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Learn all the tips and tricks for how to boil eggs to make the perfect hard-boiled eggs. It’s quick, simple, and NO FAIL!
Whether you’re adding them to a salad, Egg Salad Sandwiches, or making Deviled Eggs, knowing how long to boil eggs is a MUST.
The Secret You’ve been waiting for!
After countless attempts to figure out how long to boil eggs perfectly (hot starts, cold starts, cook time, and ice bath time), we’ve learned the best method for boiling eggs.
Why is it the best?
- NO FAIL! This method works every time, no fail.
- It’s simple. Just a few added steps is all that’s needed for perfect, no gray around the yolk eggs.
- Works for Fresh eggs or Older Eggs. We tested this too, and it still works! The main trick is to always use a HOT START.
We have found many methods to make Easy Peel Boiled Eggs, but of those ways, we have our go-to that is the most simple, quick, AND always results in a perfectly boiled egg that peels easily.
How Long to Boil Eggs
If the water is boiling, ladle the eggs into the water, then boil for 15 minutes (ice bath for 5 minutes).
We have tried many other ways of doing this (with hot starts), including:
- Simmer for 15 minutes – Ice bath for 5 minutes (our top choice)
- Simmer for 15 minutes – Ice bath for 10 minutes
- Simmer for 13 minutes – Ice bath for 15 minutes
- Boil for 8 minutes – turn off the burner and let sit for 10-25 minutes – Ice bath for 15 minutes
All worked, but some took more time than others and some didn’t peel as easily, which is why we stick with the first method.
It always works, and the result is PERFECT!
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- water
- ice bath – cold water with ice in a bowl
The Perfect Method
- WATER. Bring water to a rolling boil in a medium pot or saucepan (the KEY for perfect eggs).
- EGGS. Once the water is boiling, gently place eggs using a strainer ladle or slotted spoon, into the water in a single layer. Turn the heat down so it is at a simmer, and simmer the eggs for 15 minutes.
- ICE BATH. Add the eggs to a large bowl of ice water (ice bath) and set a timer for 5 minutes.
- PEEL. Remove from water. To shell, tap the eggs on the counter to crack. Easily peel the eggs and see that they are perfectly cooked – with a nice no-gray golden-yellow yolk!
For even more methods of eggs that peel easily, check out these Methods for Easy Peel Boiled Eggs.
More Cooking options
- Microwave. Fill a bowl big enough to submerge an egg with water. Microwave for 3 minutes. Using a needle, safety pin, or thumbtack, prick the bottom of the egg to prevent it from exploding.
- Put the egg in the bowl of hot water, cover it with a plate, and microwave for 4 minutes at 50%. Leave in the water for an additional 2-3 minutes before peeling.
- Oven. Preheat to 350°F. Put 1 egg in each cup of a muffin tin. Bake for 30 minutes, and then place in an ice bath for about 10 minutes. Simple!
- Instant pot. Check out this post: Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs!
What can you make with them?
Hard-boiled eggs make a great snack. Simply peel and season with a little salt and pepper. There are also a variety of egg recipes you can make with them.
They make great additions to almost any salad!
The possibilities are endless but remember they are great as an after-school snack or for your Easter celebrations!
Recipe Tips + Storing
- Label your eggs. Place boiled eggs back in the carton and label the carton “Hard Boiled,” or mark each egg “HB” with a permanent marker.
- To check unmarked eggs, give it a spin. If it is hard-boiled, it will spin like a top. If it is not boiled, the yolk will keep it from spinning smoothly and it will wobble a bit.
- A soft-boiled egg has a completely cooked egg white but with runny yolks. To cook a soft-boiled egg, complete the recipe as directed except only boil the egg for 6 ½ minutes before placing it in the ice bath.
- Overcooking the eggs will cause a green ring to form around the yolk and it will take on a more sulfur smell, but they are still safe to eat.
- STORE eggs in the fridge. If peeled, place them in a dated Ziploc bag or in an airtight container for up to one week.
