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    Home » Breakfast & Brunch » Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

    Published: Mar 19, 2013 · Modified: Mar 2, 2023 by Lisa · This post may contain affiliate links, which means we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.

    Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    Sliced hard boiled egg on plate with salt and pepper.
    Hard boiled egg cut in half.
    Hard boiled withh with knife and salt and pepper.

    Get Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs every single time when you follow this easy recipe! You only need 15 minutes and a large pot to get the creamiest boiled eggs that are easy to peel and great for dying or making the best egg salad.

    Colored hard boiled eggs in white dish. this recipe

    Calling all egg lovers! We have all the tips and tricks for you to get Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs every single time you make them!

    I know you can buy preboiled eggs at the store and while they may be uber-convenient, let's face it, they don't taste anywhere as good as a freshly hard boiled egg that you make at home.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • FAQs
    • Expert Tips for Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
    • Substitutions and Shortcuts
    • More Great Egg Recipes
    • Recipe

    Why you'll love this recipe

    ✔︎ No more losing half of the egg white when you try to peel hard boiled eggs. These peel easily every.single.time.

    ✔︎ NO green yolks! This method will give you bright yellow yolks, not overcooked green yolks.

    ✔︎ You can control the doneness of the yolk. Cook them just the way you like them.

    Ingredients

    You only need eggs to make this easy recipe. Just be sure to purchase them a week before you want to make them.

    Dozen white eggs in carton.

    Ingredient Notes:

    Eggs: Any size eggs work here but you do need to buy your eggs in advance. Eggs that are one week to 10 days old peel more easily than fresh eggs.

    Instructions

    You can get perfect hard boiled eggs in less than 30 minutes.

    Pot filled with water and layer of eggs, then covered for cooking.

    Gently set the eggs in a single layer in the bottom of a large pan and fully immerse them in water. Bring the water to a boil, let it boil for 1 minute and then cover it and remove from the heat. Let it sit for exactly 12 minutes.

    Ice water with boiled eggs in it. Boiled eggs peeled on cutting board.

    Immerse the eggs in an ice water bath and let them sit for 5 minutes. Dry the eggs thoroughly before peeling or coloring.

    FAQs

    How long do hard boiled eggs keep?

    Eggs that have been hard boiled will keep in the refrigerator for 10 days. Be sure to use a container with a tight seal to keep the eggs fresh and prevent the smell from getting in the fridge.

    How do you make a soft boiled egg?

    If you prefer a softer yolk, set your timer for 7 minutes after the water has started to boil. Skip the ice bath and eat them warm.

    What is the best way to color hard boiled eggs?

    I love to use gel food coloring to dye eggs. Here's how to do it:

    Mix 2-3 drops of gel food coloring and 2 tablespoons of vinegar in 1 cup of warm water. Add more gel food coloring as needed to get water to desired color.
    Stir until thoroughly combined.

    Place eggs in the mixture and let sit until the desired color is reached.
    Place on a drying rack to let the color set.

    Once eggs are dry, wipe them with a little canola oil to make eggs shiny and bright.

    Sliced hard boiled egg with knife and salt and pepper.

    Expert Tips for Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

    ✘ Buy your eggs ahead of time. Eggs that are 7-10 days old are best for hard boiling. If you use fresh eggs, you will probably lose some of the egg white when you peel them.

    ✘ Place your eggs in the pan and pour the cold water over the top of them rather than add the eggs to boiling water. Cold eggs going into hot water will lead to broken shells.

    ✘ Roll your hard boiled eggs on a hard surface for easy peeling.

    ✘ Don't forget the vinegar when you dye your eggs. The acidity of the vinegar helps the dye stick to the shell.

    ✘ Stir the water well to mix the gel food coloring, vinegar and water. Some colors take a little longer to combine. A mini whisk is a great way to do this.

    Substitutions and Shortcuts

    ▶︎ If you don't have gel food coloring, you can use liquid food coloring but the color will not be as vibrant.

    ▶︎ If you aren't coloring your eggs, use your favorite kind. I love to use Brown Pasture Raised Eggs to make the best deviled eggs year round.

    ▶︎ Use a food chopper to make the best egg salad! It's a great tool to chop eggs without it getting stuck in the tines of a fork.

    Sliced hard boiled egg on plate with knife and salt and pepper.

    More Great Egg Recipes

    • featured image of breakfast casserole
      Overnight Breakfast Casserole Recipe with sausage
    • sliced spinach quiche with parmesan cheese.
      Quiche Florentine (Spinach Quiche)
    • two ham and cheese breakfast pizzas on a dark wood backdrop with forks and eggs on the sides as garnishes.
      Ham and Egg Breakfast Pizza
    • white baking dish with sausage egg bake cut into squares and ready to serve.
      Sausage Egg Bake

    Check out all of our Tips & Tricks for the kitchen!

