Big Batch of Pressure Cooker Hard Boiled Eggs for Easter
This Easter, make a big batch of Instant Pot / pressure cooker hard-boiled eggs to decorate with your favorite festive designs. The pressure cooker is the best way to make large amounts of easy to peel hard-boiled eggs in minutes.
I make hard-boiled eggs in the Instant Pot / pressure cooker all year long. But come Easter, I’m making big batches of perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs to decorate with my kids.
🥚 If this is your first time cooking eggs in the pressure cooker, start with my Perfect Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs Post, where I’ve covered everything you need to know.
Update: Every Easter, I make huge batches of hard-boiled eggs in the pressure cooker. I’ve updated this post with new tips to help you make large batches of eggs to decorate with your family.
An electric pressure cooker is the best way to ensure that whether you’re cooking one or several dozen eggs, they come out perfectly hard-boiled.
And the best part about pressure cooker hard-boiled eggs? They’re much easier to peel than the stovetop method. No more egg sticking to the shell.
How to Make Big-Batch Pressure Cooker Hard Boiled Eggs for Easter
This big-batch hard-boiled egg recipe will work in any brand of electric pressure cooker, including the Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, or Power Pressure Cooker XL.
I find that the best tool to make a large number of pressure cooker hard-boiled eggs is a good steamer basket. My favorite is the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Steamer.
However, if you prefer a silicone steamer basket, the deep sides of the Avokado steamer basket makes it easy to remove all of the eggs from the pressure cooking pot at once.
If you don’t have a steamer basket, you can use the rack or trivet that came with your pressure cooker.
💡 Whether I’m cooking a small or big batch, I follow the 6-6-6 rule for pressure cooker hard-boiled eggs.
For a deeper look at the process, read my guide to perfect pressure cooker eggs. The 6-6-6 timing represents 6 minutes at high pressure, a 6-minute natural pressure release (followed by a quick release), and 6 minutes in an ice bath to cool the eggs down.
This timing works every time for me here at 5,000 feet. However, those of you at lower altitudes report that a shorter cooking, time, such as 5-5-5 or even 4-4-4 gets the job done. To test it out the first time, try cooking one egg and seeing what works best.
How Many Eggs Can I Cook in My Pressure Cooker?
This is the best part about this recipe: you can crowd in as many eggs as will fit inside your pressure cooker bowl!
We pile our steamer basket high with eggs and usually don’t have issues with cracking. (When we occasionally do get a crack, I’m pretty it’s because the egg already had a hairline fracture before I placed it in the pressure cooker.)
⏲️ Regardless of whether you’re cooking one egg or dozens, there’s no need to change the cook time, pressure release time, or even the amount of water!
Unique Ways to Decorate Pressure Cooker Easter Eggs
Once you have a big batch of hard-boiled eggs made in the Instant Pot / pressure cooker, it’s time to get decorating!
Here are some fantastic ways to put a unique spin on your Easter eggs this year:
- Marbled Eggs from My Baking Addiction are made with whipped cream. This is a fun way to get little hands involved.
- Stunning, abstract Foiled Eggs are a shiny step up from classic pastels.
- A layer of black chalkboard paint turns white hard-boiled eggs into a blank slate for doodles and drawings
- Transfer a temporary tattoo onto eggshells for easy, quick and unique Easter eggs.
- And don’t discount store-bought kits! We just used a simple Paas shimmering pearl color kit from the grocery store.
More Delicious Recipes For Your Easter Menu
Easter is a time to celebrate. This means that we’re using our pressure cooker to prepare a feast—modified for social distancing style this year!
We always start by reheating our centerpiece: a classic Easter ham.
Pair it with one of these amazing sides:
- Quick old-fashioned Instant Pot Potato Salad is a popular springtime side made in just 20 minutes.
- Instant Pot Cheesy Potato au Gratin is a warm potato dish that serves as a delicious contrast to chilled potato salad.
- Easy Sweet Carrots with Tarragon from Foodie Crush add a pop of color and fresh flavor to your Easter spread.
- Sweet Potato Biscuits from Taste and Tell are an unexpected, sweet take on classic dinner rolls.
- Israeli Couscous Salad with Asparagus, Artichokes & Spinach from Two Peas & Their Pod. This bright green vegetarian side will win over even the hungriest meat-eaters.
