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.
Patsy
I add 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil to boiling water before adding eggs. Boil 10-12 minutes. Remove eggs to ice bath. The shells come off easily. Our six-year-old granddaughter easily peels all the eggs. I’m told some shells stick because they have dehydrated. The oil loosens them as they cook.
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for sharing, Patsy! 🙂
Karen Jordan
Perfect recipe. We like bacon bits too.
I also spoon set “room temperature” eggs into boiling water, bring temp back to strong simmer for 11-13 min and set in ice water. Perfect peel.
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for sharing, Karen! I am so glad that you enjoyed the deviled eggs. Bacon bits add so much flavor. Yum! 🙂
Monica
Hello! Do you think there’s something I could use besides sweet pickle juice? Maybe some vinegar or anything else? Thanks so much, lovely recipe.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Monica! You can substitute with vinegar but the taste will be slightly different. I hope that you enjoy them. 🙂
Kyle
You mentioned using fresh eggs and having difficulty peeling them. We use a simple egg steamer (cost around $10) to hard boil our fresh eggs and then ice bath them. Because you poke a hole in the shell to steam them, when you drop them in ice water the egg actually sucks the water in through the hole and seperates the egg from the shell very nicely. Easiest to peel eggs we have ever done!
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for sharing, Kyle! I will have to check it out! 🙂
Bethy
And I’ve heard that white shells are easier to peel than brown!
Jon
I have a Sunbeam egg cooker from wayyyyy back (from my parents) and it’s interesting how it employs all the the ‘tricks’ people mention. It steams the eggs, there’s a small pin to punch a small hole in the egg shell, and the eggs peels practically jump off the egg. What’s old is new again.
Sugar Spun Run
That is awesome, Jon! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Veronica Snead
Trying for superbowl today! I cook mine in an egg cooker and they peel like butta! Lol
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for trying my recipe, Veronica! I hope that you enjoy the deviled eggs. 🙂
ken
place eggs in a muffin tin, place in 350 degree preheated oven for about 30 minutes, plunge in an ice bath and the shells peel right off
you can also add muffin liners in the tin if you like
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks so much for sharing, Ken! 🙂
Linda Shampine
I cook eggs in Pressure Cooker then ice bath & they turn out perfect every time, they are so easy to peel crack and peel just about falls off the egg. Easy peasy.
With fresh eggs not sure how long to cook, store bought I usually cook 4-5 min you have to test what works for you then ice bath. Just made deviled eggs for Supper Bowl.😊😊 🥚 🥚
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks so much for sharing, Linda! I have heard wonderful things about the pressure cooker, I may need to invest in one. I hope that your deviled eggs are a hit at your super bowl party. Enjoy! 🙂
Crystal
Do you use salted butter?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Crystal! I typically use unsalted butter unless noted. 🙂
JoJo
Hello! I used a basket steamer for the first time to cook 32 eggs. Once cooked, I ran it under cold rather for about 10 minutes and did not have a single issue peeling either.
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for sharing, JoJo, I will have to try a basket steamer! Sounds easy and quick! 🙂
Shari
BUTTER!!!!! WHYYYYY did I not think of that?! I’ve tried a dollop of sour cream but now I can’t wait to try with butter!
For perfect peeling with even the freshest eggs, pierce the bottom (the wide end) with a thin stick pin or needle before boiling. It helps separate the membrane while they cook.
Sugar Spun Run
Butter is the secret ingredient and makes all the difference. I hope that you enjoy the deviled eggs, Shari! Let me know what you think once you try them. 🙂
Jason
We have our own chickens and for longest time had the same issue pealing them as most folks. Tried all kinds of techniques nothing worked consistently for fresh eggs. Eventually we learned that if you put fresh eggs in carton small end down and put in the fridge for at least a few days. Then put them straight into boiling water and when finished put straight into cold cold water. Basically cool them off as fast as possible. This has given us our best and most consistent results. Leaving them in carton at least a few days allows it to evaporate just a little (egg shells are porous), then when cooked it separates easier from membrane inside the shell. Also setting fresh eggs small end down for a few days sets the yolk more center in the egg so when hard boiled for deviled eggs you are less likely to have thin spots in egg whites.
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for sharing, Jason! I appreciate the tips. 🙂
Jake S.
Re: peeling eggs, this video shows the slickest method I’ve seen yet.
Thank you for the recipe!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emf76tJiAew
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for sharing, Jake! I am glad that you enjoyed the deviled eggs. 🙂
Shirley Dobson
Now, I just have eggs from the HEB, so that may have something to do with it. You can buy an egg cooker for $13 anywhere. I don’t know why, but my eggs slide out of the shell after cooking in that, never a problem. And perfectly hard boiled.
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for sharing, Shirley! I hope that you enjoy the deviled eggs. 🙂
Marsha Glassford
I just tried a new peeling trick that worked. After boiling and ice bath place 2 eggs in mason jar w a cup of cold water. Shake shake shake up and down, back and forth. The eggs slid right out of the peels.
pat
I was looking for a recipe for deviled eggs and when I saw your name I knew it would be “the one”.Your recipes are the best! Thanks 🙂 I recently “discovered” the secret to easy-peel boiled eggs. There is science behind this. The secret is that boiling water cooks the outer egg faster, and so it is not fused to the membrane like when you start with cold water.
Use room temperature eggs or leave out of refrig. for a bit. Bring water to a boil- enough to cover eggs by about an inch. Have a big pot so the eggs won’t be crowded. Cook 6-8 eggs max.per batch so the water temp doesn’t drop too much. GENTLY put the eggs into the boiling water. I use a large slotted spoon. Boil for 30 seconds, then turn the heat down so that the water is bareley simmering and cover. Cook for 11 minutes. Prepare a bowl with ice water. Ease the eggs into the ice water and let them chill for at least 15 minutes. Crack them all over (gently) and peel.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you have enjoyed my recipes, Pat! Thank you for choosing to try my deviled egg recipe and thank you for sharing your egg peeling secret as well. I will try this method next time! 🙂
Toni
Put the boiled egg (one at a time) in a jar and rattle it around until the shell is cracked all over – peels very easily from there!
Sugar Spun Run
What a wonderful trick, Toni! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Leonel
Tempted on trying this as I eat many eggs on my diet. Looks tasty, thanks for sharing.
As a kid I always loved making a spread of the egg yolk with olive oil, so I think I will pass the mayo, which in the end is oil with eggs (plus vinegar) on low quality processed food.
I crop my own extra virgin oil, with a strong delicious taste and use free range eggs (soon to have my own chicken again).
Just tempting you to do your own mayo if its not the case, or try something with single sorced extra virging oil that tastes lovely.
Best wishes from a sleeper train on the way from Budapest to Munich…
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you for sharing your story, Leonel! I hope that you enjoy this recipe if/when you do try it. Safe travels to you! 🙂
John Zacharias
You do not have to buy a Insta Pot although I have a Cosori air fryer and use it several times a week to cook various meals. The Cosori is awesome.
I steam my farm eggs. Just buy a cheap o”l metal veggie steam basket, put it in a sauce pan, add water to the bottom of the steam basket, put in 6 eggs, bring to a boil, put lid on, steam for 12 minutes, take eggs out, cool down, easy peel.
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much for sharing your egg peeling tips, John! I will have to try this method. 🙂