We nominate homemade cinnamon pecan topping, which can be used to garnish both sweet and savory foods. See our list of uses below.

You can use any nut, but pecan goes particularly well in this type of topping.

We adapted this recipe from McCormick. It makes 12 servings, 2 tablespoons each. You can make a double batch and keep it in the fridge.

Although the McCormick version uses rum flavor, feel free to substitute real rum or whiskey.

Plan ahead: You can bring a jar of topping as a house gift, or give it as holiday gifts.

Prep time is 5 minutes, cook time is 12 minutes.

RECIPE: CINNAMON PECAN TOPPING

Ingredients For 1-1/2 Cups

TOP PHOTO: Top a Brie with homemade cinnamon pecan topping Photo by Caroline Edwards from Chocolate and Carrots | McCormick.com. BOTTOM PHOTO: Turn a plain scoop of ice cream into a sundae. Photo courtesy Yummly.com.

Keep it in the fridge to pull out whenever you need it. Photo courtesy McCormick.

Preparation

1. MIX the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in small bowl until blended. Set aside.

2. MELT 2 tablespoons of the butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans and toast for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low.

3. STIR the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, corn syrup, water, vanilla extract, rum flavor and the brown sugar mixture into the skillet. Cook, stirring until the butter is melted and the mixture is heated through.

4. REMOVE from the heat. The mixture will thicken as it cools. Serve at room temperature.

Updated August 2026

November 2nd is National Deviled Egg Day, one of America’s favorite foods for parties, picnics, and more.

Below:

> The history of deviled eggs.

> Deviled eggs vs. stuffed eggs: the difference

> 25+ deviled egg recipes.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> 35 garnishes for deviled eggs.

> How to make perfect hard-boiled eggs.

> The different types of eggs: a photo glossary.

> The year’s 10 egg holidays.
 
 
1. THE HISTORY OF DEVILED EGGS

Deviled eggs took off as picnic and cocktail party fare after the Second World War. But their roots date back to ancient Rome.

The cooks of wealthy Romans boiled eggs, seasoned them with spicy sauces, and served them as a first course (known as gustatio).

Serving these deviled eggs to guests was so common that it featured in a Roman saying, “ab ova usque ad mala,” literally from eggs to apples (indicating from the beginning of a meal to the end), or what we might call “from A to Z.”

13th Century: The culinary record is relatively quiet until the 13th century when stuffed egg recipes begin to appear in Andalusia, in the south of Spain.

The yolks of boiled eggs were mixed with cilantro, onion juice, pepper and coriander, fish sauce, oil and salt. After the mixture was stuffed into the egg whites, the two halves were fastened together with a small stick and seasoned with pepper.

15th Century: Stuffed eggs were found throughout Europe. One medieval recipe filled them with raisins, cheese, marjoram, parsley, and mint. They were then fried in oil and topped with a sauce of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, raisins, and verjuice, or dusted with sugar. Both variations were served hot.

18th Century: The first known printed mention of “devil” as a culinary term appeared in the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1786. It referred to dishes that contained hot and spicy ingredients (like paprika), or those that were highly seasoned and broiled or fried.

19th Century: By 1800, deviling had become a verb to describe the process of making food spicy. Deviled eggs were seasoned with chiles, horseradish, mustard, paprika, and spicy sauce. Stuffed eggs began making an appearance in American cookbooks by the mid-19th century.

The Modern Deviled Egg Evolves

A recipe from Fannie Farmer’s 1896 Boston Cooking-School Cookbook was one of the first to use mayonnaise as a binder for the filling of stuffed eggs.

While mayonnaise began to be distributed commercially in the U.S. in 1907, the condiment was not commonly featured in deviled egg recipes until the 1940s. The classic version of deviled eggs mixed the yolks with mayonnaise, mustard, and paprika.

In more recent times, cooks have reworked the classic with modern ingredients, from beets, chutney, and smoked okra to luxury ingredients like caviar, crab, and smoked salmon to international influences like kimchi, sriracha, and wasabi.
 
 
2. DEVILED EGGS VS. STUFFED EGGS

It’s simple: Deviled eggs have a spicy component.

So all deviled eggs are stuffed eggs, but only stuffed eggs with hot spice are deviled eggs.

Non-spicy versions were called dressed eggs, mimosa eggs, salad eggs or stuffed eggs.
 
 
3. MORE YUMMY DEVILED EGG RECIPES
 
MORE DEVILED EGG RECIPES

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[2] Deviled eggs with delicious smoked okra from Rick’s Picks. Here’s the recipe. You can substitute pickled jalapeño slices (photo © Rick’s Picks).

[3] “Valentine” deviled eggs are made by soaking the peeled hard-boiled eggs in beet juice. Here’s the recipe (photo © Andrews McNeel Publishing).

[4] Deviled eggs topped with salmon caviar are an affordable treat (photo © The Nibble).

[5] “Bacon and eggs” (photo © The Nibble).

[6] With sturgeon caviar: Yes, please (photo © California Caviar Company | Facebook).

Prep time is 25 to 33 minutes, bake time is 40 to 45 minutes.

RECIPE: PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE PIE

Ingredients For A 9-Inch Pie, 10-12 Servings

For The Crust

Make your favorite pie crust or purchase a deep 9″ prepared crust. You can also use a cheesecake crust of graham crackers or gingersnaps.

 
For The Cheesecake Layer

 
For The Pumpkin Layer

The bottom layer is cheesecake, the top layer is pumpkin pie. Photo courtesy KingArthur.com.

TOP PHOTO: A slice of Pumpkin Pie
Cheesecake. Add a pinch of ground ginger
from the whipped cream. Photo courtesy
Snackworks.com. BOTTOM PHOTO:
finely diced crystallized ginger. You can buy it at KingArthurFlour.com in a small dice for baking. Photo courtesy King Arthur Flour.

For Serving

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 425°F.

2. REMOVE the crust from the refrigerator and allow it to rest at room temperature until it’s warm enough to work with (10 to 30 minutes, depending on how long it’s been refrigerated).

3. FLOUR your work surface, and roll the crust into a 13″ round. Transfer it to a pie plate that’s at least 9″ wide and 2″ deep. A giant spatula works well for this task. IMPORTANT: Be sure the pan is 2″ deep or all the filling won’t fit. If you find yourself with too much filling, pour it into a ramekin and bake it until the center is set. You’ll have an individual dessert or snack.

4. GENTLY SETTLE the crust into the plate, and crimp the edges.

5. MAKE the cheesecake filling: Combine the room-temperature cream cheese and sugar, beating slowly until the mixture is fairly smooth. It may appear grainy, or a few lumps may remain; that’s OK.

6. STIR in the egg, vanilla and optional ginger. Spoon the filling into the pie crust.

7. MAKE the pumpkin filling: Whisk together the sugar, salt and spices in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the pumpkin, cream or evaporated milk and eggs, and whisk gently until smooth. (You don’t want to beat a lot of air into this mixture; just be sure it’s thoroughly combined.)

8. GENTLY SPOON the pumpkin filling atop the cheesecake layer, filling within 1/4″ of the top of the crust. NOTE: Do this carefully at first, so as to not disturb the cheesecake layer. Once you’ve covered the cheesecake, you can be less careful.

10. REMOVE the pie from the oven, allow it to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it until serving time. Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream flavored with a pinch of ginger and teaspoon of vanilla.