How long should you boil eggs? It depends on how you like the yolks—soft, jammy, medium, or fully set. This step-by-step guide includes exact cook times for every level of doneness, plus my favorite tips for perfect, easy-peel eggs every time.
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Quick Answer: How Long to Boil Eggs?
Lower cold large eggs gently into boiling water and cook uncovered to your desired doneness:
- 6 Minutes: Liquid yolk, soft-set whites
- 7 Minutes: Jammy yolk, fully set whites
- 8 Minutes: Medium-boiled, moist but softly set yolk
- 10 Minutes: Classic hard-boiled, tender yolk
- 12 Minutes: Firm, fully set hard-boiled egg
Immediately transfer to ice water for 10 minutes to stop the cooking and ensure easy peeling.
How to Boil Eggs Video
Boiled eggs are one of those simple kitchen basics that are easy to overcook or undercook. Whether you’re making soft-boiled eggs for breakfast, hard-boiled eggs for Egg Salad, or a batch of Deviled Eggs for Easter, my stovetop method makes it easy to cook eggs exactly how you like them. You’ll love how easy they are to peel, too.
Helpful Reader Review
“This detailed guide for how to cook boiled eggs is so helpful! I can never get my boiled eggs cooked right, with this post I can now make perfect boiled eggs every time!” – Valentina ★★★★★
How I Tested This Method
I tested both cold-water and boiling-water starts. Lowering cold eggs straight into boiling water yielded the most consistent cook times and made the eggs significantly easier to peel.
Tips for Perfect Boiled Eggs
- Use a 3-quart saucepan – This easily fits 8 large eggs. Ensure the water covers the eggs by at least 1 inch.
- Lower eggs gently – Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to carefully lower cold eggs into the boiling water so they don’t crack.
- Keep a gentle boil – After adding the eggs, adjust the heat to maintain a steady boil, not a hard, rolling boil.
- Set the timer right away – Start timing as soon as the eggs go into the boiling water.
- Use an ice bath – Chill the eggs for 10 minutes to stop the cooking and help the shells release.
How to Boil Eggs
- Boil the water – Fill a 3-quart saucepan with enough water to cover 8 large eggs by about 1 inch, about 5 to 6 cups. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Add the eggs – Carefully lower cold eggs into the boiling water using a slotted spoon or skimmer. Reduce the heat to keep them at a steady boil.
- Cook to your desired doneness – Once the eggs are in the water, start the timer and cook uncovered according to the timing chart below. While the eggs are cooking, prepare the ice bath.
- Transfer to an ice bath – Move the eggs (a spider strainer or slotted spoon is handy) to a bowl of ice water right away and let them chill for 10 minutes before peeling or storing.
How to Use Boiled Eggs at Different Doneness Levels
Which boiled egg time is best for your recipe?
- 6 Minutes (Runny Yolk): Best for serving in an egg cup with toasted bread for dipping. Do not cook for less than 6 minutes or the whites will be watery.
- 7 Minutes (Jammy Yolk): For topping ramen bowls, grain bowls, or upgrading your morning toast.
- 8 Minutes (Medium-Boiled): Perfect for a quick, high-protein snack on the go. The yolk is moist but won’t make a mess.
- 10 Minutes (Tender Hard-Boiled): The gold standard for mashing into a creamy Egg Salad or a classic Potato Salad.
- 12 Minutes (Firm Hard-Boiled): Best for cleanly slicing over a Chicken Cobb Salad, making Deviled Eggs, or shredding over High Protein Avocado Toast. Avoid going past 12 minutes to prevent a green ring.
Best Eggs for Boiling
Egg size and freshness can affect how long eggs take to cook and how easily they peel. Here’s what to know before you start:
- Egg Freshness – Older store-bought eggs are easier to peel. For farm-fresh eggs (from backyard chickens) my instant pot boiled eggs method makes them easier to peel.
- Size Matters – We use Large Grade AA eggs. Large eggs (2 ounces each) are the standard size in most recipes so we stick with those. Medium eggs will cook faster, and Extra Large or Jumbo eggs will take a little longer.
Does Adding Vinegar or Salt Make Eggs Easier to Peel?
Salt and vinegar are optional. Vinegar may help if an egg cracks, and salt can help reduce how much egg white leaks into the water. I don’t rely on either for easy peeling—the hot-water start and ice bath make the biggest difference.
How to Peel Boiled Eggs Easily
Crack the egg firmly at the wide end where the air pocket is, then peel from that end to get under the membrane. Peeling under cool running water can also help loosen the shell.
If you’re peeling a whole batch for Deviled Eggs, try my Easy Peel Eggs method for peeling several eggs quickly at once.
How to Store Boiled Eggs
Boiled eggs should be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking. Keep them unpeeled when possible to prevent drying out and odor absorption. If peeled, store them in an airtight container.
