Ingredients
Scale
- 6 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons high-quality mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon yellow or Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (plus extra for dusting)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 12 small pieces of fresh chive or parsley stems (for the pumpkin stalks)
Instructions
- Place your eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover them with an inch of cold water. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid, and let the eggs sit for exactly 12 minutes. Immediately transfer the eggs to a bowl filled with ice water for 5 minutes. This stops the cooking process and makes peeling much easier. Carefully crack the shells and peel them under cool running water.
- Slice each peeled egg in half lengthwise. Gently remove the yolks and place them into a small mixing bowl. Set the white halves aside on a serving platter. Use a fork to mash the yolks into a fine crumble. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir vigorously until the mixture is smooth and bright orange. For an extra velvety texture, you can pass the yolks through a fine-mesh sieve before mixing.
- Spoon the yolk mixture back into the centers of the egg whites, mounding it slightly to create a rounded pumpkin shape. Alternatively, use a piping bag with a round tip for a cleaner look. Use a toothpick to gently press vertical lines into the yolk filling to mimic the ridges of a pumpkin. Finally, insert a small piece of chive or a tiny parsley stem into the top of each yolk mound to serve as the pumpkin stalk. Dust very lightly with a tiny bit more paprika for color depth.
- Cook Time: 32 minutes