Place the eggs in a saucepan and completely cover them with cold water. Bring the water to a boil, then cook the eggs for about 9–10 minutes, until hard-boiled.
Immediately transfer the eggs to a bowl of very cold water and let them cool completely.
Peel the eggs carefully, then cut each one in half lengthwise.
Gently remove the yolks and place them in a bowl. Arrange the egg white halves on a serving plate.
Mash the yolks thoroughly with a fork until they’re very fine.
Add the mayonnaise and softened butter. Mix until the filling is smooth and creamy.
Stir in the Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and pickle juice. Season with a small pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Taste the filling and adjust if needed. The maple should stay subtle and balance the Dijon rather than make the filling noticeably sweet.
Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a plain or star tip and pipe it into the egg white halves. You can also use two teaspoons if piping bags and you are currently not on speaking terms.
Make sure the sage leaves are completely dry. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet, then add the sage.
Cook the leaves for just a few seconds on each side, until crisp. Watch them closely because sage does not believe in giving much warning before it burns.
Transfer the crispy sage to paper towels and let it cool.
Roughly crumble the cooled sage with your fingers.
Finish each deviled egg with a little crispy sage and a light dusting of paprika.
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
