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.
Ami Lyn
If you simply just crack the eggs a bunch while running them in cold water they will peel right off & you don’t have to do anything else! I wish I would’ve learned this years ago but at least I know it now. Good luck
Em
Sam, you have done it again. An easy to follow recipe that was an absolute hit with the deviled egg lovers in my family! These were devoured in record time and requested for future gatherings. Thank you!
P.S. the trick to getting fresh eggs to peel (more) easily is adding a TON of salt to the egg pot before you boil. My mom and I joke “Dead Sea salty”, but really about a solid handful of kosher salt for every 2-3 quarts of water. Some people also swear by adding baking soda with the salt for extra fresh eggs, but I haven’t tried that since the extra salty water does the trick for me.
Linda Hensens
I used to have the hardest time peeling boiled eggs. One day, I was on YouTube watching Collard Valley Cooks, and she was making deviled eggs. She said that the trick to easy peeling was to boil the water first, then using a slotted spoon put however many eggs you needed to boil one by one in the boiling water. Then return the water to boiling, put a lid on the pot and cut the heat off. She said to let them sit in the hot water for 14 minutes then drain them, rinse them twice with cold water and they will peel like a dream. I swear y’all, I was SURE that she had bumped her head! I decided to give the egg boiling trick a try the next morning. However, I only tried it with 1 egg just in case things didn’t go well. Well, I did exactly what she said to do, and that 1 egg peeled so easily! So, I made a few more, and they peeled easily too. I haven’t boiled eggs any other way since. If you decide to try this method use room temperature eggs, and be very gentle when you put them in your boiling water. If 1 should crack, you can either go ahead and leave it in the pot or you can remove that egg immediately and put a replacement egg in. I remove it if I have that happen but only because I can’t stand ugly eggs. This method is great!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We will have to give this one a try! Thanks for commenting 😊
Deb Sullivan
I love your idea of adding butter. I have also heard that adding a dollop of sour cream gives deviled eggs that same, “I can’t quite put my finger on it” added zest, but I’ll try butter next time for comparison’s sake. As for boiling eggs, I’ll never do that ever again. Instead, I simply preheat my air fryer to 250 degrees and then cook them for 17 minutes and they’re done to perfection. (Your air fryer may take plus or minus one minute depending on your machine.) Then the eggs take a 5 minute or so dunk in a bowl of water with approximately 2 cups of ice cubes floating in it, and as soon as you can handle them, the eggs practically peel themselves! No fussing with whether your eggs are too new or too old, no messing with the shell beforehand, or adding vinegar to boiling water, and no waiting for water to boil right. Nothing to do but put the eggs in the air fryer for about 17 minutes, and then go unload the dishwasher, or get out your bowl for the ice water bath, or watch TV, or search the Net for more deviled egg ingredient ideas. I’ll never go to all the trouble of boiling eggs in a pan of hot water and then fighting with the shells ever again.
Amanda
Made this for my grandpas birthday in March and they were a hit. I’m in charge of deviled eggs for Easter now because of it. Ha
As far as peeling egg trick. I do one at a time in a small mason jar filled halfway with water. Give it a decent shake but not too hard. The peel should come right off. Even if it seems like it won’t. Somehow it always does. Try it next time 🙂
Irene
I have found that slightly cracking hot eggs before placing in cold water they peel easily.
Jeremy
Absolutely love this. Personally added more paprika and pickle juice, and definitely more paprika, but the recipe is awesome with bacon!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so glad you like them so much, Jeremy! Thanks for your review 😃
john
I learned the secret to easy peel eggs is to add white vinegar 1 or 2 tablespoons, and 1 to 2 tablespoons of reg salt to a pan of water. Cover the eggs 2 inches above eggs . Then set timer when eggs start to boil . A rolling boil for 10 minutes then flash cool them with cold water and ice . You will thank me later.