- Easter dessert is not complete without adorable Robin Eggs Mini Cheesecakes made in the pressure cooker.
- These festive Easter Shortbread Cookies from Barbara Bakes are always quick to disappear at our holiday gathering.
Best Instant Pot Egg Recipes
Check out the delicious ways your family can make them in your Instant Pot / pressure cooker:
- Easy Instant Pot Egg Bites are adorable, filling, and easy-to-transport mini crustless quiches, packed with protein and flavor.
- Pressure Cooker Deviled Eggs turn easy Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs into a delectable treat.
- Meatlovers Crustless Quiche is loaded with ham, bacon, sausage, and cheese for a delicious start to the day.
- Instant Pot Scotch Eggs transform perfectly hard-boiled eggs into a decadent breakfast perfect for Easter.
🍳 Learn how to make perfect Instant Pot eggs, from soft boiled to poached to egg loaves, with my complete guide.
Pressure Cooker Hard Boiled Eggs for Easter
Easter is the perfect time to make these beautiful pressure cooker hard-boiled eggs in a big batch decorated with bright colors for spring.
Ingredients
- 6 to 12+ cold eggs (as many that fit in your pressure cooker)
- 1 cup cold water
Instructions
- Pour 1 cup water in the bottom of the pressure cooking pot. Place a steamer basket* on the bottom and place the eggs inside the steamer. Lock the lid in place. Select High Pressure and 6 minutes cook time.**
- While the eggs are cooking, prepare an ice water bath, with enough cold water and ice to cover the eggs you cook.
- When the cook time ends, turn off the pressure cooker. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 6 minutes, then finish with a quick pressure release. When the valve drops, carefully remove the lid.
- Remove the steamer basket from the pressure cooking pot. Place the eggs into ice-cold water for 6 minutes to stop the cooking process.
- Once eggs have cooled completely, transfer to the refrigerator until ready to dye or to eat.
Notes
*You can put the eggs on a rack or trivet as well, but I prefer the basket so the eggs are easier to remove from the pressure cooking pot.
**The 6-6-6 timing works well with my pressure cooker at my altitude. However, you may need to add or subtract a minute or two depending on your altitude, the freshness of the eggs, or the material of your steamer basket. See full details at my Perfect Eggs Post.
You can cook a single egg or as many as will fit in your steamer basket and the cook time will be the same.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 to 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 12Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 13mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g
Nutrition information is calculated by Nutritionix and may not always be accurate.
FOR MORE FROM PRESSURE COOKING TODAY
🥘 Browse our collection of the best pressure cooker / Instant Pot recipes.
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👥 Join our Electric Pressure Cooker Facebook Group. Our positive community of pressure cooking fans use all brands of electric pressure cookers, so it’s a great resource if you have questions about your particular brand.
🥧 If you’re interested in more than just Instant Pot recipes, follow us at Barbara Bakes. There we post amazing breakfasts, breads, and the best dessert recipes!
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Barb,
After many split or exploded eggs using high and low pressure, natural and quick release. I came across a process of 8 minutes low pressure and only quick release. Better results but still too many cracked eggs. Now I’ve found that by using the same process only keeping the eggs standing just like they are in the carton, out of 11 eggs, I only had 1 with a small crack. And, I get more eggs in my basket.
Thanks for sharing your tip Kerry! Fortunately, I haven’t had a problem with cracked eggs.
When you say high pressure do you mean like the canning setting on my pressure cooker xl .
Which i think is the highest. Or any other setting for 6 min.
Hi Brian – no, I would just use the steam setting for eggs. Here’s more information about using the XL https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/how-to-use-the-power-pressure-cooker-xl/
I’m late to the convo- but I thought I’d share this gem I stumbled into by chance- the last time I used the IP for hard boiled eggs the eggs that were stacked on one another seemed to all crack, dont know if it is the vibration or what but, I recently purchased silicone muffin cup liners. You saw the light bulb come on- right. I used the short rack insert that came with the IP and placed the eggs in the silicone liners. 8 fit on the bottom and 4 more in liner cups directly on top of the original 8 – perfection! easy peel no cracked eggs. I used a slotted spoon to scoop the eggs out of the liners, hot water had gathered in the cups- be careful.
Thanks for sharing your tip Jackwelyn!
