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pumpkin deviled eggs with smoked paprika and cumin on a dark slate board

Pumpkin Deviled Eggs

Pumpkin deviled eggs made with real pumpkin purée, smoked paprika, and ground cumin. A private chef fall appetizer perfect for Thanksgiving cocktail hour or any autumn gathering.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 85
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Filling
  • 8 large eggs
  • 6 tbsp pumpkin purée canned or homemade, unsweetened
  • 4 tsp mayonnaise
  • 4 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika plus extra for garnish
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For Garnish
  • fresh chives cut into small pieces
  • smoked paprika for dusting

Method
 

Hard-Boil the Eggs
  1. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
    2. Starting in cold water prevents the shell from cracking. Hot water against a cold shell expands it too fast.
  2. Simmer for 9 to 10 minutes, then transfer eggs immediately to a bowl of ice water. Let cool for 5 minutes, then peel.
    3. Nine minutes gives you a fully set yolk with no gray ring. The ice bath stops the cooking the moment they come off the heat.
Make the Filling
  1. Halve the peeled eggs lengthwise and carefully remove the yolks into a mixing bowl.
  2. Mash the yolks with a fork until no lumps remain.
    3. No lumps means a smooth, pipeable filling. Take the time here. Lumpy filling shows.
  3. Add the pumpkin puru00e9e, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, cumin, and smoked paprika. Mix until smooth and creamy.
    4. Two tablespoons of pumpkin puru00e9e keeps the filling light enough to pipe cleanly. More than that and it gets too soft to hold its shape on the board.
  4. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. The filling should taste bold.
Fill and Serve
  1. Spoon or pipe the pumpkin filling into each egg white half, filling generously.
    2. A piping bag with a star tip takes these from casual to impressive in thirty seconds. A plastic bag with the corner cut off works fine if that is what you have.
  2. Dust with extra smoked paprika and place a small piece of fresh chive upright in the center of each half.
  3. Arrange on a dark slate board or plate. Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered loosely, for up to 2 days.

Notes

Plating. Slate board or dark ceramic for color contrast. Dust of smoked paprika and one upright chive piece per half. Keep the board clean and uncluttered. These do not need much to look polished.
Wine. A dry or off-dry Riesling is the best match here. The slight fruitiness plays well with the pumpkin and the acidity cuts through the richness of the egg yolk. A sparkling rosé also works beautifully for a Thanksgiving or holiday cocktail hour. Skip anything oaky or heavily tannic.
Prep ahead. These are built for advance prep. Make the filling up to 24 hours ahead and store it in a piping bag in the refrigerator. Cook and halve the egg whites up to 24 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate. Pipe and garnish up to three hours before serving. This is how I handle these at events.
Feeding more people. The recipe makes 16 halves, two per person for eight guests. Double it for sixteen guests. For a large cocktail party where this is one of several appetizers, plan on one to two halves per person. The filling scales linearly.
Swaps. No mayonnaise? Greek yogurt works and makes the filling tangier and slightly lighter. Dijon can be swapped for whole-grain mustard if you want texture. The cumin is non-negotiable in my opinion, but if you are cooking for someone who does not love it, swap it for an equal amount of smoked paprika and add a small pinch of garlic powder to fill the depth gap.