Take a classic and give it a twist for this deviled eggs with pickles recipe. The sweetness and crunch from the pickles is a party for your taste buds!

Some consider pickles a must for deviled eggs. This recipe has you covered with the addition of diced sweet pickles to a classic!

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Basic Ingredients

Equipment We Used

Check out Easy Deviled Eggs 101 for All Things Deviled Eggs including a full discussion on equipment we used.

We like using a hand mixer to get a smooth egg yolk mixture and then mixing the pickles in by hand. Use a piping bag with a large round or star tip, a small cookie scoop, or a spoon to fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture.

We find it difficult to fill a piping bag while trying to hold it open. Place the piping bag in a tall container and fold the top of the bag down over the container sides to hold the bag open. Now you have two free hands to spoon in your filling! 

Deviled egg plates. YEP! Plates just for deviled eggs are a real thing! If you happen to have one show it off. No special plate - a board, platter, or tray work just as good.

Assembling Deviled Eggs with Pickles

Dice the pickles very small so they fit through the tip of the piping bag. If using a small cookie scoop or spoon to fill the egg whites, still dice the pickles small so there is a balance of flavors in the eggs.

A sprinkle of paprika over the top is a perfect finish for your eggs. If your paprika comes out too fast (experience speaking here!) put a teaspoon of paprika in a small strainer and gently sift over the deviled eggs to control the amount on the eggs.

Some Notes About Deviled Eggs

Our Easy Deviled Eggs 101 has all the info needed for success when making deviled eggs. Here are some basic notes about deviled eggs.

Deviled Eggs:

• are hard boiled eggs with the egg yolks separated from the whites. The yolks are mixed with other ingredients and then the whites are refilled with the yolk mixture.
• really shouldn't be frozen.
• are great when made the day before, just don't garnish until right before serving.
• are best served cold and should be kept refrigerated until served.
• have many different options for yolk filling mix-ins; bacon and cheese are just a few.
• will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator but will start to lose their freshness after the 2nd day.
• can be made with Greek yogurt or sour cream instead of mayonnaise; or a combo of any of them.

Substitutions

These deviled eggs with sweet pickles are also great with diced dill pickles, baby gherkins, or sweet pickle relish. Make these your own with your favorite pickled vegetables!

For a bit more spice, use dry mustard instead of dijon mustard or add some diced jalapeño peppers for even more heat.

Time Saver Tips

No time to boil and peel the eggs, but craving deviled eggs? Purchase pre-boiled, peeled eggs. These can be found at most grocery stores, restaurant supply stores, Costco, or Sam’s.

Our Favorite Deviled Eggs Info and Recipes

The most delicious way to use leftover mashed potatoes - homemade potato croquettes with cheddar cheese and crispy bacon!

There is a deep love for fried potatoes and these potato croquettes, made with leftover mashed potatoes, will quickly become your newest craving!

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Ingredients

What Are Potato Croquettes?

Potato croquettes might seem like a homemade tater tot, but they are actually different. Tater tots are made with shredded potatoes while potato croquettes are made with mashed potatoes. You can add additional ingredients (cheese, bacon, ham, veggies) to both tater tots and croquettes, but the form the potato is in is different in these two dishes. 

Potato Croquettes are great by themselves but are also delicious with marinara sauce, sour cream, ranch dressing, or even hot sauce.

Equipment We Used

We recommend a cookie scoop for these. We like the #40 (4 teaspoon) or #70 (3 teaspoon) size scoop. Play with different sizes and find what works best for you.

You will need a wire rack (or towel lined pan) in order to let these drain after frying. If you don’t let them drain you may end up with soggy, greasy croquettes.

Fried croquettes are definitely better warm. We recommend serving them in a chafing dish or on a tray sitting on a warming plate. Serve any dips in a small dish on the side with a spoon.

How to Assemble

These seem like they can be time consuming, but they aren't! Once you get the hang of forming them, they go really fast. We found frying them in batches only took about 5 minutes per batch.

Our Favorite Riffs

We love a good strong cheddar cheese but these are just as good with a gruyere, gouda, a smoked cheese (cheddar, gruyere, provolone), or parmesan. Omit the bacon for a vegetarian option or substitute ham, prosciutto, or chicken. Add some small diced veggies (that will hold up to deep frying) to the mix. We like bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, asparagus, or mushrooms.

