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 mayo (55g)
- 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.
- 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.
- Spoon filling into each egg white. Sprinkle with paprika and bacon (if using) and serve.
- 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.
Art
The old egg trick they mention here is false,I use eggs the the day after I buy and have no problem peeling. maybe you need more experience.dont print falsehoods
Sam
Are you buying farm fresh eggs? If you are buying them from the store then they could already be weeks old so you actually have older eggs on hand that are easier to peel. The problem is when I’m using farm fresh eggs that have only been laid a day or two ago and a lot of these tips have been very helpful 🙂
Betty
Great recipe thanks a lot and happy holidays too you and family and everyone one here
Sam
Happy holidays to you too, Betty! ☺️
Artemis
If you are ever low on time and have a Trader Joe’s nearby, they now have peeled organic eggs available in a bag with 6. It’s perfect for mornings on the road as well!!
Lori
No fail pressure cooker (instapot brand if you so choose) NEVER FAILS… shells literally fall off of farm fresh eggs.
https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/pressure-cooker-soft-hard-boiled-eggs/
I’ve never had a hard to peel egg using this method. Perfect eggs every time!
Sam
A few people have mentioned pressure cookers and I definitely want to try one out now! Thanks for the tip, Lori!!
Beth Davis
Steam your egs in a double boiler for 12-15 minutes instead of boiling them. They will peel much easier
Connie Blocker
I made these for a party at work and they are amazing! I never eat deviled eggs and even I like them. I did substitute half the mayonnaise with some sour cream and they were so velvety smooth! The whole office loved them!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them Connie! ☺️
Jessika
Salted or unsalted butter?
Sam
Unsalted. ☺️
Cheryl
Haven’t read all the comments, but the best way I’ve found to cook eggs so the shell comes off is, prior to boiling, to lightly “bounce” the fat, round bottom of the egg on a countertop until you hear a tiny “pop” sound, which is the popping of an air sac inside the egg. This creates a pocket between the egg and the shell, so the egg doesn’t attach to the shell during cooking and shell separates easily from the egg. Add a splash of vinegar to the cooking water, give them a good ice bath, and the shells should roll right off! And, of course, “old” eggs are best.
Sam
Umm… I am definitely going to try this. Thank you so much for sharing this tip. ☺️
Rhonda
Just add a splash of white vinegar to the water. Works everytime! I make deviled eggs on the regular.
Dan
Great Recipe. I will be using it again. Thank you.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Dan! ☺️
Ikari
The Instant Pot also makes awesome boiled eggs. They nearly (literally) explode out of their shells after that ice water bath.
Laura
We have struggled with the egg peeling dilemma for years! About a month ago I discovered someone in the area with fresh brown eggs for sale. I stopped in to purchase some and made a comment about having to spoon them out of the shells once we would hard boil them and she shared her method with me. Just steam them! I went home and tried it; it works!!! I have a 5 qt pan with a steamer rack. I put an inch of water in the pan, 18 eggs in the rack, turn on the burner to med-high and set the timer for 22 min. (you don’t need to bring the water to a boil before setting the timer). They’re perfect every time and the shells slip right off!!
Sam
A few people have mentioned the steaming trick to me and I still haven’t tried it out but I definitely need to! Can’t wait to try this method! Thanks Laura! 🙂
David R
Just started trying steaming myself this weekend. So far, I’ve done only about a dozen, six at a time. I have a steaming tray(? the little fold up device with legs) that holds six eggs. I put refrigerator cold eggs (store bought) into the sauce pan with the steamer already at full boil. I cooked the “large” eggs for 12 minutes, then dropped into an ice-water bath for 10-15 minutes. I didn’t have a single eggshell stick… of course, that isn’t using farm-fresh, straight from the chicken. Commercial eggs may be held for a few weeks before they make it to the store!
June Stanley
The best way I have found to peel hard boiled eggs is a jar. I use an instant coffee jar but a small mason jar will work. Just place an egg in the jar and add water. make sure the lid is tight and shake hard three or four times. This cracks the shell and it comes off sooo easily.
Peggy Esposito
I just made these for the Steelers game this afternoon for a crowd and of course I had to taste one…these are hands down the best deviled eggs I’ve ever made – the filling is the perfect consistency I’ve been looking for for years – creamy yet firm – and maybe because of the cooking time, the one minute boil and 17 minutes to cook – I didn’t have any problem peeling the eggs for the first time in my many years of making deviled eggs – each one is perfect! Thanks for sharing this recipe and I look forward to making more of your recipes!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them, Peggy! Good work not eating all of them before sharing! 😊
Karen
I found the trick to perfectly cooked and easy to peel eggs. An electric egg cooker! I bought it from Amazon for $13. There is a little device that you use to poke a hole in the top of the egg and place it on the cooker rack. It gives you a measuring cup for water with the number of eggs to cook. The timer automatically goes off when the eggs are done and VOILA! perfect eggs every time. Seriously a game changer!
Sam
That sounds awesome I’ll have to check it out! Thanks! 😊
Lindsey
I also use this device; fresh eggs can still come out sticking to the shell. But the device itself is wonderful!
CB
Are you leaving the eggs in the cooker after it shuts off? And, do you put the eggs in cold water right after they are cooked? I find that by taking the eggs out of the cooker and placing them in cold water as I peel each one under cold running water helps to prevent the shell sticking to the egg.