Hard Boiled Eggs
Hard Boiled Eggs are a versatile mealtime staple, ideal for enjoying as is, or adding to sandwiches, salads and more. Learn how to make perfect hard boiled eggs with this simple hard boiled egg recipe.
Have you ever wondered how to hard boil eggs so that they come out perfectly cooked and easy to peel?
Hard boiled eggs can be tricky to get just right. With this easy cooking method and a few simple tips, you’ll enjoy the best hard boiled eggs. They’re are perfect for making Deviled Eggs, Egg Salad, Spinach Salad, and more!
These hard boiled eggs have creamy, yellow yolks and soft, tender egg whites. You can cook them a little more or a little less, depending on how you like your yolks cooked: slightly jammy in the center or fully cooked but still creamy and golden yellow.
Enjoy these hard boiled eggs for breakfast, as a protein-packed snack, or use them in your favorite egg recipes.
How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs
Here is an overview of how to boil eggs. You will find the full printable instructions in the recipe card below.
- You will need a pot or saucepan that has a lid. Fill the pan with an inch or two of cold water. Add your eggs to the pot. You can cook as many or as few eggs as will fit comfortably in the pot. Then add more cold water to the pot until the water is 3/4 to 1 inch above the eggs.
- On the stove, place the pot over high heat until the water comes to a rolling boil.
- Once the water comes to a boil, immediately remove the pot from the heat and cover with a lid.
- Let the eggs sit in the hot water, without removing the lid, for 8 to 12 minutes, depending on how cooked you want your eggs. Set a timer so that you won’t forget about the eggs. Leaving them in the hot water for too long will give you overcooked eggs.
- Then immediately transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water. Let the eggs sit in the ice bath for 5 minutes.
- Peel the eggs.
How Long to Boil Eggs
How long to hard boil eggs will depend on how you like your eggs cooked and the size of your eggs. It can also depend on the amount of time it takes your water to come to a boil, which can vary based on the size of your pot (and how much water is in the pot), and how much heat is under the pot. I recommend experimenting with cook times to find the time that gives you your perfect boiled eggs.
Egg Cook Times
- 4 minutes – Soft boiled eggs. Yolks will be somewhat runny. Whites are set but soft.
- 6 minutes – Soft boiled eggs. Yolks only partially set.
- 8 minutes – Soft, creamy yolks that may not be fully set in the center.
- 10 minutes – Yolks fully set but still soft and creamy.
- 12 minutes – Firmer yolks and whites.
Cooking eggs for longer than 12 minutes will usually give you overcooked eggs. If your yolks turn out chalky or green around the edges, they are overcooked.
As you can see in the comparison photo, eggs that are cooked for 8 and 12 minutes look very similar. There is a slight difference in the texture of the yolks, in that the 12 minute yolks are firmer and less creamy.
Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
- I have found that it’s best to let the hard boiled eggs sit in the ice bath for only 5 minutes and then peel them immediately. This is when they usually peel the easiest.
- To peel eggs, crack the shells all over on the counter and peel under cold running water. If one end of the egg isn’t peeling well, try starting from the other end. Remove the shells gently.
- Old eggs often peel easier than fresh eggs.
- The easiest to peel eggs are Instant Pot hard boiled eggs. Steam cooking eggs in the Instant Pot pressure cooker makes the shells practically fall of when you peel them.
How Long Do Hard Boiled Eggs Last
According to the USDA, hard boiled eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Refrigerate eggs within two hours of cooking. You can store the eggs in the fridge before or after removing the shells, but if you plan to keep the eggs for more than 5 days I recommend storing them with the shells on.
Hard Boiled Eggs
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs*
Instructions
- You will need a pot or saucepan that has a lid. Fill the pot with an inch or two of cold water. Add the eggs to the pot. Then add more cold water to the pot until the water is ¾ to 1 inch above the eggs.
- Put the pot on the stove over high heat and bring to a rolling boil. As soon as the water comes to a rolling boil, immediately remove the pot from the heat and cover the pot.
- Let the eggs sit in the hot water, without taking the lid off, for 8 to 12 minutes, depending on how cooked you want your eggs. (For soft boiled eggs, cook for 4 to 6 minutes.)
- Immediately transfer the cooked eggs to a boil of ice water. Let the eggs sit in the ice bath for 5 minutes and then peel (this is the point at which they are usually easiest to peel).
- Eggs can be eaten immediately or stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one week.
Notes
- You can cook fewer or more than 6 eggs, just be careful to not overcrowd the pot. You want the eggs to fit in a single layer, with a bit of room to move.
- Eggs usually peel easiest when you crack them all over and then peel under cold running water. Older eggs will peel easier than fresh eggs.
Nutrition
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