With the upcoming holiday, many families will head to their local big-box store to grab standard egg-dyeing kits. I remember dyeing eggs the night before the “big day” when I was little. If you come from a large family like mine, there were always a lot of eggs to boil in preparation!
However, if you want to try something unique this year, learning how to make naturally dyed easter eggs is a fantastic alternative. Using natural ingredients gives the eggs a gorgeous, earthy look, and it is a fun way to expose your kids—and yourself—to something new.
Natural Egg Dye Color Chart
Many of the best ingredients for vibrant, natural colors are probably sitting right in your refrigerator or pantry:
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Purple Cabbage: Makes a brilliant blue on white eggs, and an earthy green on brown eggs.
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Red Onion Skins: Creates shades of lavender or deep red.
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Yellow Onion Skins: Gives a bright orange on white eggs, and a rusty red on brown eggs.
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Ground Turmeric: Produces a rich, golden yellow.
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Red Zinger Tea Bags: Infuses a delicate lavender hue.
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Beets: Leaves a soft pink on white eggs, and a deep maroon on brown eggs.
How to Prepare and Hard-Boil the Eggs
Whether you choose boiling or steaming, the absolute key to success is not using super fresh eggs.
Try to buy your grocery store eggs about a week in advance. Farm-fresh eggs or ultra-fresh store eggs are a royal pain to peel because of the tight inner membrane. For clean peeling, give the eggs a little time to age in the fridge.
Step-by-Step Egg Boiling Instructions
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Arrange the eggs: Place your eggs in a single layer in a pot. Make sure they aren’t crowded.
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Bring to a boil: Cover them completely with cold water and turn the stove to high. Bring the water to a complete boil.
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Rest off the heat: As soon as the water boils, turn off the heat completely. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and let it sit for 30 minutes.
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Cool down: Drain the hot water. Cover the eggs with cold water and let them cool for another 30 minutes (or transfer them straight to the refrigerator to chill).
Once your eggs are completely cool, let the decorating begin!
