12 small pieces of fresh chives or parsley stems (for the stems)
Instructions
Place your eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover them with water by at least an inch. Bring the water to a full boil over medium high heat. Once boiling, cover the pan with a lid, remove it from the heat, and let it sit for exactly 12 minutes. Immediately transfer the eggs to an ice bath for 5 minutes to stop the cooking process and make peeling easier.
Carefully peel the eggs and slice them in half lengthwise. Gently remove the yolks and place them into a small mixing bowl. Use a fork to mash the yolks until they are fine and crumbly. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and the paprika. Stir everything together until the mixture is completely smooth and has a bright, uniform orange color.
Using a spoon or a piping bag, fill the cavity of each egg white with the yolk mixture. If you want a very neat look, a piping bag with a large round tip works best. Smooth the top of the yolk slightly so it forms a rounded mound that resembles the shape of a small pumpkin.
To give the eggs their signature look, use a toothpick or the back of a small knife to gently press vertical lines into the yolk filling. Start from the center top and pull downward to the base. Repeat this four or five times around the mound to create the ridges you would see on a real pumpkin.
Take your small pieces of chives or parsley stems and press one into the top center of each yolk mound. This creates the pumpkin stem. For an extra pop of color, you can lightly dust the eggs with a tiny bit more paprika just before serving to enhance the orange glow.
