How To Cook Hard Boiled Eggs (No-Fail Stovetop Method)

Learn how to make perfect hard boiled eggs with our easy, no fail recipe. It takes less than 15 minutes and produces perfectly cooked eggs every time.

This is my favorite method for making hard boiled eggs. I love to keep a batch in the fridge for snacks throughout the week. I also use them to make classic egg salad, deviled eggs, avocado toast with egg, and my favorite potato salad.

You won’t believe how easy it is to cook hard boiled eggs. Follow my tips, and you’ll be making the best boiled eggs in no time! If you have an Instant Pot, we also have this easy recipe for Instant Pot hard boiled eggs.

How to Cook Hard Boiled Eggs

Tip 1: Place eggs in a single layer. You don’t want to pile them on top of each other. Keeping them in one layer at the bottom of the pot, reduces the risk of cracking the shells when they come to a boil.

Tip 2: Cover by about two inches. Pour in water and cover by about two inches. Some hard boiled egg recipes have you bring water to a simmer and then tell you to add the eggs. I don’t like doing this since adding a cold egg to very hot water risks cracking the egg.

Tip 3: Watch your pot closely. The moment the water begins to boil, cover the pot with a lid and cook for 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, move the pot off of the heat then set a timer for 10 to 12 minutes (I’ve shared suggested cooking times below).

Tip 4: Quickly cool your eggs. Transfer the cooked eggs to an ice bath so they stop cooking. I use a slotted spoon to remove each egg from the hot water and then carefully drop them into a big bowl filled with cold water and ice. When the eggs are cool enough to handle, you can peel them.

How Long to Boil Eggs

What size eggs do you have? The right cook time for hard boiled eggs depends on a few things: the size of your eggs, your altitude, and how firm you want the yolks. After lots of experimenting, here’s our guide to the most accurate cook times:

• Medium eggs: Cook for 9 to 10 minutes
• Large eggs: Cook for 11 to 12 minutes
• Extra-large eggs: Cook for 13 to 14 minutes

For softer eggs. If you prefer a slightly softer yolk, reduce the cooking time by a minute or two. When making a large batch of eggs, I like to “sacrifice” one egg at around the 10-minute mark and check for doneness. If it’s underdone, I’ll keep the eggs in the water a minute or two longer.

Higher altitude. If you live at a higher altitude, you may need to cook the eggs slightly longer than we mentioned above (I’d start with three to four additional minutes of cooking time).

More Egg Recipes

• Perfect Scrambled Eggs
• Eggs Benedict
• Chorizo and Eggs
• Easy Poached Eggs

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

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• COOK 12 mins
• TOTAL 12 mins

Here’s our foolproof stovetop hard boiled eggs recipe. The recipe assumes four eggs, but you can increase or decrease them as you see fit (as long as the eggs can sit in the saucepan in one layer).

4 or more eggs

Watch Us Make the Recipe

You Will Need

4 or more large eggs

Water

Directions

1Place the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 to 2 inches. Heat over high heat until the water comes to a rolling boil.

2Cover the saucepan with a lid, cook for 30 seconds, then remove from the heat and let stand for 12 minutes.

3A minute or so before the eggs finish cooking, prepare a bowl of ice water.

4Transfer the cooked eggs to the ice water using a slotted spoon and leave for 5 minutes (or longer).

5Crack egg shells and carefully peel them away. If the shells are not easily peeling away from the eggs, place them back into the ice water and try again in 5 minutes.

6**Cooking time can range from 10 to 14 minutes, depending on the size of your eggs, altitude, and how firm you want them to be. If you are cooking a large batch of eggs, it might be a good idea to “sacrifice” one egg and check doneness.

Adam and Joanne's Tips

• Easy peel hard boiled eggs: Cool your hard boiled eggs completely before peeling them! If you’re still struggling with peeling hard-boiled eggs, crack the cooled egg and place it back into the ice bath. Water will work under the shell, making peeling a breeze after about 5 minutes.
• Storing unpeeled hard boiled eggs: Unpeeled hard boiled eggs are your best bet for longer storage. Refrigerate them in their shells for up to one week. You can store them in a bowl or an airtight container.
• Storing peeled hard boiled eggs: Peeled hard boiled eggs don’t last as long. Store peeled eggs in a container full of water or wrapped with damp paper towels so they don’t dry out. Eat them within 5 days.
• The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.

Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1 egg / Calories 71 / Protein 6 g / Carbohydrate 0 g / Dietary Fiber 0 g / Total Sugars 0 g / Total Fat 5 g / Saturated Fat 2 g / Cholesterol 185 mg / Sodium 62 mg AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher