Yes, you can cook shell-on eggs in an air fryer, then chill them in ice water for a boiled-egg texture.
You don’t need a pot of water to end up with a hard-cooked egg. An air fryer heats the egg in its shell until the yolk sets, then an ice bath stops the cooking.
This page gives you a timing chart, a step-by-step method, and fixes for cracked shells and stubborn peels, plus storage rules.
Can I Cook A Boiled Egg In An Air Fryer?
Yes. The air fryer’s hot air cooks the egg inside the shell. You’re not boiling it in water, but the finished egg can match the same doneness levels you’d expect from boiling: jammy, hard, or extra firm.
The trick is simple: control heat, control time, then cool fast. Cooling fast matters because eggs keep cooking after you pull them out. A short ice bath locks in the texture and helps the shell release from the white.
| Doneness Goal | Air Fryer Setting | Time And Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Soft center (spoonable) | 250°F / 120°C | 10–11 min; chill 5 min, peel gently |
| Jammy yolk (ramen-style) | 250°F / 120°C | 12–13 min; chill 8–10 min |
| Classic hard-cooked | 250°F / 120°C | 14–15 min; chill 10 min, best for salads |
| Extra firm (deviled filling) | 250°F / 120°C | 16 min; chill 10–12 min for clean halves |
| Large eggs from the fridge | 250°F / 120°C | Add 1–2 min; cold shells slow the set |
| Room-temp eggs | 250°F / 120°C | Subtract 1 min; start checking sooner |
| Extra-large or jumbo eggs | 250°F / 120°C | Add 2–3 min; size shifts the center temp |
| Cooking 10–12 eggs at once | 250°F / 120°C | Add 1 min; keep a single layer with space |
| If your air fryer runs hot | 240°F / 115°C | Use the same times; fewer cracks, steadier whites |
What to gather before you start
Set up your station first. It keeps the timing tight, and it keeps your hands out of the hot basket longer than needed.
- Eggs (any size; note what you buy)
- Air fryer basket or tray, clean and dry
- Tongs or a spoon for lifting hot eggs
- A bowl of ice water big enough for the whole batch
- Timer (your phone works)
- Paper towel or a clean cloth for drying
If you plan to peel right away, keep a small bowl ready for shells. If you plan to store them, keep a marker nearby so you can date the batch on the carton.
Cooking a boiled egg in an air fryer with shell on
This is the core method. It’s simple, but the details are what make the egg peel clean and taste right.
Step 1 Set up the air fryer
Place the basket in the unit and make sure there’s no water inside. If your air fryer has a preheat mode, you can preheat for 2–3 minutes. If it doesn’t, start cold. Both work. A short preheat can shave a minute off your timing, so keep notes the first time you try it.
Step 2 Arrange the eggs
Put the eggs in a single layer with a little space between them. Don’t stack them. Air needs room to move so the cook stays even. If you’re making a big batch, run two rounds rather than piling eggs on top of each other.
Step 3 Cook, then chill fast
Cook at 250°F / 120°C and pick a time from the chart. When the timer ends, lift the eggs straight into the ice water. Let them sit until they’re cool to the touch. That’s often 8–12 minutes, depending on egg size and how much ice you used.
Step 4 Peel or store
Dry the eggs. If you’ll peel now, tap the wide end first, then roll the egg under your palm to crack the shell all over. Peel under a thin stream of cool water if you like. If you’ll store them, keep them in the shell until you’re ready to eat. The shell acts like a barrier.
Food safety notes for air fryer “boiled” eggs
Eggs are a simple food, yet they still need clean handling. Start with clean hands and a clean basket. After cooking, get the eggs cold fast and keep them cold.
For temperature targets, the USDA lists safe minimum internal temperatures for egg dishes and other foods. If you ever use these eggs in a mixed dish, stick to those targets and cook the dish until it reaches the listed temperature on the USDA safe temperature chart.
Once your eggs are hard-cooked, chill them and store them in the fridge. USDA guidance for cooked eggs gives a one-week window for best quality and safety; see Shell Eggs From Farm To Table for handling and storage rules.
Time tweaks that change your result
If your first batch comes out a little off, don’t sweat it. Small shifts in starting temp and airflow can move the finish line by a minute or two.
Write down your first run: egg size, starting temp, basket load, setting, time, and chill length. Next time, change one thing. After two runs you’ll have a personal chart that matches your air fryer and your taste. It saves guesswork later on.
