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.
Skirk
If you boil your eggs in water with 2 tbsp of vinegar, it makes farm fresh eggs shells fall away easier when you go to peel. It also helps with even cooking and takes away the grey look to the yolk that you sometimes get from boiled eggs. Hope that helps.
Wynnesome
I have a boiled egg recipe for you from a chef.
Get your eggs out of the fridge and let them come to room temp or put them in a warm water bath for a few minutes while you (2) Bring a large saucepan with about two inches of water in it to a boil. When the water comes to a boil, gently slip your eggs into the water one by one. Then set your timer for 10 to 11 minutes.
Then remove your eggs from the heat, drain the hot water and run cold water over the eggs for a couple of minutes. As others have said, tap the egg lightly to crack it and return to the water for a few moments. Then not only will the shells come right off, but the eggs will be so tender and yummy. No sulphur burps. No indigestion. A little extra work but worth it.
John Preston
We’re Brits living in central Portugal, and our chickens lay brilliant eggs. Best way to peel them is prick a hole in the blunt (air sac) end before cooking, preferably by steaming as mentioned by someone else. Crack that end first, easy peasy. Also, I tend to peel on damp kitchen roll, which the shell sticks to, and rolling the peeled egg on it gets rid of any last bits of that or shell.
Kimberly
These were excellent! I modified some:
I added soft cream cheese in with the butter-equal amounts
I added bread and butter pickle juice instead of gherkin juice
I put extra sugar and a splash of tiger sauce
I fork whipped that mixture until my fingers were numb!!
I also sprinkle some dill over the paprika
The best way to peal the eggs is bang both ends on the sink this will make it easy to get that small grip you need then then soft skin under the shell just assists you in sliding the shell off
Not 100 percent of them are easy but about 98% of them are… the difficult ones you simply have to take your time almost like performing some kind of surgery….lol
Anyway, these turned out great
Thanks for the tips?
Rebecca
Re peeling eggs. Bang the eggs and place in bowl of cold water. Then take small amount of shell including thin skin under shell from each egg and back to the bowl. Next under running cool water gently peel by the thin skin as the water runs around and loosens it. A breeze!
Drew
An egg poker also works well. You pierce the air pocket side (the broad side) of the egg before boiling. Allows a small amount of water in and makes peeling easy. Although instant pot is best.
Hal Forster
After the eggs have cooled down in cold water. Take the eggs and one by one hit the egg on the sink at each end of egg. Put the Nero end of egg in your mouth and blow real hard lol. The egg will pop out of its shell every time.blow it back into the pot of water and good to go.
Jacquie
I make 2doz boiled eggs per week and also struggled with peeling before I heard about the baking soda trick, which does work well. However, since I got an Instant Pot I have found that is the only way to go! 1 cup of water and then lay 2 dozen eggs in the pot. “Cook” for 5 minutes – once the steam is released I put in a large ice bath and leave until almost all the ice has melted. I peel some immediately for egg salad and then refrigerate the rest with peels on. Works like a hot damn and I have been boiling eggs for over 40 years. And, this is actually the only thing I use my Instant Pot for 🙂
Lisa D
I’ve tried every trick in the book, and the only sure-fire way to get easy to peel eggs every time is to use the 5/5/5 method in the Instant Pot. You won’t be sorry!
Jill
I can’t vouch for the instapot because I’ve never used one but if you want to reliably peel perfect eggs every time don’t use those super fresh ones from your own chickens. Leave them alone in the fridge for several days then cook and peel. The inner membrane pulls away from the egg as it ages but in super fresh eggs it’s tightly adherent.
Hannah
The only hack I’ve had work for peeling fresh eggs is to steam instead of boil! Just boil some water in a large pot, and set the eggs in a basket or colander on the top of the pot, then put a lid over and steam for 12ish minutes. Works great! Then make sure they’re completely cooled before you peel and crack the ends first
Teville
For perfect boiled eggs that peel without tearing up the egg start with cold eggs. Leave them in the fridge till you use them. Boil water. When water comes to a boil, use a large slotted metal spoon to gently lower each egg into the boiling water. (Be sure eggs don’t have any cracks) Boil for 12-15 minutes. Remove eggs one by one from the boiling water. Leave the eggs in the boiling water until ready to crack the shell. As you remove each egg put it under cold running water. Tap the egg on the sink to crack the shell and while still under the running water gently crush the shell. Allow water to get under the shell and remove it. Often the shell will just start to peel away. There is a membrane around the boiled egg. You must tear that membrane to allow the egg to come out clean.
