Dyeing eggs for Easter or other holidays has never been easier! I love using common kitchen scraps like onion skins and red cabbage to create beautiful naturally dyed eggs. It's so fun and simple, so let's dive in!
Spring is the time of year in the Northern Hemisphere when the world is bursting with life and color. The tulips and daffodils bloom, birds chirp their happy songs, and the sun shines longer each day. And what better way to celebrate than with gorgeous colored eggs!?
Naturally dyed eggs is the ideal way to get a bright pop of color in Spring. When I was a kid growing up in Germany, we would dye Easter eggs with a boxed mix of dye tablets and stickers.
With natural dye, you can still achieve gorgeous bold colors without any harmful chemicals.
Ingredients to Make Natural Egg Dyes
- White hardboiled eggs
- Water
- Vinegar
- Beetroot
- Turmeric powder
- Brown or yellow onion skins
- Red cabbage
Dye Color Cheat Sheet
In order to create natural dyes of beautiful colors, you can use a variety of common foods and kitchen scraps.
- Beets = Purple
- Turmeric = Yellow
- Brown Onion Skins = Orange
- Red Onion Skins = Lavender
- Red Cabbage = Blue
- Coffee Grounds = Light Brown
- Hibiscus Tea = Grey
- Avocado Skins = Pink
The shade of each color will vary based on how long you soak your eggs. You can also dye brown eggs, but the colors will vary.
How to Dye Eggs Naturally
Creating naturally dyed eggs is so simple and easy! They can be ready in as little as an hour. Or soak your eggs overnight for deeper colors.
- Hard boil a dozen eggs: Place a dozen eggs in a large pot and fill the pot with water to fully cover all the eggs. Put it on the stove top and bring to a boil.
Once it reaches a rapid boil, turn off the heat and move the egg-filled pot off the stove burner. Let sit, covered with the lid, for about 10 minutes. - Drain and cool the eggs: Drain the water and let the eggs sit out to dry and cool completely.
- Dye the eggs: In a medium saucepan, combine 6 cups of water, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, and your chosen food to dye your eggs. Bring to a boil for 30 minutes, then remove from the heat and cool.
Add a few hard boiled eggs and the dyed water into a jar and let the eggs steep for at least 1 hour or overnight in the fridge.
More Spring Inspired Recipes
Naturally Dyed Eggs
developed & tested by:
Ingredients
- 12 white eggs
Purple Eggs with Beets
- 1 small raw beet peeled and roughly chopped
- 6 cups water
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
Yellow Eggs with Turmeric
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 6 cups water
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
Blue Eggs with Red Cabbage
- 1 cup red cabbage roughly chopped
- 6 cups water
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
Orange Eggs with Red Onion Skins
- ½ cup red onion skins (saved from about three to four onions)
- 6 cups water
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
Instructions
Hard boil the eggs
- Place a dozen eggs in a large pot and fill the pot with water to fully cover all the eggs. Put it on the stove top and bring to a boil.
- Once it reaches a rapid boil, turn off the heat and remove the egg-filled pot from the stove top. Let sit, covered with the lid, for about 10 minutes.
- Drain the water and let the eggs sit out to dry and cool completely.
Dye the eggs
- In a medium saucepan, combine 6 cups of water, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, and your chosen food to dye your eggs. Bring to a boil for 30 minutes, then remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
- In a jar or air-tight container, add a few hard boiled eggs and the dyed water. Let the eggs steep for at least 1 hour or overnight in the fridge. The longer the eggs steep, the darker the color will be. Enjoy!!
Notes
- The longer you soak the eggs in the dye, the deeper the colors will be.
- You can dye brown eggs too, but the colors will vary.
- Keep the hard boiled eggs stored in the fridge for up to one week.
Murielle says
So I'm weird and I made dyed eggs in the middle of summer on a whim LOL These were incredibly fun to make! I couldn't find any of the normal egg dye kits at the store (obviously, since it's not the season LOL) so I'm glad I found this DIY version. I'll save this and probably make it again in the spring - or who knows, maybe dyed eggs will be on my Christmas table spread!
tentimestea says
Wow, I am so impressed by the vibrant colours you achieved with kitchen scraps!! I had no idea that there was so much colour in onion skins 😀
strawberryandcream says
Thank you!! I didn't know either, nature is amazing! 😋
Rachel Duerden says
Wow, what a lovely idea! 😀
strawberryandcream says
THANK YOU!!! 🥰 Have you dyed eggs before? 🥚
Rachel Duerden says
No, I haven't. 😀
Yum-number1 says
This would be so much fun for the kiddos! It would be so cool to eat those coloured eggs in the morning of Easter! 🥚
strawberryandcream says
Exactly!! 🥳ðŸ°ðŸ£ðŸ’œðŸ’™ðŸ§¡ðŸ’›
Markus + Micah says
Oh, so cute and fun! Enjoy spring!
strawberryandcream says
Thank you!! 😠Do you guys have any special traditions you do during Spring?
Markus + Micah says
Not really. Here in The Ph, we do not have spring. At this time our summer is peaking so it is starting to be incredibly warm.
strawberryandcream says
Ohh interesting! I have always lived in areas with four seasons. What's it like living in an area with more extreme weather?
indianeskitchen says
I always wanted to do this but never have. Every year I break down and buy those little Paa's tablets instead. Kudos for keeping it natural.
strawberryandcream says
Those are the same ones we used to use!! Making them naturally is super simple. You could always try just one or two colors with natural items and see how it does 🥳