Deviled Eggs
This classic deviled eggs recipe is a must serve every holiday or cookout. They’re so good, you may want to double or triple the recipe! Plus, tips on how to make the perfect hardboiled egg every time!
A FOOLPROOF DEVILED EGGS RECIPE
No holiday meal (or cookout) is complete without a plate of deviled eggs. I don’t now what it is about these things, but I promise, folks will not stop eating them and you will have wished you made two or three plates of them. I think it’s just one of those things we don’t make very often so when we see them turn up, we all get a little excited. Let me show you how to make best deviled eggs each and every time along with how to make the perfect hardboiled egg!
This is our favorite deviled egg recipe! Don’t tell my grandma I said so. Hers were good and everyone bragged on them but now everyone tells me that mine are even better! Ha! Thank you for making me look like a star!
– Maria
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
The word “deviled” actually comes from an 18th century English cooking term that referred to any dish that was fried or boiled.
Vinegar adds a hint of acidity which works well with the fats in the egg yolks to create a surprisingly light and fluffy filling (it also gives it a beautiful bright yellow color!) I am using mustard (which contains vinegar) instead of vinegar to get that same effect.
I always account for at least 2 deviled eggs per person when trying to decide how many to make. If you know your crowd are major deviled egg lovers, then you’ll want to double that amount.
Yes. It is recommended that you cover them and store them in the refrigerator. They will be best if eaten within 2 days. So if you need these to serve tomorrow, you can certainly make them today!
No. It changes the texture of the egg white. The only part you can freeze is the yolk filling.
Keep them in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- large eggs – I’ve always been told that super fresh eggs don’t peel as well as eggs that are a little older (but not too old).
- mayonnaise – I prefer Hellman’s or Dukes but use a mayonnaise that you really enjoy. I am not a fan of Miracle Whip so I personally would not use that but this is all about your tastebuds.
- sweet pickle relish – some folks like Dill Pickle Relish instead of the sweet. Again, that is totally a taste preference and up to you. I think it might be a regional thing. Based off comments I get, folks from the northern states tend to like the dill and the southern folks tend to like sweet. It would be the same amounts. Or try making your own Homemade Sweet Pickle Relish!
- mustard – this might seem a bit strange but the vinegar in the mustard brightens up the other flavors and gives you a great yellow color in the yolks and the vinegar in the mustard actually helps to give you a slightly fluffier filling.
- paprika – I just use regular paprika but some people enjoy using the smoked.
HOW TO MAKE DEVILED EGGS
Get a pot of water to boiling. Once it’s boiling, gently and carefully add the eggs into the pot. Set a timer for 12 minutes. Once the timer goes off, drain the water out of the pot and add the eggs into an ice both (just fill a large bowl with lots of ice and cool water. Let the eggs sit in that ice bath for at least 30 minutes.
The key to peeling hardboiled eggs is that little thin membrane that is attached the egg shell. Gently tap the fat end of the egg to get it to crack.
Pick off the shell then look for that membrane. Take your fingers and pick off some of that membrane. The membrane is attached to the shell so if you get it off, then the shell comes with it.
Now, continue to slide your fingers or the inside of a spoon under that membrane to lift the shell off. Sometimes it helps to roll the egg gently on the counter to get that shell to loosen up a bit. You can also peel it under some cool running water.
Once you have them all peeled, set them on a paper towel and gently dry them off. Slice eggs in half lengthwise. Carefully remove all the yolks and set aside the egg whites for now.
Mash yolks with mayonnaise. Add relish, mustard, salt, and pepper; stir well.
Spoon yolk mixture into egg whites that you set aside earlier. You can also put the filling mixture into a piping bag or a ziploc bag with the tip cut off and pipe it into the eggs. Sprinkle with a bit of paprika.
Then enjoy! Keep eggs covered and refrigerated if not serving right away.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Originally published: April 2017
Updated photos and republished: March 2024
The Best Deviled Eggs (+Video)
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 2 ½ Tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 ½ Tablespoons sweet pickle relish (or dill pickle relish)
- 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- dash of fresh black pepper
- paprika (for garnish)
Instructions
- Get a pot of water to boiling. Once it's boiling, gently and carefully add 6 large eggs into the pot. Set a timer for 12 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, drain the water out of the pot and add the eggs into an ice bath (just fill a large bowl with lots of ice and cool water). Let the eggs sit in that ice bath for at least 30 minutes.
- The key to peeling hardboiled eggs is that little thin membrane that is attached the egg shell. Gently tap the fat end of the egg to get it to crack.
