Deviled Eggs
Published Apr 14, 2025
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Have you ever had trouble making deviled eggs? Or maybe you’re here because you are making them for the first time? This seemingly simple, classic recipe can be surprisingly tricky. But the secret is in the details. I tested over 15 batches of deviled eggs to make sure that the recipe below turns out perfectly every time. Keep reading to make eggs that are perfectly cooked, easy to peel, and have great flavor.
Looking for an easy deviled egg recipe? The truth is, once you have the right method, it’s always easy to make this classic side dish. And if you’ve made them before, you know that there can be some pitfalls. But I want you to get it right every time! I did weeks worth of research for this post and tested 15 batches of these delicious beauties so that you can make perfect deviled eggs every time. If you’ve ever had trouble peeling the eggs, found the filling too lumpy or salty, or been frustrated trying to pipe in the filling, look no further. This post is for you.
And, by the way, if you’re here because you’re trying to decide if deviled eggs are the right thing to bring to or serve at an event, the answer is almost certainly yes. Deviled eggs are crowd-pleasers.
A Dish That Says Love
There’s a reason that you’ve probably seen deviled eggs everywhere from Easter dinners, to summer potlucks, to church gatherings, to funerals. When you see them on a table, you know that someone put time and care into making them. People feel loved when there are deviled eggs on the table.
A Comparison – Hard-Boiling Eggs
This is where any deviled egg-making journey begins. With hard-boiled eggs that have firm, springy egg whites, crumbly but not dry yolks, and, most importantly, that peel easily. That’s the key. When I started researching the best way to make deviled eggs, I looked up some of the most popular deviled egg recipes. Here’s what the following popular recipes said about boiling the eggs. There’s a huge range!
- Downshiftology: Boil the water. Reduce heat and add eggs. Bring back to a boil. Boil uncovered for 14 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath.
- Tastes Better From Scratch: Cover eggs with cool water. Bring to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Cover and remove from heat. Rest, covered and off the heat, for 12 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath.
- Sugar Spun Run: Cover eggs with cool water. Bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Cover and remove from heat. Rest, covered and off the heat, for 17 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath.
- Alex Guarnaschelli: Cover eggs with cold water. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and remove from heat. Rest, covered, off the heat, for 10 minutes. Drain and run eggs under cool water.
- Natasha’s Kitchen: Boil for 7 minutes.
- TheKitchn: Cover eggs with cool water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil. Cover and remove from heat. Rest, covered, off the heat, for 10 minutes. Remove from hot water and tap on the counter to crack the shell in a few places. Transfer to an ice bath for at least 2 minutes.
- Budget Bytes: Cover eggs with cool water by 1 inch. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and leave the pan on the burner (covered) for 12 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath for about 5 minutes.
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Pin It NowThe Results: The Best Method for Boiling Eggs
In my testing here is what I found:
- Does it help to add baking soda or salt to the water? No. I found no difference when I did this.
- Does the ice bath matter? Yes. Shocking the eggs in cold water both stops the cooking process AND helps the eggs to pull away from the peel, making the peels easier to remove.
- Should I start the eggs in cold water? No. There is too much variation in how fast stovetops bring water to boil. Start with boiling water for the most consistent results.
The Winning Method
In the end, the winning method for preparing the eggs didn’t come from a Deviled Egg recipe. It came from J. Kenji López-Alt’s article from The Food Lab titled, not surprisingly, “How to Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs”.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Gently lower the eggs (make sure they’re cold, straight from the fridge) into the boiling water.
- Immediately reduce the heat to a bare simmer, with just a few bubbles rising from tthe bottom. Simmer for 11 minutes.
- Transfer to an ice bath for 15 minutes.
- Peel under cool running water.
Centered Egg Yolks
One quick note on an extra step you can take to get centered egg yolks. In my research, I came across this post on deviled eggs from Recipe Tin Eats, and she talks about her method for getting the egg yolks to land in the center of the egg white. This makes the deviled eggs more sturdy to serve and pick up because you don’t have one side of the egg white that is too thin to hold the filling. The solution is to gently stir the eggs a few times at the start of the cooking process. This will encourage the yolk to find its way to the middle of the egg white. However, it’s worth nothing that In the photos throughout this post, I did not stir the eggs and the yolks still came out fairly centered, so I don’t find this to be an absolute must-do step.
Other Ways to Prepare “Boiled” Eggs
I only tested and researched boiling the eggs on the stovetop, but you might have another preferred method, so always use that if you know it works for you! If you look around, you’ll find lots of recommendations for using the Instant Pot or even the oven.
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Do I Need to Use an Ice Bath?
YES! When you transfer the hot, freshly boiled eggs to a very cold bowl of ice water, it shocks the eggs, causing the egg whites to shrink slightly and pull back from the shells. This helps make them easier to peel.
