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!
Thank you for my perfect hard boiled eggs. I love eggs any way they can be used. 😊
I’m so glad they were perfect!
These eggs were the best ever. I kept them in the water for 10 minutes and they were creamy and amazing. They looked just like the picture. Really pleased with this simple recipe.
I’m just wondering when you say to bring the eggs to boil, do you mean a rolling boil, or just to where the bubbles are breaking the surface?
Hi Tracy, just to a point where the water hits a boil – past the tiny bubbles stage.
E
I’d expect some change in times for higher elevations. What do you suggest for 7,000 ft. in elevation? Thanks!
Am I leaving the pot on the hot burner? I might if missed that part.
yes, you leave it on the burner but turn off the heat.
Fun fact: the only way to make eggs easier to peel is adding 1 tbsp of white vinegar for every 4 cups of water. Egg shells are made of calcium carbonate, which can be broken down and penetrated by acid. Do that, and you thin out the shell and weaken the membrane that makes stubborn hard boiled eggs easier to peel. You can add more vinegar if you don’t mind a slightly briny taste to make it even easier, but 1 tbsp is the minimum.
All the other “tricks”, like ice baths, using old eggs, and baking soda don’t actually make a consistent difference. Perception is reality, right? Although I do still recommend an ice bath to halt the cooking process any time you boil something!
10 minutes was not enough. The eggs were still very soft.
Thank you so much!!! I boiled my water and eggs and let them sit for exactly 12 minutes. They came out Perfect. No green ring from over boiling!!!! I did use my enamel coated cast iron so the heat would be distributed evenly, that probably helped, then let them sit in an ice bath. Perfection. Thank you ❤️
You missed putting them in ice cold water once you take them out of the pan. Transfer from pan to ice cold water for 14 mins and then the shell comes off easily. She states this clearly in the article…
Don’t be so snotty. Everyone else here tried it and they came out perfectly. Did you considered the possibility the problem lies with you? 🙄🤦♂️
The first time you explained it, you said boil them for 9 to 12 minutes. Then at the end, when you wrapped it up, you said, boil the water and let them sit in the pot for 9 to 12 minutes after turning off the heat. So which is it thank you very much. I always have green eggs and difficult peel. I will definitely try turning them upside down before boiling them.
Hi Mari, you bring the water to a boil, then turn it off. The eggs cook in the hot water.
Great recipe! I’ve used it a few times now. Thank you very much!!
I’m so glad your eggs have been perfect!
Thank you so much for the pictures with the cook time after boiling! That is super helpful as I like them how they turn out after 12 minutes and most recipes describe them, but I know how they look at not necessarily a description of color and consistency. My eggs came out perfectly. Thank you for such an easy to follow, simple visual recipe 😁
I’m glad your eggs came out perfectly!
Thank you for the description of the varying doneness levels. This recipe works perfectly!
Hi Allie, so glad you found it helpful!
When you turn off the heat should the pot stay on the same burner? I have a flat top electric stove.
Hi Lynn, either way works!
This feels like it may be a dumb question, but when I turn the off the heat and cover the pot should I leave it on the hot burner…or remove it and place it on an unused burner???
I clicked on the egg salad recipe & it says to take off the burner, so probably off the burner. I’ll update you when I’m done with the eggs I’m currently making
Yes, very important missing step. I’m going to assume that you need to remove it from the burner. Makes sense when you consider gas vs electric burners.
I leave mine on the burner and they turn out perfect.
You leave it on the burner
Hi there I’m a big fan of a properly made egg and I thought you might enjoy this hint, I take the jar of pepperoni and once eaten I put as many HBO eggs as possible and let them soak overnight! What a wonderful little kick out of my lunchbox and bonus- no need for any salt saving my blood pressure. I hope you try this out and enjoy. Your welcome Erik H
I keep pickled beet juice in the jar and soak hard boiled eggs overnight in it.
I love that, yum!
May I have egg salad recipe. comments no more trouble peeling eggs
Here’s the egg salad recipe: https://www.loveandlemons.com/egg-salad/