The Best Way to Cook Hard Boiled Eggs So They Don’t Crack

Making hardboiled eggs without cracking the shells can be tricky. Luckily, there are a few easy steps you can take during the cooking process to prevent cracking, and we’ll go over them all, including some expert insights from professional chefs Ollie George Cigliano and Anne Lloyd. We’ll also cover how to peel and store your hardboiled eggs, as well as some delicious ways to use them in other recipes. Keep reading for everything you need to know!

How to Prevent Eggs from Cracking When Boiling

To prevent your eggs from cracking, let them come to room temperature before boiling them, and try to use eggs that are about a week old. You can also add 1 tsp (6 g) salt and 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) vinegar per egg to the water to prevent cracks and seal them up more quickly if they do occur.

Section 1 of 4:

How to Cook Hard Boiled Eggs without Cracking Them

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Use eggs that are about one week old, if possible. When an egg is stored for a while, its contents contract, and the air cell between the shell membranes increases in size. This reaction makes the egg easier to peel and less likely to crack. As a result, eggs that are about a week old are better for hard boiling than farm-fresh eggs.
- That being said, your eggs shouldn’t be too old, and you should still make sure that the eggs you’re using haven’t gone bad.
- To test whether your eggs are fresh, Chef Ollie George Cigliano recommends placing them into a bowl of cool water. If the egg sinks to the bottom, it's fresh. If it floats to the top, there's a good chance that it has gone bad.
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Bring your eggs to room temperature before cooking. When you take an egg straight out of the refrigerator and place it into boiling water, the extreme temperature change can cause the shell to crack.^{[1]
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Research source} To prevent this, take your eggs out of the fridge about 30 minutes beforehand, and make sure they're at room temperature before boiling them.^{[2]
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- Boiling a very cold egg can also cause the egg white to attach itself to the inside of the shell, which makes the egg harder to peel. As a result, letting your eggs come to room temperature also leads to an easier peeling process.
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Before you boil your egg, prick the large end of the shell with a clean thumbtack or safety pin. This will release trapped gas and allow the trapped air bubbles to escape during the boiling process, which helps prevent cracks.^{[3]
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Lay a cheesecloth in the pot and arrange your eggs in one layer. The cloth creates a soft cushion at the bottom of your pot or saucepan, which helps prevent your eggs from cracking as you cook them. If you don’t have a cheesecloth, you can also use a clean folded kitchen towel.^{[4]
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- When you try to boil too many eggs at one time, they’re more likely to knock against each other during the cooking process, which can easily cause their shells to crack.
- To prevent this, make sure that no eggs are overlapping or stacked on top of each other.^{[5]
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Run the tap until your eggs are covered by at least one inch (3 cm) of cold water.^{[6]
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Research source} As you fill the pot with water, try to steady the eggs with your hand so that they don’t slide around and crack.
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Add 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) vinegar per egg and ½ tsp (6 g) salt to the water. The salt helps prevent the eggs from cracking while they’re boiling, and it also makes them easier to peel once they’re done.^{[7]
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Research source} The vinegar helps the proteins in the egg white coagulate faster to plug any cracks that develop in the shell during the cooking process.^{[8]
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- If you prefer, you can also wait until an egg actually cracks to add the vinegar. However, for the vinegar to be effective, you'll need to act quickly and add it to the water as soon as you notice a crack.
Let the water boil slowly so that the eggs don’t knock against each other or crack from a rapid temperature shift.^{[9]
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When the water reaches a gentle boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot. As soon as the water reaches a boil, turn the heat off and place a lid on your pot.^{[10]
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Research source} Let the eggs sit in the hot water for about 3-12 minutes, depending on how hard or soft you like them. Everyone has their own preferences, but Chef Lloyd recommends letting the eggs cook for exactly 10 minutes for the perfect texture.
- For soft boiled eggs: Remove them from the water within 3 minutes. The whites should be set, while the yolks should be runny and warm. Be very gentle when you remove the eggs—each one out with a large spoon to avoid cracking.^{[11]
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- For medium-boiled eggs: Take them out of the water after 5-7 minutes. The yolks should be semi-soft in the center, and the whites should be very firm. You should still handle the eggs gently, but you don't need to worry as much about them cracking.
- For hardboiled eggs: Leave them in the hot water for 9-12 minutes. The yolks should be firm all the way through. For a solid but soft and bright yellow yolk, leave the eggs in water for 9-10 minutes. For a harder, pale yellow center, leave them in for at least 11-12 minutes.
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Keep a close eye on the clock and let your eggs cook for 12 minutes max. After 12 minutes, your yolk will likely develop grayish or greenish streaks. The egg will still be edible, and the streaks don't have much effect on taste, but some people find them unappetizing.^{[12]
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- Consider buying a color-changing egg timer, which is a heat-sensitive indicator that you can place in the water with your boiling eggs. You can find these timers online or at kitchen-supply stores.^{[13]
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Gently place your eggs in an ice bath when they’re done cooking. While the eggs are cooking, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. When the eggs are done cooking, carefully move them into this bowl to rapidly decrease their temperature and prevent them from getting overdone.^{[14]
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- Remove your eggs from the pot one by one with a slotted spoon, and gently drop them into the bowl of ice water to prevent cracking.
- If you don’t want to use an ice bath, Chef Lloyd recommends running the eggs under cold tap water right after they finish cooking to achieve the same effect.
Spin an egg on a table to test whether it is hardboiled without breaking it open. If the egg twirls quickly and easily, it is hardboiled.^{[15]
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Research source} If it wobbles, let it cook for longer.
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Refrigerate the eggs for 20-30 minutes then peel them before eating. Once the eggs are cool enough to hold in your hand, put them in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to loosen the shells. To peel your eggs, press each one into a clean, flat surface and roll it in your hand to crack the shell. Start peeling from the fatter end of the egg, where there should be a small empty space under the shell. This makes it slightly easier to peel.^{[16]
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- Try rinsing the eggs under cold water as you peel them. Rinsing helps keep bits of shell and membrane from sticking to the egg.^{[17]
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- If you're not particular about how pretty your peeled eggs are, or if you like your eggs warm, you can skip the refrigerator and start peeling them immediately after the ice bath.

