Deviled Eggs Recipe

Hard-boil the eggs

Place 12 large eggs in a single layer in a large pot and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring water to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, cover the pot, remove from heat, and let sit 10 minutes for fully hard-boiled yolks.

After 10 minutes, transfer the eggs to an ice bath (large bowl with ice and cold water) and chill 5–10 minutes to stop cooking and make peeling easier.

Gently crack and peel each egg, rinse to remove shell pieces, and pat dry.

Slice each egg lengthwise and carefully remove yolks into a medium mixing bowl. Set whites on a serving platter or tray.

Mash the egg yolks with a fork until mostly smooth and free of large lumps.

Add 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar, 1 teaspoon pickle brine, 3 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper to the mashed yolks. Stir until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning — add up to 1–2 more teaspoons pickle brine or 1–2 teaspoons vinegar if you want a tangier, pickle-forward flavor.

Finely chop 3 large dill pickles into small dice (about 1/8–1/4 inch). If using the optional sweet pickles, finely chop 1/2 cup and drain excess liquid.

Fold the chopped dill pickles and the optional chopped sweet pickles into the yolk mixture until evenly distributed. Reserve a tablespoon of chopped dill pickle for garnish if desired.

Using a spoon or a piping bag fitted with a medium tip, fill each egg white half with the yolk-pickle mixture. Smooth or swirl the top for a neat appearance.

Lightly dust the filled eggs with 1 teaspoon smoked paprika for color and a subtle smoky note.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives and the reserved tablespoon of chopped dill pickle over the eggs for brightness and texture.

Refrigerate the assembled deviled eggs for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld. Serve chilled within 24 hours for best texture and freshness.