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Learn how to make perfect hard boiled eggs that are easy to peel and have a creamy yellow yolk every time by using these tips. Only 6-7 minutes to make.
A bad hard-boiled egg can ruin your breakfast. Have you had a complimentary hotel breakfast where you grab an egg from the breakfast buffet only to find out later that it’s overcooked – gray-green ring around the yolk. Yuck. Here I am sharing with you my tips for making perfect eggs every time.
For the short version, check out my web story for this recipe.
The perfect egg has no green ring around the yolk; the yolk is creamy and mellow; and if you want, you can stop short of the hard-boil and make them gooey soft-boiled instead.
Many people recommend different ways of cooking the perfect hard boil egg. Some suggest removing the saucepan with the eggs from the heat once the water starts boiling and to let them sit for about 15 minutes. I even found one recipe where the author recommended baking the eggs in the oven for 30 minutes. That’s a lot of time for me. You can cook a whole meal for that amount of time.
You can also cook eggs in the Instant Pot and cook them for only 5 minutes.
How to boil eggs quickly & easily
I believe hard-boiled eggs should be quick & easy to cook. You can cook a beautiful creamy egg for only 6-7 minutes. Why spend half an hour when you can have perfect eggs within minutes? Especially when I cook eggs in the morning for breakfast, the last thing I want to do is wait so long for the eggs to cook.
Eggs are a convenient and affordable source of protein. With hard-boiled eggs on hand, you have the components of a satisfying breakfast, lunch, snack, appetizer, or dinner. So get cracking! 🙂
Ingredients
You will need eggs, water and ice to make the best hard boiled eggs.
Equipment
Saucepan
Timer
Slotted spoon
Bowl for the ice bath
How to make hard boiled eggs
- Place eggs in a large saucepan. Cover them with cool water by 1 inch.
- Cover the pan with a lid and bring water to a rolling boil over high heat; when the water has reached a boil, reduce heat to medium-high and set the timer for the desired time. Boil for 6 – 7 minutes over medium-high heat for perfect hard boiled eggs.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a large bowl of ice water and let them cool for a few minutes. Or you can place them under cool running water to stop the cooking. This will also help the eggs peel easily.
- Remove the eggs from the cold water and peel immediately.
Check out my video where I show you how to make these eggs for only 7 minutes.
How long to boil them and cook time chart
Here are the times for boiling eggs:
- For soft-boiled eggs: 4 minutes
- For slightly soft-boiled eggs: 5 minutes
- For custardy yet firm soft-boiled eggs: 6 minutes
- For creamy hard-boiled eggs: 7 minutes
- For firm yet still creamy hard-boiled eggs: 8 minutes
- For very firm hard boiled eggs: 9 minutes
How to peel the eggs
After boiling the eggs and cooling them in ice-cold water, gently crack the shell and roll them on the counter. The shell will fall off easily.
If you notice that some eggs are hard to peel, crack them all around without peeling them and place them under a little bit of running water or soak them in a bowl with water for a while. The water penetrates under the shell and makes it easier to peel.
How long do boiled eggs last
They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. I prefer to peel their shells before refrigerating. They are harder to peel after they have been refrigerated.
Tips & notes for perfect eggs every time
- Don’t place the cold eggs from the fridge in the hot water on the stove. Place the eggs in cold water and then turn on the cooktop. If an egg has a crack, you can add a little bit of vinegar to the pot. It will help to congeal the egg white if it starts to leak out from the shell.
- Boil the eggs over medium-high heat.
- Set a timer and don’t cook the eggs for more than the recommended time.
- If you are planning to make Easter eggs and want to make sure they will be easy to peel, it’s best to buy eggs at least a week in advance. Older eggs are easier to peel.
- To make the eggs easier to peel, use some of these suggestions:
- Use older eggs (~ 1 week old). A few days older eggs are easier to peel.
- Add 1/2 tsp salt to the water. Adding salt to the water may help make the eggs easier to peel.
- Add 1/2 tsp of baking soda. Some people suggest adding baking soda to the water which increases the alkalinity of the water and makes the eggs easy to peel.
- Add vinegar (if you are using farm fresh eggs). You can easily peel hard-boiled eggs by adding a little bit of vinegar to the water which makes the shell softer.
- If you would like to hard boil a dozen eggs, you can use a pressure cooker to make Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
How to Use Hard Boiled Eggs
- In Sandwiches – Egg Salad and any other sandwich you like
- In Salads – Cobb Salad, Chef Salad, Potato Salad, Russian Salad Olivier, and any other salad you want to add more protein
- For Breakfast – on an Avocado Toast, or simply egg and bacon
- In Appetizers like Deviled Eggs
More egg recipes
How To Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
Equipment
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place eggs in a large saucepan. Cover them with cool water by 1 inch.
- Cover with a lid and bring water to a boil over high heat; when the water has reached a full rolling boil, reduce the heat to medium-high and set the timer for the desired time. Boil for 6 – 7 minutes over medium-high heat for perfect hard-boiled eggs.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a large bowl of ice water and let them cool for a few minutes. Or you can place them under cool running water to stop the cooking.
