How To Make Deviled Eggs Ahead of Time

Deviled eggs are a delicate balancing act. The base is a wobbly, oval-shaped halved egg white. On top, you have a small mountain of creamy egg yolk filling. Sprinkle on your choice of toppings and you've got something more akin to a small sculpture than a finger food. If you're preparing and serving them at home, it's no sweat to make a platter of deviled eggs lined up in neat rows, waiting to be devoured. But if you're making them to take to a gathering of friends and family, a holiday dinner, or potluck, even the best deviled egg tray might not get them there intact without egg yolk smears and smudges.

What Supplies Do You Need to Make Deviled Eggs Ahead of Time?

Making your deviled eggs a few days before you plan to devour them is meant to save you time, energy, and the pain of tipped over egg halves and wasted filling. You don't need much to get the job done as long as you have some refrigerator space to store your pre-assembly ingredients.

To make deviled eggs ahead of time, be prepared with an airtight container big enough to hold the halved egg whites and a disposable piping bag for the filling. If you don't have a piping bag on hand, a ziplock plastic bag works great as a substitute; just cut a corner of the bag when you're ready to pipe.

How Do You Make Deviled Eggs In Advance?

Step 1. Hard boil your eggs

In a saucepan, cover the eggs by an inch with cold water and bring them to a boil before covering and removing them from heat. Let the pan sit for 10 to 12 minutes; any shorter and the yolks will be a bit jammy, and any longer, they'll be dry. Submerge the boiled eggs in an ice bath for 15 minutes and then peel each egg under running water.

Step 2: Store the egg whites

After your eggs have cooled, slice them into halves and scoop out the yolks, setting aside to make your favorite filling. Place the egg white halves in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to go.

Step 3: Make your filling

Prepare your favorite recipe as usual, but instead of spooning or piping the filling into the egg white halves, transfer the filling to a plastic ziplock bag or an uncut piping bag that you can seal shut with a clip or tie.

There are tons of delicious ingredient combinations to try, like loaded eggs with bacon and potato chips or eggs topped with pickled okra.

Step 4. Assemble the deviled eggs at their final destination

Keep the filling in the bag and the egg white halves in the container and pack up your favorite platter or deviled egg tray, plus any toppings you would like to add. Once you're at the destination, all you have to do is assemble them. Arrange the egg whites on the platter, then snip off one corner of the ziplock bag or the tip of the disposable piping bag. Pipe the filling neatly into the egg whites and add toppings if you'd like.

How Far In Advance Can You Prep Deviled Eggs?

Prep deviled eggs too far in advance, and you'll have dried out filling and stinky boiled egg whites. For the best results, prep your deviled eggs up to two days in advance and keep the egg whites and filling separate until you're ready to serve.

This prepping method also applies if you're not even leaving the house. When a deviled egg craving hits, you'll have pre-peeled eggs and ready-to-go filling right in the fridge. However you enjoy them, remember that deviled eggs can sit at room temperature for two hours before they need to be refrigerated.