After just attempting three different times in my instant pot to boil eggs for Easter egg dyeing, I have 9 out of 27 that completely cracked, so although I can eat them, we can’t dye them. I think I’ll stick to the old fashioned way to boil for egg dyeing unless there is a trick to this that I don’t know about.
Hi Rachel – my experience has been if they crack in the pressure cooker, they probably would have cracked boiling on the stove. Some eggs have hairline cracks that you don’t notice.
Is there any need to prick the shell on the air bubble side like I ususally do when boiling eggs? I wondered it that would make the pressure cooking better or worse.
Thank you!
I’ve never tried that. You could experiment and let me know.
For cooking eggs for easter egg dying, do we need to add vinegar to the water to prep shells for t he dye? Used to years ago.
Hi Barbara – since the eggs steam and aren’t in the water, I don’t think adding vinegar would help. I haven’t found it necessary. Have fun!
How much water do you put in the pressure cooker?
Hi Jessica – 1 cup water
Amazing! I was skeptical that the eggs would be easy to peel….I’ve tried many things that were not successful. However, the shells came off perfectly!!! I will never boil eggs any other way. Thank you so much!
It really is amazing. Thanks Julie!
Hi I have read all the comments and my question is, Do the eggs ever break in the pressure cooker?
Hi Andreas – sometimes if an egg already has a hairline crack, some of the egg white will cook on the outside of the shell. Similar to what it does when you’re boiling them on the stove and one occasionally breaks open a tiny bit.
I only have high pressure for my pressure cooker. I only cook the eggs for 3-4 minutes and use natural release. The eggs are nicely hard boiled. I love how easily they peel.
Hi Barbara – the sweet spot is different for everyone. Glad you found yours. They really do peel so easy 🙂
I never separate mine. I use a steamer basket and use high pressure for 6 minutes followed by the quick release method. Perfect every time. I’ve done six at a time and eighteen – still perfect.
I jmade 18 eggs at once. They came out perfectly, no cracking or breaking, and every one perfectly cooked. They were super fresh eggs from a local farmer, and even though they were just laid, they peeled easily. I do not fear deviled eggs!!!
18 perfect eggs – that’s great!
The recipe calls for high pressure, but the comments are saying low…I would like to give this a try, but want to make sure I use the correct settings. 🙂
I have an instant pot duo if that makes any difference. 🙂
Hi Tracy – many electric pressure cookers don’t have a low pressure setting, so I’ve used high pressure instead of low pressure and it works well for me. If yours has a low pressure setting and you prefer to use low pressure, definitely give it a try. Everyone prefers their hard boiled eggs a little differently, so just do one or two eggs until you find what is the perfect time and setting for you at your elevation, using your steamer basket or rack and the size eggs you normally buy.
Hi Barbara! Thank you for taking on the journey of electric pressure cooking! Love your site!! I trekd your link on the Facebook Community page. It says it no longer exists (or something along those lines). Any news would be helpful!!
Thanks Kelly – sorry the linking isn’t working for you. Try this one https://www.facebook.com/groups/InstantPotCommunity/ or just search Instant Pot Community in the Facebook search. It’s a great group.
I do this all of the time. It is now the only way to boil eggs in my house! I have an oxo steamer basket, plastic one, it works great. The eggs peel so easy too. Love it!
Hi Joan – for me a steamer basket is a must too. Thanks!
I see so many people working so hard to separate their eggs when it doesn’t seem necessary at all! Maybe it would be a nice public service if you moved the update to the beginning of the post. Your pretty pictures are what people see and remember, I think, not the postscript.
Hi Margie – I have been thinking it’s time to update this post entirely. It’s just a matter of finding time to fit everything in. I added the update higher so that should help until I have time to update the entire post. Thanks!
I only need a small batch of eggs. So I use 5 canning jar rings to keep the eggs separate. I can do six eggs at a time this way. I use a rack on the bottom, add the rings and eggs. (1 in ea ring and 1 in the middle). Works great.
Hi Barbara – just wanted you to know this really works! 6 min. on low pressure followed by a 5 minute natural release (Laura Pazzaglia – Hip Pressure Cooking) and the eggs are done with no green ring and are super easy to peel. I have cooked them several times this way, I have an Instant Pot Duo. The first time though I just cooked one egg to confirm what time would work best as I have extra large eggs. Again, thanks so much for your recipes and encouragement!