For more great Tips:
How to Boil Eggs
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- water
- ice bath
Instructions
- To start, bring water to a boil in a medium pot. Once the water is boiling, gently lower the eggs using a strainer ladle, into the water. Turn the heat down so it is a simmer, and simmer eggs for 15 minutes.
- Once done, add the eggs to an ice bath for 5 minutes.
- Remove from water, tap on counter to shell. The shell will come off perfectly and the eggs will be cooked perfectly as well!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Perfectly done shells slipped off thank you!!!!
I have to admit that I was skeptical of this at first I’ve never had all my eggs be easy to peel and not come out looking like craters on the moon. This method didn’t disappoint! Absolutely perfect results 👌 😍 thank you so much for sharing your recipe with me.
Perfect every time!
Works perfect everytime! The hot start is a must!
Thank you! Super easy, come out perfectly.
All 6 eggs shelled so easily! Where has this recipe been all my life?
Yay!! I’m so glad to hear that it was a success for you!
It’s a no fail recipe indeed! It turned out perfect, just how we love our boiled eggs. Lovely recipe!
I usually use my Instant Pot to boil eggs, but it was being used, so I tried this method. Worked great!
Thanks for the tips Kristyn! I love the outcome of my boiled eggs and used them to make egg sandwiches. Must try!
I made your taquitos with chicken and cream cheese and spinach Delicious! I added to mine cooked onions and mushrooms with garlic. I poached my chicken instead od cookingnit in oil or butter. To Poach I used a quick method you might like to try.
I cooked 6 boneless and skinless chicken bteast. I put cold water in a 8 quart pot. I filled it it about half full then brought it to a boil then removed it from heat and added the 6 breast. The recipe says leave in pot of boiling water off the stove for a minimum of 20 minute’s or up to an hour maximum time. Then my husband put in a ziploc bag. That’s it. What I like about this method is the chicken doesn’t dry out but stays moist. Plus it was pliable. I used just my hand to shred the chicken for taquitos. I usually have to use a fork because the meat is tougher.
Thank you kindly for sharing your wonderful recipes. 😊
What do you think about poaching chicken instead of other methods?
Do you start with room temperature eggs or right from the refrigerator?
Either. The instructions should work well for either one!
Have you tried soft boiled eggs? I like the yokes slightly raw. 🤔
The shell comes off perfectly
This egg cooker is an excellent source of choline, protein and vitamin A, and a good source of folate and vitamin. How long to cook them, and what’s the secret? I grew up with hard fried eggs, and I guess I cannot get the hang of it. Thanks!
This method worked great!!! Thanks for the tip!
You’re so welcome! Glad it worked out well for you. 🙂
Can you leave the eggs in the ice water longer then a few minutes?
Generally eggs are left in ice water from about 5-15 minutes. I’m not sure how they turn out if they are left in an ice bath longer than that but I would imagine they would still turn out and peel just fine. Hope this helps! 🙂
This is how I make hard boiled eggs. I think I learned it in Home Economics class over 50 years ago. Put raw eggs in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to a rolling boil for 3-5 minutes. Put the lid on the pan (a lid that fits tightly) and turn off the heat. Let it sit until the water is able to be touched — warm but not hot. Drain and rinse the eggs with cold water or hold them in an ice bath. Cool and peel. Presto. Done. P.S. My mother-in-law says they have to be at least a week old to peel nicely.
Thanks so much for sharing with us your method! It’s so true – older eggs peel better than the newer. 🙂
My grandma always added a pinch of baking soda so the egg is always easy to peel perfectly…just adding my 2 bits
Thanks so much for the tip! I appreciate it!
I tried this and my microwave exploded. Not only did the egg itself explode after having several holes poked into it, but the plate I used to cover the bowl and the microwave plate as well!!
Oh, no! I am sorry it did! Not sure what happened?!
I do the cooking wife is I’ll in bed, get help from google. When I do my boiled eggs in water in microwave, I add salt as usual, but also white vinegar, the shells are easier to come off, and at Easter, give the shell mottled colouring. Thanks for your tips. Keep safe.
Thank you for sharing that! You too!
I don’t know why, but for me, the egg shell still stuck, and while the inside was perfectly cooked, the peeling was just like any other hack I’ve tried. I wouldn’t say not to try it, I am at a higher elevation (does that make a difference I wonder?) as well as use city water. I never had such trouble until I moved to a city. So maybe that’s it. Otherwise, perfectly cooked, just trouble peeling.
I also used to have trouble peeling them no matter what method I used. Then I read an article that stated it was the freshness of the eggs that was the problem. Too fresh and the white membrane didn’t separate from the shell. Since then I’ve been aging my eggs for a couple weeks before I boil them. Never had a problem since! I just rotate my cartons and boil the oldest while using the freshest for scrambled eggs & baking. Give this method a try!
If your eggs are really fresh, don’t boil them… steam them! Use a steamer basket and follow the usual directions. Even farm greasy eggs have the peel fall right off!
Thank you so much for the research and the tip! I appreciate it!
I dont make hard boiled eggs often enough to always remember the timing of it all…so this is my ho to recipe. Thank you!
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How long is the cook time for 10 eggs please?
Boiling eggs in mIcrowave. Well, teied it. 4 MINUETS for 2, wronG. Egg WASN’T even PartIally cooked. Salt does keep them from exploding, thats good. My mIcro was on 100% too. Maybe 8-10 miN’s. WIll try again
These came Out perfect! No gray edges on thE yolk!
Yay!! SO happy! Thank you for letting me know!
This really is the perfect way to make eggs! No other way to make them!
THANKS FOR POSTING SO MANY OPTIONS! QUESTION: WHEN HARD BOILING EGGS IN THE OVEN, SHOULD YOU FILL THE MUFFIN CUPS WITH WATER?
You are so welcome! Nope, no need to add water.
i love having an egg for breakfast… esp when i am on the go. These turn out great EVERY TIME i use this method! Thanks so much for sharing
Funny how something as simple as a hard boiled egg can be such a Pain. I hate when half the egg white gets peeled off with the shell. Thanks for sharing yOur tips it works great!
Thank you! I needed this hahah I have failed so many times at hard boiled eggs before this
Best way to boil eGgs! Never have An issue. The shell just slips right off.
Thanks for the tips! Super helpful!
Great method, they come out perfect every single time!
I’m excited to be able to get perfect eggs every time now!
I needed this! I’ve never been great at making hard boiled eggs!
This will definitely come in handy with easter coming up. Thanks for helping me get it right.
Thanks for sharing this! My eggs turned out perfect, after trying it this way. I always love trying new ways to find the best one & this has been the best!
Almost everyone love it
Lol..that is good 🙂
would anybody have a tip to peel fresh yard eggs?
Hello – how are you!!
The Salt in the water is the Magic Trick to keep the eggs from bursting while boiling!
That I learned from somewhere — cannot remember exactly where
all I can think of is when I went back to school in my Late 30’s and had to take Chemistry…
Take Care and THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIP — AWESOME! WORKED PERFECTLY
Wish we could use the oil but we are coloring them tonight.
Happy Easter — 2015
Carie & Ethan
From: Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Thank you so much for posting this on boiling eggs. I feel so stupid every year asking my Mom again about how to boil eggs for Easter. They never come out the same. I’m saving this post forever:) And the best part, I can do it all by myself now:) Thank you.
Thanks for the helpful tip will have to try this mine always come off with the shell
Just saw this on tv….to remove the shell. ..put it in a glass with about an inch of water. Put your hand over the end so that all the water stays in the glass. Shake like CRAZY! The shell will slip off! It’s AMAZING! !!
My trick for easy peeling: After doing the above, take egg out of cold water, crack the shell all the way around by tapping it on the counter. Then roll the egg between your hands, under a tiny stream of cool water. The shell will practically roll right off the egg!
I use this method, but after boiling, I fill with cold water, pull each egg out and crack it at the bottom. Then, I put them back in the water for 10 minutes or so. I rarely have any trouble peeling them when I do it this way.
Finally, someone who posts the ONLY way that works! This was how my mom hard-boiled eggs when I was growing up, so I didn’t know any other way. When I read all the wacky ways to do hard-boil an egg, it’s truly shocking because they never work.
The only part that I don’t understand is the addition of salt and oil. I’ve never used anything other than boil them in plain water for 10 minutes. My advice is to drop the additions. I’ve never had issues with plain water.
This is the way I have always done it and it works every time for me. I put the eggs in a saucepan and just barely cover them with tap water. I put them on the stove-cover them-turn the burner on high. When I hear them begin to boil, I turn the stove off and never touch the pot of eggs. I leave them right there for 15 minutes. I take them off the stove and drain the water off. I then put the cover back on and shake the pot or slide them back and forth in the pot. You can either let them cool for a while or you can peel them right then, (which is what I usually do). Usually the peeling slides right off some of them during the last process, otherwise they are all cracked all over and ready to peel.
Will have to try this too!
Sharon, your way of cooking boiled eggs is eggactly (sorry) the way I did it for 50 yrs. While it worked about 60-75% of the time, that 25-40% was so frustrating! My daughter told me about the hot start, ice cold finish method 6 months ago and the results are perfect! I do a slow boil for 10 minutes (timed) and just put them immediately in an ice bath until I’m ready to use them for the meal I’m making (untimed). I find a 10 minute low boil turns them to the perfect level of doneness for me. Soft, bright yokes, yet fully cooked. For hard boiled eggs 13-14 minutes. I’ve learned you don’t want a hard boil when you slip the eggs into the pot – the shells can crack from the turbulence!
I have never before made perfect hard boiled eggs. Thank you!!!
Pinning!
Just a little tidbit of info here. The easy peeling of an egg depends on how old the egg really is. A freshly laid egg has less of an air sac, so nowhere for moisture to settle after you boil it and try to peel. The older the egg the larger the air sac becomes. So with that being said, if you buy freshly laid eggs from your local farmer you can bet that it is only one to two days old. Make sure you plan ahead at least by a week before you boil them. Now, store bought eggs are usually a week old or more already and usually there is no problem with peeling.
Thanks for the info, Shannon!
I just wanted to say THANKS for sharing this. I pinned it a few weeks ago b/c the last time I hard-boiled an egg, it was a pain. This worked great for us! 🙂
It always works for us too! Glad it helped. 🙂
Tried this and they turned out not fully cooked 🙁
Sorry, Mel. They always work perfectly when I do them. Did you follow the direction exactly?
Too many variables. Your “cold” and my “cold” water are surely different. Plus the rate at which my stove Boils the Water. How bout the Temp of the Eggs??
Does this work well if you are dyeing the eggs? Concerned about the oil on the eggs for dyeing.
I was wondering the same thing. I’m boiling 3 dozen eggs for our church kids to color.
Wondering if they cook evenly to use for deviled eggs? Mine always seem to cook lopsided.
Does this method work with fresh eggs? I’ve never used this method but every other one I’ve tried only works with “old” eggs.
Lately mine have been so difficult to peel for some reason, that I waste a good portion of the egg! I piinned this; thanks!
because I was looking for this since a long time,..:)
Hello,
Is there a difference if you are at high altitude? I like in Colorado so it is always hard to find a solid recipe for hard boiled eggs.
Thanks!
I’ve started baking mine instead of boiling them. Works great!
Well, for the one egg that didn’t blow up, it worked perfectly!
Great tip! I’m pinning this 🙂
<3 Christina @ I Gotta Create!
I will have to try this method… it’s the peeling that gets me!
I like the sound of an easy-to-peel egg! Do you reduce heat when it’s started to boil? Leave it uncovered?
Nope… didn’t cover, didn’t reduce heat… I just let it boil for ten minutes. 🙂
Thanks for the tip! Pinning so I remember next time I boil eggs!
Thanks for the tip! My eggs are usually a hit or miss. Thanks!
Thanks so much for sharing the IP method! I appreciate it. Very helpful!