Food Cooking Tips & Techniques The Secret to Boiling Eggs for Easter It sounds easy, but there might be one thing you're forgetting when you're boiling Easter eggs. By Dawn Perry Dawn Perry Dawn is the author of Ready, Set, Cook; How to Make Good Food With What's on Hand. She served as the food director for Real Simple and has worked in the test kitchens of Everyday Food, Bon Appétit, and the meal kit delivery service Martha & Marley Spoon. Dawn is the author of Short Stack Editions' Cucumbers and her recipes and writing have been featured in the LA Times, The New York Times, and The Washington Post among other publications. She recently started Superkind Cookies, a premium cookie company shipping treats nationwide. Highlights: * Author of Ready, Set, Cook; How to Make Good Food With What's on Hand. * Former food director for Real Simple * Worked in the test kitchens of Everyday Food, Bon Appétit, and Martha & Marley Spoon * Recipes and writing have been featured in the LA Times, The New York Times, and The Washington Post Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 19, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Boiling eggs for dyeing couldn't be easier. In fact, it's as easy as making hard boiled eggs. If you need a little guidance, it's simply because somewhere along the way, Easter egg–making, decorating, and coloring got harder that it has to be. Tired of poking tiny holes in the top and bottom with a pin, standing over the sink, and blowing the contents from one end of the egg out the other? It turns out the best way to prepare Easter eggs is to simply learn how to hard boil eggs for Easter. Not only is boiling Easter eggs easier than standing over the sink trying to undo nature, but hard-boiled Easter eggs are easier to work with, easier to hide (say, inside the cookie jar or an adult Easter basket), and less delicate for tiny hands to handle. Make this method part of your Easter traditions, and your pre-holiday prep will be easier year after year. How to Boil Eggs for Easter What You'll Need Big potWaterStrainer or spiderEggsTimerLarge bowlIce water Directions 1. Boil water. Fill a big pot about ⅔ of the way with water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. 2. Place eggs in water. Once the water is boiling, gently lower your eggs in, a few at a time—a small strainer or spider is ideal for the job. Lower the eggs all the way to the bottom of the pot so they roll quietly off the strainer (otherwise they could crack when they hit the pot floor). 3. Lower to a simmer. Immediately set a timer for 10 minutes. Turn down the heat slightly so the water is simmering vigorously but not boiling—that can cause the eggs to bump into one another, causing fissures and cracks. 4. Transfer to ice bath. While the eggs are boiling, fill a large bowl with ice water. When the timer goes off, use your spider or strainer to lift the eggs out of the boiling water and immediately transfer to the ice bath. Let cool until easy to handle, and then dye or decorate as you like. This classic hard-boiled egg preparation yields a sturdy egg perfect for dying various shades of spring pastels. Want richer, more vibrant colors? Try boiling brown eggs. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit