This is my favorite method for cooking 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 make perfect 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 on the Stove
Place eggs in a single layer on the bottom of a saucepan. You don’t want to pile them on top of each other. Keeping them in one layer, reduces the risk of cracking the shells when they come to a boil. 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. Bring the water to a boil. The moment the water begins to boil, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, move the pan off of the heat then set a timer for 10 to 12 minutes (I’ve shared suggested cooking times below). 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
The perfect 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
These cook times will result in fully set yolks. 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). Water 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.
