The Best Hard-Boiled Eggs

Article by Alice K. Thompson

Tender whites, creamy yolks and shells that slip off with ease: Our Food Network Kitchen staff tested countless methods and ran rigorous side‑by‑side comparisons to land on a foolproof boiled eggs recipe. And the technique is refreshingly simple. You’ll get perfectly cooked, easy-peel eggs every time, ideal for deviled eggs, egg salad, Easter eggs or just delicious high-protein snacking.

How to Make Hard-Boiled Eggs Like a Pro

Turns out the best way to hard-boil eggs may be the simplest. These tips from our expert test cooks ensure easy peeling and reliably creamy, perfectly yellow yolks every time.

Boil water before adding eggs. Start with boiling water for the most reliable results. Lower the eggs gently into boiling water, then reduce the heat to a slow boil for evenly cooked eggs that peel cleanly.

Maintain a gentle boil during cooking. A full, rolling boil increases the chance of the eggs cracking, creating messy, unevenly cooked eggs. The small, consistent bubbles of a low boil keep the eggs intact and cooks the whites evenly without toughening.

Fridge-cold eggs are fine. Refrigerated and room‑temperature eggs cook nearly identically. The only difference: room‑temperature eggs finish about 30 seconds to 1 minute faster, so adjust timing if yours are warm.

Time precisely. Set a timer as soon as your eggs are in the water. Our master recipe produces versatile 12-minute eggs with rich, creamy, just-set yolks ideal for most uses. See below for to-the-minute timing for other textures and extra-large or jumbo eggs.

Cool in an ice bath. Immediately transfer cooked eggs to ice water for the smoothest whites and the easiest peeling. A 10‑minute ice bath is ideal, although a 5-minute soak works in a pinch.

Locate the membrane for clean peeling. Tap the egg on the counter to create a network of cracks. Starting at the larger end where the air pocket is located, aim to get underneath the thin membrane just beneath the shell and work toward the pointed end.

Freshness affects peeling, but only slightly. Fresher eggs can be harder to peel cleanly, but even farm‑fresh eggs peel well when started in boiling water and chilled immediately. Aging eggs in the fridge for a week increased peeling ease slightly, though cooking and cooling techniques are more significant.

Batch size is flexible. Tests with 4, 6 and 12 eggs per batch worked almost identically as long as the pan was sized to fully submerge the eggs in one layer.

Skip baking soda, and don’t bother piercing eggshells with a pin. Our rigorous testing did not support adding baking soda to the boiling water or poking shells with a pin before cooking to improve peeling. Easier can be better!

How Long to Boil Eggs

While a classic hard-boiled is the standard for egg salad, deviled eggs and Easter eggs, you can adjust the time if you’d like softer or jammy eggs. Note that all times are from the moment eggs are added to boiling water, and are for large eggs: Add 30 seconds if you’re using extra-large eggs and 1 minute for jumbo.

Runny yolks: Six to seven minutes

Jammy yolks: Eight minutes

Perfect hard-cooked: Twelve minutes

Beyond 13 minutes, the yolks became crumbly, and by 15 minutes they developed a gray-green ring.

How to Store Hard-Boiled Eggs

Store hard-boiled eggs in their shells for up to a week; the shells will help keep them moist and fresh. You can even store them in the egg carton they came in, or in an airtight container.

Once peeled, use boiled eggs within 3 days for best texture. You can submerge peeled eggs in a container of cold water, seal the top and refrigerate for up to a day; this will keep them very moist and prevent them from turning rubbery or absorbing refrigerator odors. To store them longer, change the water daily to avoid bacterial growth. Or you can refrigerate them wrapped in a damp paper towel and in an airtight container.