For ease (or maybe because we are lazy!), we mix the small diced cheese directly into the mashed potato mixture. It also works to form the croquette and press a larger cheese square into the middle of the ball. Make sure the potato mixture completely covers the cheese. Proceed with the egg wash and breading as directed.

Time Saver Tips

This recipe calls for mashed potatoes and is a GREAT way to use leftover mashed potatoes! Not enough leftover to make this recipe? Mashed potatoes freeze great. Freeze any leftover potatoes until you have 1 ½ pounds. Remove frozen potatoes from the freezer, thaw, and proceed with the recipe.

Shredded cheese works just as good as diced cheese.

Make Ahead Tips

These are a great make ahead item. There are many steps along the way where you can pause.

• Before coating in egg wash and panko. Form the croquette and refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to a month.
• After coating in egg wash and panko. Bread the croquette and refrigerate up to 1 day before cooking. We don't recommend freezing breaded, uncooked croquettes.
• After frying the croquettes
  • keep warm in a 170 degrees Fahrenheit oven up to 2 hours before/during service.
  • refrigerate up to 2 days. Heat in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 5-10 minutes or until the inside is warm.
  • freeze up to a month in an airtight container. Place frozen croquettes directly into a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven and bake until warmed through - about 15-20 minutes.

More delicious bites

Adding feta cheese to a favorite classic makes these Feta Deviled Eggs one of our new favorites!

Deviled eggs are a must have dish at many family gatherings. This recipe changes things up by adding some feta cheese and WE. LOVE. IT.

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Equipment

Our Easy Deviled Eggs 101 contains All Things Deviled Eggs including a full discussion on equipment we used. A hand mixer helps get a smooth filling of egg yolks and feta cheese. We like the look of a piped yolk filling into the egg whites and find a piping bag with a large round or star tip makes this a quick and easy process. No piping bag? A spoon works just as well.

PRO TIP:
Have you ever struggled to hold a piping bag open and fill it at the same time? Use a tall glass or deli container, place the piping bag in the container, fold the top down over the sides, and fill away!

Deviled egg plates. That's right - there are plates just for deviled egg! PULL IT OUT. SHOW IT OFF.

Some Favorite Deviled Eggs Info

Favorite Riffs

Substitute the feta cheese for cheddar cheese or goat cheese. Add some crispy bacon or crispy proscuitto. A combination of Greek yogurt, sour cream, and/or mayo all taste great! For more information on riffs, see Easy Deviled Eggs 101.

Spice it up a bit and substitute dry mustard or honey mustard for a hint of sweet for the dijon mustard!

Time Saver Tips

Craving deviled eggs? If you don't have the time or bandwidth to boil and peel the eggs, purchase pre-boiled, peeled eggs. Most grocery stores, Costco, Sam’s, and most restaurant food supply stores carry these.

Our Favorite Deviled Eggs Info and Recipes

• Easy Deviled Eggs 101
• Classic Deviled Eggs
• Bacon Deviled Eggs
• Deviled Eggs with Pickles
• Spicy Deviled Eggs

More delicious appetizers

Easy classic deviled eggs are a perfect appetizer for parties, family get togethers or holidays!

Deviled eggs are right there with apple pie when it comes to favorite foods. No one wants to admit they like deviled eggs, but that deviled egg tray is ALWAYS the first one emptied!

Classic deviled eggs are easy to make, but there are so many variations! We keep it basic here with a classic deviled egg recipe.

Check out our Easy Deviled Eggs 101 for everything deviled eggs! Loaded with information on everything from how to boil eggs to what equipment is helpful, from what the name means to how to decorate and garnish, from making ahead of time to how to save leftovers! We have you covered.

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Ingredients

Some Basic Deviled Eggs Info

Equipment We Used

See Easy Deviled Eggs 101 for a full discussion on equipment we used to make deviled eggs. A hand mixer helps give a smooth egg yolk filling. We find it easiest to use a piping bag with a large round or star tip to fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture. No piping bag? Use a spoon to fill the eggs or cut off a corner of a ziploc bag and use it as a piping bag. NOTE: We don't like single use plastic and recommend you include a reusable pastry bag to your kitchen toolbox!

