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.
Janice A Hinkledire
I just did 3 doz deviled eggs with your recipe with farm fresh eggs i picked up this morning! The key to using fresh eggs….don’t boil…steam em! I used my bamboo steamer. 20-25 min steamed then set eggs in an ice bath for just a few minutes. Only lost 1 egg to a bad peel. 🙂
kim
I have cooled my eggs and when ready to peel them, fill a pan with lukewarm water. Peel the egg while holding it under water.
So..i use the technique as the poster above, but have waited for them to cool and it still works amazingly well.
Good luck!
Sherry
These are the best eggs ever! Today I decided to mix it up and put bacon grease in place of the butter and used dry mustard mustard with the Dijon. Amazing twist. Thank you for the wonderful recipe 😊
Tabby
Instapot is the trick to perfectly hard boiled eggs that peel easy. I have always had a horrible time with making the “perfect” easy peel boiled egg. One cup of water and add eggs on top of the drivel. High pressure for 5 minutes and I slow release for 3 minutes. Using a tong, pick the eggs up and put them in a cold bath water.
Btw great suggestion with the secret ingredient. I have never liked sweet pickle so I chose to use dill and no sugar. Sprinkled with black pepper.
April
What brand of mayo do you use. I know it’s my preference but every mayo has a different taste and I don’t want to use mine when it might taste better with your brand.
I love following you and your delicious recipes.
Chelsi Snyder
I saw in an older comment she said helmans!
April
Thank you chelsi.
Mimi
I grew up on Hellmans but find that Aldi’s Bermans mayo is just as good and quite bit less expensive!
Vickie
Use an empty glass jar, shake a couple times peeling comes right off.
CJ
Add a table spoon of vinegar to boiling water , makes peeling eggs a snap!!!
Mimi
Yes! I just eyeball it but usually do a glug or two of vinegar. Not only helps in the peeling but seals those pesky eggs that just don’t like the hot water and crack!
Peter H Coffin
Difficulty peeling eggs is because the proteins that the membrane just under the shell are soft and slippery when warm or hot, and set up like glue when cold. So the happiest peeling has nothing to do with holes in the shell or baking soda. The key is to peel the eggs are still as hot as you can stand working with them. The cold water bath should last just long enough to get the shells cool enough to handle, crack the shells all over, then back in the water to peel because there’s still a lot of heat inside the “meat” of the egg that’s going to make them too hot to handle again in minute. Once the shells are off, you can leave the eggs in the chill bath to cool them down to fridge temperature, but getting the shells off while they’re still hot is key.
cheryl k Fissel
Thars exactly what I was going to say. Peel them hot.
Betty Roark
I steam my eggs to hard cook them. Water to just below steamer, bring to boil. Add eggs to steamer and continue boil for 12 minutes. Ice bath 10 minutes then Crack eggshell on bottom and back in ice bath for 20 minutes. Peel slides right off even with fresh eggs. Magic.
Mae Lynn Ziglar
Thanks so much for the recipe. Have you tried using an instantpot for fresh hard boiled eggs? 5 min on manual with a 5 min NPR. Just a thought!
Sam
I actually don’t even have an instantpot, but now I think I need one! Thank you for the tip!! 🙂
Mike
6 minutes in the instant pot 5 minutes natural release then ice water bath.
The pressure cooking causes them to slightly sink away from the shell. You can almost peel them in one piece. They come out perfect everytime. I purchased the small instant pot just for eggs. Stays on my countertop. I eat a lot of soft boiled eggs also. 1-1/2 minutes and the full release and into ice water to stop the cooking. Perfect cooked whites and runny yolk. Peel like a dream evertime. Been doing it for 3 years and have never had them not work perfect.
Michelle
I just cooked a dozen 1-3 day old eggs in my Instant Pot yesterday- 12 min low pressure, quick release and immediately put in ice bath- every one of them peeled beautifully and quickly! The pressure pushes the contents of the egg away from the albumen (sticky part) coating on the inside of the egg.
Wendy
For peeling eggs, best thing is the instapot! You will never boil another egg on the stove again! I promise you! Search it on the net!! Thanks for the recipe ♥️
Michelle
Yes!! Steaming is the key to using fresh eggs. I have chickens and I will use eggs that were lid even the same day 😊
Shari
Couldn’t agree more,Wendy!
I’m amazed how easy they peel,even the chicken eggs I have collected that day.
I use Amy & Jacky’s method of low pressure and time table depending how I want them cooked.
Love my instant pot!!
Karen B
Would you maybe in the future try all of these tips and tricks for peeling fresh eggs? Might be a fun experiment! 😉
Making your deviled eggs today! Entering 3rd trimester of pregnancy today and I’ve been craving some like never before!
Cheers!
Sam
Haha I think that would actually be a GREAT blog post, thank you for the idea!! I hope you loved the eggs, Karen!! 🙂
Gail Reiter
I, too, use the pressure cooker for eggs taken right out from under our chickens! Low pressure for 6 minutes. Immediately into an ice bath. Perfect!!
Sondra Parker
The method I have used successfully on even very fresh eggs, right from under the hen, is to prick a tiny hole in the large end of the eggs, then lower them into boiling water. Simmer for 12-15 minutes, let sit in the hot water for 10 minutes, then chill in an ice water bath. They peel easily after that.
Cynthia
Just buy the Dash egg cooker!! The eggs always peel Easy!! It’s only about $19 at your local box store