To hard boil eggs, the typical cooking time is about 10 to 12 minutes. This timing results in fully cooked yolks that are solid but not dry or chalky. Here is a summary of recommended methods and timings:
- Place eggs in a single layer in a pot and cover with cold water about an inch above the eggs.
- Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, either:
- Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let eggs sit in hot water for 10-12 minutes, or
- Keep the water at a gentle boil and cook the eggs for about 10 minutes.
- Immediately transfer the eggs to an ice water bath to stop the cooking process and make peeling easier.
- Let eggs cool in the ice bath for at least 10-15 minutes before peeling
Shorter times yield softer yolks:
- 6 minutes for runny yolks
- 8 minutes for softly set yolks
- 10 minutes for classic hard boiled eggs with creamy yolks
- 12 minutes for fully hard yolks with a firmer texture
Cooling eggs quickly in ice water is crucial to prevent overcooking and green rings around the yolk, and it also helps with peeling
. In summary, 10-12 minutes in hot water followed by an ice bath is the standard for perfect hard boiled eggs.