Section 2 of 4:

Recipe Ideas & Ways to Use Hard Boiled Eggs

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Hard-boiled eggs are a delicious add-on for tons of dishes and recipes. They make a yummy snack on their own, but you can also add them to salads, sandwiches, wraps, and much more! If you’re looking for ways to use your hardboiled eggs, here are some great suggestions to try out:
- Make deviled eggs.
- Make an egg salad sandwich.
- Make a Cobb salad.
- Make nicoise salad.
- Top avocado toast with a sliced hard-boiled egg.
- Add chopped hard boiled eggs to potato salad or macaroni salad.^{[18]
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Section 3 of 4:

Nutritional Benefits of Eggs

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Eggs are packed with protein, vitamins, and healthy fats. They’re also relatively low-calorie yet very filling.^{[19]
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Research source} This makes them a nutritious and delicious addition to your diet! One large boiled egg contains:
- Vitamins A, B5, B12, D, E, K, and B6
- Folate, phosphorous, selenium, calcium, and zinc
- 6 grams of protein
- 5 grams of healthy fats
- 77 calories^{[20]
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Section 4 of 4:

Hard Boiled Egg FAQs

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What causes the green ring around a hard-boiled egg’s yolk? A green ring around the yolk of a hardboiled egg is usually a result of overcooking. It’s caused by sulfur and iron compounds in the egg reacting on the surface of the yolk. The green ring can sometimes be the result of high iron content in the cooking water, as well. Although many people don’t like the way the green ring looks, it’s entirely safe to eat.^{[21]
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- To prevent the green ring from forming, take extra care not to overcook your hard-boiled eggs. If you think iron in your tap water is to blame, try using filtered water to boil your eggs instead.
Hardboiled eggs can be safely stored in the fridge for up to 7 days. To prevent spoilage, refrigerate your eggs within two hours after cooking them, and don’t take your hard boiled eggs out of the fridge for more than two hours at a time.^{[22]
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No, you don’t need to peel your eggs before storing them. It’s safe to refrigerate hardboiled eggs with or without the shells on—it’s entirely up to your preference!^{[23]
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If the egg cracks in the water while it’s cooking, it’s still safe to eat, and it will likely cook normally if the crack isn’t too severe. On the other hand, if you notice that an egg is already cracked in the carton before you’ve even cooked it, the egg isn’t safe to eat. Bacteria may have gotten into the interior of the egg through the crack, making it potentially hazardous to your health.^{[24]
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Join the Discussion...

How do you make the perfect hard boiled egg?

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WikiDugongWeaver655

I know it seems like an easy question but I've heard so many different ways to hard boil eggs. Is there a good rule of thumb for how long to cook... Read More

WikiFlamingoChaser192

I don't think it's a silly question! I used to struggle with boiling eggs. The mistakes I used to make were dropping the eggs into boiling water... Read More

Sasha Reyes
Executive Chef

I find success in boiling eggs in general, whether they're soft-boiled or hard-boiled. And number one, the fresher the eggs are, the better. Numb... Read More

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Why some eggs have red membranes?

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Some eggs have red membranes because of nitrogen oxide. Don't worry; red membranes won't kill you, but they will certainly change the taste of the egg.

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Why do eggs crack in the fridge?

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This is a similar effect to why a cold glass cracks when you pour a hot drink into it. To prevent the cracking from happening, allow the boiled eggs to settle to room temperature before putting them into the refrigerator.

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If you only have very fresh eggs, try steaming them instead of boiling them. Place a steamer basket inside a pot with about an inch of water and bring it to a boil. Put your eggs inside the steamer basket, then cover and steam for 10-12 minutes.^{[25]
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Extra-large eggs need to cook for slightly longer than large eggs. Add about three minutes to the cooking time, depending on how large the egg is. For instance, an extra-large hardboiled egg might take as long as 15 minutes.

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If your eggs do not pass the float test, discard them. No amount of boiling can save a bad egg, explains Chef Cigliano.

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Try making your eggs in an Instant Pot if you want them done quickly. Place a metal strainer in the pot with a small amount of water, and load in your eggs. Set the pressure cook to 4 minutes, and let the pot sit and depressurize for about 10 minutes after.
Try adding hard boiled eggs to fried rice or stir fry to add a little extra flavor and protein.

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