How Long To Cook Hard Boiled Eggs

For perfect hard boiled eggs, timing is a key factor in achieving just the right texture. Overcooked eggs will be rubbery and difficult to peel, while undercooked eggs may have a runny yolk. To learn how long to cook hard boiled eggs, it helps to consider egg size and the desired level of doneness.

Cooking times for hard boiled eggs start at seven minutes for small eggs and increase incrementally for larger eggs. For extra-large eggs, boiling time should be capped at 12 minutes.

For soft boiled eggs, which are cooked for a shorter amount of time, start with three minutes for small to medium eggs. For larger eggs, try four or five minutes. The egg yolk should still be runny with a thin layer of cooked white around it.

To boil an egg, start with cold eggs that are placed in a single layer at the bottom of a pot. Cover them with cold water, making sure the water level is at least an inch above the eggs. Once the water has reached a rolling boil, reduce the heat to low and cook the eggs for the required amount of time.

After the eggs are finished cooking, take them out of the pot immediately and run them under cold water for a few minutes to stop the cooking process. This will prevent the eggs from becoming too rubbery.

For a foolproof hard boiled egg that can be peeled easily, follow these guidelines for cooking times. With a little experimentation, you’ll soon be able to get the perfectly cooked egg with the texture you enjoy.