How to Make Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs
Skip the chemicals and try these safe and natural Easter egg dyes! Create beautiful, rustic colors using simple kitchen ingredients that you probably already have in the pantry!
How to Make Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs
The past couple times I’ve bought Easter egg dye tablets, I have been really disappointed with the results. Last year we made our own egg dye with vinegar and food coloring and it worked great! However, I’ve been wondering if we could make naturally based dyes instead.
The answer is…YES!! You can dye Easter eggs using vegetable and spice ingredients. You might already have many of these items in your pantry or fridge!
We made four different colors: yellow, orange, red, and bluish purple. I can’t believe how beautiful these naturally dyed eggs turned out!
To make these homemade natural Easter egg dyes you will need:
- Beetroot
- Fresh blackberries
- Ground turmeric
- Black tea (in bags)
Each of the four items above will be mixed with a combination of white vinegar and water (though the proportions will be different for each color).
The full recipes are below!
4 Natural Easter Egg Dyes (That Really Work!)
What you see in the photos is how these eggs look in real life. No filters, no special effects!
When trying natural egg dye recipes on the internet, you have to be careful because some of the recipes don’t turn out like the photos. If you see eggs that look like they were colored using commercial dyes, they probably were!
Natural egg dyes will look, well, natural! The colors will look more like earth tones, a little softer. There won’t be any neon greens or pinks.
I think they look absolutely stunning! And the fact that they are made with all-natural ingredients is a huge plus for me.
Check out all four recipes below!
1. Yellow Dye with Turmeric
Growing up, our family had a tradition of creating a “golden egg” for our Easter egg hunt each year. The lucky kid who found the golden egg got a cash prize!
I still create a golden egg with my own daughters because I love the tradition! This turmeric Easter egg dye creates a gorgeous golden yellow color that is perfect for that golden egg!
Turmeric Dye Ingredients
- 1 Quart Water
- 5 Tablespoons Turmeric
- 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
Directions
- Add the ground turmeric and water to a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
- Stir until the turmeric is fully dissolved and allow to boil about 10 minutes.
- Pour in the vinegar and whisk to mix. Your dye is ready!
TIP: Turmeric may create a speckling effect on some of the eggs. This is normal and actually looks beautiful!
2. Orange Dye with Black Tea
Despite the name, black tea creates a vibrant shade of orange! Depending on how long you soak your eggs, they may be a light tan color. Have fun experimenting with a range of oranges and natural browns!
Black Tea Dye Ingredients
- 1 Quart Boiling Water
- 8 Black Tea Bags (personal size)
- 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
Instructions
- Combine boiling water and tea bags in a large heat-safe bowl and allow to steep for 10 minutes.
- Squeeze the tea bags to get out as much of the liquid as possible. Discard the tea bags.
- Whisk the vinegar into the tea. Your dye is ready!
TIP: If one of the tea bags breaks or leaks, don’t worry! This won’t affect the dye’s effectiveness or damage the eggs.
3. Red Dye with Beets
Natural beet dye creates a soft, pastel reddish pink color.
Beet Dye Ingredients
- 1 Quart Water
- 2 Large Beets, chopped
- 1 Cup White Vinegar
Directions
- Thoroughly scrub beets and trim away all of the stems. This step is important โ any dirt, stems, etc. will discolor the dye.
- Bring water to boil in a saucepan. Add cleaned/trimmed beets and simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Pour beets and water through a colander so that the beet water goes into a bowl. Keep the beets to enjoy in a salad or other recipe, or add to your compost.
- Stir the vinegar into the bowl of beet juice water. Your dye is ready!
TIP: If any of the eggs have foam on them when you remove them from the bowl of dye, you can gently remove with a damp paper towel.
4. Blue/Purple Dye with Blackberries
This natural egg dye made with fresh blackberries creates an amazing tie-dye effect! Your eggs will be a brilliant range of blues and purples!
