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.
Bryan Kennemur
I want to tell you i love this recipe. I have a slight variation that everyone has been going crazy for here in west Texas, and that is I substitute 2 tablespoons of the mayo with sirachi mayo. As for peeling the eggs I only recently learned a trick that changed egg peeling for me. after the ice bath I put the eggs in a small mason jar with a tablespoon or 2 of water close the lid and shake it for a few seconds. About 50% of the time when I go to get the egg out the entire shell comes out instead and I have to reach in again to grab the egg.
Claudia
Do you use salted or unsalted butter? I don’t want them to turn out too salty.
Sam Merritt
Hi Claudia! Since there is so little butter, either one will work. You can always use unsalted if concerned. A dash of salt is easy to add later on. 🙂
Cindy
The absolute best deviled eggs. Even has friends who said they dufnt like deviled eggs loving them.
Dawn
A trick to boiling eggs is to add them to boiling water. Reduce to a simmer once you have added the eggs and cook for 13 minutes. Immediately place the eggs into an ice bath for 5 minutes. They will peel so quick and easy.
Jennifer
I once forgot about eggs on they stove and boiled them for about 20 minutes. They peeled so easily and perfectly while they were still hot. Now I just overboil them and it works every time. They come out perfectly fine with deviled eggs!
Marlene
After 70 years I have finally found the method for easy peel hard boiled eggs . It’s the Instapot method. 5minutes cook time, 5 minutes release and 5 minutes in ice bath. It works and I am thrilled.
Holly
I was wondering if anyone had made this recipe but used 18 eggs instead of 12 if so how much did it change up amounts in the recipe?
Sam Merritt
Hi Holly! You would want to increase the recipe by 50% if using 18 eggs instead of 12. 🙂
Devki Jensen
The shells come off easily if boiled eggs are peeled underwater
Craig
I go to my favorite warehouse club store or grocery store and buy a big bag of precooked, pre-peeled hard boiled eggs. Takes a ton of prep time out of the process and all of the aggravation and swearing while trying to peel a dozen or more eggs. At the warehouse club 24 cooked, peeled, refrigerated eggs are actually cheaper than buying 2 dozen fresh eggs at many places. So there’s my pro tip. lol
George Michael
Not falling for this.. last time I tried using prepeeled the yolks flew straight out and onto my freshly bleached tiles
Teresa
AGE YOUR EGGS before making Deviled Eggs. Extremely fresh eggs do not like to be peeled and will result in a mangled boiled egg. Eggshells stick to boiled eggs because of a natural membrane that bonds tightly to the egg white, especially in fresh eggs where the white is more acidic and sticks to this membrane. As eggs age, carbon dioxide escapes, increasing the pH of the white, making it less sticky and easier to peel, along with the membrane pulling away slightly. Cooking methods like starting in boiling water or using an ice bath help separate the membrane from the cooked egg.
Wayne
I Always Use A Bit Of HorseRadish In My Deviled Eggs
Jen
I’ve made a LOT of variations on deviled eggs and yes, this is definitely a keeper!! NEVER have seen butter as an ingredient before but it totally works. I did sub red wine vinegar for the sweet gherkin juice because I *cannot stand* sweet pickles but it didn’t seem to detract at all. Thanks for the recipe!
Laura
Great comment! I was wondering about that because I hate sweet pickles too!
Meg
The only thing that has ever helped me shell eggs is boiling the water and then add the eggs to the water. I then boil them for around 12-13 minutes and put them directly in ice bath for 5 min. In my experience, leaving them too long in ice bath can make them harder to shell. They crack and fall right off effortlessly. Good luck and thanks for all the awesome recipes!
Michelle
This is my go-to recipe. Everyone loves it.
Markus
To easily shell my eggs, I boil water woth generous amounts of both baking soda and vinegar. The mixture does reacted initially, so I add all the vinegar first and a little bit of baking soda at a time, waiting each time for the mixture to settle down before adding more baking soda. Afterwards I cool the eggs down with cold water from the tap, but haven’t needed to ice bath the eggs, the shells come off well.
sammi m
i followed the directions step for step but my yolks came up really REALLY jammy. it’s still really good according to my partner but next time i think i’ll boil them the way i learned growing up (:
Danielle
I always start with room temperature eggs and usually try to make sure they are not “fresh” (but not old, either) Steaming always peels easiest, but typically I don’t have problems if I peel under water. I have also noticed that the membranes on store bought eggs don’t cling like the ones on the eggs I get from private farms. Those are much thicker and harder to break. I’m trying this recipe for the first time this holiday and can’t wait for the feedback!
Richelle Chapman
Thank you for your recipe but as for ppl in North and out west we never use butter or sweet stuff , I’ve never put sugar or sweet relish in my deviled eggs so I will follow my ancestors and yes always a little Tabasco and maybe a little sugar! I’m sorry that’s southern not yankee
Lori
We have chickens too. I steam my eggs for 11 to 13 min then ice bath. hit both ends so there is a hole at either end and let the cold water in they peel miraculously!