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How To Hard-Boil Eggs

Written By: Sarah Perreault Managing Editor
Category
Eggs
Course
Appetizers
Breakfast & Brunches

Here’s how we hard-boil eggs. Cooking time will depend on the size of your eggs. Plan on 12 minutes for large eggs and 15 minutes for extra large eggs. 

(Do you have a different method? Please share!)

Ingredients
eggs
cold water

Instructions

  1. Put eggs in a pan big enough to hold them in one layer.
  2. Cover with cold water by 1 inch.
  3. Turn burner to high heat and allow water to just start boiling. Immediately remove from heat and cover the pan.
  4. Keep pan covered for 12 minutes for large eggs or 15 minutes for extra large eggs.
  5. Remove eggs, and if not using right away, run under cold water to cool and then store in the refrigerator.

About The Author
Sarah Perreault

Sarah Perreault

Managing Editor

Managing Editor Sarah Perreault joined The Old Farmer’s Almanac in 2003. She has tons of quirky and little-known facts crammed into that brain of hers, which may be thought useless elsewhere—but not h...
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Comments

<span>Lynne Lincourt</span> Mon, 02/28/2022 - 09:33
I use the steamer/double boiler method too. It works like a charm.
<span>Beverley Laubert</span> Mon, 02/28/2022 - 06:38
We add 1/2 tsp of baking soda to the water to help with talking off the shells.
<span>Jeff Shreiner</span> Mon, 02/28/2022 - 06:30
I put eggs in 6 Qt instapot with 1 cup water Set 6 minutes high let natural release for 6 minutes than go straight to ice water let set For 3 minutes and start peeling. Only the really fresh eggs give me trouble.
<span>Mandy</span> Tue, 04/18/2023 - 21:03
Isn’t that pretty much the same thing as the article
<span>Carol</span> Sat, 02/27/2021 - 22:39
Try placing your egg in a jar, place the lid on it and give it a shake until you see the peel come off, a little water in the jar wouldn't hurt
<span>Donna</span> Mon, 02/28/2022 - 08:18
Cover one layer of eggs with about 3 inches of water. Bring to full rolling boil for 15 minutes. Immediately run cold water over eggs and the shells will just slide right off ( unless they’re really fresh)!
<span>Suzy Parker</span> Fri, 02/26/2021 - 07:50
all the comments are good for boiling eggs, to I use a teaspoon once eggs are cracked you insert a thin teaspoon under the crack and you can easily remove most of the egg shell some times a very fresh egg just want work no matter what
<span>Gayle Hegland</span> Thu, 02/25/2021 - 19:35
Oops, meant higher altitudes not "higher climates"! Sorry!
<span>Gayle Hegland</span> Thu, 02/25/2021 - 19:31
A room-temperature egg is the easiest to peel. Also, I add salt to the water of week-old eggs. Remember to add time proportionately to the boil in higher climates.
<span>James W Deboard</span> Thu, 02/25/2021 - 13:56
My wife and I had problems for years peeling boiled eggs. My sister told me to add baking soda or salt to the water and they would peel much easier. Been doing this for sometime and no more problems;