Follow these simple tips on how to make perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs, which result in tender, creamy eggs every time. And no green ring!
I complain endlessly a lot about how my kids don’t really like Mexican food. Can you blame me, though? BUT nothing compares to a kid who doesn’t like eggs.
I was talking to a mom the other day who told me that neither of her kids like eggs. Any kind. Scrambled eggs, poached eggs, omelette, fried, hard boiled eggs. Nope. My jaw agape, I almost wept for her. I cannot even imagine this!
My kids absolutely love eggs. I could serve them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and we’d all be happy. Not a week goes by without me making hard boiled eggs – they’re perfect for beet pickled eggs, scotch egg, egg salad, and just on their own as a snack with a little dash of salt.
How To Hard Boil Eggs
There are many different ways to make hard boiled eggs, but my favorite way is with a pot of water and an ice bath. There’s a reason this method has been around forever – because it’s tried and true! (However, scroll down if you want to use your air fryer or instant pot instead.)
You’ll need: 8 large cold eggs, cold water, and ice
- Gently place the eggs in a single layer at the bottom of a medium pot. Fill with cold water to cover eggs by 1-2 inches. Heat the pot on high and bring the water to a rolling boil. Once it starts boiling, turn off the heat, remove the pan from the burner, cover, and let sit for 12 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a large bowl of ice water and let cool until just slightly warm, about 4-5 minutes. (This will cool them quickly and prevent further cooking, plus make them easier to peel.)
- When the eggs are cool to the touch, peel by gently tapping the eggs on the countertop so they’re crackled all over, rolling eggs between your hands to loosen the shell. Holding the egg under cold running water, start peeling at the large end where the air pocket is.
- Slice, dice, or enjoy whole.
How Long to Hard Boil Eggs
The perfect cooking time for hard boiled eggs is the magic question! Well, this is sort of subjective, right? It depends how you like your yolk. And it also depends if you boil constantly the entire time or use my cooking method where you bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and put the lid on. I think 12 minutes (using my cooking method) is ideal. It cooks the yolk through, but still leaves them pretty, tender, and creamy.
Hard Boiled Egg Time
It’s really a matter of personal preference. The picture below gives a nice visual for results with different cooking times for hard boiled eggs.
6 minutes: the yolk is pretty liquid-y still and the white is very soft.
8 minutes: a soft yolk but firm enough that it doesn’t run.
10 minutes: just a smidge of softness in the middle.
12 minutes: a perfect hard boiled egg (IMHO) that is cooked through, but still tender and creamy.
14 minutes: the lightest yolk and a firm white, but not overcooked yet.
Why some hard boiled eggs have a green ring and how to avoid it!
Pet peeve of mine? Seeing hard boiled eggs with a green ring around the yolk. Just…no. That greenish-gray outline appears around the egg yolk from over-cooking the eggs (and sometimes from having too much iron in the cooking water.) It’s caused from a chemical reaction – the sulfur (from the egg white) and iron (from the egg yolk), creating a slight sulphuric flavor. Eggs with a green ring aren’t bad for you, but they certainly aren’t pretty!
Cooking Tips!
- Make sure not to overcrowd the pot. You want the eggs in a single layer and not touching.
- 7-10 day old eggs are far easier to peel than fresh eggs. I also find that it’s easier to peel them under some running water, which seems to release that tricky membrane.
- Have an ice bath ready! This will cool the cooked eggs quickly and prevent further cooking, plus make them easier to peel
- There are variables. Altitude, your stove, the size of your pot, size of the eggs, and the amount of water all play a role in getting those eggs perfect.
Does it matter if I have a gas or electric stove?
Nope! Because either way, once you achieve that rolling boil, you’re removing the pot from the heat source. I’ve used my method on gas, electric, and induction all with the same great results.
How long do hard boiled eggs last?
If you want to make the hard boiled eggs ahead of time, cook and peel as directed, then store them in a tightly sealed container and place in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
Hard Boiled Egg Calories
One hard boiled egg is 81 calories and contains 7 grams protein and 5 grams of fat. They are rich in potassium and calcium. Hard cooked eggs really make a great addition to salads or a nice on-the-go snack!
Alternative Methods for Hard Boiled Eggs
So you’ve got yourself an air fryer and an instant pot and want to make hard cooked eggs that way instead? No problem.
Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs:
- You can cook 1-6 large eggs (cold from the fridge) this way.
- Preheat a 3.5-quart air fryer to 270 degrees F. Add the eggs to the fryer basket and cook 15 minutes. Remove the eggs and plunge them into an ice bath. Peel when cool enough to handle and enjoy!
