Deviled Egg Christmas Trees

I still remember the first time I tried making fancy holiday appetizers for our Nashville neighborhood Christmas party. Amy was only 5, and she kept asking why we couldn't make "tree eggs" like the ones she'd seen in a magazine at school. I had no idea what she meant until she showed me a picture of standing deviled eggs shaped like little Christmas trees, and that's when I discovered Deviled Egg Christmas Trees.

That year, I attempted them for the first time, and honestly? They were a hot mess. The filling was too runny, half of them toppled over, and I may have said a few words that made John raise his eyebrows.

Fast forward three years, and these Deviled Egg Christmas Trees have become our signature holiday appetizer. I've tested this recipe at least a dozen times, tweaking the filling consistency and perfecting the piping technique. Bradley now helps me cut the egg whites (he's got steadier hands than I do), and Amy insists on placing every single pepper decoration herself.

These aren't your typical deviled eggs. We're talking tall, overstuffed, bright green Christmas trees that stand proud on your holiday platter. The spinach filling gives them that gorgeous festive color, and the garlic butter adds a depth that makes these way more interesting than regular deviled eggs. Plus, cutting the eggs crosswise instead of lengthwise means they stand up like little tree trunks, ready to be transformed into edible holiday decorations.

If you're looking for more creative holiday appetizers, you'll want to check out my Halloween Sausage Mummy Wraps for another fun finger food idea that kids absolutely love making.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love These Christmas Tree Deviled Eggs
• What You Need For Deviled Egg Christmas Trees
• How To Make Christmas Tree Deviled Eggs
• Storage And Serving Tips For Your Holiday Deviled Eggs
• Tips And Variations For Deviled Egg Christmas Trees
• Deviled Egg Christmas Trees FAQ
• Recipes You May Like
• Making Holiday Memories With Christmas Tree Deviled Eggs
• Deviled Egg Christmas Trees

Why You'll Love These Christmas Tree Deviled Eggs

• Stand-up presentation - These eggs sit upright like tiny Christmas trees, making them the star of your holiday spread
• Make-ahead friendly - Prep the components separately up to 24 hours ahead, then assemble a few hours before your party
• Kid-approved flavor - The spinach is mild and mixed with familiar deviled egg tastes that even picky eaters enjoy
• Festive and fun - Decorating these with pepper "ornaments" and parmesan "snow" is a blast for the whole family
• Party conversation starter - Guests always ask how you made eggs stand up tall, and the answer is simpler than they think
• Uses real ingredients - No food coloring needed when you use fresh spinach for that gorgeous green color

What You Need For Deviled Egg Christmas Trees

For the eggs:

• 7 large eggs (makes 14 halves, with extras in case of breakage)
• Ice bath for cooling

For the spinach filling:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• 5 oz baby spinach
• ⅓ cup mayo
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• ½ lemon (juice only)
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons dehydrated potato flakes (the secret to thick, pipeable filling)

For decorating:

• 1 red Fresno chili pepper, minced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into small stars
• Parmesan cheese for "snow"

Equipment you'll need:

• Food processor or blender
• Piping bag with star tip
• Microplane grater
• Toothpicks

I buy the instant potato flakes from the regular grocery store baking aisle. They're the same ones you'd use for mashed potatoes, and they work like magic to thicken the filling without changing the taste.

How To Make Christmas Tree Deviled Eggs

Cook The Eggs

1. Fill a pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat.
2. Carefully lower the eggs into the boiling water using a slotted spoon.
3. Set a timer for exactly 9 and a half minutes. While the eggs cook, fill a large bowl with ice and cold water.
4. When the timer goes off, immediately transfer the eggs to the ice bath using your slotted spoon. Let them sit for at least 5 minutes to cool completely.
5. Peel the eggs under cool running water. The shells should slip right off if your eggs are fresh.
6. Here's the tricky part - slice each egg in half the short way (crosswise, not lengthwise) so each half is round like a tree trunk. Try to cut through the middle of the yolk. It's okay if it's not perfect - I mess this up sometimes too!
7. Gently scoop out the yolks and place them in a medium bowl. Put this bowl in the fridge.
8. Trim a tiny bit off the bottom of each egg white so they can stand up straight without wobbling. Be careful not to cut too much or you'll pierce through. I learned this the hard way when I made holes in three egg whites my first attempt!
9. Place the egg whites on a plate and refrigerate while you make the filling.

Make The Spinach Mixture

10. You can start this step while the eggs are cooking or cooling - I usually do both at once to save time.
11. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.
12. Add the sliced garlic to the melted butter and cook for about 1 minute until it smells amazing but hasn't turned brown yet.
13. Add all the baby spinach to the pan. It'll look like a mountain at first, but don't worry - it shrinks fast!
14. Cook the spinach for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's completely wilted and most of the moisture has evaporated from the pan. You want it pretty dry.
15. Remove the pan from heat and let the spinach mixture cool to room temperature before using. I usually spread it on a plate to help it cool faster.