Lacey Myatt
If you steam your fresh eggs the shells should fall off like butter!! Put around 1 inch of water in a pot put the eggs in the steam basket make sure the eggs are not touching the water bring the water to a boil before placing the basket in the pot put the eggs inside the pot and cover with a lid set a timer for exactly 11 minutes and 30 seconds. As soon as the timer goes off remove the eggs and placed the steam basket on a plate for a couple minutes until you can take the eggs off and place them on a cooled down a plate. Are usually have to use a hot glove to pick up the eggs. Do not put the eggs in an ice bath. I like my egg yolks not so fully, fully cooked inside. I mean they are fully cooked but they have just a tint of a little creamy yolk inside at 11 minutes and 30 seconds. If you don’t like that at all I would say go ahead and set the timer for an extra minute. Let the eggs cool on their own on the plate remember no ice bath at all stick them in the fridge after they’ve cool down and you can peel them the next day the shells should fall off like butter I have always done this with fresh eggs and older eggs and it works like magic. Good luck!!
Rita
I am looking forward to making your recipe today. I haven’t tried it yet. However, you wanted tips on peeling eggs. I’ve found an excellent way. This time I only boiled the eggs 7 minutes. Then I put them into an ice bath for 5 minutes. I removed them and peeled immediately. The trick is to crack the egg and remove a small piece or two of the shell. Put the egg in a glass with about 3/4” of water. Shake the glass gently for 5-10 seconds to let the water get under the membrane of the shell. Remove and peel. The shell usually comes off quite easily. But sometimes I have to give the egg a second shake in the water. Hope this works for you!
Jamie
Hi! Thanks for the yummy deviled eggs! I’m making them for Easter this weekend. Also, I wanted to share with you my secret for easy peel hard boiled eggs- distilled white vinegar. Yep. A 1/4 cup to a pot of salted water, bring to a boil, THEN drop your eggs in slowly. Boil about 15 mins for those big yard eggs (we have them on our farm- even duck eggs which are just bigger, but same taste- yummy). Then drop them slowly into a bowl with ice water and leave them for a few mins to cool. I wait about 5 mins then I tap and crack each one and let them sit a few more mins. This helps the water to seep in and will prevent the dreaded green ring. After 5-10 mins, I roll them on the counter to crack them around the middle and then- voile’!! The peel just slips right off!
If you have really stubborn shells, you can keep the cold water from the sink running gently over them as you peel and that helps. For some reason, our green eggs on the farm are always tougher shells but so pretty 🙂
Best Wishes!
Gail
Can’t wait to try these for Easter this year. My go to egg boiling recipe is this: bring water to a boil. Put eggs into steamer basket and drop into boiling water. Boil 11 minutes. Remove and drain almost all of the hot water. Fill pot with cold water until it overflows. Allow eggs to sit approximately 15 minutes in the cool water. Drain and done. I have a sister with chickens and have used this on her eggs as well as both fresh from the store and ones that have been sitting in my fridge for a few weeks. It has worked perfectly every time.
Barbie
Love love love that I learned from your recipe, that one can make the “fixin’s” a day ahead! I’m 67 years old, make these MAYBE once a year— since we’re hosting Easter dinner 2022, your advice is such a great timesaver😁 And the filling is fabulous! (of course I had to assemble & sample a little devil before tomorrow😉 Thank you for the recipe, and Happy Easter! Blessings abound!
Jiandra Lizama
Could I use regular pickle juice? That’s the only one I have….
Sam
Sure thing! 🙂
Tlynn
Do you think it would be okay if i just omitted the pickle juice and used sweet relish in its place?
Sam
Sure thing! 🙂
David
These are awesome! I also candied 6 slices of bacon cut into 24 pieces and stuck them into the center of each piece. I’ll be making these for company next time for sure! 😋
Patty
The perfect deviled egg recipe! The balance of sweet pickle juice with Tabasco and the creaminess with the butter added. YUM! These did not last long at my house. I do, however like to pull them from the fridge about 15 minutes before serving. They just taste better. Thank you!