Don’t skip the ice bath.
Basic Ingredients
- Eggs – Obviously. Be sure to use eggs labeled as “large” for consistent results. Larger or smaller eggs will require different times to cook
- Mayonnaise – This forms the base of the filling, creating a creamy texture and rich taste. Use full-fat mayo for the best taste and texture.
- Smooth Dijon Mustard – This adds lots of depth to the filling with a sharp, spiced flavor you won’t get with classic yellow mustard.
- Vinegar or Pickle Juice – There is some variation in this ingredient, but it’s always something tart and sour, and often is a liquid to help smooth out the filling. You’ll see below that while vinegar or pickle juice are the most common, there are many other options.
- Salt and Pepper – Just a bit to highlight the other flavors.
- Paprika – Most recipes call for a sprinkle of paprika on top of the finished eggs.
Filling Variations for Deviled Eggs
While the basic ingredients listed above are fairly consistent across all deviled egg recipes, when I researched this post, I came across many variations. Let’s go back to the most popular recipes I found online and compare their recommended filling ingredients. I adjusted all of these to reflect measurements for 12 eggs, just to standardize the amounts. The ingredients that stray fairly far from the standard are italicized.
- Downshiftology: 6 Tablespoons mayo + 2 teaspoons Dijon + 2 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- Tastes Better From Scratch: 1/3 cup mayo + 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon + 2 Tablespoons pickle relish
- Sugar Spun Run: 1/4 cup mayo + 2 teaspoons Dijon + 2 teaspoons pickle juice + 2 teaspoons yellow mustard + 1 Tablespoon softened butter + 1 teaspoon sugar
- Alex Guarnaschelli: 1/2 cup mayo + 1 Tablespoon Dijon + 1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar + juice from 1 large lemon + 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce + 1 teaspoon Tabasco + 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream (whipped separately into soft peaks and then folded in)
- Natasha’s Kitchen: 6 Tablespoons mayo + 2 1/2 teaspoons dill pickle juice + 3/4 teaspoon yellow mustard + 2 baby dill pickles, very finely diced + 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- TheKitchn: 6 Tablespoons mayo + 4 teaspoons Dijon
- Budget Bytes: 1/2 cup mayo + 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon + 2 Tablespoons dill relish + 1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s seasoning
Some of the noteworthy added ingredients are softened butter, Worcestershire sauce, whipped heavy cream, sugar, and lemon juice.
And while I found all of these variations to be worthy of eating (I mean, I’ve never met a deviled egg I didn’t enjoy), the extras aren’t necessary. Classic is delicious and satisfying. But the range of recipes above should give you full permission to play around with your deviled eggs and experiment with adding different flavors and ratios.
If you love a really creamy, mayo-rich filling, you’ll want 1/2 cup for every dozen eggs (like Alex Guarnaschelli and Budget Bytes). And if you like your filling extra tangy, add 1 Tablespoon of Dijon mustard for every dozen eggs (like Alex Guarnaschelli).
Two things I found to be true in my testing are 1) Dijon mustard is queen (skip the yellow mustard) and 2) sugar is highly unnecessary (deviled eggs should be savory and tangy).
The Winning Filling
In my testing, the winning deviled egg filling for a dozen eggs is:
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar or pickle juice (from any jar of pickles)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- a few twists of fresh black pepper
How to Get the Smoothest Filling
The best way to get a super smooth, lump-free filling for deviled eggs is to blend the filling. This works best in a small food processor or blender. A large food processor or blender aren’t designed for small batches, so the blades may not reach all of the ingredients.
If you don’t have one of these tools, just use the tines of a fork to break up the egg yolks very well, until they resemble fine sand, before stirring in the other filling ingredients.
Note: I also tested blending the filling with an immersion / stick blender and everything just got stuck in the blades.
A Few More Tips and Tricks
- Keep a Close Eye on the Time – Do NOT let the eggs cook for longer than 11 minutes, or the center will be dry, with a green hue, and hard to blend into a smooth filling.
- Don’t Skip the Ice Bath – This stops the cooking process and helps the eggs to pull away from the shells, ensuring your eggs turn out perfect.
- Peel Under Running Water – For easy peeling, crack the eggs gently on the counter on all sides and peel them under cool running water.
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Deviled Eggs Recipe
Equipment
- Saucepan
- medium bowl
Ingredients
- 12 large eggs (make sure they are cold, straight from the fridge)
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar or pickle juice (from any jar of pickles)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- a few twists of fresh cracked black pepper
- paprika, for garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives, for garish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Gently lower the eggs into the boiling water. (Note: I like to use a slotted spoon to help me gently and quickly lower the eggs into the boiling water.)
- Immediately reduce the heat to a bare simmer, with just a few bubbles rising from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 11 minutes.
- While the eggs boil prepare a medium mixing bowl with ice water.
