The tools you’ll need to create your own egg dyes

Step 1: Gather your supplies.

Stainless steel utensils and glass containers won’t stain; always rinse utensils as you go from color to color, so there’s no contamination.

• Pint and half-pint Ball jars or heat-safe glass bowls (the better to watch stuff happen!)
• Non-reactive stainless steel or enamel saucepans
• Strainer
• Tongs

Step 2: Gather your ingredients.

Vegetables, fruits, and spices can all create lovely, earthy colors. For example, beets, green tea bags, and orange peels all make gorgeous natural dyes. We hard-boiled large, white eggs and used plain white vinegar, which helps to set the color.  Below are the dozen dyes and “recipes” that we tried, listed in order of color intensity (after about 20 minutes of steeping).

Beets = Purple
1 large beet (cut into chunks) + 4 cups boiling water + 2 tbs. vinegar. Cool and strain.

Yellow onions = Yellow-orange
Skins only of six medium yellow onions + 2 cups water; simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and add 2 tsp. vinegar.

Grape juice = Magenta
1 cup all-natural grape juice + 1 tbs. vinegar.

Coffee = Gold
½ cup ground coffee + 2 cups boiling water. Steep, strain, and add 1 tbs. vinegar.

Red onions = Blue
Skins only of six red onions + 2 cups water; simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and add 3 tsp. vinegar.

Green tea = Light green
Six green tea bags + 1 cup boiling water. Steep five minutes and strain.

Red cabbage = Pale blue
½ head red cabbage (cut into chunks) + 4 cups boiling water + 2 tbs. vinegar. Cool and strain.

Turmeric = Yellow
2 tbs. turmeric + 1 cup boiling water + 2 tsp. vinegar.

Paprika = Orange
2 tbs. paprika + 1 cup boiling water + 2 tsp. vinegar.

Blueberries = Blue/Gray
1 cup frozen blueberries + 1 cup water. Let stand to room temperature and strain.

Carrot tops = Pale yellow
2 cups chopped carrot greens + 1½ cups water; simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and add 2 tsp. vinegar.

Orange peels = Palest yellow
Peels of six oranges + 1 ½ cups water; simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and add 2 tsp. vinegar.

Chopped and simmered fresh carrot tops create a pale yellow  

We used a straightened paperclip to poke holes in an egg  

Blow-out and rinse eggs thoroughly inside and out  

To blow out the eggs:

• Use a heavy needle or bent paperclip to poke holes in each end of a fresh egg.
• Wiggle the needle around inside to pierce the yoke.
• Blow strongly through one hole, collecting the contents from the other in a small bowl.
• Rinse eggs thoroughly inside and out.
• Don’t waste your egg contents—scramble them or use in baking.

Kids with the urge to decorate can:

• Wrap rubber bands around eggs before dyeing for striped designs.
• Wrap onion skins around eggs and secure with rubber bands for marbled looks after coloring.
• Write names, etc. in wax crayon on eggs before dyeing: magic!