These Classic Deviled Eggs have a smooth, creamy filling, brightened with the light tang of Dijon mustard. Topped with your favorite garnishes, they’re easy to make (and make ahead) for entertaining.
While I love getting creative with deviled egg fillings, sometimes, my heart just longs for the classic. It’s simple, nostalgic, and always a crowdpleaser.
Classic Deviled Eggs bring me right back to my childhood–peeling colorful shells on Easter day, summer picnics by the pool, and the excitement of New Year’s Eve gatherings and everything that came with them. They’re familiar and comforting. One of those recipes that just never gets old (or leaves behind leftovers).
Classic Deviled Egg Filling
When I’m making classic Deviled Eggs, I like to keep the filling simple: just mayonnaise, a little sour cream for extra creaminess, Dijon mustard for tang, salt, and pepper. Sometimes, I’ll add a few dashes of hot sauce for a “kick.”
A lot of deviled egg recipes use yellow mustard, but I prefer Dijon here. It has a fuller, more mustardy aroma and the acidity brings a brightness to the softer flavors in the filling without being too harsh.
I like my filling to be very smooth and creamy, so I use either a whisk, or even better, a hand mixer to get out all of the little egg yolk lumps. If you prefer a more textured filling, mix the filling with a spoon instead of whipping it.
Especially when making classic deviled eggs that don’t have a lot of extra “stuff” in them, I like to use a pastry bag with a large star piping tip to fill the egg white halves. The ruffled edges work well with the filling for an impressive presentation.
For more tips and techniques, don’t miss the How To Make Deviled Eggs tutorial post in my “Essentials” series.
Garnishing the Eggs
Once the egg white halves are filled, I like to finish the eggs with classic garnishes like fresh herbs or paprika. Tiny fresh dill sprigs look pretty on a platter, as do snipped chives or tarragon.
Paprika brings a hint of smokiness to the eggs, and a pop of color. Of course, you can always go the paprika and chives route. I like chives (either long segments or small snips) best when I’m combining the garnishes.
Since classic deviled eggs have a simple filling, they’re also a great canvas if you want to get more creative with your garnishes. There’s little to clash with here flavor-wise! If it goes well with eggs in general, you can use it as a garnish here.
Over the years, and many batches of deviled eggs on the appetizer table, we’ve had some fun with our garnishes. Some of our favorites to pair with a classic filling have been smoked salmon, caviar, thinly-sliced radishes, jalapeños, olives, and crispy prosciutto.
Looking for more garnishing inspiration? Check out 12 Ways to Garnish Deviled Eggs from Brenda Score.
Recipe Video:
Classic Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1-¼ to 1-½ teaspoons Dijon mustard , to taste (I use Maille or Fallot)
- a few dashes of hot sauce , to taste (optional)
- kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- paprika and/or chopped herbs (like dill or chives) , for garnish
Instructions
- Place eggs in a heavy-bottomed pot and cover with cool water by 1 to 2 inches. Vent lid and bring just to a boil. Cover pot completely, lower heat, and simmer for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 12 minutes. Transfer eggs to a bowl of ice water and let stand for 10 minutes before peeling under cold running water.
- Slice eggs in half lengthwise. Gently separate the egg yolks from the whites and place the yolks in a bowl.
- Use a small whisk to mash the egg yolks with mayonnaise, sour cream, and Dijon mustard until smooth. For a very smooth and creamy filling, use a use a hand mixer (my preferred method). Season to taste with hot sauce (if using), salt, and pepper.
- Using a spoon, a pastry bag fitted with a star or plain tip, or a zip-top plastic bag with one bottom corner snipped off, fill each egg with some of the yolk mixture. Sprinkle each egg with a pinch of paprika and/or chopped fresh herbs. (See the blog post above for additional garnish ideas.)
Rbert Long says
I tried this recipe, and found that it’s instruction were easy to follow. The results were outstanding from my guest. It was Valentines day and all I could do was to give my wife bragging rights. This was by making her favorite. Thank you for your recipe.
Gloria says
Ok….I LOVE devilled eggs. The classic version is SO good. I have a friend that just loves when I make these. I did them for his retirement party. That made his night. The only thing I don’t like is peeling the eggs. Such a pain sometimes, but so worth the effort for these tasty gems. I love topping them with some smoked paprika.