Egg size and starting temperature
Jumbo eggs hold more mass, so the yolk warms slower. Eggs right from the fridge start colder, so the center takes longer to set. If you use room-temp eggs, the yolk sets sooner, and you may get a slightly softer center at the same time mark.
Air fryer design differences
Basket-style units often cook a touch faster than oven-style units with racks. Some models run hot. If you see frequent cracks or puffy whites, drop the setting to 240°F / 115°C and keep the same time. That gentler heat can calm things down.
Batch size and spacing
More eggs soak up more heat at the start. If you fill the basket, add about a minute and keep space between eggs. A single layer wins. Stacking is the fast track to uneven doneness.
Altitude and your kitchen air
Boiling water changes with altitude, yet your air fryer is running hot air at a set dial. Altitude still can nudge your results because your home air and egg temperature can shift. Treat your first batch as a calibration run, then stick to your notes.
Cooling and peeling without the usual mess
Peeling is where most people get annoyed. Two moves reduce the frustration: a full chill, and cracking the wide end first.
Use a real ice bath
Cold water helps, but ice water works better. Ice pulls heat out fast, which shrinks the egg slightly inside the shell. That tiny gap can make peeling smoother.
Start at the wide end
The wide end often has a small air pocket. Crack there, slide a spoon under the membrane, and lift. If the shell fights you, dunk the egg back in the cold water for a minute and try again.
Peel under water if needed
Water can slip under the membrane and help it separate from the white. You don’t need a roaring faucet. A bowl of cool water works too.
How many eggs can you cook at once
Most 4–6 quart basket air fryers handle 6–12 eggs in one layer, depending on egg size. If the eggs touch, that’s fine. If they stack, the cook gets patchy.
If you run two batches back to back, the second batch may cook faster because the unit is already hot. Start checking one minute earlier on round two.
Common problems and simple fixes
If something goes sideways, it’s almost always timing, heat, or cooling. Use the table below to diagnose the cause and pick a fix.
| What You See | Likely Cause | Fix For Next Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Shell cracks in the basket | Heat too high or eggs too cold | Cook at 240–250°F; add 1 min if eggs are fridge-cold |
| Whites leak and puff out | Crack formed early | Lower temp; place eggs with a little space so they don’t bump |
| Green ring on yolk edge | Overcooked or cooled too slowly | Cut 1–2 min; move eggs to ice water right away |
| Yolk is too soft | Time too short for your unit | Add 1 min; keep the same temperature |
| Yolk is dry and chalky | Time too long | Cut 1 min; chill a full 10 min |
| Eggs peel in tiny flakes | Not chilled enough | Ice bath 10–12 min; peel after the egg is fully cool |
| Big chunks of white tear off | Peeling started at the wrong spot | Crack the wide end first; use a spoon under the membrane |
| Uneven doneness in one batch | Stacking or crowded airflow | Cook in a single layer; run two rounds if needed |
| Eggs rattle and knock around | Fan is strong and eggs are loose | Use a silicone liner with holes or nest eggs in a rack insert |
| Egg tastes sulfur-y | Overcooked | Trim time by 1–2 min; chill fast |
Storage rules so your batch stays good
Once the eggs are cold, store them in the fridge. Keep them in the shell until you plan to eat. If you peel them, keep them in a lidded container and add a paper towel to catch moisture.
Label the container with the cook date. Try to finish the batch within a week. If an egg smells off, toss it.
Easy ways to use air fryer hard-cooked eggs
Hard-cooked eggs are a quiet workhorse in the kitchen. They turn into fast snacks, salad toppers, and sandwich fillers with almost no prep.
- Slice over rice bowls with soy sauce and scallions
- Chop into tuna salad for more body
- Mash with mayo, mustard, and pickle for a simple egg salad
- Quarter and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika
- Marinate peeled eggs in a soy-based mix for a savory bite
Quick run checklist before you start
This checklist keeps the process tidy and repeatable. If you save one thing from this page, save this.
- Pick your doneness time from the chart
- Set up an ice bath before the eggs go in
- Cook at 250°F, single layer, with space
- Move eggs straight to ice water when the timer ends
- Chill until fully cool, then peel from the wide end
- Store in the shell in the fridge and date the batch
So, can i cook a boiled egg in an air fryer? Yes. Once you lock in your time for your model and egg size, it becomes one of the easiest hands-off egg methods you can run on a busy day.