Simple and classic, these deviled eggs are such a festive addition to the holiday table. Read on to learn the trick to making perfect hard-cooked eggs with shells that slip right off, as well as how to make deviled eggs that taste fresh, bright, and creamy all at once!

A plate of deviled eggs.

To me, where many deviled eggs recipes fall short is in the amount of acid: they don’t call for enough, and as a result, the eggs taste too creamy and rich.

Here, inspired by my favorite egg salad recipe, I’ve seasoned the egg yolk filling with pickle juice, though you could use lemon or vinegar in its place, and lots of fresh chives, which offer both flavor and freshness. As with most classic deviled egg recipes, this one contains a modest amount of mustard and, of course, mayonnaise: for every two eggs, a tablespoon of mayonnaise is about right.

As always, you can adjust the filling to taste with more or less acid and mayonnaise, depending on your preferences. Garnished with snips of fresh chives and a sprinkling of paprika, these deviled eggs look so festive on the holiday table and are a favorite for summer picnics as well.

How to Make Classic Deviled Eggs, Step by Step

First, steam your eggs for 12 minutes. If you are unfamiliar, steaming eggs and then shocking them in an ice bath produces perfectly cooked eggs whose shells slip right off. You can also do this in the Instant Pot. See recipe box below for more details.

Steamed eggs on the stovetop.

Meanwhile, gather your ingredients: mayonnaise, mustard, pickle juice (or lemon or vinegar), salt, pepper, and chives.

The ingredients to make deviled eggs.

Once your eggs are cooked, transfer them to an ice bath.

An ice bath filled with hard-cooked eggs.

Then peel them.

Eight hard-cooked eggs on a board.

Halve the eggs and …

A board topped with halved hard-cooked eggs.

… transfer the yolks to a large bowl.

A bowl of hard-cooked egg yolks aside halved hard-cooked whites.

Mash the yolks with the back of a fork.

A bowl of mashed hard-cooked egg yolks.

Add the mayonnaise, mustard, pickle juice, chives, and salt and pepper to taste.

A bowl of mashed hard-cooked yolks, chives, mayo, mustard, and pickle juice.

Stir to combine; then taste and adjust flavor as needed.

A bowl of mashed egg yolks, mayo, and chives, ready to be piped into the halved hard cooked egg whites.

If you wish, transfer the mixture to a quart-sized storage bag…

A piping bag filled with the deviled egg egg-yolk filling.

… then pipe into the hollowed eggs. You can, of course, simply use a spoon, but I actually find the piping bag to be easier.

A plate of deviled eggs, ungarnished.

Sprinkle with chives and paprika before serving. (I could have used a gentler hand with the paprika 🤣).

A plate of deviled eggs.
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A plate of deviled eggs.

Classic Deviled Eggs

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5 from 12 reviews

  • Author: Alexandra Stafford
  • Total Time: 22 minutes
  • Yield: 16 Deviled Eggs 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian
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Description

Simple and classic, these deviled eggs are such a festive addition to the holiday table. Below you’ll find two steaming methods that produce perfect hard-cooked eggs with shells that slip right off. These deviled eggs taste fresh, bright, and creamy all at once!

Adapted from several sources, including my favorite egg salad sandwich, The New York Times, and The Food Network. 

Notes: 

  • Egg steaming method adapted from J. Kenji Lopez Alt’s The Food Lab. I steam my eggs for 12 minutes, and I find that to be perfect, but it may take some trial and error to get the timing right for you. If you like to use your Instant Pot, here is my Instant Pot hard-boiled egg recipe.
  • Pickle Juice: This is a somewhat recent discovery and an underutilized ingredient in my kitchen. If you don’t have pickles on hand, you can use vinegar or fresh lemon juice in its place. 
  • To scale this recipe, I find that 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise for every 2 eggs is about right, and I like about 1 teaspoon of pickle juice for every 2 eggs as well, but I tend to like things on the acidic side, so as always, adjust to taste. I don’t like my deviled eggs too mustardy, so I find 1 teaspoon for 8 eggs to be about right, but, again, add more or less to taste. 

Ingredients

  • 8 eggs
  • kosher salt or flaky sea salt
  • freshly cracked pepper
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 – 4 teaspoons pickle juice or vinegar or lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped chives
  • paprika, for finishing

Instructions

  1. Cook the eggs. Place a steamer basket into a large pot. Fill pot with 1 inch of water. Cover and bring to a simmer over high heat. Remove the lid. Carefully place the eggs into the steamer basket. Cover the pot. Steam for 12 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a bowl with ice and cover with water. After the 12 minutes, remove the lid, and carefully transfer the eggs to the ice bath.
  2. Peel and halve the eggs. Transfer the yolks to a large bowl. Transfer the halved, hollowed whites to a plate and transfer to the fridge.
  3. Mash the yolks with the back of a fork. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, and pickle juice starting with 1 – 2 teaspoons. Set aside a few teaspoons of the chives for garnish. Add the remaining chives to the yolks, and stir until you have a smooth mixture. Taste. Adjust with salt and pepper to taste. If it’s too creamy, add more pickle juice (or vinegar or lemon) to taste. If it’s not creamy enough, add another spoonful of mayonnaise. If you want more mustard flavor, add another 1/2 teaspoon or more to taste. 
  4. When the mixture is seasoned to your liking, you can use a small spoon to fill the egg white cavities or you can transfer it to a quart-sized storage bag, snip off a corner, and pipe it into the whites. 
  5. To finish, sprinkle with paprika and the reserved chives. 
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American