It can get messy trying to fill a piping bag while trying to hold it open with one hand. Instead, use a tall glass or deli container. Place the piping bag in the container and fold the top down over the sides. This holds the bag open and leaves you with two hands to spoon your filling into the bag!

Believe it or not, a special plate just for deviled eggs is a thing, and if you are lucky enough to have one, now is the time to show it off! Of course, most people don't have one so use what you have; a platter, plate, a tray, a serving board.

How to Assemble Classic Deviled Eggs

We like deviled eggs when the filling is heaped with a piping bag and tip into the egg white. However, they are just as tasty when the filling is spooned in. A sprinkle of paprika over the top makes all the difference. If your paprika comes out too fast (experience speaking here!) try using a small strainer to help control the amount of paprika.

Favorite Riffs

There are many variations of deviled eggs and they are all great - so go wild! Some of our favorites filling add-ins are; bacon, cheese, spices, and pickles. Substitute Greek Yogurt or sour cream for the mayo. See Easy Deviled Eggs 101 for more information on substitutions and additions.

We like the flavor dijon mustard adds to the deviled eggs, but it can be left out. Spice it up with a bit of dry mustard or hot mustard instead. For those who like even more kick, try with a hint of horseradish, diced jalapeños, or a dash of cayenne pepper! 

Time Saver Tips

If you really want deviled eggs and don’t have the time to, of just don't want to, boil and peel the eggs, consider buying pre-boiled, peeled eggs. Most grocery stores, Costco, Sam’s, and restaurant food supply stores carry these.

Our Favorite Deviled Eggs Info and Recipes

• Easy Deviled Eggs 101
• Feta Deviled Eggs
• Bacon Deviled Eggs
• Deviled Eggs with Pickles
• Spicy Deviled Eggs

Other favorite appetizers

This deviled eggs 101 guide gives you the info you need for a classic appetizer for holidays, parties, or family get togethers!

Deviled eggs are right up there with apple pie and homemade ice cream when it comes to favorite foods. It reminds me of family gatherings at Mom's where no one admits they LIKE the deviled eggs, but it is ALWAYS the first tray emptied! We would get requests for deviled eggs at the catering company and, you guessed it, they were always one of the first things devoured!

Deviled eggs are very easy to make, but there are so many variations! Plus, with all the different information coming at you on how to hard boil eggs - it can quickly get overwhelming. We just want a deviled egg! So we break it down here for you.

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Why Are They Called Deviled Eggs?

We had to do a little research on this, and #fascinating! Deviled eggs exist in many countries under different names; stuffed eggs or dressed eggs are a few. According to assorted English Dictionaries, the term deviled, when referring to food in the U.S., came from the late 1700’s and referred to spicy, highly seasoned food or food cooked in hot spices.

While the basic deviled eggs get a small kick from mustard and pepper, we don't really consider them really spicy or highly seasoned. However, you can definitely spice these up to live up to their name!

Basics to Make Deviled Eggs

The recipes for deviled eggs all include very simple ingredients.

• Eggs - We like using large eggs to get a nice balance of yolk to white in the deviled egg.
• Dijon mustard - Most kitchens have dijon in the fridge, but add a little more heat with dry mustard!
• Mayonnaise - This is the traditional ingredient but we also love the tanginess from Greek yogurt.
• Seasoning - Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and paprika for garnish.

And the basic steps couldn't be easier:

• Hard boil and then peel the eggs.
• Cut the peeled eggs in half and separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.
• Set the egg whites aside and mix the yolks with other ingredients.
• Refill the whites with the yolk mixture!

That's all! Minimal ingredients, simple steps, deviled eggs!

1. The Eggs!

Let's Talk Hard Boiling Eggs

There are SO many theories on the best way to get hard boiled eggs perfect! Our advice is if you find a method that works for you and stick with it. We have found the following to be true for us.

• Adding anything to the pot while boiling the eggs makes no difference in how they boil.
• Gently boiling for 10 minutes produces eggs just as good as bringing to a boil, covering the pot, and letting sit in the hot water (off the heat) for 20 minutes.
• Cooking eggs a little too long doesn’t ruin the egg, it just turns the outside of the yolk dark. IT IS STILL GOOD!  However, cooking the eggs way too long can make it rubbery.
• Running cold water over the eggs right when finished cooking helps stop the eggs from continuing to cook. 
• The more you hard boil eggs, the better your timing gets.

