How Long for Hard-Boiled Eggs? A Minute-by-Minute Boiling Chart
By the PomoTimer team. Last updated .
For hard-boiled eggs, lower large eggs straight from the fridge into gently boiling water and cook them for 11–12 minutes, then move them to an ice bath. For a soft-boiled egg with a runny yolk, take them out at about 6 minutes; 7–8 minutes gives a jammy yolk. These are common guidelines for US large eggs, so use them as a starting point and fine-tune by 30 seconds after your first batch.
How long to boil eggs: minute-by-minute chart
This chart uses the hot-start method: bring the water to a boil, lower in cold large eggs, start the timer right away, and keep the water at a steady, gentle boil. Times are for one layer of eggs in plenty of water.
| Time | White | Yolk | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 min | Set, tender | Runny | Dipping toast, eggs on rice |
| 7 min | Fully set | Jammy edges, liquid center | Ramen, avocado toast |
| 8 min | Fully set | Jammy, mostly set | Salads, grain bowls |
| 9 min | Firm | Medium, slightly soft middle | Snacking, Nicoise-style salads |
| 10 min | Firm | Medium-firm, just set | Halved eggs, lunch boxes |
| 11–12 min | Firm | Fully cooked, pale yellow | Deviled eggs, egg salad, meal prep |
Go much past 12–13 minutes and the yolk gets chalky, with a gray-green ring around it. That ring is harmless, but it's a sign the eggs cooked longer than they needed.
How long for hard-boiled eggs (the cold-start method)
If you'd rather not lower eggs into boiling water, the cold-start method is gentler on the shells and is the method many home cooks grew up with:
- Put the eggs in a single layer in a pot and cover them with cold water by about an inch.
- Bring the water to a full boil over high heat.
- Turn off the heat, cover the pot and leave the eggs in the hot water for 10–12 minutes.
- Drain and move the eggs to a bowl of ice water.
The catch is that the result depends on your stove and pot, since how long the water takes to boil changes how much the eggs cook before the timer starts. It's very reliable once you know your kitchen, but less predictable the first time. For soft or jammy yolks, the hot-start chart above gives more control.
Soft-boiled egg time
A soft-boiled egg takes about 6 minutes for a set white and runny yolk, and 7 minutes if you want the yolk thick at the edges but still liquid in the middle. At these times, small changes show up fast. Thirty seconds can be the difference between a yolk that flows and one that barely moves.
Two things help. First, lower the eggs gently with a spoon so they don't crack on the bottom of the pot. Second, don't crowd the pot: adding a dozen cold eggs to a small pan drops the water temperature a lot, and the times in the chart stop being accurate.
What changes the timing
- Egg size: the chart is for large eggs, the size most US recipes assume. Medium eggs need a little less time; extra-large and jumbo eggs need about a minute more.
- Starting temperature: eggs straight from the fridge take longer than room-temperature eggs. Pick one habit and stick with it so your times stay consistent.
- Altitude: water boils at a lower temperature the higher you live (in Denver it boils at roughly 202°F instead of 212°F), so eggs cook more slowly. Add time and test one egg before cooking a batch.
- Number of eggs and pot size: more eggs in less water means a longer recovery to the boil. Use a pot big enough for one layer with water to spare.
The ice bath and peeling tips
When the timer goes off, move the eggs into a bowl of ice water for at least a few minutes. This stops the cooking, which matters most for soft and jammy eggs, and makes the eggs comfortable to handle.
For easier peeling:
- Use eggs that aren't super fresh. Very fresh eggs are notoriously hard to peel. Eggs that have been in your fridge for a week or so usually peel more cleanly.
- Crack the shell all over by tapping it on the counter, then roll it gently under your palm.
- Start at the wide end, where the small air pocket sits, and peel under a little running water or in the ice bath.
How long do hard-boiled eggs last?
The USDA advises refrigerating hard-cooked eggs within 2 hours of cooking and using them within about one week, whether they're peeled or still in the shell. Soft and jammy eggs are best eaten the same day.
How to time your eggs with PomoTimer
Start the timer the moment the eggs go into the water (or the moment you cover the pot and turn off the heat for the cold-start method). A few pages make it a one-click job:
- Soft-boiled, runny yolk: the 6 minute timer is preset and ready to start.
- Hard-boiled: the 12 minute timer, or 11 minutes if you like a slightly softer center.
- Any other doneness: the egg timer shows an hourglass draining as it counts down. Set it to 7, 8 or 9 minutes yourself and it remembers the time on your device for next time.
- Exact seconds: use the custom countdown timer for times like 6 minutes 30 seconds.
Pick a loud alarm, such as Bell or Emergency, that you'll hear over the range hood. Keep the page open: the alarm only plays while the tab is open, and on an iPhone you may need to tap the page once first. Making tea at the same time? The tea steeping times chart covers that side of breakfast.
Frequently asked questions
Do you start timing when the water boils or when the eggs go in?
With the hot-start method in the chart, start the timer as soon as the eggs go into the boiling water and keep the heat high enough that it returns to a gentle boil. With the cold-start method, start timing when you turn off the heat and cover the pot.
Why did my eggs crack in the pot?
Usually the eggs hit the bottom of the pot too hard, or the water was at a rolling boil that knocked them around. Lower them in with a spoon and turn the heat down to a steady, gentle boil.
Can I boil eggs ahead for the week?
Yes, hard-boiled eggs are a classic meal-prep food. Cool them in an ice bath, refrigerate them within 2 hours and eat them within about a week. Leaving them unpeeled until you eat them keeps them from drying out.