- Pick off the shell then look for that membrane.
- Take your fingers and pick off some of that membrane. Now, continue to slide your fingers or the inside of a spoon under that membrane to lift the shell off. Sometimes it helps to roll the egg gently on the counter to get that shell to loosen up a bit. You can also peel it under some cool running water.
- Once you have them all peeled, set them on a paper towel and gently dry them off.
- Slice eggs in half lengthwise.
- Carefully remove yolks (so you don't tear the egg whites) and add them to a bowl. Set aside the egg whites for now.
- Mash yolks with 2 1/2 Tablespoons mayonnaise.
- Add 1 1/2 Tablespoons sweet pickle relish, 1 teaspoon prepared mustard, 1/8 teaspoon salt and dash of fresh black pepper; stir well.
- Spoon (or pipe) yolk mixture into egg whites. You can also put the filling mixture into a piping bag or a ziploc bag with the tip cut off and pipe it into the eggs.
- Sprinkle eggs lightly with a bit of paprika. Then enjoy! Keep eggs covered and refrigerated if not serving right away.
Video
Notes
- I always boil a couple of extra eggs in case I have issues peeling one or two. Save those mistakes and use them for a little egg salad sandwich. Or use the extra yolks to add to your filling so that you have nicely stuffed deviled eggs.
- If you don’t like sweet pickle relish, you can leave it out.
- You can make these up to one day ahead of time.
- This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Have been using this recipe for years and it is a winner!!
Always make these this way. Perfect!
The title DOES NOT LIE! The recipe is super simple and in 12 steps you’ll have the most delicious deviled eggs ever! The look and taste you want! <3
Thanks so much Bev!! Love hearing that!
Delicious recipe. easy to make.
easier to enjoy.
A very yummy version of deviled eggs. I made them today, for Labor Day. I don’t normally use pickle relish and mustard in my version; it’s usually minced onion, minced celery, white vinegar, Hellmann’s mayo, pepper (I use white pepper), salt, and sugar. That’s the way my Dear Mom made deviled eggs. It was a nice change to try a different version. Thank you for sharing.
Nothing can ever replace the version your Mom made but I am honored you decided to give my version a try and you enjoyed it! It really means a lot!
These taste just like the ones my mom used to make, but she never wrote down her recipe. She passed away a few years ago and I’ve been trying to find a few of my childhood favorite recipes to share with my own kids. When I do find one, it brings her back to me in a way nothing else can. So, thank you!
This hits my heart so much. So many memories connected with food so I completely understand! Food and smells and music have a way of connecting us with others because it’s all the universal language, right? I’m so happy you will be sharing your favorites with your own kids. Thank you for taking the time to comment!
Perfect every time! Thank you.
Delicious! Thank you for giving me the recipe to make deviled eggs the way my mom’s tasted. I also appreciated the tip about peeling the eggs.
I am so confused about the time you estimated to make this dish. I agree with 20 minutes of cooking because you have to get the water boiling and then begin the timer for 12 minutes. BUT TEN MINUTES OF PREP TIME??? I wish I could give the eggs an ice bath, peel six eggs, remove the yolks, mix the ingredients, and refill the eggs within ten minutes.
Again, thanks for the wonderful ingredient list and clear instructions.
This is our favorite deviled egg recipe! Don’t tell my grandma I said so. Hers were good and everyone bragged on them but now everyone tells me that mine are even better than hers. Ha! Thank you for making me look like a star 🙂
This is my favorite deviled egg recipe. Whenever I take them anywhere they disappear very fast. This is also my favorite cooking site.
simple and my first time ever making deviled eggs and yummy! thank you!!
Yay!! So happy it was a success and I am grateful you gave my recipe a try!
These are just like my Mom used to make! Yummy!
Now that is a HUGE compliment! It’s hard to make things exactly like Mom used to make – thanks SO much Kat!
Great classic recipe and the pro tip to use Eggland’s Best boiled/peeled eggs was GENIUS! I’m not a cook and have NEVER made deviled eggs, but was asked to bring some to a gender reveal party, which also meant I need to dye the egg whites pink & blue. Long story short, the eggs were a hit at the party and you saved me a TON of time/stress by using the already boiled/peeled eggs–THANK YOU!!
I love hearing that Christina! I’ve tried a lot of those already boiled eggs from different brands. Some of them taste gross or rubbery. That brand is the only one I’ve found that taste like you made them at home!
