This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs are one of the easiest ways to make perfectly cooked eggs—no pot of water required. This hands-off method delivers fully set whites, creamy yolks, and shells that peel easily, even if you don’t have access to a stovetop.
Once you try making “boiled” eggs in the air fryer, you’ll want to use this simple technique to cook eggs for breakfasts, snacks, salads, and meal prep. Try making poached eggs in the air fryer or these air fryer fried eggs next!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader View
Followed this step-by-step and very impressed. I have never air fried eggs to hard boil and was nervous when it came to cracking and peeling them but I have NEVER peeled an egg so easily!
– Randy
Quick Look At This Recipe
- ✨ Flavor: Classic egg flavor with fully set whites and tender, creamy yolks.
- ⏱️ Prep time: 3 minutes to preheat
- 🔥 Cook time: 17 minutes + 10 minutes in a water bath
- ⏲️ Total time: 30 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 6 eggs
- 🥄 Tools: Air fryer, tongs or spoon, and a bowl of ice water for cooling.
- ❄️ Meal prep-friendly: Yes! These eggs store well in the fridge and are perfect for grab-and-go breakfasts, snacks, salads, and weekly meal prep.
- 👩🏻🍳 Tip: Cool the eggs immediately in an ice bath to stop cooking and make peeling easier.
SUMMARIZE AND SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No boiling water, no oven needed. This air fryer method has completely replaced the old-school way I used to make hard-boiled eggs—and I haven’t looked back.
- Perfectly cooked eggs, every time. The eggs cook evenly with fully set whites and smooth, creamy yolks, without hovering over a pot of boiling water.
- Totally hands-off. Once the eggs are in the air fryer, there’s very little to do, making this an easy, low-effort option for busy mornings and meal prep.
Once you’ve mastered these, don’t miss my air fryer scrambled eggs or air fryer soft boiled eggs—they’re just as easy and just as foolproof.
Recipe Ingredients
This recipe works well with both medium and large eggs. For best results, use eggs straight from the refrigerator, as this method was tested with cold eggs.
Larger eggs may need a minute or two longer to fully set the yolks, while medium eggs may finish slightly sooner. Arrange the eggs in a single layer in the air fryer basket so hot air can circulate evenly around each one.
💡 Pro Tip: Slightly older eggs (not farm-fresh) tend to peel more easily after cooking.
This air fryer hard-boiled eggs recipe was tested using a Cosori air fryer. Your air fryer model and manufacturer may be different, and you may need to adjust your cooking time accordingly. You can use our Air Fryer Cook-Times Printable or Oven to Air Fryer Conversion Calculator to make adjustments.
How to Make Hard-Boiled Eggs in the Air Fryer
To get started, preheat the air fryer to 270° F for 3 minutes.
- Place eggs into the air fryer basket in a single layer, adding as many eggs as will fit easily in your basket. Work in batches if you need a large amount of boiled eggs. Air fry the fresh eggs at 270°F / 132°C for 17 minutes.
- Carefully remove the cooked eggs from the basket of the air fryer and place them into a bowl of ice water for about ten minutes. After the eggs have cooled, drain them from the cold water bath and carefully peel.
Slice and serve! These are perfect for toast, sandwiches, snacks, and salads!
Air Fryer Boiled Egg Timing Guide
Make perfect air fryer “boiled” eggs with this easy temperature-specific timing chart. Just set your air fryer to 270°F / 132°C and follow the guide below:
| Egg Type | Time | Yolk Texture |
|---|---|---|
| Soft-Boiled Eggs | 6-8 minutes | Runny yolk, set whites |
| Jammy / Medium-Soft | 14–15 minutes | Slightly gooey yolk, soft center |
| Medium-Boiled | 16 minutes | Mostly set yolk, creamy center |
| Hard-Boiled | 17–18 minutes | Fully set yolk and whites |
Expert Tips
- Use a roomy ice bath. If you’re cooking a larger batch, transfer the eggs to a large bowl of ice water so they cool quickly and evenly. Crowding slows cooling and can lead to overcooked yolks.
- Starting with room-temperature eggs? If your eggs aren’t straight from the fridge, start checking for doneness 1–2 minutes earlier. Room-temp eggs heat faster and can overcook if left for the full time.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket. Arrange eggs in a single layer so hot air can circulate evenly. Stacking can lead to uneven cooking.
- Make peeling easier. After cooling, gently crack the shell and roll the egg on a hard surface to loosen it. Peel under running water as the water helps separate the shell from the egg white.
- Peel from the wide end. Starting where the air pocket forms makes peeling smoother and helps prevent tearing the whites.