- As soon as the eggs are done, use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to the ice water. Let the eggs soak in the ice water for a full 15 minutes.
- Drain the eggs and, working with one egg at a time, tap it all over on the counter to crack the shell in many places.
- Under cool running water, peel the eggs. (Note: I like to place a colander under the running water to catch all of the shells so they're easy to clean up after peeling.) Transfer each peeled egg to a paper towel-lined tray to dry.
- Slice the eggs in half to remove the yolks. Reserve the yolks. (Note: I like to gently roll my knife over the egg, slicing just through the egg whites and leaving the yolks intact. This makes the yolks easier to remove. See photo.)
- Prepare the filling in one of two ways.1) Transfer the egg yolks to a small food processor or or blender (Note: an immersion / stick blender will not work for this.) Add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pulse or blend until smooth, scraping down the sides and blades as needed.2) Transfer the egg yolks to a small bowl and mash well with a fork. Add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper and mash / stir until smooth.
- Arrange the egg whites cut side-up on a serving platter.
- Transfer the filling to a plastic zip-top bag or a piping bag. (Note: For a classic look, use an open star piping tip (like Wilton 4B). For a more modern, simple look just use an open round piping tip (like Wilton 1A). If you don't have piping bags and tips, just transfer all of the filling to a zip-top plastic bag and snip off one corner.) Pipe the filling into the egg whites.
- Top each deviled egg with a pinch of paprika and a few pieces of chive. Serve within 2 hours.
Notes
- Spicy – Add Siracha, hot sauce, or cayenne pepper to the filling.
- Fresh Herbs – Mix in fresh dill, chives, or parsley (or just add these on top).
- Crunchy – Toast panko breadcrumbs in butter and sprinkle them over the top.
- Smoky – Add a dash of smoked paprika, chipotle powder, or a touch of liquid smoke to the filling.
- Add Protein – Top your eggs with crumbled crispy bacon, grilled shrimp, smoked salmon, or crab meat.
- Mexican-Inspired – Add lime juice, cumin, and crumbled Cotija cheese on top.
- Buffalo – Add a touch of buffalo sauce and blue cheese crumbles.
- Swap the Mayo – Use avocado, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or hummus instead.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Variations on Deviled Eggs
- Spicy – Add Siracha, hot sauce, or cayenne pepper to the filling.
- Fresh Herbs – Mix in fresh dill, chives, or parsley (or just add these on top).
- Crunchy – Toast panko breadcrumbs in butter and sprinkle them over the top.
- Smoky – Add a dash of smoked paprika, chipotle powder, or a touch of liquid smoke to the filling.
- Add Protein – Top your eggs with crumbled crispy bacon, grilled shrimp, smoked salmon, or crab meat.
- Mexican-Inspired – Add lime juice, cumin, and crumbled Cotija cheese on top.
- Buffalo – Add a touch of buffalo sauce and blue cheese crumbles.
- Swap the Mayo – Use avocado, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or hummus instead.
Serving Suggestions
These easy deviled eggs make for a tasty brunch option alongside Asparagus Puff Pastry Tart, Vegetable Frittata, or a Vegetable Quiche. They’re also great as an appetizer for holiday meals with main courses like baked ham, roasted turkey, or roasted chicken.
How to Store Deviled Eggs
Now you’ve got your deviled eggs made, you need a way to store them. The key is to use a platter designed for this purpose which will keep the eggs from sliding around. If you’re making them ahead of time or transporting them, you’ll want a container with a lid like the one on the left below. If you’re serving them at home, you can keep them in the fridge in a container like this one or use one of the more elegant platters below. You can also arrange the egg whites on the platter, cover it with plastic wrap for up to a day, and then just pipe the filling in just before serving.
With any type of container, you’ll want to keep the eggs chilled until serving. (These links are affiliate links, so I earn a teeny commission if you use them.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Once assembled, the eggs are best served right away. However, if needed, you can store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days. Or, boil the eggs a day in advance, and assemble just before serving.
No, they won’t thaw well, becoming rubbery and runny.
According to the FDA, deviled eggs should not be left out at room temperature longer than two hours.
For a classic look, use an open star piping tip (like Wilton 4B). For a more modern, simple look just use an open round piping tip (like Wilton 1A). If you don’t have piping bags and tips, just transfer all of the filling to a zip-top plastic bag and snip off one corner. Easy instant piping bag!
Why Are They Called Deviled Eggs?
In the culinary world, the term “deviled” means highly seasoned and is associated with spicy or zesty foods. To devil something means to combine food with hot or spicy seasonings like red pepper, mustard, or Tobasco sauce.
It’s believed that the term comes from the association of spiciness and the hot temperatures of hell. For those who aren’t a fan of the name, you may see this dish referred to as stuffed eggs, salad eggs, or dressed eggs. They’re all variations of the same thing!