Blend The Filling

16. In your food processor or blender, combine the cooled spinach mixture, egg yolks, mayo, mustard, lemon juice, smoked paprika, hot sauce, and potato flakes.
17. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and bright green. Amy always says it looks like "Grinch filling" and she's not wrong!
18. Transfer the filling to a bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until it's completely cold. This helps it thicken up.
19. After chilling, give it a good stir. If it seems too loose to pipe tall, add another tablespoon of potato flakes and mix well. The filling should hold its shape when you scoop it.
20. Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. I like using a large star tip for a more defined tree texture.

Assemble Your Christmas Trees

21. Arrange your egg white "trunks" on a serving platter. This recipe makes 14 egg white halves, but you'll probably only fill 10 to 12 of them with the amount of filling you have.
22. Hold the piping bag vertically over an egg white and start piping from the bottom, slowly moving upward while bobbing the tip up and down slightly. This creates the layered tree effect.
23. Go as tall as you feel comfortable - mine are usually about 2 to 3 inches tall. John always challenges me to go taller, but I don't want them falling over!
24. Use two toothpicks to place 5 or 6 pieces of minced red pepper onto each tree as "ornaments." This is Amy's favorite part - she takes this job very seriously.
25. Top each tree with a small yellow pepper star. I use a mini cookie cutter to cut perfect stars, but you can also just cut small star shapes with a knife.
26. Finally, hold a microplane grater over the trees and grate fresh parmesan cheese to create "snow." Let it fall naturally over the trees and platter.
27. Serve immediately or refrigerate until party time. These look best served within 2 to 3 hours of assembly.

Storage And Serving Tips For Your Holiday Deviled Eggs

Store any leftover Christmas tree deviled eggs in the refrigerator, loosely covered with plastic wrap. They'll keep for up to 2 days, though the pepper decorations might lose a bit of their brightness.

I don't recommend freezing these. The egg whites get rubbery and the filling separates when thawed.

For the best presentation, keep them refrigerated right up until serving time. They look stunning on a white platter surrounded by fresh rosemary sprigs for extra Christmas vibes.

If you're transporting these to a party, pipe the filling onto the egg whites but wait to add the pepper decorations and parmesan snow until you arrive. This keeps everything looking fresh and prevents the decorations from sliding off during the drive.

Tips And Variations For Deviled Egg Christmas Trees

Filling too thin? Add more potato flakes one teaspoon at a time until it's thick enough to hold its shape. I've learned that humidity can affect how much you need.

Eggs won't stand up? Cut a tiny bit more off the bottom, but go slow. It's better to cut multiple thin slices than to cut too much at once and create a hole.

Want them less spicy? Skip the hot sauce entirely or use a milder hot sauce. Bradley loves these with the heat, but we make a few without for Amy.

Make them vegetarian-friendly by using vegetarian mayo and leaving off the parmesan, or using a vegetarian parmesan alternative.

Try different decorations - we've used diced red bell pepper instead of Fresno chilies when we want zero spice, or even tiny pieces of sun-dried tomatoes.

For a smoother filling, make sure your spinach is completely cooled and dry before blending. Extra moisture makes the filling runny.

Piping tip broke or lost? You can use a zip-top bag with the corner cut off, though it won't give you the same textured tree look.

What works best for your family when making festive holiday appetizers? I'm always looking for new tricks!

Deviled Egg Christmas Trees FAQ

Recipes You May Like

• Keto Halloween Deviled Eggs - Another creative take on deviled eggs for a different holiday celebration
• Halloween Sausage Mummy Wraps - Fun finger food that kids love helping prepare for parties
• Homemade Corn Dogs - Classic party appetizer that's always a crowd pleaser

Making Holiday Memories With Christmas Tree Deviled Eggs

These Deviled Egg Christmas Trees have become such a special part of our holiday tradition. Every year, Amy gets more skilled at placing the decorations, and Bradley has perfected the art of cutting the egg whites so they stand up perfectly straight.

Last Christmas, we made over 30 of these for our neighborhood potluck, and they were gone in 15 minutes. People kept coming up to me asking for the recipe and how I got them to stand up so tall. The secret is really just the potato flakes in the filling and cutting the eggs the right way!

I love that these look fancy and festive but are actually simple enough for a weeknight if you wanted to make something special for dinner. Plus, the spinach adds nutrients without anyone really noticing - Amy has no idea she's eating greens when she helps herself to these.

Give these Christmas tree deviled eggs a try for your next holiday gathering. They're going to make your appetizer spread look amazing, and your guests will think you spent hours on them when really, they come together pretty quickly once you get the hang of it.

Save this recipe to your Pinterest board so you can find it when holiday party planning season rolls around!

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