Val
confused. 1st you said to remove from boiling water then in next sentence sid to leave them in the boiling water.
Then, leaving running water to shell eggs is pretty wasteful as water is precious here in Central California and all over for that matter!
THE MAX
I’ve found putting the boiled eggs back in the fridge in the same carton for 24 hours works pretty well to shrink the insides enough for easy peeling.. hehe THE MAX
Chelsea
This is the way to do it. Although I put eggs right from the boiling water into cold water.
Diane Sunshine at 4:56 am
I just made the perfect boiled egg to peel. Place eggs in a stock pot and cover with cold water an inch over. Boil on high to start and once rolling boil turn to medium high and cover with a lid for 6-7 minutes. In big bowl put ice and water ready to put drained eggs in and peel comes right off! So simple. I have done this but, cooked eggs way longer maybe that is why they were hard to peel. Gonna try your million dollar recipe! Thank you!!
Ned Ireland
Don’t boil your eggs at all, STEAM them! Put them in a steamer for approx. 10/12 mins. Let them cool, then tap around the middle on a flat surface, and peel. My eggs usually come out with two/three pieces of shell.( be gentle, don’t be too rough, or you’ll break them in half) I have not boiled an egg in over 12 years, and wouldn’t even think about it now.
Robin Werdal
I agree! I just learned about steaming eggs last year, and it really works! They are easier to peel I learned about it from a younger woman who raises her own chickens and has fresh eggs most of the time. I live at 3800′ altitude and have to cook them for about 11 or 12 minutes. I also tap the larger end of the egg after cooking as I place them in the ice bath, to help the cold water get between the shell and white of the egg. It also eliminates the possibility of the yolks getting that blue layer on them later, as that forms on eggs cooked too long or too hot.
Joan Dillon
I’ll vouch for steamed eggs. Ever since I switched from boiled to steamed I’ve not had a problem.
Tyler
I agree wholeheartedly with steaming eggs. That said, the best luck that I have had is with pressure steaming them in an instant pot or cooker of that sort. I too have tried everything to make a peeling easier. Baking soda. Vinegar. Poking. All of these have helped somewhat but the biggest difference I have noticed is NOT using farm fresh eggs. Ideally, when making hard boiled or deviled eggs, you want to use an egg that is at least a week old. 2 weeks is even better. The content of the eggshell slowly shrink as the eggs age. If you use an egg that is a couple of weeks old then when it is cooked there is space for an air gap between the shell and the whites. This makes it a ton easier to peel. I’d also advise peeling under running water as others have suggested
Kathy Arrowood
You need to use older eggs if you want them to peel easily. I try to hold my fresh eggs at least 2 weeks before boiling them for deviled eggs. Mine are delicious, but I’m going to try the butter tonight. I’ve heard of using it, but we’ll see… I’m sure it’ll be delicious.
Tyler
Whoops! I didn’t see that you had given away the secret already and just posted elsewhere. Mad props. This is exactly the answer
Maria Richard
I always get compliments on my deviled eggs but looked this up for something new and I actually used duck eggs which are bigger, richer and wonderful! Your recipe hit it out of the ballpark! The butter was a great surprise and the only thing I heard besides yummy was they prefer a bit more sugar! Otherwise this was perfect! At 55 I’m still learning every day!
Dez
There’s an “egg cooker” appliance at Walmart for $9. It’s honestly the best thing ever. My same day or two chicken eggs peel like a dream!
Naomi
I steam eggs! Works great. I also only hard boil ones that have been the fridge for a couple weeks or on the counter at room temp (unwashed) for at least 3 days.
Susan renee Hammitt
Definately a Hotpot is the way to go for easy peel eggs.