Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

I make hard boiled eggs on a regular basis as I love eating them for breakfast, snacks, and also incorporate them into recipes like my favorite french style egg salad, bacon deviled eggs and salmon nicoise salad.  

Eggs are such an easy, healthy way to add protein any time of day.

To be honest, I never cared for hard boiled eggs growing up.  The yolks were always dry with a dark gray-green ring around them because they were overcooked.  

When they’re cooked properly, they’re so much more enjoyable.  I’ll take a soft, creamy yellow yolk over a dry one any day of the week!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• This is the foolproof way to make perfect eggs every single time.
• You’ll learn how long to cook your hard boiled eggs to reach your desired level of doneness.
• Egg shells are less likely to crack using this method of cooking.
• Recipe includes information on how to peel eggs easily.

Tips for perfect boiled eggs

• Use older eggs instead of fresh.  For years I wondered what makes hard boiled eggs hard to peel.  It turns out, the fresher the eggs are, the harder they are to peel, because the membrane is attached to the shell.  As the egg ages, the membrane separates from the shell, making it easier to peel.  Using eggs that are 1-2 weeks old is ideal, but if you only have fresh eggs on hand, consider making Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs as fresh eggs peel much easier using a pressure cooker. 
• Use large eggs every time to take the guesswork out of when they are done.  See cooking times below to determine the cooking time for your desired level of doneness.
• Cook the eggs gently as instructed in this recipe to minimize the amount of eggs that crack during cooking.  For years I cooked my eggs at a rolling boil the entire time, which resulted in most of the eggs cracking during cooking.  
• Use a pot just large enough to hold the amount of eggs you plan to cook in a single layer with enough room to move around.  Eggs will cook more evenly when they have room to move around.
• Cool eggs in an ice bath.  This stops the cooking process and makes the eggs even easier to peel.

How to hard boil eggs

Cooking eggs isn’t rocket science, but you’ll get consistent results every time when you follow these simple steps.

Years ago I used to cook my eggs by boiling them at rolling boil the entire time, which resulted in more eggs cracking during the cooking process.

Pro tip: The method that I’m sharing with you here is a much gentler way to cook them, which means the egg shells are less likely to crack.

See the recipe card for full instructions.

1. Place the eggs in a sauce pan large enough to hold the amount of eggs you plan to cook in a single layer with some room to move around, then fill the pan with enough water to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Cover the pan and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  When the water comes to a rolling boiling, the pan will release steam and the lid will rattle.  Once boiling, immediately remove the pan from heat and let stand covered for 8-12 minutes depending on the desired amount of cooking time.
2. Place the eggs in an ice bath for 5-10 minutes until cool.  
3. Peel immediately if using or store unpeeled in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

How long to cook hard boiled eggs

The doneness of hard boiled eggs is a personal preference.  I prefer to cook mine for 8-10 minutes for a softer yolk, but many people prefer to cook them for 12 minutes or more until the yolk is cooked all the way through.

Once the eggs come to boil, let stand covered for 8-12 minutes for the desired amount of doneness.

• 8 minutes.  Soft, creamy yolk.
• 10 minutes.  Yolk slightly soft in center.
• 12 minutes.  Fully cooked yolk.
• Anything over 12 minutes may result in overcooked eggs with a grayish green ring around the yolk.  They are still safe to eat, but the yolks may be dry.

Recipe FAQs

Recipe Notes

• Pro tip: Older eggs are easier to peel because the egg white shrinks, leaving more space between the shell and the egg. Choosing eggs between 1-2 weeks old is ideal for hard boiled eggs.
• The cooking times listed are for large eggs, therefore cooking times will vary for eggs that are smaller or larger.
• Let egg stand covered for 8 minutes for a softer, creamier yolk; 10 minutes for yolk that’s slightly soft in the center; 12 minutes for a fully cooked yolk.
• This recipe calls for 8 eggs in a medium pot, but you can cook any number of eggs that you wish. Choose a pot that fits all of the eggs in a single layer with some extra room to move around.
• Hard boiled eggs keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.