Description
These Deviled Egg Christmas Trees are a festive and creative twist on the classic deviled eggs recipe, perfect for holiday gatherings. Made with a flavorful spinach and egg yolk filling spiced with smoked paprika and hot sauce, these egg whites are piped into tree shapes and decorated with colorful bell pepper stars and red pepper ‘ornaments’, finished with a dusting of parmesan cheese to resemble snow.
Ingredients
Scale
Eggs and Filling
- 7 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
- 5 oz baby spinach
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons dehydrated potato flakes
- 1 red fresno chili pepper, minced
Decorations
- 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into small stars
- Parmesan cheese, for grating
Instructions
- Cook the eggs: Bring a pot of water to a boil and gently add the eggs. Boil the eggs for 9 and a half minutes until hard boiled. Prepare a bowl of ice water. Remove the eggs from boiling water and immediately place them in the ice bath to cool completely.
- Peel and slice the eggs: Peel the cooled eggs under running water to remove shells cleanly. Slice each egg in half widthwise (short way) so the halves are round and the yolk is cut roughly in half. Use the photos as guidance; it’s okay if the yolk is not perfectly halved.
- Prepare the egg whites: Cut a small slice from the bottom tip of each egg white half to help them stand upright without piercing the cavity. Set aside the egg whites and yolks separately in the refrigerator.
- Cook the spinach mixture: Heat butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic to melt with the butter, then add baby spinach. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes until spinach is wilted and excess moisture evaporates. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Make the filling: In a blender, combine the cooked spinach mixture, reserved egg yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, smoked paprika, hot sauce, and dehydrated potato flakes. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate the filling until cold.
- Adjust filling consistency: Stir the filling and if it’s not thick enough to pipe standing up, add a bit more potato flakes and stir well.
- Prepare to pipe the eggs: Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
- Assemble the trees: Arrange the egg whites on a platter standing upright. Pipe the filling into each egg white, bobbing the tip slightly to create a tree-like, textured shape, building it as tall as you feel confident.
- Decorate the trees: Using two toothpicks, attach 5 to 6 pieces of minced red fresno chili pepper onto each tree as ornaments. Place a small star-shaped piece of yellow bell pepper on top as the star.
- Finish with cheese: Grate parmesan cheese over the deviled egg trees with a microplane grater to create a snow-like effect. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated until serving.
Notes
- Boiling eggs exactly 9.5 minutes ensures a fully cooked yolk that is easy to slice and mash without overcooking.
- Cutting the eggs widthwise creates a unique round shape that mimics trees when filled and piped.
- Dehydrated potato flakes help thicken the filling so it holds shape well when piped.
- Use fresh baby spinach and cook it thoroughly to avoid excess moisture in the filling.
- Adjust the amount of hot sauce to your preferred spice level.
- Make extra egg whites in case some break or don’t stand well.
- Keep the filling chilled until assembly for best consistency.
- The parmesan ‘snow’ adds festive look and a savory finishing touch.
