These fluffy, classic deviled eggs can be dressed up or down to go the distance at any picnic or potluck, brunch, or backyard barbeque, and even star as the most sought-after appetizer at the fanciest party.
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Whether it’s an excuse to use up leftover Easter eggs or a call for curing classic comfort-food feels, this creamy deviled egg recipe is the pop-in-your-mouth favorite for any high-brow to low-brow feasting occasion. If you’ve ever had a really great deviled egg, you’ll know why they’re the first thing to disappear from the spread.
A good deviled egg always starts with a great hard-boiled egg. The best deviled egg has a perfectly shaped supple white with a creamy yolk that’s definitely not runny. My tips for cooking perfect hard-boiled eggs every time make these guys a snap to make. Good quality mayonnaise with plain yellow mustard gets mashed with the egg’s velvety yolk centers until smooth. A squeeze of lemon juice cuts the richness of the creamy combo with a dash of kosher salt and Old Bay for extra seasoning. I top mine with chives, but a sprinkle of paprika is all you really need.
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What’s in Deviled Eggs
High in protein to make the perfect appetizer or snack, it’s likely you have all of the ingredients in these deviled eggs in your kitchen right now, making it that much easier to fix that hankering.
- Large eggs, hard-boiled
- Mayonnaise—I use Duke’s Light Mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip adds a sweet tang)
- Yellow mustard
- Lemon juice
- Old Bay Seasoning
- Kosher salt
- Paprika
- Chopped fresh chives
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How Long to Boil Eggs for Deviled Eggs
The prettiest deviled eggs demand perfectly peeled egg white halves that are soft but not too firm with an egg yolk that’s creamy, not chalky.
For perfectly peelable hard-boiled eggs, cook the eggs for 13-14 minutes on the stovetop then immediately plunge them into ice-cold water.
See this post for a complete rundown on how to cook hard-boiled eggs, or read on below.
How to Cook Hard-Boiled Eggs
Use cold eggs straight from the refrigerator. I use cold eggs straight from the fridge as a baseline so my cooking times are consistent every time.
Add eggs after the water boils. Use a spider strainer or slotted spoon to gently drop the eggs in a single layer into boiling water. Cover the eggs with the hot water by at least 1 inch. With this method, the proteins shrink and the egg lining immediately pulls away from the inside of the shell so it’s easier to peel later. Starting the eggs out in cold water causes the egg proteins to adhere to the shell, and harder to peel.
Cook the eggs uncovered on high heat and set to a rolling boil. Set the timer for your desired doneness listed above. There’s no need for a lid.
Immediately plunge the cooked eggs into a large bowl of ice water. An ice-water bath stops the eggs from cooking and makes them easier to peel. Chill the eggs in the ice bath for about 5 minutes before peeling.
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How to Make Deviled Eggs
Cook the hard-boiled eggs and slice them in half lengthwise. Follow these instructions for the easiest peeled hard-boiled egg. I use this cheese slicer with wire to get a perfectly sliced egg.
Mash the egg yolks. Remove the yolks from the whites and place in a bowl. Use a fork to mash the yolks into fine pebbles.
Add the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, and seasonings. Mix the yolk mixture until smooth and creamy. I use the back of a spoon against the side of the bowl to really smooth the egg into a smooth paste. Add a bit more mayonnaise if needed to create a loose but not thin mixture.
Spoon or pipe the yolk mixture into the white halves. I create my own piping bag to pipe the egg mixture into the halves. Cut the bottom corner from a resealable plastic bag and fit it with a cake-decorating tip for a fancy swirl. Otherwise, the cut edge on its own works just fine. Pipe the egg yolk into each egg white. Or, use a teaspoon to spoon the egg yolk mixture in.
Garnish with a dash of paprika or fresh herbs. Or both!
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What’s the Trick for the Best Deviled Eggs
- Add a little acid for the best-deviled eggs. Mixing in lemon juice offsets the richness of the mayo and yolks for a more balanced flavor. Instead of lemon juice, try the same amount of pickle juice or vinegar.
- Use the back of a spoon to mash the egg yolk mixture until smooth.
- Use a storage bag/piping bag to make pretty swirled egg yolks.
- You can prepare the hard-boiled eggs up to 2 days before serving.
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Deviled Egg Substitutions and Additions
- Instead of yellow mustard, try Dijon mustard
- Other acids like vinegar or pickle juice can be used instead of lemon juice
- Add a few dashes of hot sauce like Tabasco
- Use half mayonnaise and half créme fraiche to make them extra creamy
- Or, use full-fat Greek yogurt in lieu of mayonnaise
- Mix chopped dill and chives into the egg yolk mixture
- Add minced pickle or pickle relish to the egg yolks
- Spice things up by adding chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- Use Lawry’s Seasoning Salt instead of Old Bay
- Add white pepper or if you don’t mind the specks, use black pepper
- Top the finished eggs with cooked bacon, caviar eggs, chopped green onion, or smoked salmon
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