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Making perfect hard boiled eggs is easier than you think! Whether you want soft, medium, or fully hard-boiled eggs, this simple guide covers exactly how long to boil them and how to get easy-to-peel results every time.
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Table of Contents
- Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
- Hard Boiled Eggs Time Chart & Calculator
- Ingredients
- How To Make Hard Boiled Eggs
- Expert Tips For Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
- How To Peel the Eggs
- What Readers Are Saying
- How To Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs Recipe
- Recipe Help & FAQs
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- How To Use Boiled Eggs
- Alternative Ways to Cook Eggs
Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
Learning how to make hard boiled eggs might seem simple, but there’s a little art to getting them just right. I used to struggle with peeling them perfectly, and I remember the first time I made them for deviled eggs – everything was going great until I tried peeling them and ended up with half an egg stuck to the shell!
After years of trial and error (and a few cracked eggs), I finally nailed down a foolproof method for cooking perfect hard boiled eggs that are easy to peel. With hundreds of five-star reviews, this recipe is a trusted go-to for perfectly boiled eggs every time.
For foolproof results, don’t miss the expert tips, boiling time guide & calculator, and FAQ section below – your shortcut to perfect eggs & easy peeling every time!
For a hands-off method, check out my guide on boiling eggs in the Instant Pot.
Hard Boiled Eggs Time Chart & Calculator
These times are based on average medium to large egg sizes and eggs using the “cold start” method. Start the timer after the water starts boiling.
Boiling times at a glance:
- Soft-boiled eggs: 3 minutes
- Jammy eggs: 4 minutes
- Medium boiled eggs: 5 minutes
- Custardy eggs: 6 minutes
- Creamy hard-boiled eggs: 7 minutes
- Firm yet still hard-boiled eggs: 8 minutes
- Very firm hard boiled eggs: 9 minutes
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 soft-boiled instead.
Now that you’ve checked out the time chart for different egg doneness, you can use my handy boiling time calculator to get a personalized cooking time based on your egg size and how you like them cooked. No guesswork, just perfect eggs every time!
Boiling Time Calculator
Ingredients
For a full ingredients list with measurements, check the recipe card below.
- Eggs: You can use any type of eggs, just remember that farm-fresh eggs might be a little bit more difficult to peel. Some people suggest that a few days old eggs tend to peel more easily than very fresh eggs.
- Water
- Ice – to make an ice water bath for the eggs
Equipment Needed: Saucepan, Timer, Slotted spoon, Bowl for the ice bath
How To Make Hard Boiled Eggs
Step 1. Add eggs to a pot with water. Place eggs in a single layer in a large saucepan and cover them with cool water, about 1 inch above the eggs.
Step 2. Boil the eggs. Cover the pan with a lid and bring water to a boil over high heat; when the water has reached a boil, reduce heat to medium and set the timer for the desired time. Boil for 7 – 8 minutes over medium heat for perfect hard boiled eggs.
Quick Tip
Make sure you start your timer when the water starts boiling, not when you place the eggs in the water.
Step 3. Cool eggs in an ice water bath. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and let them cool for a few minutes. This will also help the eggs peel easily.
Step 4. Peel the eggs. Once cooled, remove the eggs and gently tap each on a hard surface. Roll to crack the shell, then peel.
TIPS FROM NELI’S KITCHEN
Expert Tips For Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
- Don’t place the cold eggs from the fridge in the hot water on the stove. Place the eggs in a pot and then add water and 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.
- Shock the eggs in ice water. Right after you take the eggs out of the boiling water, quickly move them to an ice water bath. This stops the cooking and makes peeling them a lot easier. Tce bath helps separate the egg membrane from the shell.
- 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. The shell will fall off easily.
- Peel them under cold running water. If I notice that some eggs are hard to peel, I 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.
- To make the eggs easier to peel, some people suggest to use older eggs. A few days old eggs are easier to peel. Boiled farm-fresh eggs may be more difficult to peel than eggs that are a few days older.
- If you are planning to make Easter eggs or deviled 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.
How To Peel the Eggs
You know that moment when you’re trying to peel an egg, and half the white comes off with the shell? Yeah, I’ve been there. After lots of trial and error, I finally found a foolproof method (or three to be exact). Here’s how to easily peel eggs after they’ve cooled in ice water for a few minutes:
- Gently crack the shell and roll the egg on the counter. The shell should come off easily.
- Crack the shell all around and peel the egg under running water or let it soak in a bowl of water for a bit to loosen the shell.
- Another method is to place the eggs in a Tupperware container with an inch of water, cover it, and shake for about 15 seconds. The shells should slide right off.
These tips will help you peel hard-boiled eggs with ease every time!
What Readers Are Saying
Ok Im sold! Tried your recipe twice now and my eggs peel so easily. I was using the one you mentioned where you remove from heat, cover and let sit and then ice bath, but still a pain to peel. Thank you so much for this! I actually have a whole egg when Im done peeling! 🙂
– Debbie
Wow! This Is my first review ever; I’m 61. I have tried Martha Stewart, Ina Garten, eg anything on the internet, on how to hard boil eggs. Your technique is the winner!
– Michelle
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How To Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
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Equipment
- Pot
- Timer
- Slotted spoon
- Bowl
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- Cold water
- Ice
Instructions
- Place the eggs in a single layer in a large saucepan and cover them with cool water, about 1 inch above the eggs.
