Below we will show the Perfect Easy Peel Cooked Eggs using 5 different methods and discuss the pros and cons for each method. Plus, we’ll share our favorite way to make easy peel cooked eggs!
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These easy peel cooked eggs methods will produce the perfect easy to peel hard boiled eggs. Whether you want hard boiled eggs for Easter or just everyday use, this will show you the easiest hard boiled eggs methods. No over cooked or poached egg ever again.
Methods We Tested
I have tested 5 popular methods including boiling on the stove, in the Instant Pot, baked in the oven, Air Fryer, and in the microwave to find the best way to cook hard boiled eggs that are easy to peel.
Fresh eggs are something all kids like and they can easily whip up in their microwaves, in a microwave-safe bowl, or mug. Some people just keep a bowl of ice water in their fridge to store delicious hard boiled eggs.
The results may surprise you and don’t forget about all that protein and nutrients contained in the egg yolks
Stove Top Method
This vinegar hard-boiled eggs method for the stove stop produces some of the best boiled eggs. I have determined the perfect boiled egg time for this recipe.
- First, fill pot with enough water to cover eggs. Do not add eggs yet.
- Next, add one teaspoon of white vinegar to the pot.
- Bring to boil over high heat. Then add eggs and lower heat to simmer. I used this tool to lower the eggs into the water.
- Simmer for 13 minutes and finally, remove eggs immediately and place in an ice bath for 5 minutes.
Oven Method
To create oven hard boiled eggs we will be baking hard boiled eggs.
- Begin by Preheating the oven to 350 degrees.
- Crumble a piece of aluminum foil to make a nest that will fit into the well of a muffin tin for the hard boiled eggs in the oven.
- Place egg into the foil “nest” being careful that the egg isn’t touching the sides of the muffin tin.
- Baking hard boiled eggs oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove eggs immediately and place in an ice bath for 5 minutes.
Microwave Hard Boiled Eggs Method
Can you microwave hard boiled eggs? Indeed you can hard boiled eggs in the microwave. You do need microwave safe equipment to boil egg in microwave, therefore check your bowls and plates before cooking. Microwave wattage varies so know what watt microwave oven you have. The high power settings can vary.
- Pour 1 cup of water to a microwave safe bowl.
- Microwave the bowl of water on high for 3 minutes.
- Carefully, add 8 eggs to the bowl of hot water.
- Place a microwave safe plate on top of the bowl to fully cover it.
- Cook on 50% power for 8 minutes for the hard boiled eggs microwave method.
- Remove eggs immediately and place in an ice bath for 5 minutes.
Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs/Pressure Cooker Hardboiled Eggs
The method of using the instant pot to create instant pot hardboiled eggs has been widely growing in popularity due to the Keto/ Low Carb diet craze.
- Place 1 cup of water to the bowl of your Instant Pot.
- Then add eggs in a single layer on the trivet or Instant Pot Egg Rack. Place on the lid.
- Program the manual setting to cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Allow to natural release for 5 minutes for the pressure cooker boiled eggs.
- Lastly, remove eggs immediately and place in an ice bath for 5 minutes for perfect pressure cooker eggs.
Air Fryer Method –Cooking Eggs in Air Fryer
The new way is to make hard boiled eggs in the air fryer. Really, cooking eggs in the air fryer is possible if you utilize this method. It is important to pre heat your air fryer for the recipe.
- Set your wire rack in your air fryer inside the basket.
- Place the eggs in the air fryer on top of the wire rack.
- Set the temp to 270 degrees
- Cook for 14 minutes.
- Place air fryer boiled eggs in an ice bath to cool.
WHICH METHOD IS THE EASIEST?
The results of my quest to make the perfect hard boiled egg were a little surprising. Based on what I read, I figured the Instant Pot method would be the best way, but it wasn’t. It was a close second though, therefore here is the breakdown including the hard boiled eggs time chart as no one wants to decorate soft boiled eggs or have a runny yolk.
Stove Top Method
- Total cook time: 13 minutes
- Total cool time: 5 minutes
- Easy to peel: The easiest!
Oven/ Bake Method
- Total cook time: 30 minutes
- Total cool time: 5 minutes
- Easy to peel: So-so.
- Note: Cooking the eggs in oven yielded a spotted egg shell and an off-color egg white. These would be fine if you were just going to eat them plain, but they wouldn’t be good for coloring Easter eggs or for making deviled eggs or egg salad.
Microwave Method
- Total cook time: 11 minutes
- Total cool time: 5 minutes
- Easy to peel: NO!
Instant Pot Method
- Total cook time: 10 minutes
- Total cool time: 5 minutes
- Easy to peel: Very easy.
Air Fryer Method
- Total cook time: 17 minutes
- Total cool time: 5 minutes
- Easy to peel: Just O.K.
- Note: Similar to the stove method,the eggs had some spotted egg shell and became an off-color egg white. Also, it is important to note that all air fryers are different and you make experience a different result in yours.
Prep and Storage Tips
HOW TO STORE THIS RECIPE
An airtight container is best. If the eggs have already been peeled, store hard-boiled eggs by keeping them moist by covering them on bottom and top with a damp paper towel before placing them in the container or wrap well in plastic wrap.
HOW TO FREEZE THIS RECIPE
You can freeze hard-boiled egg yolks , however it’s best not to freeze hard-boiled whole eggs and hard-boiled whites because they become tough and watery when frozen.
