Add enough water to the pan to cover 6 or fewer eggs by 1 inch or 6+ eggs by 2 inches. Bring it to a rolling boil over high heat (or use a kettle).
Reduce the heat to a rolling simmer and use a slotted spoon to gently lower the eggs into the hot water. Don't overcrowd the pot – they should be in a single layer only.
Start a timer to cook the eggs to your desired doneness.•4 1/2 minutes: The egg whites will be "just" set, with a super runny yolk.•5 minutes: A soft set white with a thick, runny yolk.•6 minutes: A fully set white with a thick, jammy (slightly runny) yolk.•7 minutes: Fully set white, thick, and barely runny yolk.•8-9 minutes: The yolk is set but still creamy.•10-11 minutes: The yolk is set and only ever so slightly tender. This is the typical time for hard-boiled eggs.•12-13 minutes: The yolks are fully set around 11-12 minutes but become lighter and more crumbly if cooked slightly longer.Don't boil them for any longer than 14 minutes, or you risk rubbery egg whites, dry and chalky yolk, and a green-gray ring around the yolks.
Once the timer goes off, transfer the eggs from the hot water to a large bowl of ice water (or under running cold water) to immediately halt the cooking process and leave them to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Peel the eggs under the water. To do so, tap it gently, then roll it back and forth over a surface to create lots of fractures. Then peel it from the wider bottom of the egg where the air pocket is under the shell.
Notes
Start with older eggs: Save farm-fresh eggs for other cooking methods, and use slightly older supermarket ones for this method when possible. Not only are they easier to peel, they're less likely to crack when lowered into boiling water.
To avoid cracking the eggs: Gently lower them into the pan of boiling water, and don't overcrowd the pan. Also, use room temperature eggs (this is also important for more evenly boiled eggs).
Don't overcrowd the pan: Only cook a single layer of eggs at once beneath an inch of water (for 6 or fewer eggs) or 2 inches for 6+ eggs.
Use a timer: It's important to have an accurate timer and to remove the eggs from the water as soon as the timer beeps to achieve your desired results.
Do a test run: The size of your egg, its temperature, the water temperature, and even the altitude can affect cooking time, so it's best to boil practice eggs. I recommend removing one 30 seconds before your desired result, one on time, and one 30 seconds after. That way, you can tweak the method if needed.
Storage Information: Store eggs, once boiled, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week (5 days if peeled). Refer to my post on how to store eggs for more information.