Learn how to make hard boiled eggs perfectly every time! With this easy method, they'll be easy to peel and have vibrant yellow yolks.
Here’s the good news: perfect hard boiled eggs are easy to make. …And the bad news: so are less-than-perfect ones. I don’t know about you, but I’ve certainly cooked my fair share of the latter. When you try to peel away the shell, half the whites come along with it, or when you cut it open, the yolk is slightly green instead of brilliant yellow. Pretty disappointing, if you ask me.
See, cooking perfect hard boiled eggs is easy, but that doesn’t mean that the process you use doesn’t matter. After years of trial and error, I’m happy to say that this method for how to make hard boiled eggs works every time! The yolks are always sunshine yellow, and the shells slide right off. Whether you’re getting ready for Easter, prepping for Passover, or just on the hunt for a protein-packed snack, this easy hard boiled egg recipe is guaranteed to please.
How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs
Follow these simple steps to make perfect hard boiled eggs every time:
First, boil the eggs. Place them in a pot and cover them with cold water by 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
Then, let them sit in the hot water. As soon as the water begins to boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot. Leave the eggs in the hot water for anywhere from 10-12 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. The 10-minute eggs will have vibrant, creamy yolks, while the 12-minute yolks will be paler and opaque, with a chalkier texture.
Finally, move them to an ice bath. When the time is up, drain the eggs and transfer them to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Leave them in the ice bath for at least 14 minutes before you peel the eggs.
If you’re not planning to eat the eggs right away, feel free to leave them in the shells and store them in the fridge. But even if this is the case, don’t cut the ice bath short! It’s crucial for stopping the cooking process and making the eggs easy to peel later on.
See below for the complete recipe!
Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs Tips
- Buy the eggs in advance. If I’m cooking sunny side up eggs, fresh eggs will yield the best results every time. But if I’m hard boiling them, the opposite is true! Boiled farm-fresh eggs are more difficult to peel than older eggs. If you want to make perfect hard boiled eggs, it pays to buy them in advance and cook them after a few days in the fridge.
- Store the eggs upside down. This tip comes from Jack’s mom, who makes the BEST deviled eggs for family gatherings. In order for the yolks to land right in the center of the hard boiled eggs, she recommends storing the raw eggs upside down before you cook them.
- Don’t skip the ice bath! Overcooked hard boiled eggs have an unappealing greenish ring around the yolks. We want our yolks to come out sunshine-yellow, so transfer the eggs to an ice bath to stop the cooking process as soon as they come out of the pot. This step is also crucial for making hard boiled eggs that are easy to peel. The ice bath helps separate the egg membrane from the shell, so you’ll be able to peel away the shell without ripping off chunks of egg white.
- Peel them carefully. The ice bath should set you up for success here, but that doesn’t mean the shell will all come off in one piece. Gently rap the egg on the counter to break the entire shell into small pieces. Carefully peel it away along the fractures, leaving the egg whites as intact as possible.
Storing and Serving Suggestions
Peeled or unpeeled hard boiled eggs will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Enjoy them as a protein-packed snack with salt and pepper or Everything Bagel Seasoning, slice them into salads, add them to grain bowls, or top them onto avocado toast. I also love to make hard boiled eggs to turn into deviled eggs, pickled eggs, or healthy egg salad!
How do you like to eat hard boiled eggs? Let me know in the comments!
How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place eggs in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let the eggs cook, covered, for 9 to 12 minutes, depending on your desired done-ness (see photo).
- Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water and chill for 14 minutes. This makes the eggs easier to peel. Peel and enjoy!
Such a helpful guide! I always struggle with getting the perfect texture for hard-boiled eggs—either they’re overcooked or underdone. Do you have any tips for making them easier to peel afterward? Thanks for sharing this!
I find that running the egg under cold water while peeling helps a lot. Not sure if it’s the running the water or its how I made the egg. I did it per this recipe and it was a breeze to peel.
Thank you for this wonderfully detailed guide on how to make hard-boiled eggs! I appreciate the tips for achieving the perfect texture—it’s great to know the timing differences for soft, medium, and firm yolks. Your step-by-step instructions and photos make the process so approachable. I also loved the idea of adding a pinch of salt to make peeling easier. Looking forward to trying this out!
I had never tried putting the eggs in first and was so hoping this would work (as I always manage to have 1 or 2 eggs crack once they hit the boiling water.) And it did not disappoint. I didn’t turn the heat off until I had a full boil, and my thermometer read 212° F. I then let them sit for 15 minutes and then straight to an ice bath for another 15. Had to take off one star because peeling those babies was quite a job!
She said to transfer them immediately to the ice water, not 15 minutes later!
Bring your eggs up to room temp before placng in boiling water ~20-30 min
thank you ! great information
Several are saying the eggs are undercooked. I made these last night , and they were perfect. The key is to bring to a steady boil and cover. Cut off the heat, but don’t move the pot off the burner. I left mine for 12 minutes and did the ice bath for 15 minutes.
Does high altitude cooking require a longer boil or sit in the water?
I used to live in Florida and if boiling water hit my hand, it was major pain, but here in the Rockies boiling water doesn’t feel nearly as painful, so I wonder.