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Elevate your breakfast game with air fryer soft boiled eggs. Forget traditional boiling methods. With the air fryer you’ll achieve perfect soft-boiled eggs with tender whites and gloriously runny yolks. I share the cook times for jammy yolks (extra runny), medium-soft, and hard.

📌 Pin Air Fryer Soft Boiled Eggs

Air fryer soft boiled eggs on a breakfast platter, sliced in half.

🧑🏼‍🍳 Why this Recipe’s a Keeper

Convenience: Using an air fryer for soft boiled eggs is convenient because it eliminates the need for boiling water on the stove. It’s a simple and efficient method that requires minimal effort.
Consistency: With an air fryer you get a consistent cooking temperature, resulting in evenly cooked eggs every time you make them. So your soft boiled eggs will turn out perfectly every time.
Customization: The recipe allows for customization of the cooking time to achieve different levels of yolk consistency, catering to individual preferences. Whether you prefer extra-runny jammy yolks, medium-soft, or hard yolks, you can adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Versatility: Soft boiled eggs made in the air fryer can be used in various dishes, such as salads, ramen, or simply enjoyed on their own as a nutritious snack or breakfast option.
Healthier Option: Air frying requires little to no oil compared to traditional frying methods, making it a healthier option for cooking soft boiled eggs. It’s a great way to enjoy this protein-packed food without excess fat.

Air fryer soft boiled eggs served on a plate with avocado toast.

🛒 Ingredients

Fresh Eggs: For this recipe I used cold eggs, straight from the fridge. This works just fine for me. However, if you’re experiencing some issues with the eggs cracking during cooking, use room temperature eggs instead as this can help prevent cracking.
Ice and Cold Water: Placed in a bowl together this is called an ice-water bath. It’s used to immediately stop the cooking process once the eggs are done, and cool them down quickly. This is very helpful when you want to achieve the perfect soft boiled eggs.

A serving plate of air fryer hard boiled eggs sliced in half.

📖 Recipe Steps

This is a guide for making air fryer soft boiled eggs with different cooking times to achieve 3 different levels of yolk consistency. For well-cooked yolks, like those commonly used for making deviled eggs, etc., 👉🏻 see this excellent post for air fryer hard boiled eggs.

Soft boiled eggs, halved and plated for breakfast.

For Extra Runny (Jammy) Yolks

Recipe Prep: Preheat the air fryer to 250°F (120°C).

Place the eggs directly in the air fryer basket.
For extra runny yolks, air fry for 9 minutes. (At 8 minutes the egg whites are still runny, so I wouldn’t recommend cooking for less than 9 minutes.)
Immediately transfer the eggs to an ice-water bath to stop the cooking process and prevent overcooking. Let the eggs sit in the icy water for 5 to 6 minutes. This should be sufficient time to cool them down completely and halt the cooking process.
Peel the soft boiled eggs and enjoy.

How to make air fryer hard boiled eggs, step by step.

For Medium-Soft Yolks

Recipe Prep: Preheat the air fryer to 250°F (120°C).

Place the eggs directly in the air fryer basket.
For medium-soft yolks, air fry for 10 to 11 minutes. (At 10 minutes the eggs look fairly similar to the ones cooked for 11 minutes, so I’d say there’s not a big difference between the two cook times.)
Immediately transfer the eggs to an ice-water bath to stop the cooking process. Let them sit there for about 5 to 6 minutes before removing them from the icy water.
Peel your soft boiled eggs and enjoy.

Cooking time chart for air fryer soft boiled eggs.

For Hard Yolks

Recipe Prep: Preheat the air fryer to 250°F (120°C).

Place the eggs directly in the air fryer basket.
For hard yolks, air fry for 13 to 15 minutes. (I’d consider the eggs “hard boiled” after 13 minutes, but I prefer cooking them for 15 minutes just to make sure.)
After cooking, immediately transfer the eggs to an ice-water bath. Let the eggs sit in the icy water for about 5 to 6 minutes. This should be sufficient time to cool them down completely and halt the cooking process.
Peel and enjoy, or refrigerate the eggs for later.

Serving air fryer soft boiled eggs with a fork.

