Description
Delightfully light and savory, these Egg Salad Cream Puffs combine flaky homemade cream puffs with a creamy, tangy green chile egg salad filling. Perfect for gatherings or as a fancy appetizer, this recipe balances the delicate pastry with a flavorful egg salad enhanced with cream cheese, hot mustard, and a smoky paprika finish.
Ingredients
CREAM PUFFS:
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- Dash white pepper
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
GREEN CHILE EGG SALAD:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 to 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons prepared hot mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 6 hard-boiled large eggs, finely chopped
- 3 to 4 tablespoons chopped green chiles, drained and patted dry
- Smoked paprika, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare dough: Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine water, butter, kosher salt, and white pepper, bringing it to a boil. Quickly add the flour all at once and stir vigorously until a smooth ball forms. Remove from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Incorporate eggs into dough: Add eggs one at a time to the dough, beating well after each addition until the mixture is smooth and shiny with a pipeable consistency.
- Shape and bake cream puffs: Drop tablespoon-sized dollops of the dough 3 inches apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Once baked, transfer to wire racks and immediately slice a slit in each puff to release steam. Allow them to cool completely.
- Prepare egg salad filling: In a large bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, prepared hot mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth. Gently fold in the chopped hard-boiled eggs and drained green chiles until fully combined.
- Assemble and garnish: Split the cooled cream puffs open and fill each with a generous amount of the green chile egg salad. Dust the tops with smoked paprika for a subtle smoky finish. Serve immediately or refrigerate leftovers.
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs when adding to the dough for best incorporation.
- Ensure cream cheese is softened to avoid lumps in the filling.
- Cutting a slit in the cream puffs immediately after baking prevents sogginess by letting steam escape.
- Green chiles can be adjusted according to spice preference or substituted with mild peppers for a less spicy version.
- Store filled cream puffs in the refrigerator and consume within 24 hours for best freshness.