Free 4 minute egg timer for soft boiled eggs with a slightly runny yolk. Perfect for dipping toast soldiers or topping avocado toast.
A 4-minute egg has a fully set white with no translucency and a yolk that is warm and runny but slightly thickened around the edges. It holds its shape better than a 3-minute egg when sliced but still flows when the yolk is broken. Perfect for dipping toast.
4 minutes gives a more reliable soft boil for most people — the white is completely set (unlike 3 minutes where edges can still be slightly loose) while the yolk remains fully runny. For everyday soft-boiled eggs, 4 minutes is the most practical choice.
Eggs Benedict traditionally uses poached eggs, not boiled. However, a 4-minute soft-boiled egg makes an excellent substitute when peeled — the runny yolk provides the same experience as a poached egg without the poaching equipment. Peel carefully under cool running water.
The soft yolk makes 4-minute eggs delicate to peel. After the ice bath, tap the wider end firmly on a surface to crack the shell, then peel under a thin stream of cool water. Start at the air pocket end (wider end). Work slowly — the white is fully set but still tender.
Yes. Large eggs (the standard): 4 minutes exactly. Medium eggs: reduce to 3.5 minutes. Extra-large or jumbo eggs: increase to 4.5 minutes. The timer assumes large eggs at room temperature. Always use room-temperature eggs for the most consistent results.