- NOTE: Every air fryer is different and might take longer or less time to cook. It’s also personal preference how well cooked you like your eggs. If this is your first time trying this, cook 1 or 2 eggs at first and adjust from there.
Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs:
- You can cook 1-12 eggs (cold from the fridge) this way, as long as they are in a single layer and aren’t wedged together or overlapping.
- We like the 5-5-5 method. 5 minutes at pressure, 5 minutes before releasing pressure (if it doesn’t naturally release first), and then 5 minutes in an ice bath before peeling.
- Check the manual that came with your pressure cooker for the minimum requirement of liquid to use, and add at least that amount. If no instructions are given, add 1 inch of water. You can use a standard metal or silicone steamer basket instead if your pressure cooker didn’t come with its own. (If you don’t have a steamer basket, you can skip it, but you might end up with cracked eggs.)
Recipes Using Hard Boiled Eggs
Other Classic Egg Recipes
- The Best Scrambled Eggs
- Perfect Poached Eggs
- How to Make an Omelette
Watch the video for perfect hard boiled eggs
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
How To Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
Ingredients
- 8 large cold eggs
- Cold water
- Ice
Instructions
- Gently place the eggs in a single layer at the bottom of a medium pot. Fill with cold water to cover eggs by 1-2 inches. Heat the pot on high and bring the water to a rolling boil. Once it starts boiling, turn off the heat, remove the pan from the burner, cover, and let sit for 12 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a large bowl of ice water and let cool until just slightly warm, about 4-5 minutes. (This will cool them quickly and prevent further cooking, plus make them easier to peel.)
- When the eggs are cool to the touch, peel by gently tapping the eggs on the countertop so they’re crackled all over, rolling eggs between your hands to loosen the shell. Holding the egg under cold running water, start peeling at the large end where the air pocket is.
- Slice, dice, or enjoy whole.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Other Notes
Thanks for these tips. Been making hard boiled eggs for decades and this was great. I love the visual comparison of different cooking times
Thank you for your approach to making hard boiled eggs. I came to your website for a bread and butter pickle recipe, and one thing sure has led to another! I used to boil eggs this way, and I am glad to be inspired to go back to this method. One tip that seems to be a good one. On the “broader” end of the egg, I now punch a small hole with a pushpin, and since then, no problem removing the shells.
Thank you for these instructions. Eggs came out perfectly and no green ring and a creamy middle. I’ve been doing it wrong for years.
Turned out perfect!
Your recipe here says single layer in the pot. But I need to hardboil 4 dozen! How would this be done? Or if I were to boil ahead, how do I keep them for a couple days?
For the stovetop method you’re referring to, you’d either need a large pot or boil in batches. Storage information is included in the article.
Thank you for this article. I’ve never been able to get my eggs perfect until now.
Perfect! First time ever for me the shells came right off and were perfect. The yolks and whites were perfect,also. Thank you so much for sharing.
100% PERFECT!
I did the stovetop method for 13 minutes. They came out so creamy and perfect. Best hard boiled eggs ever.
Thank you so much for sharing all these different ways. I’m old school and prefer the stovetop method, but I recently got an insta pot and will try them that way.
Thank you! Finally they are perfect!
Usually ended up with the grey ring around the yolk until I followed your method. So I know this really works!
Foolproof method – worked perfectly, thank you!
Exactly the way I do hard boiled eggs.
Awesome, I like boiled eggs, I cook it often but in a different way, I will try to boil it your way, it sounds very new, thanks for your sharing.
Very easy and simple. Thank you.
I boil eggs very often, but I have never boiled this way. Definitely have to try it tomorrow
I have always placed the eggs into
an already vigorously boiling pot of
water, letting them boil for perhaps
6-7 minutes.
This has always resulted in perfect
hard boiled eggs, for me at least.
I prefer a more solid yoke.
I love this recipe so much.
Works perfectly every time!
Cooking is an art, I love it, learning and updating new recipes has always motivated and loved me. Today was a lucky day, How To Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs was great, just follow the instructions and everything else is simple, I know something new, I love that. Thanks for your sharing
I always see recipes that state the lid needs to be on them after taking them off of the high heat. I do not see that posted one way or the other. Which should I try?
Hi Dawn – if you read step one again, you’ll see it does state “remove the pan from the burner, cover, and let sit…” Cover means lid on.
Cant wait to try this my self. A perfect morning dish! Thanks for sharing!
Boiled Eggs is great! i like eggs. Simple but very useful, which I have done the wrong way before. Feel your recipe and share
This is THE BEST way. It was foolproof, thank you for sharing.
