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    Home » Recipes » Party Food

    Eyeball Deviled Eggs (Halloween Party Recipe)

    Jul 23, 2022(updated Oct 20, 2024)

    By Michelle Weiner

    These bloodshot Eyeball Deviled Eggs are a spooky addition to your Halloween party. They may look scary but they taste creamy, decadent, and extra briny thanks to the olive iris.
    4.5 from 2 votes
    Prep Time 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes minutes
    Chill Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    eyeball deviled eggs on a black plate.

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    eyeball deviled eggs on a black plate.

    The spookiest deviled egg recipe you need for your Halloween party

    These Eyeball Deviled Eggs may look spooky, but their flavor is far from it. They’re a must-have at any Halloween party!

    Be prepared to encourage your guests to give these a try. The marbled bloodshot look and bright pimento pupil look creepy from afar but taste really good! Plus, the black olive iris adds a delicious briny pop.

    Halloween deviled eggs are just as easy to make as my Tangy Deviled Eggs and always fit in at parties during October. Pair them with this Halloween 7 Layer Dip, and you’ll have the ultimate spooky spread!

    close up on an eyeball deviled egg.

    Get the marbling effect!

    The red marbling effect (AKA bloodshot eye look) is easy to achieve using hard boiled eggs, red food coloring, and water. The eggshell is cracked but still intact enough to surround the egg. As they sit in the water and food coloring mixture, the color seeps in through the cracks and thus forms a marbling look.

    I was inspired to use the same method as Chinese tea eggs for the cracked effect. The only difference is that tea, herbs, and spices infuse even more flavor into the boiled eggs, while in this recipe, no extra flavor is added. If you haven't tried tea eggs yet, you need to because they are delish!

    Ingredients needed

    This spooky recipe uses simple ingredients. Here’s what you need:

    Large eggs

    These eggs may look complicated, but they’re just as easy to prepare as any classic hard boiled egg recipe.

    Although you can make this recipe with any size chicken egg, large are best because that is what I used to test this recipe and you'll end up with the best results.

    ingredients for eyeball deviled eggs.

    Food coloring

    Red food coloring is needed to give the eggs the marbled bloodshot eye effect. I used gel food coloring because it’s what I had on hand, but liquid food coloring will work as well.

    Mayonnaise and dijon mustard

    These two, along with a splash of vinegar, salt and pepper, are stirred together with the crumbled egg yolks to create the deviled egg filling. You can use yellow mustard if that’s all you have at home, but the eggs will taste tangy rather than deep and savory.

    Black olives

    Sliced black olives look just like eyes when they’re plopped on top of the creamy deviled egg filling. Plus, you can’t beat that delicious briny pop.

    eyeball deviled eggs on a black plate.

    Pimentos

    Place one of these tiny red chili peppers inside of the black olive and you have a creepy (yet flavorful) red pupil!

    If you don't like spicy things, you have nothing to worry about. Pimentos are not spicy and are actually a little sweet!

    Step-by-step!

    Besides being a show-stopper at Halloween parties, eyeball deviled eggs are easy to prepare. Here’s how it’s done:

    boiling eggs in a metal pot.

    Step 1: Bring a pot of water up to a boil and carefully add the eggs.

    boiled eggs sitting in a bowl of ice water.

    Step 2: Immediately place the cooked eggs in an ice bath to prevent them from cooking further.

    womans hand holding a hard boiled egg with a cracked shell.

    Step 3: Gently tap the eggs with a spoon to create cracks in the shells.

    soaking boiled eggs in a red liquid.

    Step 4: Allow the cracked eggs to sit in a mix of water and red food coloring.

    Leave them for 2 hours or up to 3 days. The longer they sit, the more pronounced the color will be.

    red dyed hard boiled eggs.

    Step 5: Peel the shells when the eggs are done steeping.

    scooping yellow yolks out of hard boiled eggs and placing them in a white bowl.

    Step 6: Cut the eggs in half and scoop out the yolks. You need them for the filling!

    mixing the deviled egg filling together in a white bowl.

    Step 7: Add the mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the yolks.

    stirring a creamy egg yolk mixture with a green spatula in a white bowl.

    Step 8: Thoroughly mash the egg yolk mixture together until you have a smooth, spreadable consistency.

    filled halved hard boiled eggs with a creamy egg yolk mixture.

