My Million Dollar Deviled Eggs Have a Secret Ingredient (It’s Already In Your Fridge)

My love of deviled eggs knows no bounds. It’s one of those classic blank-slate dishes that allows you to customize to your heart’s content. Add on or mix in anything and everything you want, from the classic deviled eggs to green goddess deviled eggs and corn, crab, and Old Bay deviled eggs. 

But million dollar deviled eggs need no improving. The name itself implies they’re rich folk’s food, but don’t be fooled! They’re easy to make and won’t break the budget. And once you’d had them, you might not go back to old-school deviled eggs.

What Makes Them Million Dollar

The secret ingredient distinguishing million dollar deviled eggs is butter in the filling. The addition of a little bit of rich butter makes the filling subtly more substantial and luxurious. Most folks can’t quite put a finger on what makes the eggs taste better, but the addition of the butter does a few things:

• Adds extra richness: Butter is mostly fat and that means adding just a tablespoon or two of butter will add richness and a lush texture to the deviled egg.
• Firms up the filling: Deviled egg filling can sometimes be a little thin and soupy with all the additions. Butter is solid at room temperature and solidifies even further when chilled. Adding the butter to the filling firms it, making the deviled eggs easier to pick up and eat.
• Helps hide imperfections: Eggs aren’t always the same size from the store and refrigerators aren’t consistent with temperature control. That means sometimes my eggs come out perfectly cooked, and sometimes they’re more well done, with a gray ring around the yolks and a slight “chalky” texture. Adding the butter helps counteract the dryness of overcooked egg yolks, making this a forgiving recipe.

Topping These Deviled Eggs

My recipe has minimal ingredients, though I garnished the top with chives and a sprinkle of paprika. With a name like million dollar eggs, I feel like they should look pretty! You can use parsley, dill, or tarragon instead.

For a more substantial appetizer, add a little protein on top, like a piece of crispy bacon or even a lump of crab. If you want to really go “million dollar,” splurge with a little spoonful of caviar.

Make It Ahead

Since deviled eggs are a party food, I usually try to make the filling ahead of time and assemble the eggs right before serving. I will spoon the filling into a heavy-duty Ziploc bag or into a piping bag fitted with a star tip (which is then stored in a larger Ziploc bag) and then leave it in the fridge up to 24 hours ahead. 

Once I’m ready to assemble, I snip the edge off the corner of the bag and pipe it into the half eggs before serving. Note that the filling will firm up in the fridge thanks to the butter, so it is easier to pipe if you let the filling sit out for several minutes.

Once assembled, deviled eggs can be kept in an air-tight container or loosely covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for 24 hours. Let warm up closer to room temperature before serving.

Prepare the butter:

Soften the butter by placing it in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds to soften the butter. Don’t worry if the butter starts to melt a little.

Prepare the eggs:

Peel and cut the hard-cooked eggs in half lengthwise with a sharp knife.

Make the filling: 

Add the egg yolks to the butter and mash the yolks well with a fork to fully incorporate the butter. You can use a hand mixer and beat the mixture for a smoother finish.

Mix in the mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, and pickle brine (if using) into the mashed egg yolks. Taste the filling and add salt and pepper to taste.

Fill the eggs:

Add the egg whites to a platter. 

Spoon the filling into a piping bag fitted with a star or plain tip or a heavy-duty Ziploc bag. If using the Ziploc bag, cut a small hole in the corner. Pipe the filling into the egg whites. Alternatively, you can spoon the filling into each egg white using two small spoons.

Sprinkle the top with paprika and garnish with chives, if using, and serve.

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