If you’ve ever wondered how to make perfect hard boiled eggs, this post is for you! Easy peel hard boiled eggs can be tricky, but they don’t have to be. From how long to boil eggs, to the best way to peel them, this post will have you on your way to perfect eggs every time!
If you love making hard boiled eggs, try our Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs too!
Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
I’m so excited to teach you how to make perfect hard boiled eggs today! My husband is the king of making the perfect hard boiled eggs. I made him write down all of his secrets to share with you today, so take it away Cullen! xoxo
Hey, Cullen here also known as Mr. Picky Palate. I love adding hard boiled eggs to my diet to increase the protein intake. I use boiled eggs in between meals or after a workout. Excited to share my tips with you that can save you tons of time.
How To Boil Eggs
Talking about how to boil eggs! To get started, set fresh eggs into a medium sized sauce pan. Some say that letting the egg acclimate to room temperature will stop them from cracking. I personally have found no correlation to stopping the crackiness by leaving the eggs out of the fridge. Every once in a while I get a cracked egg, but for the most part they stick together (I discuss more of this further down).
Step 1: Add Cold Water To Eggs
I like to pour cold water in the pan and completely cover the eggs. Approximately one inch plus of water above the eggs is sufficient for boiling. Additionally, the construction man in me chooses cold water as I prefer not to use hot water coming from the copper pipes in my food, as copper over time disinigrates more with hot water running through it.
Step 2: Bring Eggs To a Boil
Place the eggs with water over high heat and bring to a boil.
Step 3: Boil Your Eggs
For our gas stove, bringing the eggs to a boil takes about 15 minutes in our larger saucepan.
Step 4: Add Ice To Eggs To Stop Cooking
Once you’ve boiled the eggs between 10 to 12 minutes (I use 11 minutes), bring the eggs to your sink and lightly set ice and water on top of the eggs. We want to stop the cooking process and get them ready to devour.
Approximately 10 minutes under ice works for me. Pull an egg out of the water and you can get a feel for it’s readiness. If the egg is warm, keep it in the ice longer.
How Long Does it Take to Hard Boil Eggs?
When boiling starts, set a timer to 11 min. It’s important to be flexible in this step. Everyone has a different stove, size of pan, types of eggs, and so forth. What I suggest is you start at the guidelines I discuss and adjust from there as batches come out. The time for boiling could be anywhere from 10 to 12 minutes.
I’ve found that white eggs tend to crack more than brown eggs. If you have a problem with cracking eggs, once you bring to a boil, take the heat to medium and add a minute or so to your boiling time. Another way to try, is that once the eggs boil take off the heat, cover and let sit for approximately 12 minutes.
One goal of mine when boiling eggs is to eliminate the green egg yolk. I’m sure we’ve all seen the green egg yolk. Even though this is harmless to us, this recipe aims to avoid or minimize this.
How to Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
I get most annoyed at an egg that doesn’t peel well (see below as why an egg doesn’t peel well). I believe there is an art to cracking an egg. What I like to do is crack it all around the egg by tapping it on a hard surface.
I then squish the egg shell all around and you feel the shell start to separate from the egg….now this is perfection.
Pure magic as the shell glides off the egg.
Sometimes the shell may not come off this easily. It is known in the egg world that the more fresh the egg, the more difficult it is to peel. When that’s the case, I run water on the egg as I remove the shell. Also, occasionally there is a thin filmy skin between the shell and egg that I remove. I’m particular about removing this so I spend the extra seconds to remove it by running my fingers around the egg while under running water. Don’t ask me why–I just want it gone.
I’ll cut the egg in half so you can see inside.
Nicely cooked yolk and whites. Perfect hard boiled eggs.
How To Serve
Serve hard boiled eggs chilled with shells removed. They’re great for eating anytime and perfect for Holidays.
How to Store
I prefer to store my hard boiled eggs in a carton. I mark the carton and keep the eggs in the fridge. They can last in the shell for up to 1 week.
Use Your Hard Boiled Eggs With This Recipe
How To Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
Equipment
- Stove
- saucepan
- knife
Ingredients
- 12 eggs
Instructions
- Set 12 eggs or as many as you desire (in a single layer) into a large saucepan. Fill pot with water to completely cover the eggs at least 1 inch above eggs and turn heat to high. Bring water to a boil, takes approximately 15 minutes. As soon as eggs start to boil, let boil for 10-12 minutes (I do 11 minutes). Set timer to help.
- Immediately remove from heat and set pot in a clean/cleared out sink. Fill with cold water and ice cubes to stop cooking. Turn water off and Let eggs sit in ice for 10 minutes. Eggs should feel cool to the touch.
- Carefully crack the egg shell all the way around the egg. Squeeze the shell until the shell has detached from the egg and peel. See photos for visuals.
