Make perfect hard boiled eggs every single time with this foolproof method.
Hard boiled eggs are one of my favorite things. I like them by themselves with a little bit of salt and pepper, or I turn them into egg salad or, the best, deviled eggs.
But how do you make hard boiled eggs that are perfectly cooked in the center without being over-cooked? Follow along below. Oh, if you want to try something different, stay tuned for learning how to steam eggs. It’s a technique that you’re going to love. Why? You get perfectly cooked hard “boiled” eggs that are easier than ever to peel.
How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs the Classic Way
Put the eggs into a saucepan in a single layer.
Cover by 1 inch of water.
Put saucepan, uncovered, over high heat.
Bring to a boil.
Once the water is boiling, remove the pan from the heat. Cover it and let it sit for 12 minutes.
Drain off the water.
Fill the saucepan with cold tap water.
Add ice cubes and let sit until cooled all the way through, about 10 minutes.
Refrigerate the unpeeled eggs or peel and refrigerate.
Hard Boiled Eggs
Make perfect hard boiled eggs every single time with this foolproof method.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 6 eggs 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- ice cubes
Instructions
- Put eggs in a single layer in a medium saucepan.
- Add enough cold tap water so that the water is above the eggs by 1 inch.
- Set it over high heat and bring to a boil uncovered.
- When it boils, remove from heat and cover.
- Let sit for 12 minutes.
- Drain water. Fill saucepan with cold water. Add 4 handfuls of ice.
- Let sit until eggs are cooled through.
- Refrigerate unpeeled or peel and refrigerate.
This post originally appeared in May 2018 and was revised and republished in April 2021.
I also use a sewing needle to puncture the end but the rounder end. This keeps them from cracking as they are boiling. I want to try steaming them.
Thanks, Bridget!
Dear Ms. Pittman:
I have always boiled the water first, punctured the shell at it’s point to make a tiny hole and added the eggs to the boiling water. I’ve kept the heat up for exactly 7 minutes and removed the eggs to run under cold water. Then, I’ll put the eggs onto a little “stand” or shot glass and either slice off the top with a knife or use a little device to make a perfectly circular crack, then using a knife to slice off the top. I get a perfect soft boiled egg. If I let it go 12 minutes, I’ll get hard boiled and if I need medium, I go in between. Leonard Feld
Leonard, I’ve never heard of puncturing the shell first. How interesting. I actually make my soft boiled egs differently from how I make my hard boiled eggs. Soft boiled is here https://thecookful.com/perfect-soft-boiled-eggs/ . But basically, for soft boiled, I add the eggs to already simmering water. For hard boiled, the eggs start in cool tap water. Note that my favorite way to do hard boiled eggs is to steam them instead of boiling them. They end up with the perfect yolk temperature and are easier to peel. Explanation and instructions are here if you’re interested.