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Southern Deviled Eggs

Southern deviled eggs with creamy, mustardy yolk filling and a classic paprika-and-chive finish. Boiled eggs are cooled in an ice bath, then piped into halved whites and chilled for neat, scoopable texture.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Southern American
Calories: 265
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

eggs
  • 12 large eggs
deviled filling
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp sugar
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 pepper to taste
garnish
  • 1 paprika for dusting
  • 1 fresh chives snipped

Equipment

  • 1 pot

Method
 

Boil and cool the eggs
  1. Place the large eggs in a pot and cover with cold water, then bring to a boil. Look for steady bubbling from the bottom of the pot.
  2. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat, and let the eggs stand 12 minutes. The whites should look set while the yolks stay tender.
  3. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath for 10 minutes. You should be able to handle them comfortably, and the shells should peel more easily.
  4. Peel the eggs and halve them lengthwise. Keep the yolks intact as you separate each half.
Make the filling
  1. Mash the yolks with mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, white vinegar, and sugar until creamy. Stop when the mixture is smooth and pipeable.
  2. Season the yolk mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Mix until evenly colored and well balanced.
  3. Pipe or spoon the filling into the egg whites. Fill each half so the top is slightly mounded.
  4. Dust the tops with paprika and sprinkle with fresh chives, then chill until serving. The filling should look firm and glossy, not loose.

Notes

For the cleanest piping and crispest edges, chill the halved eggs for 15–30 minutes before filling, then keep the finished deviled eggs covered in the refrigerator. Store in the fridge up to 3 days; freeze is not recommended due to texture changes. For a lighter option, swap half the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt while keeping the same seasonings to preserve the tangy, creamy yolk filling.