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!
OMGOOODNESS!! Perfect, perfect eggs, thank you! I’d ‘asked my phone’ for the best way to cook HBE, and not only was this the quickest, but the timings & ice water method are perfection. I’d never tried the ice bath & forgot to ‘create one’ last time (my first) so I just put them in cold tap water and peeling was rubbish.. I’m now sitting with the lid on the pan, 1 minute 30 seconds away from adding the to the ice water…(which is being created as I type!) But, HUGE, HUGE thanks!
Does it make a difference whether your eggs are right out of the refrigerator or at room temperature?
Most eggs are Lg, but I use XL or sometimes Jumbo. It would seem they would need more time than large eggs. Advice?
Thanks for helping take the guesswork out of perfect hard boiled eggs. Even my daughter asks for the hard boiled eggs after using your technique to cook them.
After reading other comments, I wanted to add that I tried this method on an electric range and left the pot on the burner after turning off the heat. Eggs were perfect for me (centers cooked) after 12 minutes. I’ve also tried it removing the pot from the burner with no difference in results. We have chickens so the eggs were quite fresh (1 week old, much fresher than most supermarket eggs). They still peeled like a charm! Thanks for posting this method!
Absolutely perfect!! I’ve botched up a lot of eggs but not with this receipe! Thank you!!
Love this ! ❤️ So helpful! ☺️
There are a lot of “recipes” for the perfect hard-boiled eggs, and I’ve tried many. This one worked! Thank you for making my potato salad better.
I’m so glad it worked well for you!
Are you making these on a gas stove or an electric stove? Or do you take the pan off the burner after the water boils?
Hi Maro, I use a gas stove and leave the pan on the burner. If using an electric, you could move it off the burner.
amazing, followed to a tee and it worked.
I’m glad your eggs were perfect!
I am an egg salad freak and make it at least once a week. I always put mine in cold water to stop the cooking but never thought of the ice bath, it worked a treat and egg shells came away without a problem. I like to add mango chutney, mayo, curry powder, celery and green onions to my eggs.
Hi and thanks. The Eggs thrives are perfect at 11 minutes. First peel was shaky but I noticed the shell was ultra thin. Sometimes that’s what you get buying mass marketed brown eggs the next may peel perfectly (-8
I’m glad your eggs worked well!
Holy crap, these were actually perfect. Literally the easiest time I’ve ever had peeling. I happen to be making egg salad so it didn’t really matter how well they came away from the shell but dang. I know the method I’m using next time I make deviled eggs! Thank you! 💕🙌🏻👍🏻
I’m so glad your eggs were perfect!
I like to make a hard boiled egg & tuna pasta salad. That adds an extra punch of protein and great flavor. I prepare elbow macaroni as I would for macaroni salad… using your favorite ingredients. Add in the chopped egg and tuna (two hard-boiled eggs for one small can of tuna) and serve over a bed of greens. A perfect lunch/brunch.
Perfect. I did this this morning. I pulled two of the eggs out at about 7 minutes for breakfast. Left the rest in for another 3. Ate my breakfast while they cooled in the ice water. Afterwards I made egg salad for sandwiches. Mmmmmmm!
I’m so glad they were perfect!
Followed all directions and peeling was worse ever.
I have made it many times and they come out perfectly (but never did before I started doing the ice bath and using the “older” eggs).
Make sure to read all of the directions (her side notes too) and try it again. Sounds like your eggs may have been too fresh.
Just wanted to say thanks for responding to my comment about the plate (can’t find it now). I’ll be on the hunt! And looking forward to your next recipes!
Oh of course – I search terms like “french vintage” and usually find cute things/stores that way – always something different, depending on the day 🙂
This one is the best recipe and works, the timing is impeccable. I’ve tried others out there and it doesn’t make it as perfect as these. I use a regular cooktop, stainless steel pot.
I’m so glad your eggs have been perfect!
This is my go to for perfect eggs. Never fails. I use an induction cook top. Switch to fill out and wait for a full boil . Switch off, cover and wait. It’s the ice bath that’s the secret.
I’m so glad your eggs turn out perfectly!
I love to hard boil eggs to then cut up and add to my tossed salad for some added protein. Hard boiled eggs are a must in my potato salad and macaroni salads. Can’t have a summer salad without hard boiled eggs.