How to Dye Eggs Naturally
Have fun with the kids to experiment making natural food dyes and learn how to dye eggs naturally for Easter or for any springtime decor.
Servings 12 colored eggs
Cost $10
Equipment
- Small pot(s)
- Several small bowls
- Several spoons or slotted spoon
- Paper towels
Ingredients
- White eggs
- White distilled vinegar
- Fresh beets cranberries, radishes or frozen raspberries for pink dye
- Yellow onion skins dark tea for orange dye
- Orange or lemon peels carrot tops, celery seed or ground cumin for light yellow dye
- Turmeric for bright yellow dye
- Yellow Delicious apple peels for green-gold dye
- Frozen blueberries or red cabbage leaves for blue dye
- Strong brewed coffee for beige-brown dye
- Chili powder for brown-orange dye
- Purple or red grape juice or beet juice for grey dye
Instructions
- Place your eggs in a small pot and cover with water.
- For each quart of water, add 2 TBS of white vinegar.
- With the lid on, bring the water to boil.
- Turn the heat off and let the eggs sit in the covered pot for 20 minutes. This will keep your eggs from rumbling in boiled waters and possibly cracking.
- Place eggs in a bowl with ice water to cool. Store in the refrigerator until ready to dye. Hard-boiled eggs keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Now it is time to prepare your natural food dyes, In a small pot, add organic materials chosen to make dye (a.k.a. dyestuff) and cover with water. Again, add two TBS of vinegar for each quart of water.
- With the lid on, bring the water to boil.
- After boiling 20 minutes, remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- When dye bath reaches desired color, strain out the dyestuff using a cheesecloth for smaller particles or a small strainer. Remember that the eggs will not get as dark as the color in the pot.
- Now it is time to dye your eggs. Place the hard-boiled eggs in the dye bath for at least 10 minutes. The longer the eggs sit in the dye bath, the more intense the colors become.
- Remove the eggs from the bath, place on a dish and allow to air dry. Try not to handle the eggs until they are completely dried. The outer layer of the egg shell with the dye on it will get scratched off because the vinegar has softened it.
Notes
Remember the longer the eggs sit in the dye bath, the more intense the colors become.