I’ve been experimenting with deviled eggs for some time, trying to get them to taste just like my Mom’s did. To me, the mustard used varies the taste. I’ve tried yellow and spicy, but ground comes closest to what I remember. Your recipe is delicious and close to what I’ve been trying to achieve. I thought Mom added some french salad dressing, but I’ve had no luck with that yet I missing a subtle hint of zing.
I’m not sure we can ever make things quite like our Moms did. There’s just something about their touch and a “little dash of something special” that makes all the difference. 🙂
Are. you using the same brand of Mayo your Mother used? They all taste different. My Mom always used Miracle Whip in everything. Completely different taste. I can’t stand the smell of MW to this day.
VERY good point. Yes!!!
I detest miracle whip down to the tips of my toes. LOL! But around here we love good ole Hellman’s or JFG (which is a brand you see around Tennessee and Southwest Virginia).
It’s the smallest EVER dash of white vinegar. The. SMALLest. EVEEEEERRRRRR. Then taste and give a dash more if you like. Be careful.
Made it exactly to your recipe. I just doubled it. I should have tripled it because everyone said mine were the best out of all the ones that were brought to our church picnic, ha! I think I accidentally made a lot of ladies upset (people are very particular about deviled eggs!) Thank you!
People feel very strongly about their particular deviled egg recipe – I have definitely learned that over the years! But I am thankful so many people are trying and using this one and are having great success. Hope you didn’t make too many church ladies mad – they take their deviled eggs very seriously. LOL.
Love this reçipe. Cant wait to try it myself…and I found other hints here to add to them like the celery sounds really good as well. Cant wait to try&serve..(yummy)..but would also love to know how to get the best hard boiled eggs without the green line in them.
Hi Tammy! Great question! If you look above in the recipe post, I give instructions on how to make the perfect hard-boiled egg with no green ring! 🙂
This is the way I’ve been doing it for 50 years. Sometimes I change it up and add a hint of curry powder.
I make my deviled eggs just like that as well but put a little celery as well
This is the very best deviled eggs. I made them for Christmas appetizer and they were gone right away. I will not make my deviled eggs any other way. Thank you for sharing and Hapoy New Year!!!
Best deviled eggs I have ever had. Very similar to how my mother in law made them. Thank you for this recipe.
Amazed and so are all the people who has tried it.
Taste just like my Mothers,thank you .
Great recipe! I also added a little pickle juice and a bit of red pepper for kick. Awesome!
For years I have heard my husband speak about ‘Deviled Eggs’ and how his aunt made the best. Someone made them at my husband’s job and he brought some home for me to taste, because I never had them before. They were very good… so I looked to find recipes that matched what I tasted. I needed something basic, simple… clean. and I found THIS!!! THIS IS THE BEST ONE BY SO FAR!!! Everyone else that I found added vinegar… or sugar and other things. This recipe is AMAZING!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING!!! You are GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!
These have great taste! I just add little pickle juice with relish instead of apple cider vinegar and not with sugar if someone who has diabetes and ketosis. its great…thanks
Same as mine except I use except I add a little apple cider vinegar and sugar to mine.
This is the perfect recipe for classic deviled eggs. Everyone loves these.
I add just a little fine chopped onions to mine otherwise it’s the exact same recipe.
Hi Barbara – love hearing that! Onions tend to overrule all the other flavors for me but I’ll take deviled eggs any way I can get them! 🙂
My attempts to cook the eggs to the point where they peeled easily were often hit or miss. I was skeptical about your technique but I tried it AND with great success!! Yay! They peeled easily and the yolks were a beautiful bright yellow. Perfection! I do want to add that I started with eggs that were at room temperature before I started the process.
Hi Roseanne! I am doing a happy dance for you! That cooling down process really helps. Thank you for coming back to let me know!!
I love the classics too! However, we have friends that are very health conscious so I tried substituting plain Greek yogurt for 1/2 the mayo & no one noticed the difference.
Thanks so much for letting me know your tip! Great information to know for others 🙂
They are good… and they fit with many different meals. 🙂
Thank you for sharing such a tasty recipe – we loved it!
So happy you liked this recipe Remo! Thanks for coming back to leave a review!
This is the same recipe I always use to make my deviled eggs Instead of mashing the yolks with a fork, I use a grater and grate it into a bowl. It seems to make the yolks lighter and more fluffy. After mixing the ingredients into the yolks, I put the mixture into a pastry bag and pipe it into the white part. Then I place a slice of green olive on it and sprinkle with paprika to make it pretty. I always take an empty platter home.
