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.
Whether it’s an excuse to use up leftover Easter eggs or a call for curing classic comfort-food feels, this creamy deviled eggs recipe is the pop-in-your-mouth favorite for any feasting occasion. These deviled eggs are perfect alongside roasted asparagus, ham salad sandwiches, and glazed carrots as part of an Easter 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 not runny. My tips for cooking perfect hard-boiled eggs every time make them 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 need.
In This Post
What’s in Deviled Eggs
These deviled eggs are high in protein, making them the perfect appetizer or snack. Plus, you likely already have all of the ingredients in this easy-deviled eggs recipe in your kitchen.
Here’s what you need for this Deviled Eggs recipe:
- 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
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 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 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 eggshell 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.
How to Make Deviled Eggs
This deviled eggs recipe is so simple. Here’s how to make these classic 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 them 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 smooth the egg into a smooth paste. Add a bit more mayonnaise if desired to create a loose but not thin mixture.
Spoon or pipe the yolk mixture into the white halves. I use a 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!
What’s the Trick to 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.
Is it Better to Make Deviled Eggs the Day Before or the Day of?
You can prepare these deviled eggs up to 2 days before serving.
Deviled Eggs 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 instead of mayonnaise
- Mix chopped dill and chives into the egg yolk mixture
- Add minced pickle or sweet 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
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs , straight from the refrigerator
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- paprika
- minced chives
Instructions
- First, cook the hard-boiled eggs. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. While the water heats up, fill a bowl with water and plenty of ice cubes and set aside. Use a spider or slotted spoon to slowly drop the cold eggs in a single layer into the boiling water. Cook the eggs at a rolling boil for 14 minutes. Use the spider to immediately plunge the eggs into the ice water bath. Chill the eggs for 5 minutes. Remove the eggs from the water and remove the shells.
- Slice the eggs in half lengthwise. Gently scoop out the yolks into a bowl and reserve the egg white halves. Use a fork to mash the yolks fine. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, Old Bay, and kosher salt. Mix well. Use the back of a spoon to mash well, pressing the yolks against the side of the bowl until extra smooth. Pipe or spoon the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika and minced chives. Eggs can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
More Recipes with Hardboiled Eggs
- Ranch Potato Salad
- Nicoise Potato Salad
- Classic Macaroni Salad
- Classic Egg Salad Sandwich
- Curried Egg Salad Sandwich Recipe
- My Grandma’s BEST Potato Salad Recipe
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We are always looking for yummy recipes and creative ways to get our egg whites! Thank you for shairng!
Glad you enjoyed Clara!