of the mustard. It might just be what you get used to.
Sam
I think you’re right, just a matter of personal preference. You can sub miracle whip in this recipe if you’d like, that would be fine.
Stacie
I add baking soda to the water right before boil and the eggs have been peeling easily!
Paula
How much baking soda?
Amy
I plan to try your deviled egg recipe tomorrow as it sounds delicious. And I always add bacon to my deviled eggs or egg salad. So yummy!
Rachel Cox
I have an endless supply of fresh eggs from my own hens. I’ve found that the BEST tool for perfect hard boiled eggs that are easy to peel is the Copper Chef egg cooker is so good that I’ve bought an extra.
I will usually dunk them in an ice bath as soon as the cooker shuts off, then they peel perfectly, even if the eggs are laid the same day I cook them!
April Driggers
I’m curious if you tried any of the tips you hadn’t before to see if they peeled better. I swear we must have kindred chickens. ROFL Mine always suck.
Sam
I’d really like to try the instant pot but I don’t have one. 🙁 Other than that… not much luck
Mel
Instant pot eggs turn out amazing.
Stacey Weyrick
I’ve also been using the steam method: bring an inch of water to boil, add the steamer basket full of eggs (12 is what usually do), cover and steam on high for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and place in an ice bath. Perfect every time!
Liz
I have found that steaming the eggs, rather than boiling them, makes them much easier to peel. I follow the Cooks Illustrated way and have always had good luck.
Jennifer
Yes. Fresh eggs peel easily if they are steamed rather than boiled. I was so amazed and happy at the revelation. Store bought eggs always peel fine.
Lisa
If you want to make this supper easy use an instant pot. Cook 12 eggs for 7 minutes, let the pressure release naturally it takes around 10 minutes. Place eggs in cold water for 2 minutes, then crack and peel. The shells come off supper easy. I just made 24 eggs and peeled them in 5 minutes in perfect condition fully intact.
Sarah
Instant Pot/Pressure cooler changed my life!! The egg shells seriously peel off like paper. It’s the strangest thing. I have tried every other method, I promise. I pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. If I want a softer yolk (super yummy), I do a fat release but for deviled eggs, you slow release for 5 minutes. Then directly into the ice bath. Try it for yourself!! Good luck! 🙂
Joyce
Must add salt to the water when you fill with water a hardy amt or instant pot.
Jeanie
My mother’s,mother’s,mother was taught that to cook a perfect boiled egg all you have to do is this…… Place either refrigerated or room temperature eggs in a pot of cold water from the faucet. Cook them on medium heat and then as soon as they come to a hard boil cover them, turn off the stove and leave the pot right where it is for 10 minutes. Then start cooking them down with cold water. As a trick I learn on how to crack a perfect egg this is what you do, it sounds a litt!e crazy but works like crazy! Love this….. Get a tack or something similar and poke a hole with it one time in the bottom ( large) side of the egg. Wala Perfection! I can’t wait to try them with bacon and the butter. I never would of thought of that! Thank you!