- Cover the pot with a lid and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium and set a timer for 7 to 8 minutes for perfectly hard-boiled eggs. IMPORTANT: Make sure you start your timer when the water starts boiling, not when you place the eggs in the water.
- When the timer is up, use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Let them cool for a few minutes. Alternatively, run them under cold water until cool. This helps them peel more easily.
- Once cooled, remove the eggs and gently tap each on a hard surface. Roll to crack the shell, then peel.
Video
Notes
Tips for easy to peel hard boiled eggs
- 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.
- Place cracked eggs under water. 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 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates and may vary with ingredients, brands, and portion sizes. For accuracy, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this recipe is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical or nutritional advice. I am not a doctor or a dietitian. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized guidance regarding your diet or health. For more details, please read my full disclosure page.
Recipe Help & FAQs
To check if an egg is fresh, place it in a bowl of water. Fresh eggs sink to the bottom and lay flat, while older eggs stand up or float.
When the water begins to boil, start a timer and gently cook the eggs for 7 minutes.
To minimize the chances of your eggs cracking, start by placing them in a pot of cold water before turning on the heat. Bring the water to a gentle boil gradually, which reduces the stress on the eggshells. Additionally, avoid overcrowding the pot, as eggs bumping against each other can cause cracks.
For easy peeling, use eggs that are at least a week old. After boiling, immediately transfer the eggs to an ice bath for several minutes to cool them quickly. Once cool, gently tap the eggs on a hard surface to crack the shell all over, then peel under running water or in a bowl of water to help loosen the shell from the egg.
You can also try rolling them on the counter and then peeling them.
Alternatively, place the eggs in a Tupperware with water, cover, shake for 15 seconds, and the shells should slide off easily.
They can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. (If you notice a gassy odor in the refrigerator, that is normal and harmless, it’s caused by hydrogen sulfide that forms when the eggs are boiled.) I prefer to peel their shells before refrigerating. They are harder to peel after they have been refrigerated.
A green ring forms when eggs are overcooked or cooked at too high a temperature. Lowering the heat after boiling and using an ice bath helps prevent it.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy to peel eggs: My recipe technique makes peeling eggs effortless.
- Wholesome: Hard-boiled eggs are a simple, delicious, and satisfying option for breakfast or a quick snack.
- Great for meal prep: Hard boiled eggs are great for batch cooking and meal prepping for the week, and this recipe helps you prepare them in bulk with ease.
- Quick recipe: With clear instructions and precise timing, you can prepare hard boiled eggs quickly, perfect for busy mornings.
How To Use Boiled Eggs
For busy mornings, hard-boiled eggs are a lifesaver! I make a batch on Sundays, and they’re perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast throughout the week. I also pair them with some fruit or toast. Here are some of my other favorite ways to use them:
- Sandwiches. These eggs are perfect to make Healthy Egg Salad or any other sandwiches you make.
- Salads. Slice them into your favorite salad, or use them in Cobb Salad, Chef Salad, 7 Layer Salad, Potato Salad, Russian Salad Olivier, and any other salad you want to add more protein to.
- Appetizers. These boiled eggs are great to make Deviled Eggs.
- Breakfast. For a simple breakfast I love to serve them sliced on an Avocado Toast, on a cheese bagel, or simply with bacon.
Alternative Ways to Cook Eggs
Appetizers + Snacks
Deviled Eggs Recipe
Breakfast Recipes
Breakfast Egg Muffins
Breakfast Recipes
How to Make Scrambled Eggs (Fluffy & Moist)
Breakfast Recipes
Worked beautifully. Also, to peel a few minutes after the ice water bath, crack the shells all over (I used the sink), then rolled each egg between my hands and peeled under running cold water.
Nine of the ten eggs peeled perfectly; only one loss some egg white go the shell removal.
I had to comment and say thank you for this recipe. My eggs came out perfect. I did a dozen for 8 minutes and added a little salt/baking soda…it really helped the peeling process. Will use this method again and again!
Thank you! Worked great except I had a bunch of different sized farm eggs. Boiled about 8 1/2 minutes. The small and medium -large eggs were perfect and the extra large were not quite done in middle. Next time I will try to use more uniform sizes. I will go back to your method every time@
A little chatty but overall very helpful
There is a jump to recipe button at the top if you don’t want to read the blog post!
The eggs turned out perfectly! Thanks for the good tips!!
Superb team.
This is the best recipe for hard boiled eggs. Hands down. I had always been overcooking them. Now they are perfect! Every time!
So glad to hear this, Natalie!!
Been cooking hb eggs for over 45yrs and everyone, including their mothers, have had a different suggestion to fix “that” (whatever the issue happened to be). NEVER have they turned out as good as these. Gotta say, Neli, you’ve hit the mark! TY!!!
I want to say thank you for your recipe on how to cook boiled eggs… I know I’m not the only one who has had problems getting the shell off the egg!!!! Some are better then others but some have half the white part come off as well.. going to try this way the next time I make hard boiled eggs… I’ve asked different people how long to cook, how to get the shell off in one piece ect I’ve been told when it comes to a hard boil eggs take off the burner and let it sit forget how many minutes. Also when cooking put vinegar into the water and the shell comes right off. There are other things as well but I want to try it your way next… Thank you so much…
This method works perfectly for me! It is quick too, rather than letting the eggs sit in the boiled water by taking the pan off heat (no thank you). Thia recipe is tried and true! I typically go for the 7-8 min range personally, but it is all preference on how soft you like the eggs & the yolk.