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.
Eric A.
I was wanting some deviled eggs to use up some eggs. These taste better than the recipe would have you think. This recipe is a keeper. Best deviled eggs I have had in a long time.
Tip. Add your eggs to boiling water for about 12 minutes to prevent the inner membrane to stick to the shell and then shock in a water bath. Easier peeling for sure.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you loved them, Eric! Enjoy! 🙂
Julia Hacker
So basically for easy peel eggs make sure the eggs are at least a week old and at room temp, add cold water before boiling. Dump the boiling water out and run cold water in bowl or pan of eggs, then let them set to cool down before peeling.
James Seaborn
7 I have had the same problem with fresh eggs and peeling them until two weeks ago when I discovered steaming eggs in a steamer basket on the stove if they are fresh. Every single egg came out perfectly and peeled easily. If I was going to have any type of a problem when I first started I was just roll The Cracked Egg between my hands underwater and then pull away the shell. VOILA!
Audrey
This is what I do because I love to use fresh- from-the-farm eggs. Steaming works perfectly. I put a metal colander in my stainless steel dutch oven and put a dozen eggs in. It’s OK if they touch or on top of other eggs. 🙂
Colleen O
I didn’t have gherkin pickles so I substituted 1 tsp. of sweet pickle relish instead and it tasted great. Definitely go for the chopped crispy bacon on top. That’s what gives it recipe its fifth star!
Sheena
So fresh eggs for not have an air pocket, thus why they lay on their side in a pot of water. After a week of air absorbing through the shell they stand upright in water. That’s when you want to boil them. If an egg floats it’s bad and should be tossed. Fresh eggs are the devil to peel, but when they have an air pocket between she’ll membrane and egg they are easy. So just look for the eggs that stand straight up in the water.
Eric M
Poke the top and bottom of the eggs with a push pin or tac before boiling them and they peel easily!
Kelli Louis
Salt in your walt while boiling the eggs! About a tbl spoon!
Ronnie Blair
A tablespoon of salt is not nearly as much. I use 1/4 cup
Nancy Johnson
I have a 12 egg Dash brand egg cooker. It’s so easy. Perfect eggs and no babysitting them. An alarm goes off when done.
Doris
Excellent recipe! The only modification I made was cutting back on the salt. After all these years I have learned to peel an egg…thank you!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Doris! 🙂
Laura
Steam eggs for 13 minutes plunge in ice water, they will peel like a dream.
Lorraine Copeland
Salt the water. Tried all the tips. Finally this worked: tap egg lightly on counter once to get a small crack. Pull at biggest cracked piece first and then a few more – somehow this breaks the seal just right so it immediately starts coming off completely very easily.
Emily
These were a huge hit at a get-together we did!! Due to some dietary restrictions, I decided to leave off the bacon recommended in the recipe, and swapped in black caviar (Romanoffs, black lumpfish) instead… perfect!! You still get that savory, salty, added-texture component to the dish, and it also looks really good too!!
Cynthia L Leake
What if you don’t have sweet pickles in your fridge? I never do, but always have dill. Would that fly?
Sam
Hi Cynthia! The dill pickles will work, they will just change the flavor a bit. 🙂
Jackie
Have you ever tried horseradish? I personally love it in deviled eggs.
Sam
Hi Jackie! I have not tried horseradish, but it sounds tasty. 🙂
Miranda
I used dill pickle in mine today and it worked great. Everyone loved them
John Paul
I’ve been making variations of this delicious recipe for many years, and I believe you’re onto something with your sweet pickle juice and butter version. I’m looking forward to trying it myself. Thanks!
Sam
I hope you love them, John! 🙂
Harold
INSTANT POT baby! 5-5-5 for boiled eggs
5 minutes on high
5 minutes regular pressure release (then release remaining pressure manually)
5 minutes in ice water
Crack all over and peel – easy peezie.
Stuch
Instant Pot only! I can do 19 in mine at once. ( Not a InStantPot brand).
Marre
Hiya!
I’m gonna try your recipe today!
I bring my water to a boil with a generous splash of olive oil. When water is boiling I then add my eggs to the pot for 8min.
Perfect every time!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We hope you love them, Marre! 😊
Marre
Update!