    Step 9: Fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture.

    Eyeball Deviled Eggs on a wood cutting board.

    Step 10: Top with a black olive and pimento, then enjoy!

    Tips and tricks

    Use these helpful recipe tips to make the best (and spookiest) deviled eggs:

    Never skip the ice bath

    Always transfer the eggs from the boiling water into a bowl filled with ice water when they’re done cooking. This prevents them from cooking further and can make peeling the shell a little easier.

    Getting the yolk filling into the eggs

    Scoop the filling into the eggs with a small spoon or use a piping bag fitted with a star tip to help them look extra fancy.

    Close up on an eyeball deviled egg.

    Making hard boiled eggs ahead of time

    The eggs can be hard boiled up to 5 days in advance if you want to save time ahead of the party. Store them with the shell on and in an airtight container in the fridge until it’s time to assemble. 

    Recipe

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    eyeball deviled eggs on a black plate.

    Eyeball Deviled Eggs

    These bloodshot Eyeball Deviled Eggs are a spooky addition to your Halloween party. They may look scary but they taste creamy, decadent, and extra briny thanks to the olive iris.
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    Author: Michelle Weiner
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: halloween, halloween party
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Chill Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
    Makes: 12 deviled eggs

    Ingredients

    • 6 large eggs
    • 12 drops gel red food coloring
    • ¼ cup mayonnaise
    • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
    • ½ teaspoon white wine vinegar
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • 12 slices black olives
    • 12 pieces diced pimentos

    Instructions

    • Bring a 4-quart pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat.
    • Carefully add the eggs and cook uncovered for 14 minutes.
    • While the eggs are cooking fill a large bowl with ice and water to make an ice bath.
    • Once the eggs are done cooking, carefully remove them from the pot and place into the ice bath.
    • Leave them in the ice bath for 15 minutes.
    • Mix 12 drops of red food coloring with 4 cups cold water in another large bowl.
    • Gently crack the shell of each using the back of a spoon, ensuring the shell stays on the egg.
    • Place the eggs in the food-colored water for at least 2 hours (up to three days). The longer the more pronounced the color will be.
    • When ready to assemble the deviled eggs, carefully peel the eggs under slowly running water. This will help the shell come off easily.
    • Cut the eggs in half lengthwise.
    • Scoop out the yolks and place in a medium bowl.
    • Thoroughly smash them with a fork, and mix with mayo, dijon, white wine vinegar, salt, and pepper.
    • Fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture.
    • Top with an olive slice and place a pimento into the center of the olive.
    • Serve!

    Watch the Video!

    Did you make this recipe?Share a pic and tag @cupofzest and use #cupofzest so I can see it!
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    Comments

      4.50 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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      Not only will you be helping us out, but you'll also be spreading the love to other party planners looking for their next big hit!

      Your star rating and comment can make all the difference in helping others discover the perfect recipe for their next shindig. And let's be honest, who doesn't love a good party? So let's get this party started by sharing the love and making sure everyone has a delicious time. Thanks for being a part of the Party Food Crew! And remember, party more & stress less!

      🎉 Cheers,
      Michelle

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Deanna says

      October 14, 2022 at 4:20 pm

      Red beet juice?

      Reply
      • Michelle Weiner says

        October 14, 2022 at 4:50 pm

        Yes! You can try it with red beet juice. I think that would be super fun. It will give the eggs a beet flavor, so keep that in mind when serving them!

        Reply
    2. G'ma Chris says

      October 13, 2022 at 9:07 pm

      4 stars
      What a gruesome hit these are! I used sweetened pickled beet juice for color and flavor!
      Now I have to make them again!

      Reply
      • Michelle Weiner says

        October 14, 2022 at 11:03 am

        Yay! Thanks so much for your comment 🙂

        Reply
    3. Vicki says

      October 13, 2022 at 7:59 pm

      On the bloodshot eyeball deviled eggs it shows the ingredients but never says what the vinegar is for

      Reply
      • Michelle Weiner says

        October 14, 2022 at 11:03 am

        Ohh, thank you so much for letting me know! It's now fixed. Hope you enjoy the recipe!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Michelle and welcome to the party!

    After of working in the culinary world for over 10 years, I'm sharing the skills I've learned with you here at Cup of Zest. I'm here to help you invite your friends over more and stress less when cooking for them. Glad you're part of the crew!

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