Try making naturally dyed Easter eggs this spring for a fun sensory activity that everyone in your family will love! It’s such a fun process and each egg turns out beautiful and unique. This eco-friendly approach to coloring Easter eggs with definitely become a favorite spring tradition in your home.
This post is meant to serve as a guide for how to naturally dye Easter eggs. Play around with different color combinations and vary the amount of time you keep the eggs in the dye. You might be surprised with the results!
Here’s what you’ll need to start your new favorite spring tradition…
Supplies:
Lets start with the colors:
MAKE SURE YOU COVER YOUR CRAFTING AREA BECAUSE THESE DYES WILL STAIN THE SURFACE YOU ARE WORKING ON! WE USED AN OLD TOWEL TO COVER OUR COUNTERS.
- Reds and Pinks- 1 to 2 fresh peeled beets, we had 1 beet but I would try 2 next time
- Yellows- 2 Tablespoons turmeric
- Oranges- I used some of the turmeric dye and added a little of the beet juice to make orange
- Greens- 1 bunch of parsley
- Blues and Purples- Butterfly Pea Flower Powder and a lemon
You will also need:
- Mason jars or another container for the dye
- Paper towels
- Pot with lid
- Slotted spoon
- Strainer
- Tongs
- Vinegar
- Eggs
RELATED: Check out A Simple and Beautiful Way to Decorate Easter Eggs
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Here’s How we Naturally Dyed our Easter Eggs:
Step 1: Boil Your Eggs
- Gently place eggs in the bottom of a saucepan in a single layer.
- Fill the pan with cold water to completely cover the eggs by about two inches of water.
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Place the uncovered pot on a burner and turn it on high. Let the water come to a boil.
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Once the water comes to a full boil, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 12 minutes.
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After the time is up, strain the hot water and fill it back up with cold water. Add ice cubes to the water and wait until the eggs have cooled enough to handle.
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The eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Step 2: Color Your Eggs
Cover And Protect Your Counter Because These Natural Dyes Can Stain!
Reds and Pinks:
For pink, we simmered 1 chopped beet in 2 quarts of water with 2 Tablespoons of vinegar for about 20 minutes. Then I strained the beet dye water into a mason jar and let it cool down for about 20 minutes. We put our eggs in the mason jar and I took one egg out after 30 minutes and the second egg out after an hour to achieve a darker red shade. The egg that stayed in longer has the speckles.
Yellows and Oranges:
For yellow, we simmered 2 tablespoons of turmeric powder in 2 quarts of water with 2 Tablespoons of vinegar for about 30 minutes. Then I strained the turmeric dye water into a mason jar and let it cool down for about 20 minutes. I used a fine mesh strainer to catch the excess powder that didn’t dissolve in the simmering water. We put our eggs in the mason jar and I took it out after about 30 minutes.
For orange, I mixed the turmeric and beet coloring together until I made my desired shade of orange. I let this egg sit in the dye for about an hour before removing it from the mason jar.
Greens:
For green, we simmered 1 large bunch of parsley in 2 quarts of water with 2 tablespoons of vinegar for about 30 minutes. Then I strained the parsley dye water into a mason jar and let it cool down for about 20 minutes. We put our eggs in the mason jar and I took it out after about 60 minutes. This coloring was definitely the lightest, but the eggs turned out a lovely pastel green.
The darker green eggs were made with the butterfly pea flower powder. I will share more about this awesome herb that should be in your pantry!
Blues and Purples:
At this point of the post, you might be wondering what is this butterfly pea powder I keep hearing about and how does it make so many different colors?
First let me tell you why we have it in our pantry.
- It’s been consumed for centuries as a memory enhancer, brain booster, anti-stress, calmative agent and so much more.
- It makes the most beautiful smoothies and teas.
- It’s particularly known for its ability to change colors depending on the pH. Add a little bit of lemon juice and the acidity will change color from blue to purple. Cool, right?!
So here’s how to use it when dyeing Easter eggs…
For light blue, we simmered 2 tablespoons of butterfly pea powder in 2 quarts of water with no vinegar for about 30 minutes. Vinegar helps the color, dye the eggs so these will turn out lighter in color. Then I strained the butterfly pea powder dye water into a mason jar and let it cool down for about 20 minutes. I used a fine mesh strainer to catch the excess powder that didn’t dissolve in the simmering water. We put our eggs in the mason jar and I took it out after about 60 minutes. This is the light blue egg below. The green egg pictured above, was one of these eggs that I left in for about 45 minutes longer.
For dark blue, we simmered 2 tablespoons of butterfly pea powder in 2 quarts of with vinegar for about 30 minutes. Then I strained the butterfly pea powder dye water into a mason jar and let it cool down for about 20 minutes. I used a fine mesh strainer to catch the excess powder that didn’t dissolve in the simmering water. We put our eggs in the mason jar and I took it out after about 60 minutes. The vinegar turns the dye into a purple color, but the eggs turn out a beautiful indigo blue. This is the dark blue egg below.
For purple, I followed the same steps as the dark blue eggs. Here’s were the magic takes place! Once the eggs were completely dried, my boys rubbed a lemon wedge on the entire egg. The acidity in the lemon, turns the eggs a lovely shade of purple!
Don’t these naturally dyed Easter Eggs look so beautiful!?
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I hope you try making these naturally dyed Easter eggs! I promise, your little nature lovers will love it as much as my boys.
∼Tara