Blackberry Dye Ingredients
- 1 Quart Water
- 4 Cups Blackberries
- 1 Cup White Vinegar
Instructions
- Combine fresh blackberries and water in saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer, smash the blackberries to release the juice, and simmer for 5 more minutes.
- Strain the mixture to remove the fruit pieces.
- Add vinegar to the blackberry liquid and stir. Your dye is ready!
Egg Decorating Tips
- Use a white crayon to draw designs on the eggs before dyeing them. The wax won’t absorb the dye, so wherever you draw with crayon will remain white.
- Instead of boiling, try steaming your eggs instead! Steaming eggs makes them easier to peel! Get our tutorial for steamed eggs here.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Do I Need to Leave Eggs in the Dye?
Natural dyes will take a little longer than commercial dyes to color the egg shells. That being said, I’ve ended up with some cheap store-bought dyes in the past that barely worked!
For some of the vibrant colors you see here, we left our eggs in the dye for a few hours. You don’t have to let your eggs soak that long โ shorter soak times will create varying shades of each color.
How Do You Dry Easter Eggs without Removing the Color?
I find that if I air dry my eggs, they tend to be more colorfast.
When I remove each egg from the bowl of dye, I place them on a plate lined with paper towels. If needed, pat dry the surface of the eggs with clean paper towels, but do not rub the eggs (or you could rub off some of the color).
When the eggs are mostly dry, I move them to an egg carton to finish drying and for storage.
Can You Dye Brown Eggs?
Yes, you can use brown eggs with these natural dyes. However, since you are starting with a base coat of brown (which may be quite dark depending on the type of egg), you won’t achieve the same colors that are pictured here. We used white eggs for this project.
Do My Eggs Need to be Kept in the Refrigerator?
Yes, your hard-boiled eggs will need to be stored in the refrigerator. They are safe to keep out at room temperature while you’re coloring them โ for about 2 hours max.
Do Natural Egg Dyes Stain Clothes?
Even though these dyes are made with natural ingredients, staining is still possible. Always protect your workspace and wear old clothes when working with these dyes, to be on the safe side.
Natural Easter Egg Dyes (Printable Recipes)
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4 Natural Egg Dyes (That Really Work!)
Equipment
- 4 Saucepans
- 4 Large Bowls
- 1 Colander
- Measuring Cups
- whisk
Ingredients
Turmeric Dye Ingredients
- 1 Quart Water
- 5 Tablespoons Turmeric
- 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
Black Tea Dye Ingredients
- 1 Quart Boiling Water
- 8 Black Tea Bags personal size
- 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
Beet Dye Ingredients
- 1 Quart Water
- 2 Large Beets chopped
- 1 Cup White Vinegar
Blackberry Dye Ingredients
- 1 Quart Water
- 4 Cups Blackberries
- 1 Cup White Vinegar
Instructions
How to Make Yellow Dye with Turmeric
- Add the turmeric and water to a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Stir until the turmeric is fully dissolves and allow to boil about more 10 minutes.
- Pour in the vinegar and whisk to mix. Your dye is ready!
How to Make Orange Dye with Black Tea
- Combine boiling water and tea bags in a large heat-safe bowl. Allow the tea to steep for 10 minutes.
- Squeeze the tea bags to get out as much of the liquid as possible, then discard the tea bags.
- Whisk the vinegar into the tea. Your dye is ready!
How to Make Red Dye with Beets
- Thoroughly scrub beets and trim away all of the stems. This step is important โ any dirt, stems, etc. will discolor the dye.
- Bring water to boil in a saucepan. Chop beets, add to the pot of boiling water and reduce to a simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Pour beets and water through a colander so that the beet water goes into a bowl. Keep the beets to enjoy in a salad or other recipe, or add to your compost.
- Stir the vinegar into the bowl of beet juice water. Your dye is ready!
How to Make Blue Dye with Blackberries
- Combine blackberries and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce and and let simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Smash the blackberries to release juice and let simmer for 5 more minutes.
- Strain the mixture to remove the fruit pieces.
- Add vinegar to the blackberry liquid and stir. Your dye is ready!
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