Easy Peeling for Hard Boiled Eggs

Everyone has had that moment when they start to peel their hard boiled egg only to find part of the egg coming off with the shell - augh! So frustrating. While we have not been able to find a method to guarantees this will NEVER happen (and we have tried a lot of techniques), we have found some tips that help prevent this. These methods tend to work for us and if you have a method that works for you, stick with it.

• Fresh eggs are harder to peel than eggs that are a week or so old. 
• Adding anything to the pot while you boil the eggs makes no difference in how the eggs peel. 
• Running cold water over the eggs right when finished cooking helps stop the eggs from continuing to cook but doesn't seem to make a lot of difference in peeling the eggs.
• Peeling the eggs under cold water tends to be a lot easier than not and gives the most consistent results. While most of the country is in or has been in a drought, (and we don’t like to waste water) we recommend a bowl or pot of cold water versus running water.
• Having said this, we have also totally botched peeling eggs. It happens to all of us. We usually add a few more eggs to our pot when boiling them in case we have some problems peeling them. 

2. Equipment Used To Make Deviled Eggs

At the very basic level, you need a pan (to boil water with the eggs), a bowl to mix the filling, a spoon to fill the egg whites, and a plate to serve the eggs on. However, we have found that with a few additional kitchen tools making deviled eggs becomes even easier and faster!

Piping bag and tips. We like the look from using piping bags and tips to fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture. We also find it is faster and easier, however, it is not necessary. If you plan to do a lot of entertaining, or are starting to experiment with appetizers and decorating, we recommend purchasing some beginning piping equipment. We love Wilton products, but there are definitely other brands that will also work. For deviled eggs, we recommend a LARGE star or round tip (#4 tip or #6 tip work great). A smaller tip will also work, but the filling needs to be very smooth or it will clog the tip. 

No piping bag? Use a small cookie scoop, spoon, or even a ziploc bag (cut one corner off - no piping tip needed) to fill the egg whites. NOTE: To avoid using single use plastic bags we recommend adding a reusable pastry bag to your kitchen toolbox!

Hand Mixer. You can absolutely mix the yolk mixture with a fork, whisk, or spatula. However, if you are doing a lot of deviled eggs and want a nice, smooth filling to go through a piping tip, we found a hand mixer makes this SO much easier - and faster! 

Pro Tip: Filling Piping Bags

Filling a piping bag while trying to hold it open with one hand always leaves us with a mess. Instead, use a container that is narrower than the top of the piping bag (like a glass or tall deli container). Place the bottom of the piping bag in the container and fold the top down over the sides of the container. This holds the bag open and leaves you with two hands to spoon your filling into the bag!

Platter. Yes, there are such things as deviled egg plates and if you have one, now is the time to show it off! However, use what you have; a plate, a serving platter, a tray, a serving board. If eggs can be refilled during the event, then space them out so they are easy to pick up and look nice. This can be in rows, patterns, or random. If it is not possible to refill the eggs during the event, select a platter that will hold them all.

3. Favorite Riffs

There are SO many variations of what you can add to the yolk mixture for deviled eggs and we like almost all of them! However, there are also some variations in the basic ingredients that are worth mentioning!

Mayo vs. Sour Cream vs. Greek Yogurt

We tried the classic recipe for deviled eggs with all three of these and found they were all great! People are used to a specific flavor (mayonnaise!) when they bite into a deviled egg, so our recipes list mayo in the recipe as the main binder. However, we really like the use of Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. It has a slightly tangy taste which adds some nice depth to the deviled eggs and makes them unique. Another plus - Greek yogurt usually has less sodium and fat than mayonnaise. NOTE: all Greek yogurt is not the same! We like Chobani and use this almost exclusively when using Greek yogurt.

Sour cream also works, but we found it much milder than the mayonnaise without any tang from the Greek yogurt. It was still good, especially if we were mixing in additional ingredients to the yolk mixture, which added more flavor.

Try using a combination of these three to get the tanginess of the Greek yogurt, the creaminess of the sour cream, and the expected flavor of the mayo. Play with the recipe to find your magic combination!