Is it OK to omit the relish? My family are not relish fans.
Of course! You can totally make this to taste. 🙂
I make my deviled eggs this way too, but i decorate the tops with a slice of green olive and parsley leaves.
I’ve been making eggs like this since my mother taught me how back when I was a teen. Now married with two teens! My son loves these eggs. Everyone that has tasted mine just can’t get enough! Funny thing is….I dislike eggs! I love to make deviled eggs but I won’t eat one!
I’m glad I’m not the only one that doesn’t eat eggs I do love making them though!
Helmans is called ‘Best Foods’ in my neck of the woods & yes its the BEST!!
Great classic recipe! I’ll take a great classic over a tarted up nouveau fou-fou version anytime!
I prepare my eggs the same way, also. Occasionally, I’ll get eggs that are “sticky” and refuse to peel properly even under running water. At such times, I put the eggs with their cracked shells back into the pan, fill it with cold water and leave them in the pan 2 or 3 minutes, before proceeding with peeling. It sometimes helps facilitate the peeling process of “sticky” eggs a bit if water seeps into the cracked egg shells while they’ve been submerged in the water.
Totally agree Wynn! Thank you for taking the time to comment!
I use DILL relish, and/or a bit of fresh dill instead of sweet relish…
I used to help my grandma make deviled eggs when I was a kid. This is the same way we always made them except she didn’t use relish. I started using sweet relish several years ago and everyone loves them. It doesn’t matter how many dozen I have, they are always gone.
This is the way I make my deviled eggs with two slight changes. I use Miracle Whip instead of mayo and I use dill relish instead of sweet. I made these with dill relish then another platter of ones with sweet relish for a dinner at work. All the eggs were gobbled up and even the ones that I prefer with the dill relish.
same recipe I use, except my family prefers sweeter so I use Miracle Whip, and I can sweet pickles, so they must have sweet pickles added! Love your recipes and the photos too!
This is the same way I make my deviled eggs, except that I use Hellman’s instead of mayonnaise. I wonder if anyone thinks the Hellman’s tastes better? Mayonnaise is too sweet for my taste. Two things I love the most are deviled eggs and egg salad, and I use Hellman’s in both.
Hellmann’s IS REAL mayonnaise. You are thinking of Miracle Whip which is more of a salad dressing. Always use Hellmann’s for deviled eggs and potato salad.
I agree Maureen. Definitely need a real, good quality mayonnaise for these. Many of my fellow southern friends like it with Duke’s mayo. Duke’s is a little tangy for my taste so I tend to use Hellmann’s or JFG. But if you like more of that tang – definitely go with Duke’s. 🙂
Hellman’s or best food is the one I have ever used. You might be thinking about salad dressing or miracle whip to sweet.
Hellman’s makes mayonnaise.
What exactly are you using that’s Hellman’s?
Yum. I agree, the best deviled eggs are the ones with just the classic ingredients. Saw these at the weekend potluck this morning. Great idea for Easter this weekend 🙂
I agree with you completely. I don’t know why people feel like they have to tart up devilled eggs with so many ingredients. My deviled egg recipe is the same as yours except I don’t add the relish. My Gram made them this way, My mom makes them this way, and they are perfect.
There really is nothing like the classic. My family LOVES these deviled eggs. I only make them a couple of times a year, but they go quickly when I do!
That’s the way I’ve always made them, too. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” LOL
I agree with Joan. My mother has been making them just like this my whole life (and I am 54). And I continue to make them this way. Nothing fancy! But they always get gobbled up first!
I’m going to try your deviled eggs this year! I’m kind of burned out on my own “Best Ever Deviled Eggs” which is just Thousand Island dressing and bacon bits mixed into the hard boiled egg yellows… You are my A#1 food Blogger Brandi. I know anytime I set out to try a recipe of yours, it’s guaranteed to turn out great, and they always end up in my recipe book under the “Winners Circle” category, which means these are made over and over again, lol… Love you so much!!! Keep them winners coming girl… 😀
I have my deviled eggs this way for ever except no relish. I save the relish for my egg salad. It is so nice to see someone else likes the classic deviled egg. Thank you
Sometimes I use JALAPENO MUSTARD, gives them a little kick but certainly not hot. They are REALLY good!
I cut down on the Mayo and add A LOT of SPICEY BROWN MUSTARD to give it the extra wetness to compensate for the mayo and it also gives it a little “Zip”.
This is exactly the way I make deviled eggs for over 50 years. There is never enough every one gobbles them up right away. It is the only way to make them