These classic, best ever deviled eggs are a must serve every holiday or cookout. Plus, an easy tip for perfect hard-boiled eggs every time!
A FOOLPROOF DEVILED EGGS RECIPE
These classic, best ever deviled eggs are a must serve every holiday or cookout. Plus, an easy tip and shortcut for perfect hard-boiled eggs every time! These really are the best deviled eggs! Also, if you enjoy this recipe then you should try out my Egg Salad recipe. So good!

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.
It is made from hard-boiled egg yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper and optional sweet pickle relish.
If you can find the Eggland's Best Hard-Cooked Peeled Eggs, they will make this process SO much easier. They are the only store-bought hard boiled egg that I trust to taste good. I will also show you (below) how to make hard-boiled eggs come out perfect every time without getting that ugly green ring around the yolk!
Vinegar adds a hint of acidity which works well with the fats in the egg yolks to create a surprisingly light and fluffy filling. I am using pickle relish (which contains vinegar) instead of vinegar to get that same effect. If you want to skip the relish, add in about a teaspoon of white vinegar to the deviled egg filling.
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.
Keep them in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- large eggs
- mayonnaise
- sweet pickle relish
- mustard
- salt and fresh black pepper
- garnish: paprika

HOW TO MAKE DEVILED EGGS:
Place eggs in the bottom of a saucepan; add enough cool water to cover eggs.

Bring to a boil; cover, remove saucepan from heat, and let stand 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, drain the water then fill the saucepan with cold water and ice. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.

Tap each egg firmly on the counter until cracks form all over the shell. Peel under cold running water. Slice eggs in half lengthwise, and carefully remove yolks.

Mash yolks with mayonnaise. Add relish, mustard, salt, and pepper; stir well. Spoon yolk mixture into egg whites. Sprinkle with a bit of paprika.

CRAVING MORE? CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES!

The Best Deviled Eggs (+Video)
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 2 ½ tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 ½ tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- dash of fresh black pepper
- garnish: paprika
Instructions
- Place eggs in the bottom of a saucepan; add enough cool water to cover eggs.
- Bring to a boil; cover, remove saucepan from heat, and let stand 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, drain the water then fill the saucepan with cold water and ice. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
- Tap each egg firmly on the counter until cracks form all over the shell. Peel under cold running water.
- Slice eggs in half lengthwise, and carefully remove yolks.
- Mash yolks with mayonnaise. Add relish, mustard, salt, and pepper; stir well.
- Spoon yolk mixture into egg whites.
- Sprinkle with a bit of paprika.
Video
Notes
- You can boil and extra egg to use the yolk (but not the whites) to help add a bit of extra filling so they look a little more stuffed.
- If you don't like sweet pickle relish, you can leave it out. Just make sure to add one teaspoon of vinegar in its place.
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 can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Tina
This is the perfect recipe for classic deviled eggs. Everyone loves these.
Barbara Eubanks
I add just a little fine chopped onions to mine otherwise it's the exact same recipe.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
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! 🙂
Rosanne Loya
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.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
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!!
M. K.
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.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Thanks so much for letting me know your tip! Great information to know for others 🙂
Gentle Joy Homemaker
They are good... and they fit with many different meals. 🙂
Remo
Thank you for sharing such a tasty recipe - we loved it!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
So happy you liked this recipe Remo! Thanks for coming back to leave a review!
Jayne
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.
Shana
Is it OK to omit the relish? My family are not relish fans.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Of course! You can totally make this to taste. 🙂
Annice L Hill
I make my deviled eggs this way too, but i decorate the tops with a slice of green olive and parsley leaves.
Becky
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!
Nicole
I'm glad I'm not the only one that doesn't eat eggs I do love making them though!
Mollie
Helmans is called 'Best Foods' in my neck of the woods & yes its the BEST!!
Wynn
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.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Totally agree Wynn! Thank you for taking the time to comment!
sherry chafin
I use DILL relish, and/or a bit of fresh dill instead of sweet relish...
Cheryl
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.
Shannon L. Warren
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.
Laura
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!
Gerri
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.
Maureen
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.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
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. 🙂
Roxanne
Hellman's or best food is the one I have ever used. You might be thinking about salad dressing or miracle whip to sweet.
Lisa
Hellman’s makes mayonnaise.
What exactly are you using that’s Hellman’s?
Jessica @ Together as Family blog
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 🙂
Ange
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.
Carlee
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!
Deanna McK
That's the way I've always made them, too. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." LOL
Dianne
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!
Kim Smith
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... 😀
Beverly cockerill
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
carol barsi
Sometimes I use JALAPENO MUSTARD, gives them a little kick but certainly not hot. They are REALLY good!
Joni T
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".
Joan Remo
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