This is my go-to way to make hard-boiled eggs. Simple, and it just works.

Quick answer Put the eggs in a pot and cover them with cold water by an inch. Bring it to a boil, take it off the heat, cover, and let them stand 12 minutes for large eggs (15 for extra-large). Then put them straight into ice water for about 10 minutes.
Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs (Printable)
Photo: 3steph14 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Tools & materials

  • Eggs (large)
  • Saucepan with lid
  • Bowl of ice water
  • Slotted spoon

Steps

  1. Lay the eggs in a single layer in the pot. Add cold water to cover by about 1 inch.
  2. Bring to a full boil over high heat.
  3. Turn off the heat, cover, and set a timer: 12 minutes for large eggs, 15 for extra-large.
  4. Move the eggs to ice water (or run cold water over them) and chill about 10 minutes.
  5. To peel, crack all over on the counter and start at the wide end where the air pocket is. Peeling under running water helps.
Safety: Refrigerate hard-cooked eggs within 2 hours and use them within a week.

Why it works

Coasting in hot water instead of hard-boiling cooks the eggs evenly without the green-gray ring around the yolk. The ice bath stops the cooking.