How to Cook Hard Boiled Eggs (5 Methods for Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs Every Time)
Hard-boiled eggs are one of the simplest recipes. Just two ingredients generally, eggs and water, sometimes even just eggs. But they also are one of the hardest things to get just perfect! Everyone, their grandma and their aunt have different secrets and different methods for the perfect hard-boiled eggs.
Today I’m going to teach you 5 methods to make them with different appliances you might have laying around so you can have perfect, easy to peel hard boiled eggs every time with the tools you have in your kitchen!
This post will cover how to hard boil eggs 5 different ways, the traditional method on the stovetop, in the oven, cooked in the Instant Pot, Airfryer, and even how to cook hard boiled eggs in the slow cooker. Once you learn how to make them, then you can make all kinds of yummy recipes with hard boiled eggs.
Here are a few of my favorite recipes that use hard boiled eggs:
- BLT Deviled Eggs
- Homestyle Egg Salad
- Jalapeno Popper Deviled Eggs
- Old Fashioned Kidney Bean Salad
- Spicy Deviled Eggs
Click the links below to skip directly to the method of cooking:
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How to make hard boiled eggs on the stove top (Traditional Method)
- Place eggs in the bottom of a sauce pan and cover with about an inch of water.
- Bring the eggs to a full rolling boil. As soon as it comes to a full boil, place a lid on the sauce pan and turn the burner off.
- Let the eggs sit in the hot water for about 10 minutes.
- Then remove the eggs from the hot water and place them in an ice bath until they are cool to the touch. Refrigerate until ready to peel.
Pros and Cons of cooking hard boiled eggs on the stove top
Pros:
- This method is simple and quick.
- You don’t need any special equipment.
Cons:
- It’s easy to forget about your eggs and have them explode.
- Takes up a burner space on the stove and if you’re cooking a lot, that’s precious real estate.
How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs in the Oven
- Place the eggs in a muffin tin. One egg in each cup. You may choose to place a bit of crumpled aluminum foil in the bottom to keep them from rattling.
- Place the eggs in an oven that’s been preheated to 325 degrees.
- Bake the eggs for approximately 28- 30 minutes.
- Remove the eggs from the muffin tin and place them in an ice bath until they are cool. Refrigerate until ready to peel.
Pros and Cons of cooking hard boiled eggs in the oven
Pros:
- Super simple to make.
- Easy to make a large amount of hard boiled eggs at one time without risking breakage.
- No special equipment required other than a muffin tin.
Cons:
- Takes longer than traditional stovetop.
- If your oven runs hot, it can leave brown spots on the parts of the eggs that are touching the pan.
How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs in the Instant Pot
- Put a rack in the bottom of the instant pot and place the eggs on the rack. Pour a cup of water into the bottom of the instant pot.
- Put the lid on, making sure the vent is set to sealing. Cook on Manual for 5 minutes.
- After the timer has gone off, let the Instant Pot naturally release steam for 5 minutes. Then release any remaining steam.
- Remove the eggs from the instant pot and place them in an ice bath until they are cool. Refrigerate until ready to peel.
Pros and Cons of cooking hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot
Pros:
- The easiest of all hard-boiled eggs to peel. The shells literally fall off.
- Quick, simple and stress free.
Cons:
- Easy to overcook.
- Most likely to crack/break while cooking.
- Have the hassle of getting out the Instant Pot and then cleaning it for something simple like hard-boiled eggs.
How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs in the Air Fryer
- Place the eggs in the Air Fryer basket. If your air fryer came with a rack, you may choose to use it. It’s not necessary though.
- Set the Air Fryer temperature to 250 degrees and the timer for 16 minutes.
- When the timer has gone off, place the eggs in an ice bath until they are cool. Refrigerate until ready to peel.
Pros and cons of cooking hard boiled eggs in the Air Fryer.
Pros:
- Quick and simple
- No water needed. Easy clean up.
Cons:
- Can’t do big batches
- Not all Air Fryers have the same wattage. So results can vary.
How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs in the Slow Cooker
- Place the eggs in a single layer in a slow cooker.
- Cover with water.
- Cook on High for 2 ½ hours.
- Remove from the slow cooker and place the eggs in an ice bath until they are cool. Refrigerate until ready to peel.
Pros and cons of making hard boiled eggs in the slow cooker
Pros:
- Super simple.
- Can make larger batches.
- Almost never crack when cooking.
Cons:
- Takes the longest amount of time.
Troubleshooting what went wrong with your hard boiled eggs!
Use older eggs, they peel easier.
Use the pressure cooker/ Instant Pot method, they are by far the easiest of all the methods to peel.
After cooking, crack the shells of your eggs making sure you break the inner membrane and let them soak in cold water for an hour or two. 
They are overcooked. But they are still good! Just mash them up and make deviled eggs and no one will be any the wiser!
Those spots cooked hotter and faster than the rest of the egg. Try cooking your eggs on a rack or using a nest of aluminum foil to hold them up away from the cooking surface.
Eggs have small air bubbles inside them that expand as they heat up putting pressure on the shell and causing it to crack. Try starting with room temperature eggs and lukewarm water instead of cold water.
The ice bath helps to immediately stop the cooking process and prevent the eggs from becoming overcooked. 
Once peeled, about a day or two.
Unpeeled in the shell, about a week.
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Tried your air fryer method of hard boiling an egg last night. Easy peasy. I will never boil or do the oven again. The shells came off so perfectly.
😍🥰
After this article I always bake my eggs in the oven. So easy and always perfect. I want to try the Instant Pot soon as well.