Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
This simple recipe for Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs says goodbye to frustrating peeling and HELLO to perfectly cooked, perfectly peeled eggs!
Say HELLO To Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs!
If you’ve wondered how to make hard boiled eggs that are easy to peel, let me introduce you to my BFF in the kitchen – this simple recipe for Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs!
I’m often in charge of making the deviled eggs for Easter, plus I like to keep a batch of hard boiled eggs on hand for easy, protein-rich breakfast and snack options. So this recipe is EVERYTHING to me. It delivers perfectly cooked eggs with beautiful yellow yolks – and they’re actually easy to peel!
Why This Method Is The Best
I’ve tried countless different ways to make hard boiled eggs – here’s why this method, shared by my dear friend Joanne, is my favorite:
- Actually easy to peel. The egg shells come off easily, in larger pieces – it’s nearly EFFORTLESS.
- Egg whites stay intact. This method leaves you with PRETTY eggs – no chunks of white stuck to the shell.
- Yolks are perfect. By simply adjusting the cook time, I can make both jammy egg yolks and solid egg yolks – and they’re always BEAUTIFULLY YELLOW. No dull gray-green yolks with this recipe.
- Quick & easy, 100% reliable. This method delivers the BEST hard boiled eggs, using eggs straight from the fridge, and they’re ready in less than 20 minutes!
What You’ll Need
This recipe is super simple. Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredients
- Eggs – Use this method to make between 6 eggs and one dozen eggs. I always use large eggs from the grocery store. Many people say that older eggs will peel easier than fresh eggs (if you have your own chickens, have quick access to eggs at a farmer’s market, etc.).
- Water – This method uses boiling water to cook the eggs in a pot, plus ice water to quickly stop the cooking.
- Ice – You’ll make an ice water bath (simply ice and water in a bowl) and transfer the cooked eggs to the ice water, to stop the cooking.
Equipment
- Pot – Use a large pot or a 2-quart, or larger, saucepan.
- Bowl – For the ice water bath. The bowl just needs to be big enough to hold the water, ice, and eggs.
- Large slotted spoon – Use this to set the eggs in the boiling water, and then pull them out again. If you have a strainer/spider with a handle, that’ll work too.
The Most Important Thing To Know about making perfect hard boiled eggs that are fabulously easy to peel is this: use a hot boiling start and an ice cold finish!
How To Cook Hard Boiled Eggs
Here’s how to make easy-to-peel hard boiled eggs, step by step:
- Boil water. Fill a large pot with 2″ to 3″ of water and then bring it to a rolling boil – this is your hot start!
- Add eggs. Use a large slotted spoon to carefully add the eggs to the boiling water.
- Set timer. Immediately set a timer for 14 minutes, for firm egg yolks and whites. For jammy yolks, cook for just 8 minutes. (When I’m making deviled eggs or when I want yolks and whites that are more firm, I set the timer for 14 minutes. Other times, I usually opt to cook for less time, so the yolks are at least a little bit jammy.)
- Simmer. Cook the eggs at a gentle simmer. Do not let the water boil.
- Shock eggs in ice water. Transfer the cooked eggs to an ice water bath and set a timer for 3 minutes, to quickly cool down the eggs – this is your cold finish! Then remove the eggs from the ice water and peel or store.
How Do You Get Boiled Eggs To Peel Easily?
The best way to peel hard boiled eggs starts with gently tapping the wide end of the egg on the counter, to crack the shell. The wider end has an air pocket, which makes for an easier start. Then peel away the shell. It should come off in a few large pieces.
It’s also helpful to peel the eggs under cool running water. This helps the shells slide off even faster, and ensures that any little shells bits are washed away. (I really hate biting a piece of egg shell when I’m eating hard boiled eggs!)
How Long Can You Store Hard Boiled Eggs?
You can peel all the eggs right away or leave them unpeeled. I personally prefer to leave the shells on if I’m planning to store them in the fridge for more than a day. Either way, store your easy-peel eggs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
How Long To Boil Eggs?
Refer to the above photo to see how cook time affects the doneness of hard boiled eggs.
How long to boil the eggs depends on several factors, including size of eggs, pot size, amount of water in the pot, cooking temperature, etc. But in general, you will need to cook large eggs for 13-14 minutes to get firm yolks and whites. Medium-size eggs will take a bit less time, extra-large eggs will take a bit more time.
How To Use Them
You can eat hard boiled eggs as soon as you remove them from the ice water bath. Or store them in the fridge for quick breakfasts and snacking – all they need is a little sprinkle of salt & pepper! Or use them in recipes!
- Deviled Eggs – Create classic deviled eggs or kick it up a notch with sriracha deviled eggs or smoky tomato deviled eggs. And these sautéed Mediterranean deviled eggs are a super fun twist on traditional deviled eggs!
- Breakfast – Serve hard boiled eggs alongside cheesy hashbrown casserole or beef & sweet potato hash. Or with biscuits & gravy or just some simple cream biscuits. Savory eggs also pair well with breakfast recipes like buttermilk pancakes, double chocolate pancakes, and yeast waffles.
- Egg Salad – I adore an egg salad sandwich. And even better, this egg salad with bacon!
- Potato Salad – My dill pickle potato salad includes tender chunks of hard boiled eggs. And you could easily add slices of cooked eggs to this grilled potato salad.
- Pasta Salad – Add chopped hard boiled eggs to bacon ranch pasta salad.
- Green Salad – I like to cut cooked eggs into wedges and add them to this roasted beet salad and grilled romaine salad.
- Pickled! – And yes, you can even make gorgeous beet pickled eggs!
Easy-To-Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
Ingredients
- 12 large eggs
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with 2" to 3" of water, then set it on the stovetop over high heat. Bring to a boil.
- Use a large slotted spoon or spider to gently and quickly lower the eggs into the hot water. I use a very large slotted spoon and add 2 eggs at a time. Cook any number of eggs that you wish, as long as you only have a single layer of eggs that is not overcrowded.
- As soon as you finish adding the last egg to the pot, set a timer to cook for 14 minutes. This will give you egg yolks that are cooked through + whites that are firm. If you want eggs with very jammy yolks, cook for just 7-8 minutes. This may take some experimenting to get your idea of a perfectly cooked egg, as there are many variables (age and size of eggs, pot size, amount of water in the pot, cooking temperature, etc.). See Notes below for more.
- Cook the eggs at a gentle simmer, with very small bubbles rising throughout the water. If the water is ever boiling rapidly, causing the eggs to knock around, be sure to decrease the heat.
- While the eggs are cooking, set up an ice bath: just add cold water and ice to a bowl that's large enough to hold the eggs.
- Once the timer dings, drain the eggs (or remove them with a large slotted spoon or spider) and gently add them to the ice bath, to stop them from cooking more. Set a timer for 3 minutes. Then remove the eggs from the ice bath.
- Gently tap the eggs on the counter, at the rounder/wider end of each egg. This end has an air pocket, which makes it easier to start peeling the egg. It's helpful to peel the eggs under cool running water. If you won't be using/eating the eggs right away, leave the eggs unpeeled and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