Yolk Filling Add Ins

There are so many great add-ins you can add to the yolk filling. Here are some of our favorites!

• Proteins - bacon, salmon, ham, proscuitto
• Cheese - feta, cheddar, cream cheese, goat cheese, blue cheese
• Spice - ground cayenne pepper, paprika, chili powder, chili flakes, jalapeños, dry mustard
• Sauce - hot sauce, adobo chili sauce, ranch dressing
• Sweetness - pickles, relish, honey, honey mustard
• Miscellaneous - green onions, avocado

4. Decorating Ideas

There are an almost endless number of ways to make deviled eggs your own. From how you mix the yolk filling, to how you cut them and fill them, to how you garnish them. Let your imagination go and have fun with these. Here are just a few ideas on decorating and garnish.

5. Miscellaneous Tips

Time Saver Tips

Craving deviled eggs but just don’t have the time or bandwidth to boil and peel the eggs?Consider purchasing pre-boiled, peeled eggs. You can get these at many grocery stores, Costco, Sam’s, and restaurant food supply stores.

Make Ahead Tips

Deviled eggs definitely want to be made ahead of time. Fill the eggs but leave the garnish off until ready to serve. The eggs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. They will actually last up to 4 days, be safe and taste fine, but after about 3 days they begin to look a little ‘tired’.

Leftover eggs that are not getting eaten, *gasp!* turn them into a nice egg salad and make a sandwich.

6. Deviled Egg Recipes To Enjoy!

• Classic Deviled Eggs
• Bacon Deviled Eggs
• Feta Deviled Eggs
• Deviled Eggs with Pickles
• Spicy Deviled Eggs

Other favorite appetizer recipes

Combine the best flavors of summer in these watermelon feta mint bites. So easy, so refreshing, so amazing! A perfect appetizer for your next party!

The combination of flavors in this watermelon feta mint bite make this a perfect summer recipe. Putting it on a stick makes for a fun, hands-free, delicious addition to your BBQ, summer party, or any event! If you can get watermelon around the holidays these look very 'seasonally-colorful' on your buffet table.

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Ingredients

Use a block of feta, not crumbled feta. Block feta can be cut into pieces and pierced with a pick. Most grocery stores carry this in the deli section. We recommend having an extra block of feta on hand until you get comfortable cutting and skewering this cheese. The cheese will sometimes break when skewered. We want to have enough pieces for all the appetizers. PLUS, feta is great on almost anything! Use any leftover feta with this Corn and Zucchini Galette or an Easy Whipped Feta.

A personal-sized (mini) seedless watermelon is perfect for this recipe and so sweet in the Summer! Cut the melon into smaller, bite sized squares. We were able to cut around 64 pieces from one mini melon. Feel free to make melon balls instead of squares if you like.

Equipment We Used

How To Assemble Watermelon, Feta, Mint Bites

Order of assembly. Over the years, we made thousands of these watermelon skewers at the catering company! We found if the melon was on the bottom it would frequently stick to the platter and pull off the pick when guests tried to pick them up. Experiment with the order of ingredients, melon on bottom or feta on bottom, and see which is best for you!

Feta and watermelon are fragile, especially when using picks. Try not to pull the pick out and put it back in the feta as it may break into pieces. If the feta is splitting when you put the pick in, turn the feta to a different side - there seems to be a 'grain' with block feta and if you pierce it 'with the grain' it tends to split. It gets easier to recognize this the more you do. It is always a good idea to have extra feta on hand until you get the hang of this. Save any broken feta pieces and toss into a salad or pasta dish!

Time Saving Tips

Use pre-cut watermelon. If the pieces are too big, just cut them into smaller bite-sized pieces. 

Make this into a salad! Still delicious and refreshing without the skewers. Remember, you will need plates and forks if serving this way.

Make Ahead Tips

These watermelon feta mint bites can easily be made earlier in the day. Make them and store them in a clean, airtight container. Transfer to the serving platter right before serving. If transporting these to another location use a tall container with a lid, like a deli container, that will allow them to stand up. Too many for a tall container? Use a pan with parchment between layers and cover tight - be careful not to press down on the watermelon and feta skewers as they will break apart.

Other Favorite Summer Appetizers