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.
Teresa
Hi Sam; I’m going to also join in the “steam, don’t boil” the eggs for nearly foolproof, peel-every-single-egg without-any-problem deviled eggs! I don’t have a steamer basket, which probably IS the best way, but I heat about an inch of water to a boil, then add the eggs, cover the pan, and I cook 8-9 minutes. Then rinse in cold water and VOILA! No frustrating hard-to-peel shells – they come off like magic. Try it! PS Love the recipe!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much for trying, Teresa! I am glad that you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
Lynn Afflick
I’m so glad I stumbled upon this deviled egg recipe. Loved the comment about sweet cornbread being a Northern thing…living in the south, never had sweet cornbread until later in life. Hmm, still not sure how I feel about it.
I am making deviled eggs tomorrow and will try your recipe, especially the butter.
Enjoyed your post👍😊
Sam
Thank you so much, Lynn! I hope you love them! 🙂
Dianna
When I tried to peel my boiled eggs, they shredded into bits (UGH always) so I made egg salad instead. YUM! This is my new go-to recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Dianna! 🙂
Libby
If you will look up Kens Perfect Hard Boiled Egg recipe I promise you will NEVER again struggle with peeling an egg OR those nasty green rings. It involves vinegar and salt in the boiling water. You can trust me on this one!
Darlene
Get the Insta Pot! It’s AMAZING for eggs! Changed my life!
Susan
I haven’t read all the comments so I hope I’m not repeating anything. I have almost avoided deviled eggs in the past because the time it took to get the shell off.. until I discovered the Instant Pot method. I make them about every other day now. It is such a time saver.
I put the eggs on the trivet in the IP with a cup of water. (Always add liquid with anything you cook in IP). It’s the 5 5 5 method. Set the manual cook button to 5 minutes. When it builds pressure and cooks 5 minutes it will beep and go to the warm cycle. Let the eggs sit in the IP for 5 minutes. (I always set a timer for this step).
Release the pressure and put eggs in a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes. To remove the shell, roll them on a cutting board (or your counter) and the shell will just fall off. It’s amazing!
Hope this helps! I am trying this recipe tonight. Looks delicious!
Doris M Cron
Butter in deviled eggs! No way…but, being endowed with an over abundance of curiosity I tried it. This is my new favorite! Couldn’t believe how creamy and succulent these eggs were! Thank you so much for sharing you secret with us! P.S. I do like sweet pickles so instead of the sugar I snuck in a spoonful of sweet pickle relish. Yumbo!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Doris! 🙂
Jon
The BEST way to peel your eggs is to not boil them but steam instead. Get a pot boiling with an inch or so of water and put your eggs in on a steamer basket so they are just above water level. Steam for 12 minutes, rinse well in cold water and they peel like a dream. You are welcome for changing your life. 🙂 Thanks for the recipe above!
Heather
Agreed Jon!! Steaming is my go-to method as well!!
Jeremy
There is also a difference in the eggs. I raise several breeds, but their is something different about the shell from the americana breed otherwise known as Easter Eggers. Their eggs are typically green but they peel easier than any other egg.
TheStefania
Hi Sam,
We get farm fresh eggs from the neighbors and I also buy the mass farm raised ones from the market. Either way, for boiling eggs I let them sit out on the counter and come up to room temperature. For the farm fresh neighbors eggs, I will let them sit for up to 3 days before boiling.
And, I always ice bath them. I still get the occasional stubborn shell, but 9 out of 12 are perfect every time.
My secret ingredient that gets rave reviews every time I use it is an obscure hard to find and expensive ingredient, so it’s perfect for Million Dollar Eggs, (lol). I use a pinch of Fennel Pollen on each egg. It’s fine like celery seed and important note it’s not fennel seed, but POLLEN.
I’m making a batch today and am going to try adding the pat of butter as per your recipe.
Cheers!
Pia E
My trick for getting easy to peel eggs every time is to use a thumb tack to poke a tiny hole in the fat end of the egg before putting in water. Doesn’t allow them to leak, and peels off like a charm every time!
Stephanie
Silly questions… when they makes 24 deviled eggs. Does that mean 24 whole eggs for 48 halves or a doze for 24 halves?
Sam
Hi Stephanie! You need 12 whole eggs for this recipe so it makes 24 halves. 🙂
Karen
I have just begun using my instant pot to hard boil eggs. They come out perfectly and I haven’t had any that would not peel. Gonna make this for tonight!!
Kari
I find if I steam my eggs they peel very easilt
Kerry
These are delicious! I adapted the recipe slightly by adding a titch more butter, increasing the yellow mustard to 3 teaspoons, decreasing the Dijon mustard to 1 tsp., and using dill pickle juice instead of sweet pickle juice. We all loved the addition of the butter, which gave the eggs a really creamy texture with an extra decadent flavor. This recipe was a hit with my family! Thank you!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Kerry! 🙂
Dottie
76 years old…I ‘ve made many deviled eggs. No recipe comes close for creaminess or flavor, this IS the best for sure. We raise our own chickens. I hard boil fresh same day eggs and if you prick the fat end of egg and carefully drop into boiling water then lower temp to lowest setting and time for 20 min for large eggs. Put into ice water for 10 min then peel. Shells never stick.
Sam
Thank you so much, Dottie! I am glad you enjoyed them and will definitely be trying your tip. I’m planning to get some chickens next year. 🙂
Kerry
I wish I’d read your comment before making the eggs, Dottie. The shells really stuck to the eggs today despite me using my regular recipe, which has never stuck before. I think the humidity did me in a bit.