Dying eggs is one of my favorite family Easter traditions. I usually buy the same egg dying kit that my mom used when I was a child. But last year I decided to try something completely different by making my own natural dyes for our Easter eggs. It turns out the process is very simple, but there's a couple of things to keep in mind:
- Natural dyes need more time to work to color your eggs. The longer the eggs sit in the dye the deeper the color becomes. Consider leaving them in the dye overnight or even up to 24 hours to see what the difference is in color!
- Naturally-dyed eggs won't be as uniformly colored as they are when you use a kit. Instead, each egg will be unique. The color might vary -- even in the same batch. If you want your eggs more uniform, strain the ingredients out when you're done making your dye. In some cases, we liked the effect when our eggs mixed with the ingredients! We found that leaving turmeric in the water, for instance, left interesting dark flecks of colors on the eggs.
What You’ll Need:
- Boiled eggs (with the shell left on the egg)
- Blueberries
- Red cabbage
- Turmeric
- Beets
- Carrots
How to Make Your Natural Dyes
Purple Dye (Blueberries)
Add 1 pint of blueberries, smashed, and 2 cups of water to a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil. Simmer for 10 minutes and then turn off. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Pink Dye (Beets)
Add 1 chopped red beet and 2 cups of water to a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil. Simmer for 10 minutes and then turn off. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature and remove beet pieces.
Blue Dye (Red Cabbage)
Add half a head of red cabbage and 2 cups of water to a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes and then turn off. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature and remove cabbage pieces.
Gold Dye (Turmeric)
Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of turmeric and 2 cups of water to a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes and turn off heat. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Yellow Dye (Turmeric + Carrots)
Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of turmeric, 2 grated carrots and 2 cups of water to a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil. Simmer for 20 minutes and turn off heat. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Red Dye (Strawberries)
Bring 1-2 cups of chopped strawberries and water to a rolling boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for about 15–20 minutes. If using strawberries, mash them slightly as they cook to release more color. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Strain out solids before using.
Green Dye (Spinach or Parsley)
Add 2 cups of fresh greens and water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20–30 minutes. Let cool completely, then strain out the leaves.
Brown Dye (Coffee or Tea)
Bring water to a boil, then add 2-3 tablespoons of coffee grounds or 3-4 tea bags. Simmer for 10–15 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool. Strain if using coffee grounds (tea bags can simply be removed).
Dyeing Your Eggs
Once your dyes are cooled:
- Place hard-boiled eggs into the dye.
- Let them soak for at least a few hours (overnight is best for deeper color).
- Remove and let dry on a rack or paper towel.
Optional: Add a splash of vinegar to each dye bath to help the color stick a bit better.
This is one of those activities where the process is just as fun as the result. Kids love seeing how everyday foods turn into color—and even more, they love the surprise of how each egg turns out.
Set it up as a little experiment. Ask:
- Which color will be the darkest?
- What happens if we leave one in longer?
- What if we don’t strain the dye?
- You might end up with a dozen completely unique eggs—and a new Easter tradition in the process!
