Looking for a healthier Halloween appetizer? These Halloween Deviled eggs are the perfect party food or fun Fall snack . Eggs are hard boiled, halved and filled with a creamy mayo, mustard mix. Made complete by a creepy crackle effect. Simple, spooky but oh so scrummy.
While some may argue Halloween is all about the candy, our buffet tables are often screaming for savory. That’s where these Halloween Deviled Eggs come in. I craved a savory snack that could be made quickly but leave a lasting impression. Thankfully, this recipe is not only a great spooky treat treat for the taste buds but a feast for the eyes too at your next Halloween party.
Traditionally, Deviled eggs – also referred to as dressed eggs or stuffed eggs – are hard-boiled, halved and filled with a swirl of egg yolk, mayo, and mustard. The term “deviled” refers to the added spice such as cayenne or paprika which gives these appetizers a hot kick.
I’ve taken this traditional recipe and given it a monstrous makeover (with a teeny bit of extra effort) for the spooky season. With a creepy crackled effect that looks complex, but is surprisingly easy to master. Some say the pattern is similar to spider webs, for others they are reminded of veins on an eyeball. Either way, gruesome stuff.
This combined with the delicious filling makes an overall show-stopping snack that’s packed with protein and flavor. Serve alongside my other easy halloween appetizers- Halloween Jalapeno mummies and my pumpkin cheese ball to prove Halloween can celebrate savory treats too.
WHY WE LOVE THIS HALLOWEEN DEVILED EGGS
- Healthier Halloween treat – While I’ll never complain about cake and candy, a healthier Halloween treat is always a refreshing welcome to your buffet table.
- Easy – It’s no secret this time of year can feel chaotic so this fuss free recipe with simple ingredients will save some serious stress.
- Customizable – There are endless ways to customize the appearance and taste of these Halloween Deviled eggs. Whether you experiment with food color, or play around with filling flavor they are super simple to tailor to your tastes.
- Serve all year round – Skip the crackle effect and these Deviled eggs can be served all year round. This egg recipe is perfect as an Easter appetizer, Summer picnics or lunchbox snacks. I've even made them for my son's Dinosaur party and they were a HUGE hit!
INGREDIENTS/SHOPPING LIST
- Eggs
- Water
- Black food coloring
- White vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Tabasco sauce
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- Fresh chives
- Mayonnaise
- Green onions for garnish
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
- Freedom with the filling – One of the many reasons I love these Halloween Deviled eggs is that the filling can be tailored to your taste (and budget!) You can literally use up whatever you have in the refrigerator, so don’t sweat if you don’t have all the ingredients you can sub with something else. Ideas include chopped gherkins, tomato, cheddar, blue cheese or Avocado. You could also add some extra protein to the filling such as smoked salmon or chicken.
- Turn up the heat – I used tabasco as my “deviled” element, however feel free to use whatever you have to hand. Popular additions include Hot sauce, Wasabi, chillis, jalapeños or sriracha, or spicy mustard.
- Mayonnaise- I feel mayonnaise adds a richness to the filling but if you’d rather skip it or can't eat it, you could substitute it for cream cheese or sour cream.
- Food coloring fun – Although I’ve used black only for this recipe, you could divide your eggs and use other crackle colors on the egg shells such as red or purple. Alongside adding the food color for the crackle effect you could also experiment with coloring the filling. Add green food coloring for a “rotten” green goo look, or red for extra spooky vibes.
- Toppings – If you have some spare time on your hands you could take these Halloween Deviled eggs a step further and top with spiders using sliced olives or devil horns with pepper pieces.
- Add an Olive Spider- To make extra spooky treats, slice up some black olives or use sliced olives to make spiders on top of the egg yolk mixture. Simply place a whole olive in the center, then add the sliced olive legs.
RECOMMENDED TOOLS TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- Saucepan with lid
- Measuring cups
- Ziplock bag
- Small spoon
- Slotted spoon
- Small sharp knife
- Bowl
- Piping bag + Nozzle
- Fork
HOW TO MAKE THIS HALLOWEEN DEVILED EGGS
These impressive appetizers are surprisingly simple to put together. Once you cook your eggs you steep the hard boil eggs in food color, before slicing and filling. You could even get the kids involved for a fun activity on a drizzly Fall day.
1. Start by adding the eggs to a medium sized saucepan then cover with cold water. About 1 to 2 inches above the eggs.
2. Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil.
3. Once boiling, turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 10-12 minutes.
4. Drain the eggs then rinse under cold water to stop any further cooking.
5. Gently crack the eggs all around, but do not remove the shell.
PRO TIP: I find the easiest way to crack the shell is by tapping the eggs gently on the counter or with a spoon. Tap in random spots for the best crackle effect.
6. Place 2 cups water, 5-6 drops of black food coloring, and vinegar in a large ziplock bag or bowl.
7. Place the cooked/cracked eggs in the liquid and let steep overnight in the refrigerator.
8. Once the eggs have steeped, gently remove then peel and discard the shells.
PRO TIP: Remove the eggs using a slotted spoon or tongs to prevent black fingertips.