It is look very delecious. I will try this. Thanks for sharing!
Boiling eggs is easy but having perfect eggs is not. This is a flawless technique, thank you so much.
Oh ya everything needs skills even boiling eggs, this’s useful post. Thanks for sharing.
Oh great to know these tips, also how to advoid the green ring, I will try and see how it works, many thanks for the post.
I love eating boiled eggs. However, getting a delicious egg after boiling is not really easy.
Thank you very much for the article
I loved this article, thank you! Made the eggs following your tips and they were in fact perfect.
I tried this today for my Easter dinner and the eggs turned out perfect , I was so happy that my eggs didn’t tear up trying to peel them. Thank you for this recipe to make perfect boiled eggs.
This is exactly how I do it – tried and true!
I fall under that percentage of people today who don’t have an instant pot that’s all the rage, so I was thrilled to find this recipe. Made some using this old school method and it can’t be beat. Thank you!
Made a few batches today for Easter eggs using this method – it really is perfect. I had never heard of peeling them under water before. That really helped. Thank you for the tips!
Made these today. This method is perfect, thank you!
Can we store them peeled in a Tupperware container? If so for how long? Does the whites get hard?
Hi Cynthia – I cover that information in the blog post and in the recipe notes of the printable card, thanks!
BOILED EGGS is awesome! They look really attractive. I like the color as well as its taste, great. I don’t think it’s so simple to do it. Thanks for your sharing
Amy, that recipe looks so yummy! I’ll have to try that one. Thanks for sharing.
Amy, this is such a delicious meal! I love making it for the family !
Oh it’s great to know, I usually have it for breakfast , but I had no idea to make a perfect one, now I can make my own. Thanks for sharing.
Just wondering if you save them in fridge do you take shellsboff or leave on
Well ya, boiling eggs is easy, I haven’t thought too much about that, just boil them, after reading your post, I know more tips for cooking. Many thanks.
Amy, it looks so yummy! I love the step-by-step instructions, making it an easy recipe to follow!
Did this and it was perfect! Excited to try your best scrambled eggs next!
Tried your method today – perfection!
Amy, this looks amazing! Thank you, I will try this right away)
Amy, thanks! This looks so simple to make, yet looking really satisfying and tasty!
Amy, it looks perfect and tasty! Can’t wait to have this anytime of the day, love it!
I keep seeing methods for instant pot, but I don’t have one. Actually, nobody I know actually has one. This old school stove top method is tried and true, thank you!
You do not like green eggs (and ham)? How could you not, asked Sam-I-am.
I tried your technique and it works well, although I dropped the “cooking” time to 10 minutes. This lets me cook a week’s worth of eggs at once, which I keep in the fridge. I try to eat an egg a day since that study of over 400,000 Chinese adults last year showed that just one egg a day lowered the risk of hemorrhagic stroke by 26% and the risk of death by that cause slightly more, compared with egg abstainers. That’s some science for those egg-hating kids to chew on.
At the ripe old age of 43, today was the first time I have ever made deviled eggs. Never too late to try new things! I used this recipe for the hard boiled eggs; followed the directions exactly and it was perfect. Thank you for your foolproof method! I’ve saved your egg salad recipe, too.
electric stove holds heat too what to do
remove it from the burner.
Wow finally easy to peel and perfect colored yolks. Thanks for instructions and all the tips, it was perfect.
I have been happily been this method for decades. I do remove the eggs after 10 minutes and the yolk is bright yellow every time. (I do salt the water) Thanks for posting.
If you turn your carton of eggs upside down overnight, then cook them the next day, the yolk will be in the center of the white.
That is a fantastic tip! Thank you so much!
Gas stove or electric?
For electric, you should remove the pan from the burner.
easy to cook! just make it and enjoy
Wow! I didn’t know these things until I read yours. Thank you for your tips!
That looks delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe. Moreover, Eggs is my favorite dish. More energy
Great method to have perfect half hard boiled eggs. Served it with fresh salads. Yummy!
I add baking soda to the water it help with the peeling process.
After cooled, I crack the eggs, making sure there’s at least one hole in the membrane underneath, and then put them back in the water for a couple of minutes. The key is to get water between the membrane and the egg itself, so the shell peels off nicely.
Great idea. !!
Two thumbs up. It worked!
Thanks for sharing. I kept turning them grey inside. LOL Now I will try it your way which is way less time. :)
Have not been that fussy about seeing the ring around the cooked yolk, but your eggs look so beautiful, I will follow your instructions and see how successful I am.
Good idea