DO HARD BOILED EGGS NEED TO BE REFRIGERATED
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), “Cooked eggs, including hard-boiled eggs, and egg-containing foods, should not sit out for more than 2 hours. Properly stored hard boiled eggs can last in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Really a perfect hard-boiled egg has an opaque yellow yolks, but overcooked eggs have a green ring around them and has a strong sulfurous odor. These eggs can even have explosions and make a mess.
There are a few tips and tricks to know. First, always use older eggs. An older egg will be much easier to peel than a fresh egg. Second, never forget the ice bath. It helps the membranes move away from the sell making them much easier to peel.
Cracking and rolling on a flat surface works, as does peeling under cold running water. Want to see a breakdown of all the methods, check here.
Simply put the egg on a flat surface and spin it fast. If it’s boiled, it will continue spinning, otherwise it will stop in 1-2 seconds.
What to Make with these Easy Peel Cooked Eggs?
- Traditional Southern Deviled Eggs
- Caesar Deviled Eggs
- My Mom’s Classic Deviled Eggs
- Best Deviled Eggs Recipe
- Paula Deen Deviled Eggs (Traditional Southern Deviled Eggs)
- Spicy Sriracha Deviled Eggs
- 25 Deviled Eggs Recipes
- Old Fashioned Egg Salad Recipe
If you want to take hard boiled eggs to the next level, try this Scotch Egg recipe. If you’ve never tried a Scotch egg, you don’t know what you’re missing!
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Cook the eggs by steaming them. Never a problem with peeling them and it is fast.
I found it is easy to take a knife and smack the egg in the middle and cut it in half. Scoop out the egg with a spoon! No peeling involved!
Unfortunately, the eight eggs I tried to hard boil the stove top way were an unmitigated disaster. One thing you neglected to say in your recipe was whether to cover the pan while simmering the eggs. Did them exactly as outlined in recipe but when I tried to peel them after immersing in ice and water for 5 min, they were only half cooked and the whites were running out as I tried to peel them. Can only think that I should have had them on a higher heat and covered. This is the only time I can think of when my gas stove (which I loathe) has not given me a slight boil when on the simmer setting; things usually burn when I use it.
You do not cover the pan.
Every time I want to make hard boiled eggs I look at this post!
YAY! I’m so glad you find it helpful! I used to always call my mom when I made hard boiled eggs so I know the feeling 🙂
The boiling method was great for ease of peeing! I’ve never had eggs peel so easily . However, several of my eggs cracked when I submerged them into the boiling water . I was very careful to use a similar tool to the one showed to put them in. So it wasn’t from hitting the bottom of the pot, etc. Any suggestions? Should I start with cold water?
Try bringing your eggs to room temperature before submerging them into the water.
room temperature eggs or from the refrig ?
Eggs came out great! One thing I saw on YouTube was to keep the eggs in water before peeling. I took mine out of the ice bath after 5 min. but I noticed they were getting more difficult to peel as they dried. I popped them back in the water and took out one at a time for peeling and the shell came off easy.
Thanks for the post!!
Great tip! Thanks for sharing!
I am so stoked about this! Just boiled and peeled a dozen eggs for a neighborhood get-together later. The host and hostess, as well as me, are all following a low-carb eating regimen. No one else is however. But everybody (almost!) like deviled eggs! At my age, I’ll just say almost retirement age, I have NEVER been able to get the darn shell off while keeping the egg intact. I’ve been trying this and that method from the internet, but you should see these perfect eggs! I followed most of your instructions, except was afraid to try the bumper cars. Here’s what I did: I just decided what to bring so I just bought the eggs – the sell-by date is 3 weeks in the future, so so much for the older egg idea. I brought the water to a rolling boil with a tsp of vinegar, and lowered the eggs into the water. Boiled them for 15 minutes and let them sit in the hot water another 10 minutes. Then I did the ice bath – pretty high ratio of ice to water and they were COLD. I left a few inches of water in the pan (a stock pot so the eggs would fit in a single layer). The first egg I picked up had a tiny ding in it so I just started peeling, thinking here we go, chunks of egg white are gonna come off with the shells. But nothing! I kept dipping the egg in the water as I peeled and they pretty much came off in one piece, like the top popped off, then a the middle peeled off in a ribbon, and then the bottom popped off too. As I said, all in one continuous piece. Another thing I think that helped is that once I cracked the first little crack in each egg, I held it in my fist and applied even, gentle pressure to the whole thing so that it had a network of little cracks all over it before I started peeling. Then I put it in the water and got ahold of the membrane with the shell and they literally slipped off. SCORE! I know, it’s the little things, right?
That is AWESOME! I’m so glad you had an easy time! SCORE for sure! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
The best way to make hard boiled eggs that I have found and do on a regular basis is to put eggs into pan with cold to warm water add some salt and a bit of baking soda. Or just baking soda, they are so easy to peel.
I will bring to a rolling boil, turn off the heat and put a lid on, they will sit in the pan for an hour or so, then
dump out the warm water and add cold water to cool them down. The way I was taught was to boil the eggs for 20 minutes, remove from heat and cover with cold water to cool down.
Either way works great, don’t forget to add baking soda, it works wonders.
Thanks for the great tip!