You probably have the ingredients to make a rainbow of naturally dyed Easter eggs sitting in your kitchen pantry right now! Would you like to know how to make natural Easter egg dyes? It’s easy! Simply pick the color you want your egg to become and create the natural dye according to the directions below.
My children and I experimented with different fruits, vegetables and spices and found that natural Easter egg dyes are not going to create the bright, vibrant hues that commercial dyes will create. HOWEVER, we love the soft pastels the natural dyes turn the eggs, plus have fun guessing which foods are going to make the best colors. The longer the egg sits in the natural dye, the deeper the color will become.
The picture above shows yesterday’s batch of eggs. Most eggs sat in the natural dye for 15-30 minutes. The soft colors are hard to capture, but there are shades of yellows, pinks, green, browns and blues made from (clockwise left to right) Chili Powder, Strawberries, Cinnamon, Spinach, Beets, Grape Juice, and Carrots.
Recipes For Natural Easter Egg Dyes
How To Create a Natural Dye From Fruits & Vegetables:
- Boil 2 cups of water with 1 cup of chopped Fruit or Vegetable.
- Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Strain and reserve liquid.
- Add ¼ cup white vinegar to reserved liquid, stir and cool.
- Gently place hard-boiled eggs in natural dye and allow to sit for 15 minutes to overnight.
How To Create a Natural Dye From Spices:
- Add 5 Tablespoons Spices to 2 cups of water. Bring to boil and simmer 15 minutes.
- Strain and reserve liquid.
- Add ¼ cup white vinegar to reserved liquid, stir and cool.
- Gently place hard-boiled eggs in natural dye and allow to sit for 15 minutes to overnight.
How To Create a Natural Dye From Juice, Coffee, Wine or Tea:
- Mix ¼ cup White Vinegar into 2 cups of undiluted liquid.
- Gently place hard-boiled eggs in natural dye and allow to sit for 15 minutes to overnight.
TIP: Once your dyed eggs are dry, you can add a soft sheen by rubbing them with a small amount of vegetable oil.
TIP: Store boiled eggs in the refrigerator, and do not eat any eggs that have set out for several hours or more.
COLOR CHART
WHAT COLOR DO YOU WANT YOUR EGGS – WHAT TO USE TO ACHIEVE THE COLOR
Brown – Brewed Coffee
Lavender – Grape Juice, Blueberries
Sienna – Yellow Onion Skins
Fuschia – Raspberries
Purple – Blackberries
Reddish Brown – Cinnamon
Deep pink – Beet Juice
Light Pink – Cranberry juice
Brick Red – Paprika
Yellow Green – Turmeric
Robin’s Egg Blue – Red cabbage
Green – Spinach or grass
Deep Purple – Red wine
Orange – Carrots, Chili Powder
Have you tried using any of these items to make natural egg dyes? What worked best for you? If you have any more color suggestions or tips I left out, please feel free to add them in the comments.
Jen-Eighty MPH Mom says
These are great ideas! I actually like the colors a little bit muted. Thanks for sharing!