- Cool completely before peeling. Let the eggs sit in the ice bath for the full time as this stops carryover cooking and makes the shells release more easily.
Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe FAQs
Placing the eggs in an ice-cold water bath immediately after cooking stops the cooking process and prevents the yolks from overcooking. The rapid cooling helps keep the yolks tender, avoids the gray-green ring that can form around overcooked yolks, and makes the shells much easier to peel by helping them separate from the egg whites. You can skip it if you want, but the results may not be the same.
Store unpeeled hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator for up to 7 days in an airtight container. If peeled, store in an airtight container with a damp paper towel to prevent drying out.
You may notice that the outer shell of the eggs have brown spots on them after cooking. If this happens, it’s more than likely because the heating element wasn’t cleaned adequately before making the eggs, and those brown spots are a result of the air fryer still being a little dirty. If you’re seeing brown specks, here’s more about how to clean your air fryer’s heating element to avoid this in the future. Don’t let those brown spots bother you. You’re peeling the shell, so that part is not going to be consumed.
Egg whites turn rubbery when the eggs are overcooked. This usually happens if the eggs are cooked too long, the air fryer runs hotter than expected, or the eggs aren’t cooled quickly enough after cooking. Using an ice bath right away helps stop carryover cooking and keeps the whites tender. If your air fryer tends to cook hot, try reducing the cook time slightly or checking the eggs 1–2 minutes earlier next time.
Eggs can crack in the air fryer due to rapid temperature changes or pressure building inside the shell as the egg heats up. This is more likely to happen with very cold eggs, eggs that have tiny hairline cracks, or when the air fryer preheats quickly. Cracking is usually harmless and doesn’t affect the final result. To reduce cracking, place the eggs in a single layer, avoid overcrowding, and transfer them gently to an ice bath after cooking.
If your air fryer doesn’t allow you to set 270°F, use the closest lower setting available. Many air fryers jump from 250°F to 300°F. If 270°F isn’t an option, cook the eggs at 300°F and begin checking for doneness 2–3 minutes earlier to prevent overcooking.
Serving Ideas Air-Fried Hard-Boiled Eggs
Once you’ve made the eggs, you can store them in the refrigerator for later use. I like to eat them in slices with just a sprinkle of salt and pepper. But they can be used for so many things!
- Salads: Enjoy them sliced on salads or chopped up into potato salad, egg salad or egg salad sandwiches, avocado egg salad, or avocado egg toast.
- Appetizers: Turn them into air fryer deviled eggs or these healthier avocado deviled eggs.
- Holidays: Air fry hard-boiled eggs to use for Easter eggs!
- Breakfast Sandwich: Layer them with air fryer bacon or air fryer sausage patties, and a sliceof cheese on your favorite bread for a hearty breakfast.
More Air Fryer Egg Recipes
Breakfast
Air Fryer Eggs in a Basket
Breakfast
Air Fryer Avocado Eggs
Air Fryer Recipes
Air Fryer Scotch Eggs
Appetizers
Air Fryer Armadillo Eggs
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a STAR ⭐️ RATING in the COMMENTS 📝 SECTION below.
Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 6 Eggs
Instructions
- Place cold eggs into the air fryer basket.
- Air fry the fresh eggs at 270°F (132°C) for 17 minutes of cook time.
- Carefully remove the cooked eggs from the basket of the air fryer and place them into a bowl of ice water for 10 minutes.
- Remove the eggs from the ice water bath after 10 minutes, peel the shells, and serve!
Video
Notes
- Transfer eggs to a large bowl of ice water so they cool quickly and evenly. Crowding can slow cooling and overcook the yolks.
- If your eggs aren’t straight from the fridge, start checking for doneness 1–2 minutes early.
- Arrange eggs in one layer so hot air circulates evenly. Overcrowding can cause uneven cooking.
- After cooling, gently crack and roll the egg on a hard surface, then peel under running water to help release the shell. Start peeling where the air pocket forms helps prevent tearing the whites.
- Let eggs sit in the ice bath for the full time to stop carryover cooking and make peeling easier.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Followed this step-by-step and very impressed. I have never air fried eggs to hard boil and was nervous when it came to cracking and peeling them but I have NEVER peeled an egg so easily. 270 for 17 minutes, with no preheating, ice bath for 10-15 minutes immediately after and the shell nearly peeled itself off.
Isn’t it awesome! People can’t believe you can do this, but it’s super easy! 🙂 Thank you for leaving a comment.
Hard boiled eggs in the air fryer turned out perfectly for me! Thank you!
I just bought an Instant Pot 6 in 1 AF and tried out the eggs today. They were perfect! Thanks for such a wonderful recipe. It’s hot out and now I don’t have to boil water for the eggs.
Thank you!