9. Using a sharp knife, halve the eggs lengthwise, then carefully scoop out the yolks.
10.Place all yolks in a separate bowl, and mash with a fork. Add mayonnaise, mustard, Tabasco, salt, pepper and snipped chives. Stir to combine.
PRO TIP: If you feel your mixture is not smooth enough to pipe you could also give it a few pulses with a hand blender.
11.Pipe each egg white with about 1 ½ teaspoons of the egg-yolk mixture.
12.Arrange egg halves on a platter and sprinkle with chives or green onions to garnish.
13.Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 6 hours.
TIPS
- Smooth filling – If you are adding more ingredients to your filling such as avocado or tomato then you may need to spend more time mashing to make it smooth enough to pipe. You could also use a stick blender if preferred.
- Ice bath – Once you remove the eggs from the hot water, they will continue to cook which is why it’s important to run them under cold water. Alternatively, you could plunge them into a bowl of ice water.
- No piping bag - If you don’t have a piping bag, you could also add the filling to the egg whites using a spoon or make a homemade piping bag by cutting the corner off a plastic bag.
- Crackle tips – If you are steeping your eggs in a Ziplock bag, make sure there is enough liquid to cover your eggs. If not, you may need to move the eggs/gently shake the bag every few hours to ensure the color is absorbed all over.
- Boil Extra Eggs: When making these Halloween deviled eggs I’d recommend boiling a few extra eggs (I usually do a dozen eggs) as this will make up for any that crack when boiling as they won’t cook properly. It also means you have backups if some of the crackle effect turns out better than others.
STORAGE TIPS
- Once you have prepared your Halloween deviled eggs, they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days, although I think they taste best the same day. Make sure to store them in an airtight container to avoid them getting dried out. You could also line the container with paper towels to help absorb excess moisture.
- Once you take them out to serve, they can be kept out at room temperature for about two hours.
- For transporting, keep them upright and packed tightly in a small airtight container. If the container is too big, the eggs will have space to roll causing the filling to go everywhere.
- These Halloween Deviled Eggs are not suitable for freezing. The texture will be grainy and unpleasant if frozen.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHY ARE THEY CALLED DEVILED EGGS?
Here is some fun trivia to serve up alongside your Deviled eggs. They originate as far back as Ancient Rome, where the eggs were boiled and seasoned with a spicy sauce. Served as a starter, wealthy Romans even had a saying “ab ova usque ad mala”, which meant “from eggs to apples”, meaning from the beginning of a meal to the end. It was in the 18th century that they became known as “deviled eggs” and it is believed this is because the yolks are "deviled" by mixing them with spicy ingredients.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO BOIL EGGS FOR THE BEST DEVILED EGGS?
For the perfect boiled eggs, its all about timing. I recommend 10-12 minutes before rinsing in cold water because if you cook them for longer, they will overcook and go dry and rubbery. On the other hand, if you don’t give them long enough, they will be too soft for the crackled shell technique.
You can also use make your hard boiled eggs in the instant pot by placing 1 ½ cups of cold water into the inner pot then adding in your egg or steam rack. Carefully place eggs on or in the rack. Place lid on the pressure cooker and set for cook time for 5 minutes on high pressure.
WHY ARE MY EGG YOLKS BLUE?
When you scoop out your yolk and are ready to mash, don’t be concerned if there is a slight hint of blue to your yolks. This is totally normal and is caused by a chemical reaction between the egg yolk and the sulphur from the egg white. It is usually caused when you cook eggs at a high temperature for too long. It’s usually a sign they are slightly overcooked but it’s nothing to be worried about.
WHAT TYPE OF EGGS ARE BEST?
This can be controversial, but for Halloween deviled eggs I’d actually recommend avoiding fresh eggs. Eggs that are a few days old (at least) are best for boiling. While it won’t affect the flavor if you use fresh eggs, it will make them much easier to peel. This is because as an egg ages, it begins to change chemically so fresh eggs are tough to peel.
MORE HALLOWEEN TREATS YOU'RE SURE TO LOVE
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups water
- black food coloring
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 dashes Tabasco sauce
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- fresh chives or crispy fried onions for garnish
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Cover eggs with cold water in a medium sized saucepan.
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Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
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Once boiling, turn off heat, cover and let sit for 10-12 minutes. Drain then rinse under cold water.
-
Gently crack the eggs all around, but do not remove shell.
-
Place 2 cups water, 5-6 drops black food coloring, and vinegar in a large ziplock bag or bowl.
-
Place the cooked/cracked eggs in the liquid and let steep overnight in the refrigerator.
-
Once the eggs have steeped, gently remove and discard the shell.
-
Halve eggs lengthwise, and carefully scoop out yolks.
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Place yolks in a separate bowl, and mash with a fork. Add mayonnaise, mustard, Tabasco, salt, pepper and snipped chives. Stir to combine.
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Pipe each egg white with about 1 ½ teaspoons of the egg-yolk mixture.
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Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with chives or green onions.
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Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 6 hours.
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