- Hard-boiled eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Soft-boiled eggs aSoft-boiled eggs can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days (though they are best served fresh).
Once you try this boiling-water method, it just might become your go-to way to boil eggs for breakfast, snacks, salads, and Easter eggs.
How to Boil Eggs
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs, (can use 6-12 eggs), cold from the fridge
- 5-8 cups water, or enough to cover the eggs by 1 inch
Instructions
- Fill a large saucepan with enough water that it will be about 1" above the surface of the eggs. With the lid off, bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Gently lower cold eggs into the boiling water (a spider strainer or slotted spoon is helpful), taking care not to crack them.
- Reduce the heat to keep the water at a gentle boil – not aggressively boiling, which can cause cracks. As soon as the eggs are in the water, set a timer for your desired doneness (ranging from 6 minutes for a runny yolk up to 12 minutes for a firm hard-boiled egg; see notes below).
- Prepare your ice water bath, and as soon as the timer is done, transfer the eggs to an ice bath right away and let them sit for 10 minutes before peeling or storing*.
Notes
- Boil 6 min: Runny yolks with soft-set whites
- Boil 7 min: Soft-boiled, jammy center, set whites
- Boil 8 min: Medium-boiled, soft-set yolk, set whites
- Boil 10 min: Tender hard-boiled egg, firm whites
- Boil 12 min: Fully hard-boiled eggs with firm, dry yolk
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Recipes with Boiled Eggs
Boiled eggs are perfect for quick breakfasts, snacks, salads, and appetizers. Here are some of my favorite ways to use hard-boiled eggs:
- Chicken Cobb Salad
- Boiled Egg Chocolate Pudding
- Guacamole Stuffed Eggs
- Chicken Avocado Salad
- Easter Egg Chicks
- Salmon Cobb Salad
- Potato Salad
- Greek Cobb Salad
- Creamy Potato Salad
- Deviled Egg Chicks
Perfect. Thank you. I love your recipes! My family went gaga over the cheeseburger sliders. They are now on the rotation!!! I am making your decadent chocolate cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting for my sister’s bday in July. I think I will try the cake prior…..just to test it in my oven. I bought your cookbook and am using it frequently. No nonsense excellent foods with direct instructions, and the videos are great!! Enjoy your family, they are growing so fast.
Thank you, Peggy! I’m so glad you’re enjoying using the cookbook.
I hard boil my eggs in my air fryer w230 degrees for 20 minutes. Then into a ice bath peel great and are a perfect egg
Thank you for sharing that with me, Linda!
Hi From fan in South Africa! An interesting fact: When we are in Johannesburg where I grew up (5751 above sea level – rather high!) it takes 5 minutes for a soft-boiled egg. In Cape Town ( at sea level) it takes 3 and 1/2 minutes! We serve breakfasts at our boutique holiday suites so this is well tested! The difference is becasue of may be becasue of atmospheric pressure. Thus, you may need to rethink your suggestions.
Best wishes
Jeanette
Hi Jeannette, thank you for your comment, yes, altitude will change the outcome. And that could be the culprit if there is a difference, but I have no way of testing it through. You may just need to do some testing to see what timings work in your specific elevation.
Hi Natashaskitchen,
Thank you for the boiled eggs Tips, it works perfectly.
I use this method except I live above 6,000 ft where water boils at a lower temps so eggs need 15 minutes for hard boiled.
Hi Diane, yes, higher elevation will change the timing. You may just need to do some testing to see what timings work in your specific elevation.
The method for boiling eggs is great I use it all the time it’s soooo easy Thank you Natasha
I have recently heard that steaming eggs instead of boiling them always results in them being easy to peel, regardless of the date of sale. My husband swears by this method and it seems to work. Another trick I’ve heard of to make eggs peel easier is adding baking soda to the water.
I’m curious what your thoughts are on these two methods? Thank you!
Hi Betsy, I have heard steaming eggs is a great way to help the eggs cook gently and evenly. The baking soda trick can also help the eggs since it slightly changes the PH of the water, but I have found the eggs in an ice bath right away makes the biggest difference. If you try all 3, I’d love to know what your preference is. I love that your husband has a go to method!
I use this method and it works great. One more thing: I like warm eggs for breakfast, so after the ice bath, I peel them under warm water and set them in a pan filled with hot water for a little while. 😊
I’ve been cooking for over 60 years. Cover eggs with water bring to a rolling boil. Cover and take off heat. 13-14 minutes. Empty pot..run under cold water. Perfect hard boiled eggs every time mash.add dollop of mayo.salt and pepper.and chives or chopped green onions or onion of preference. To be fancy..cut each egg in half. Scoop out yolk fill whites with above recipe and serve with a sprinkle of paprika. Voila a masterpiece