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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 Jungle Juice and Halloween 7 Layer Dip, and you’ll have the ultimate spooky spread!
Why are they called deviled eggs?
“Deviled” is a term often used to describe food that tastes spicy and zesty. Most deviled egg recipes are made with mustard, pepper, paprika, and other flavor-boosters, giving this creamy and delicious snack its “deviled” qualities.
How to make deviled eggs look like bloodshot eyes
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
Bloodshot eye deviled eggs may look complicated, but they’re just as easy to prepare as any classic hard boiled egg recipe. Make sure to review this guide on making hard boiled eggs if you’re new to the process.
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.
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.
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!
How to make eyeball deviled eggs
Besides being a show-stopper at Halloween parties, eyeball deviled eggs are easy to prepare. Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1: Bring a pot of water up to a boil and carefully add the eggs.
Step 2: Immediately place the cooked eggs in an ice bath to prevent them from cooking further.
Step 3: Gently tap the eggs with a spoon to create cracks in the shells.
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.
Step 5: Peel the shells when the eggs are done steeping.
Step 6: Cut the eggs in half and scoop out the yolks. You need them for the filling!
Step 7: Smash the yolks with a fork.
Step 8: Add the mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the smashed yolks.
Step 9: Thoroughly mix the egg yolk mixture together until you have a smooth, spreadable consistency.
Step 10: Fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture.
Step 11: 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.
Play with the egg yolk filling
Give the creamy yolk filling a gruesome green look by stirring in one or two tablespoons of homemade pesto, mashed avocado, or green food coloring.
If you don’t have time to soak the eggs
Simply paint wavy lines on the outside of the eggs with red gel food coloring instead. They’ll still look bloodshot while saving you some time.
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.
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.
How long do Halloween deviled eggs last?
Once they’re assembled, keep the deviled eggs covered and in the fridge overnight. Serve at the Halloween party the next day and enjoy!
🎉 It's time to cook! 🎉
Alright, friend! It's your turn to make this delish recipe for your next get-together.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ When you do, please leave a comment and star rating below so we can hear what you think! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recipe
Eyeball 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!
Katie Killeavy says
THESE ARE SO FUN!
Michelle Weiner says
Yay! Glad you think so!
Deanna says
Red beet juice?
Michelle Weiner says
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!
G'ma Chris says
What a gruesome hit these are! I used sweetened pickled beet juice for color and flavor!
Now I have to make them again!
Michelle Weiner says
Yay! Thanks so much for your comment 🙂
Vicki says
On the bloodshot eyeball deviled eggs it shows the ingredients but never says what the vinegar is for
Michelle Weiner says
Ohh, thank you so much for letting me know! It's now fixed. Hope you enjoy the recipe!