About the Egg Boiling Timer
This egg boiling timer works out exactly how long to cook an egg for the yolk you want: runny soft-boiled, jammy, medium or fully hard-boiled. Choose the doneness, the size of the egg, whether it comes straight from the fridge or is at room temperature, and your altitude, and it gives a precise time in minutes and seconds plus a chart for every doneness level.
Times assume the boiling-water method, which is the most consistent: bring a pot of water to a full boil, gently lower in the eggs with a spoon, keep it at a gentle boil, and move the eggs to an ice bath as soon as the time is up. A large, fridge-cold egg takes about 6 minutes for a runny yolk, 7 for jammy, 9 for medium and 11 for hard-boiled.
Smaller eggs cook faster and larger ones slower, room-temperature eggs need about a minute less, and at altitude water boils at a lower temperature, so eggs need longer — roughly 15 seconds more per 1,000 ft (300 m). The base times and adjustments are kitchen-tested rules of thumb rather than official figures, so treat the result as a starting point and tweak by 30 seconds to match your stove and pan. This page calculates the time; to count it down, use the online timer or your phone. USDA advises cooking eggs until the yolk is firm, so runny and jammy yolks are best made with pasteurized eggs for young children, older adults, pregnant people and anyone with a weakened immune system.
With the default inputs, the boil for is 7m. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the egg boiling timer
- 1Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.
- 2Choose your doneness, egg size and whether the eggs are fridge-cold.
- 3Enter your altitude if you live above sea level.
- 4Lower the eggs in gently and start timing immediately.
- 5Move the eggs to an ice bath the moment the time is up.
Formula and method
Base times are for a large (about 57 g in-shell) egg straight from the refrigerator, lowered into water at a full boil at sea level: 6 minutes for a runny yolk, 7 for jammy, 9 for medium and 11 for hard-boiled. Small and medium eggs subtract 60 and 30 seconds; extra-large and jumbo add 30 and 60 seconds. Eggs at room temperature need about a minute less because they start roughly 15°C warmer.
USDA FSIS notes that water boils just under 1°F lower for every 500 ft of elevation (about 198°F at 7,500 ft), so it cooks eggs more slowly. The boiling point shown is 212°F − altitude ÷ 540 ft, which matches those USDA reference points. The 15 seconds added per 1,000 ft is a practical rule of thumb, not an official figure. The minimum time is capped at one minute.
- t₀
- Base time for a large fridge-cold egg at sea level
- A
- Altitude in feet (metres ÷ 0.3048)
Worked examples
Jammy large egg from the fridge
A large, fridge-cold egg lowered into boiling water at sea level needs 7 minutes for a jammy yolk. Water boils at 212°F.
Hard-boiled extra-large eggs at 5,000 ft
Eleven minutes, plus 30 seconds for extra-large eggs and 75 seconds for 5,000 ft of altitude, gives 12 minutes 45 seconds. Water boils at about 212 − 5,000 ÷ 540 ≈ 202.7°F (94.9°C) there.
Runny medium egg at room temperature
Starting from 6 minutes, subtract 30 seconds for a medium egg and 60 seconds because it is already at room temperature: 4 minutes 30 seconds for a runny yolk.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you boil an egg for a runny yolk?+
Lower a large, fridge-cold egg into boiling water and cook for about 6 minutes for a set white and runny yolk. At room temperature, 5 minutes is usually enough. Serve immediately or chill briefly.
How long to boil a jammy egg?+
About 7 minutes for a large egg from the fridge, then straight into an ice bath for a couple of minutes. The yolk will be thick and glossy — the style used for ramen eggs.
How long do hard-boiled eggs take?+
Around 11 minutes for large eggs lowered into boiling water, or 10–12 minutes depending on size. Chill them in ice water for 10–15 minutes to stop cooking and make peeling easier.
Why is there a green ring around my yolk?+
A grey-green ring forms when eggs are overcooked or cooled slowly: iron in the yolk reacts with sulfur from the white. Stick to the timer and cool the eggs in ice water immediately.
Do eggs take longer to boil at high altitude?+
Yes. USDA says water boils just under 1°F lower per 500 ft of elevation — about 203°F (95°C) at 5,000 ft and 198°F at 7,500 ft — so eggs cook more slowly. Add roughly 15–30 seconds per 1,000 ft and adjust after your first batch.
This tool gives general estimates and is not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or qualified professional about your health, diet or training.