- Keep hard boiled eggs in their shell in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
Pin Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
Welcome to my online kitchen! Picky Palate is where you’ll find family friendly recipes along with the best Disney eats, tips and copycat recipes! 
I COOK MY HARD BOILED EGGS WITH ABIT OF VINEGAR IN THE WATER,
USE COLD WATER PUT THE EGGS INTO IT BRING IT TO BOIL THEM ABOUT
TWENTY MINUETS. ONCE THE TIME IS UP I take them out, put them
into a large bowl that holds two dozen in an put them into the frig,
over night , next day they are nice an cold an don’t have much problem,
to peel, just an odd one, have fun for have to make two dozen devil
eggs for a pot luck, .
Thank you so much for this tip. I’ve always read where people boil them and then turn off the heat while it never seems to work for me so I can’t wait to try your method this Thanksgiving.!
Btw you’re so pretty ☺️
Thanks this was quick and easy
Do the eggs need to be peeled immediately or can they be stored in shell in the fridge?
Thanks
its better to put them in the fridge for a few hours before you peel them, it will make them easier to peel
These were perfect! Thank you!
how about if i only boiled 3pcs organic eggs??? should i still boiled for 11mins?
Yes! No matter the number – they still require same cook time
Thank you for such an eggcelent tutorial. I, too, am incredibly particular re: my boiled eggs (if I an truthful, actually about most things). I am boiling them as I write per your specifications. Have already done a first batch so can say this is wonderful and so very helpful. I will most definitely not have to throw out any because they came out “wonky” even though most of the 24 are being used to make egg salad for tomorrow’s sandwiches. My household will be grateful for my less throwing away of viable but “ugly” eggs.
When you put ice on the eggs after cooking can you color them afterwards (using brown and white eggs)?
My eggs were perfectly cooked and very easy to peel!
I Loved all your tips and tricks! Very helpful :)!
I find that when I add the eggs, then water then bring both to a boil I always have trouble peeling them. If I boil the water first, then add the eggs (gently) then I rarely have trouble peeling them.
Really great info here.
Our family loves boiled eggs.
I have made these twice now and each time they came out amazing! I will only use this method from now on. So easy and fast. Perfect every time. Thank you so much for this recipe.
So helpful to me, Thank you much for sharing this post.
It was perfect. This is the first time I’ve boiled eggs so perfectly. Thank you.
Omg! THIS SOUNFS LIKE A COMEDY SKIT FROM SNL.YOU BUNCH OF NERDS!
Really great info here.
Our family loves boiled eggs.
I prefer steaming instead…it’s more consistent for any number of eggs and any kind of stove. 13 1/2 minutes from the fridge.
If I boil 30 eggs together, is it still the same cooking time?
I would say as long as the pan is big enough the eggs should cook the same time.
i love hard boiled eggs too. My mother and grandmother cooked eggs for 20 to 25 min. Without placin a lid on pot. I can’t wait to cook eggs the correct way. I have over cooked my eggs for over a two decades. I might have eggs everyday next week
I love the visual you have here! I always seem to second guess myself and boil eggs too long, so it’s great to see how just an extra minute or two can change things. Will have to experiment with this for my lunch next week!
Thank you for sharing
If you crack the eggs while they are still hot and run cold water over them as you peel them,the shell comes off easily including the thin film between the shell and the egg.
That’s how I was taught!
You can buy and egg shaped device to put in water it will tell you exactly how done your eggs are while cooking, then pour out water add cold and peel perfect eggs.
I found that if I add baking soda or vinegar to water before boiling I have no cracked eggs.
For years we have made Deviled Eggs for the holiday dinners and always had the hardest time peeling those little rascals. One day I was told to steam my eggs and they will peel very easy. So I steamed my eggs last year, getting ready for Thanksgiving and after letting them cool completely, these steamed eggs peel so easy I could not believe it. We actually found a way to easily peel our eggs for deviled eggs, steam them, it works. Give it a try, it will change your life.
Just wanted to add to your already great explanation. My grandmother taught me that when you put the eggs n the water also add salt a good bit. This keeps the eggs from cracking during the boiling process. I don’t know why this works but it does. Just thought it would add to your website. Happy Easter!!
Awesome recipe, I have always had trouble cooking hard-boiled eggs, and I just made two batches of eggs with your recipe and they came out perfect. Great job.
Do you dump the boiling water out before adding cold water and ice cubes?
For the first time in years…my hard boiled eggs came out perfectly by following your post!!! thank you
Hi!
I just thought I’d share This. My husband did this trick and now it works every time. If you drop the eggs into boiling salted water they peel perfectly usually in just 2 or 3 pieces. We boil them for 16 minutes and I always stir the water 1st and use a large wooden spoon to set them down into the water. You should try it’s!
Happy egg boiling!
Jen