    
    
    Did you make this recipe? We'd love to hear your thoughts! 
    
    Please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Your feedback helps us and your fellow readers! 
    
    
    

    Recipe

    Colored hard boiled eggs in white bowl.

    Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

    Garnish With Lemon
    Youll always get perfect hard boiled eggs when you use this foolproof method!
    4.78 from 18 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Breakfast & Brunch
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 servings
    Calories 82 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Dutch Oven
    • Gel Food Coloring
    • Mini Whisk

    Ingredients
      

    For Hard Boil Eggs:

    • 1 dozen large eggs (7-10 days old for best results)

    For Coloring Eggs:

    • Food coloring gel
    • Vinegar
    • Canola Oil

    Instructions
     

    To Hard Boil Eggs:

    • Place eggs in a single layer in a large pan. Cover with enough cold water so water level is 1 inch above eggs and bring to a boil.
      1 dozen large eggs
    • Cover the pot with a lid, turn down the heat, and simmer for 1 minute.
    • Remove from heat and set timer for 12 minutes.
    • Immediately transfer eggs in a cold ice water bath to stop cooking. Let eggs sit in ice water for at least 5 minutes.
    • Remove eggs from water bath and peel or refrigerate. Make sure eggs are thoroughly dry before coloring or eating.

    To Color Eggs:

    • In a deep bowl, mix together 3-4 drops of food coloring gel and 2 tablespoons vinegar in 1 cup warm water.
      Food coloring gel, Vinegar
    • Add eggs to coloring liquid. Let eggs sit in the mixture until desired color is reached. Place on drying rack to let color set.
    • Once eggs are dry, wipe with a little canola oil to make eggs shiny and bright. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
      Canola Oil

    Notes

    ✘ Buy your eggs ahead of time. Eggs that are 7-10 days old are best for hard boiling. If you use fresh eggs, you may lose some of the egg white when you peel them.
    ✘ Place your eggs in the pan and pour the cold water over the top of them rather than add the eggs to boiling water. Cold eggs going into hot water will lead to broken shells.
    ✘ Roll your hard-boiled eggs on a hard surface for easy peeling.
    ✘ If you want softer egg yolks, set your timer for 8-10 minutes instead of 12.
    ✘ Hard boiled eggs will stay fresh for 7 days in the refrigerator. 
    ✘ Don't forget the vinegar when you dye your eggs. The acidity of the vinegar helps the dye stick to the shell.
    ✘ Stir the water well to mix the gel food coloring, vinegar, and water. Some colors take a little longer to combine. A mini whisk is a great way to do this.
    ▶︎ If you don't have gel food coloring, you can use 10-12 drops liquid food coloring but the color will not be as vibrant.
    ▶︎ If you aren't coloring your eggs, use your favorite kind. I love to use brown pasture raised eggs to make the best deviled eggs year round.
    ▶︎ Use a food chopper to make the best egg salad! It's a great tool to chop eggs without it getting stuck in the tines of a fork.

    VIDEO

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 82kcalProtein: 6gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 186mgSodium: 71mg

    Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.

    Did you make this recipe?Tag us on Instagram or leave a comment!
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    About Lisa

    Hi, I’m Lisa! Looking for the party? It’s probably at my house. Nothing brings me more joy than sharing good food with friends and family. That and a seriously good cocktail.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. ashleigh says

      April 16, 2022 at 7:18 am

      5 stars
      these worked great for me! I had them in the air fryer for 11 minutes and right into an ice bath! my kids wanted a paw patrol & frozen dying kit so we didnt use the food coloring recipe, but for the actual cooking of the eggs the directions were perfect!

      Reply
      • Lisa says

        April 16, 2022 at 7:30 am

        5 stars
        Thanks Ashleigh! Sp happy they turned out perfectly!

        Reply
    2. CJ says

      April 03, 2021 at 11:13 am

      1 star
      Followed exactly and 80% of the eggs cracked. I think the trick is actually to NOT get the eggs to a technical boil or they’ll bounce around too much

      Reply
    3. Nikhil says

      March 26, 2020 at 1:10 pm

      5 stars
      Perfect colored eggs, never ever seen this type of eggs. Liked the idea.

      Reply
    4. Ashley - Baker by Nature says

      March 04, 2016 at 5:03 am

      5 stars
      I love hard boiled eggs, so this post is perfect for me! And just in time for Easter.

      Reply
    5. susan / the wimpy vegetarian says

      March 03, 2016 at 9:13 pm

      5 stars
      What gorgeous colors these are!!! And I love the additional links you gave 🙂

      Reply
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