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.
Heidi
We have chickens also, and I’ve found out that the fresher the eggs, the more they are one with that inner lining. As they age they separate and make it easier to peel! So maybe use your oldest eggs when you need to boil eggs.
Thanks for the recipe!
Stephanie
So yummy! I’m a little extra, so I piped the filling with a fat tip and it looked beautiful! Tastes even better. Topped mine with real bacon bits and paprika. Thank you for the recipe!
Marta
Thank. You for great secret ingredient 🙂 my secret to peel easy eggs is to add salt to the water you are boiling your eggs then when finished put for ages sec in cold water next hit them all over and just roll it all sides everything will peel easy
Mel Lee
Easy Peel Eggs
Allow eggs to stand in hot tap water for 15 minutes
Heat medium sauce pan with water to rolling boil
Gently lower eggs into boiling water with a basket and cover
Lower burner to gentle simmer (knob to 5)
(gentle amount of bubbles)
Cook for 13 minutes
Ice water bath for 5 minutes
Crack all over and peel
Store peeled eggs in fridge for up to 5 days
My wife likes the Insta-pot but I prefer this method. Works great with very fresh eggs too :-))
Kelly
The absolute tested way to make shells peel easier:
1. boil water and 5% acidic (citrus powder, lemon juice, or vinegar)
2. poke a small hole with an egg hole maker or tack
3. steam eggs with an egg steamer rack for 6 minutes on low heat
4. immediately transfer eggs to cold water with ice cubes (or cold packs)
5. refrigerate for 30 min
6. they will peel like a dream egg
BJ
Way too time consuming. The best way to peel eggs is as follows:
After cooking, drain water and leave eggs in pan. Roll eggs around so that they crack a good bit. The cover with ice and some cold water. let sit for 5-10 minutes. Then peel. The ice water gets under the cracked eggs and the shells come right off.
kj
To peel eggs, don’t put them into the water until it is already boiling. cover.
turn off the heat and wait 15 min. then run cold water overtime till they are cool enough to put in the fridge,… done
Amy Niagara
Going to make these for our Oscars party ~ we have hens and get them to peel easy by puncturing the membrane with a thumbtack. I was shown this trick years ago and it works great. Just jab/stab a tiny hole at one end or another and this lets the water seep in. I hadn’t ever heard about steaming them though — I think I’ll do a test and see what happens. 🙂
Pamela Allen
Hi Sam
The best way for my Eggs to slide out of their shell is to lower the eggs into boiling water . When the water boils again Boil 8 to 10 minutes then addd a little cool water an ice let sit for 2 minutes and crack the egg all over an peel..
Toni
I followed the recipe exactly. I used my inversion blender to get the eggs fluffy, but soon it became oily. I tasted it and it tasted great. I piped it into the hard boiled egg whites and the oil came to the top. I immediately put the finished deviled eggs in the fridge to chill so I can take them to a super bowl party later. I hope the oil goes to the bottom and I will put paprika. I don’t think butter is a good idea.
Sam
Hi Toni! Unfortunately it was probably the inversion blender that caused this. The separation occurs from the mayo and not the butter. I don’t think that oil will go away. 🙁
Old Grey Mare
That is what I was going to say until I scrolled down and saw that you had already answered that. I went ahead and posted this in case Toni didn’t believe just one person saying so. I have not tried it yet, but I recently read that putting all the “stuffing” ingredients into a plastic bag, kneading it until well blended, then “piping” it out of a hole cut in the bottom of the bag is a great “neat” method.
Bdon
I went out of my way to make these. My wife said the last batch I made was the best she’d ever had.
I proceeded to get out the butter and she glanced at me, horrifyingly, and said “Whoever told you to add butter to deviled eggs…(*CENSORED*).”
I backed down and agreed to omit the unthinkable ingredient.
She eventually meandered off, and my daughter and I plotted against her to make her regret her words.
120 minutes later, she rushed to the kitchen to go for round two of the world’s greatest eggs, and we giggled behind her back as she devoured them and agreed that we should tell her (but only after she confirmed that these were the new greatest).
Bottom line- if you think the butter is absurd – at least have someone close to you lie about it and make you try it.
Tonya C
Tried these tonight and the butter is better. Mine were actually a little dry, added a couple drops of water and juice and they were very good.
Missy
Salted or unsalted butter?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Missy! It’s such a small amount here it won’t really matter. 🙂
Debbie
What can I add in place of sweet pickle juice?
Sam
Hi Debbie! Vinegar will work here, but of course it will change the flavor a bit. 🙂
Kelly
Instant Pot is the way to go if you’re looking for easy peel hard boiled eggs. I had given up making Deviled Eggs until I discovered the Instant Pot method. One cup of water, 6-12 eggs (cold eggs are fine!) in a single layer on the trivet/basket, cook for 5 minutes on high pressure, manual release the steam, let sit for a minute, then ice bath. The shells literally pop off.
Nancy Cadwallader
TOTALLY AGREE, INSTANT POT MAKES FULL PROOF HARD BOILED EGGS BUT DO THE “TRIED, TRUE, TESTED” YOU TUBE RECIPE OR AT 5/5/5 THEY WILL HAVE A GREEN RING
Jan Horne
Easy peel eggs. ALWAYS steam cook them. I don’t know what an egg cooker is but if it steams the eggs, get it. I use a silicone “prop” you can find at BB&B. Good luck!
Teddy Culp
You mentioned you wanted to know how to successfully and easily cook and peel fresh farm eggs. I had the same problem and I asked my farm living aunt how she did it. She said, buy grocery store eggs. But, I found the way to do it with farm fresh eggs, even those most recently laid. I bought an egg cooker. Best thing since sliced bread. The brand is DASH and it is electric. I cook the eggs in that and then put them in an ice water bath for a few minutes. Then peel. So simple. The shell practically falls off. I highly recommend it.
Sam
Thank you so much for sharing, Teddy!
Teddy
You’re welcome. I did 2 dozen fresh eggs today using this method and they peeled so easy.
felecia marcum
THANK YOU SO MUCH ONE OF MY FAVORITE JUST HATE PEELING.
Pam
Vinegar
My eggs peel in big effortless strips
Still contemplating the butter concept
Butter does make everything better lol
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
It really does make a difference here–let us know if you try it! 😊
Nancy
These were good but not great. The addition of bacon makes anything taste better.