- Peel and serve the eggs immediately. You can sprinkle some paprika or chives on top.
TIPS & NOTES
Boiling eggs Cook Time Chart
- For soft-boiled eggs boil eggs – 4 minutes from the time water starts boiling
- For slightly soft-boiled eggs boil eggs – 5 minutes from the time water starts boiling
- For custardy yet firm soft-boiled eggs boil eggs – 6 minutes from the time water starts boiling
- For creamy hard-boiled eggs boil eggs – 7 minutes from the time water starts boiling
- For firm yet still creamy hard-boiled eggs boil eggs – 8 minutes from the time water starts boiling
- For very firm hard boiled eggs boil eggs – 9 minutes from the time water starts boiling
Easy to peel hard boiled eggs
- Use older eggs (~ 1 week old). A few days older eggs are easier to peel.
- Add 1/2 tsp salt to the water. Adding salt to the water may help make the eggs easier to peel.
- Add 1/2 tsp of baking soda. Some people suggest adding baking soda to the water which increases the alkalinity of the water and makes the eggs easy to peel.
- Add vinegar (if you are using farm fresh eggs). You can easily peel hard-boiled eggs by adding a little bit of vinegar to the water which makes the shell softer.
- Roll them on the counter. After you boil the eggs and cool them in ice-cold water, roll them on the counter to remove the shell. It will fall off easily.
How to prevent your eggs from cracking
Don’t place the cold eggs from the fridge in the hot water on the stove. Place the eggs in cold water and then turn on the cooktop. If an egg has a crack, you can add a little bit of vinegar to the pot. It will help to congeal the egg white if it starts to leak out from the shell.How to store boiled eggs
Refrigerate any unused eggs, with their shells removed, for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.NUTRITION
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Great info. Thanks
Is it just me, or does the 7 min egg look creamier than the 6 min egg? I LOVE this article because it shows each egg at the precise cooking time. I’ve always made the 8/9 min egg for deviled eggs… I’m excited to try the various cooking times to find my new favorite. Plus, I just bought a EZ EGG PEELER, since I’m always pulling chunks of egg whites off, regardless of the tips I’ve used. Thanks again!!
Finally, a recipe that answered all my egg questions in a short concise format; great results…Thanks!
I tend to hard boil eggs if they are not used up by the ‘use by’ date. How long can you store these in the fridge if you cook them on the ‘use by’ date?
EXCELLENT!!!
I tried 6 minutes and they were good, but I wished I’d left them in a little longer. Great recipe!
I work in hotel management and here’s an “Interesting” fact most people don’t know. The hard boiled eggs are ordered pre boiled and come in refrigerated in large boxes with paper between the layers … this is how every major hotel chain does it
Incredible, this produced the most pristine hard boiled eggs I’ve ever seen/tasted (7 minute route)
My son LOVES hardboiled eggs, I dont at all. So naturally I suck at making them.
Thank you for the recipes, photos, minutes for different consistency, etc. He says they’re perfect!
I don’t boil eggs often but when I do I only reference this specific article because the eggs come out exact every single time, no fail. I should’ve given this 5 stars a very long time ago.
Awesome! Thank you so much for your review! 🙂
Absolutely amazing! I pulled an egg out. At 5 minutes, and it was absolutely the perfect. Semi soft boiled egg…thank you!
Eggs came out perfectly for deviled eggs. It only took 13 minutes for the water to come to a boil so I simmered them for 8 minutes.
I have tried them all and never been able to peel a dozen eggs. Just tried this a WOW!!! 1 dozen eggs cooked and better yet, they all peeled without tearing the whites. Thank You… I used to do the oven method and do miss the little brown dots… 🙂
The best hard boiled eggs instructions ever. Some people may think I’m exaggerating but my mother and I never learned how to cook like my grandmother, even something as simple as boiling eggs. Now I know why my eggs were always too hard or shells cracked – because they were cooked 15 minutes at a high boil!!! lol Thanks, Neli!
The introductory part is way too long-winded, but those are some damn good eggs.
OMG… Now i can cook the perfect egg!
Perfect hard boil egg, just as it is titled! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I’ve ruined so many eggs but following this recipe they came out perfect.
WOW,This is the very best recipe for boiling the perfect eggs! I am thankful for the details on all types of boiled eggs. I used the 9 minute hard boiled egg recipe, and they were absolutely perfect! Thank you
Neli, well done! Easy to read and step by step simple instructions. I like the attention to detail as that provides consistency which is critical. One thing I’ve found that is worth paying attention to is the age of the eggs. As you told Scott in the comments: “fresh eggs sometimes don’t peel that easily”. This is very true – in fact, I believe the egg age is the most important factor in peeling (the cold water bath second, but necessary as well). As eggs age they loose moisture through their shell. Older eggs will float in water because they have developed an air sack inside the shell. For easy peeling you need enough air to allow the egg, when cooled after boiling, to shrink away from the shell thus making peeling much more successful. Most store-bought eggs are already old enough, but a simple float test prior to boiling helps. I like my eggs to be boyant neutral or starting to float one end. Beware of top floaters or eggs that stand on end, they may be quite old! Good luck, and thank you Neli!