I made them! Well minus the Tabasco and pickle juice because this was a last minute find and I had no time to shop. But I loved them! I’m not sure if they were a bit or not because I still had mostly a full plate left. But I did make a lot of food including pastry’s so I’m inclined to think that’s why,will definitely make again! Thanks so much for sharing!
Do let me know if you’ve tried my method yet!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
So glad you loved them, Marre! Thanks for letting us know how they turned out. 🙂
Chris Kieffer
I’ve tried everything to make eggs easy to peel. Simple but effective. Boil water first. Drop eggs gently into boiled water and cook for thirteen minutes. Place in ice bath. Peel when ready. Works every time for me.
Bulldog001
This is exactly what I do as well and it’s never failed me.
Rhonda Henderson
Thank you!
Jill
Fresh eggs will NOT peel easily……use 2+ week old eggs.
Rene W
Same, works every time!!
M. Scott
Grew up with farm fresh eggs. The old show “Kitchen Klatter” gave us the secret to “easy boiled egg peeling.” It was welcomed. One of my chores was regularly making deviled eggs. Immediately drain off the boiling water. In the water free kettle shake the eggs to break the shells, then immediately run under cold tap water. If all the shells did not crack, shake to crack again. Dump the warmed water and replace with more cold water. Peel ASAP. I was more often able to get the shells off in one long strip (with the membrane) and could quickly peel a dozen plus eggs.
Nina Meza
Just finished making potato salad for the Fourth of July. The eggs peeled off very nicely, effortlessly. After they had finished boiling, I drained the hot water and I ran cold water over the eggs still in the pot. I then filled the pan with cold water and left the eggs in the pan until I was ready to peal them. I think the fact that the eggs were submerged in warm water until I finished pealing the very last one made the process of pealing them very easy. I will always use this method from now on.
Jackie Hall
What works best for me is as soon as the time is up for the eggs to be done (I always cook mine the same as you boiling the water, then turning off the stove immediately and letting them set for 12-15 minutes,) I dump the water out and put cold water in, then dump it again and fill with cold water again and start taking the eggs out and cracking and rolling them on the counter with a rolling motion, putting them back in the water -it should be warm to tepid. Then, I start peeling them one by one. If I have any difficulty, I peel while my hands and the egg are under WARM running water. I make sire I have found the spot where I am under that membrane and the egg is smooth. I have found that the colder the eggs get the harder it is to peel them, especially fresh ones. Even if the have gotten too cold, the warm running water will put you back on track. Ice baths DO NOT work for me. I have been making them for over 40 yrs and for some reason got off track and started having trouble peeling them (usually having so many other things going that the eggs got cold.)
I did internet search and thought I had lost my mind for a minute or the eggs were some how different, I guess I just didn’t have so much going on back in the day (as they say) and was making them while they were still warm.
See if this works for you.
Christine
Tablespoon of vinegar in the water when you boil the eggs is the trick! I’ve just recently learned this and I can’t believe the difference for removing the shells
Gina
For peeling eggs, purchase an egg steamer ($10 to $15 off Amazon) and I promise you that eggs will peel flawlessly! I’ve never had an issue.
Rodney Z.
Who’d a thunk it..? Lol. Butter… It’s delicious….
Boiling eggs….
1. Let the eggs sit at room temperature for about 30 to 45 mins.
2. Get a pot of water going to a very hard boil.
3. Gently lower the eggs into the boiling water.
4. Return water to boil and boil eggs for 10 mins.
5. Drain boiling water off of eggs.
6. Immediately place eggs in an I’ve water bath.
Placing the eggs into water that is already boiling will instantly cook the outer membrane of the egg. As a result, you will be able to peel them with one hand…
Miranda
I made these for my husband’s Aunt’s 70th birthday party today and they went within 5 minutes of being opened. Everyone LOVED them! Thanks for the recipe ☺️
Sam
I’m so glad to hear this, Miranda! Thank you for letting me know how they turned out! 🙂
Erin
I just use a regular steam basket. Get the water boiling and steam for 14 minutes (6-8 eggs) then straight to an ice bath. Ive read after that you can put the in a container and shake but I just roll the egg on the counter and the peels fall off!!!
Lynn Kempen
Or just steam them in a kettle you already have, with a strainer/collander over it, covered.
Rita
I agree. Steaming is the easiest way to assure that eggs are easy to peel. It was a game changer for me, after trying every other method without success.