🥚 Expert Tips: How to Peel Boiled Eggs

Cool the Eggs: After boiling the eggs, immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water and let them cool down for at least 10 minutes. This helps in shrinking the egg whites slightly and separating them from the shell, making peeling easier.
Tap and Roll: Gently tap each boiled egg on a hard surface to crack the shell all over. Then, roll the egg between your hands or on the countertop to further crack the shell. This helps to loosen the shell from the egg white.
Start Peeling: Begin peeling the egg by carefully removing a small piece of the shell from the wider end (where the air pocket is). This is often the easiest place to start peeling. If you’re finding it difficult to peel the eggs, try peeling them under a thin stream of running water. This can help remove any stubborn bits of shell and make the process smoother. Peel the shell away from the egg, trying to keep the membrane intact with the shell. This can help the shell come off more cleanly.
Patience: Take your time and peel the eggs carefully to avoid damaging the egg whites. If you encounter any particularly stubborn spots, gently use your fingers or a spoon to help lift the shell away.

Soft boiled eggs cut in half and plated over avocado toast.

👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQ

I use cold eggs and they turn out just fine. But to prevent possible cracking and promote even cooking, many people prefer using room temperature eggs. If you’re short on time, you can run the eggs under lukewarm water for a few minutes to help bring them to room temperature before cooking.

Yes, you can cook multiple eggs at once in the air fryer as long as they fit comfortably in a single layer in the basket without overcrowding. However, you may need to adjust the cooking time slightly to ensure even cooking.

No, there’s no need to poke holes in the eggs before cooking them in the air fryer. Unlike boiling eggs on the stove, air frying doesn’t require this step as there’s no risk of the eggs cracking during cooking.

To prevent the eggs from cracking in the air fryer, it’s essential to handle them gently when placing them in the basket. Additionally, you can run the eggs under lukewarm water for a few minutes to help bring them to room temperature before cooking – as this can also help prevent cracking.

You can test the doneness of the eggs by carefully removing one from the air fryer using tongs and gently tapping it on a hard surface. If the shell feels firm and the egg whites are set, they’re likely done. Or you can use a spoon to carefully lift one egg out of the air fryer and check the yolk’s consistency.

Yes, you can store leftover soft boiled eggs in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. It’s best to peel them before storing and keep them in an airtight container to maintain their freshness.

🍽 More Tasty Egg Recipes

Rate This Recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Flavor testers rated this the BEST recipe for soft boiled eggs. They like being provided with 3 different cooking times so everyone can achieve the yolk texture they desire. They also appreciated the helpful time chart showing the 3 different cooking times along with images.

If you agree this recipe’s a keeper, give it a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero. Share it with friends. 📌 Pin it to Pinterest.

Air Fryer Soft Boiled Eggs

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5 from 17 reviews

Author: Denay DeGuzman

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Description

This recipe is a helpful guide for achieving perfect air fryer soft boiled eggs. Enjoy the exact level of yolk consistency you’ve been craving, every time!

Ingredients

Scale

2 (or more) fresh eggs
Ice and cold water (combined in a large bowl), for an ice-water bath

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Instructions

Recipe Prep: Preheat the air fryer to 250°F (120°C).

Carefully arrange the fresh eggs inside the air fryer basket leaving space between them. Do not stack the eggs. If needed, cook them in batches.

For Extra Runny (Jammy) Yolks

Air fry for 9 minutes.
Note: At 8 minutes the egg whites are still runny, so I wouldn’t recommend cooking for less than 9 minutes.

For Medium-Soft Yolks

Air fry for 10 to 11 minutes.
Note: At 10 minutes the eggs look fairly similar to the ones cooked for 11 minutes, so I’d say there’s not a big difference between the two cook times.

For Hard Yolks

Air fry for 13 to 15 minutes.
Note: I’d consider the eggs “hard boiled” after 13 minutes, but I prefer cooking them for 15 minutes just to make sure.

After cooking, immediately transfer the eggs to an ice-water bath. Let the eggs sit in the icy water for about 5 to 6 minutes. This should be sufficient time to cool them down completely and halt the cooking process. Peel your soft boiled eggs and enjoy!

Equipment

Air Fryer

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Anolon Locking Tongs

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Notes

Temperature of the eggs for air frying: I use cold eggs, straight from the fridge, and they turn out just fine. But to prevent possible cracking and promote even cooking, many people prefer using room temperature eggs. If you’re short on time, you can run the eggs under lukewarm water for a few minutes to help bring them to room temperature before cooking.