Thanks for the feedback Sharon! Great idea to cook just one egg and get the timing right for your pressure cooker and eggs. I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes and I could encourage you to get pressure cooking 🙂
I just got an Instant Pot Duo for Christmas. I followed the directions that you indicated that your husband used successfully for this machine (8 minutes on low, 6 minutes natural release). I used 6 extra large eggs and placed them in silicone baking cups. Unfortunately my eggs were undercooked. When I cracked them open they were still runny inside. Should I have cooked them longer because they were extra large?
Hi Cody – extra large eggs will require a little more time, but I don’t think they should have been runny. It sounds like maybe your Instant Pot Duo didn’t come to pressure. Did the timer count down? Was the valve closed? Here’s more troubleshooting ideas http://www.hippressurecooking.com/infographic-the-pressure-cooker-trouble-shooter
I have an “old fashioned” pressure cooker — not electric. Do you have any information as to how you cook the eggs in one of those pans? Mine might be a six or eight quart size.
Thanks.
Hi Deloris – Hip Pressuring Cooking has stove top pressure cooking instructions on her site. http://www.hippressurecooking.com/cracked-soft-medium-and-hard-boiled-eggs-in-the-pressure-cooker/
I did these at the high pressure instructions. Mine were still runny. What did I do wrong?
My yolks did have a bit of a green ring around the outside edge. How do I not have that green on there?
Nancy – did you remember to use low pressure?
Yes, I made sure it was low. I cooked them for the 6 minutes and then used Natural Pressure Release. But, instead of just 6 minutes, I left them until the lid unlocked. Do you think that was too long maybe?
Yes, either decrease your cook time or the time you’re letting them steam in the pressure cooker after it beeps. 🙂
Last night, while trying to wind down from Christmas, I came across your recipe for pressure-cooked hard boiled eggs. Being brand new (as of 2 weeks ago) to pressure cooking, I was amazed to learn I can pressure cook eggs. After a cup of coffee this morning, I just had to try out your recipe. I used your aluminum foil method to stabilize the eggs & it worked very well.
I followed your directions exactlly. Eight minutes (2 minutes for the natural release) after starting, I had beautiful hard boiled eggs. Not only did they look perfect, they tasted great. I purposely did not sprinkle any salt on the egg I ate, a first for me, and I was quite surprised at how much better the eggs taste pressure-cooked than cooked the traditional way.
Thanks so much for another great recipe. I PCd cheesecake last week & it was fantastic!
Hi Arlene – so glad you found my site. Pressure cooking really does make great tasting easy to peel eggs.
Love this way for hard cooking eggs… even the freshest eggs peal easy.
I have a question. When I do eggs this way the yellow is clean with no gray ring but the whites have a brown cast to them. Ok for salads not so good for deviled eggs. Do you have any Idea why?
Thankys for your time…love the site.
I haven’t experienced a brown cast. Is it where the eggs are coming in to contact with the aluminum? Have you tried separating the eggs with something else, maybe heat resistant plastic to see if that makes a difference?
Becky – after giving your comment some more thought, I decided to try silicone baking cups to separate the eggs. I liked the idea so much that I’ve updated the post with a picture and details. Thanks so much for your feedback!
I have done this successfully with one layer of eggs, but when I tried it with 18 eggs and low pressure I lost 8 eggs to cracking. The next batch of 18 eggs I did I used Miss Vicki’s method of using the trivet and covering the eggs completely with water and I pressured it for 6 min. on low with a quick release after 6 min. I only had 2 minor cracked eggs. If I do a large batch of eggs I think I will use this method. If you can separate the eggs from banging together when they cook the steaming method is quick and works well.
Hi Susan – thanks for sharing. I’ll have to try a large batch.
Tried it this morning and it works beautifully. Have a stove top Kuhn Rikon and pressured at high for 5 min. Perfect, no green ring on yolk which cooked completely and peeled so easily.
Thank you so much.
Hi Annette – so glad you tried it. Thanks for sharing the timing in the stovetop pressure cooker.
So smart to do it this way, and we still haven’t died eggs. We so need to get on that.
Oh my…this is something I need to try. Time to blow the dust off of my pressure cooker! 🙂
Definitely time to blow off the dust and get cooking. Have fun!