I remember being in my grandmother’s kitchen this time of year as a child. She showed me how to create natural dyes for Easter eggs using red onion skins. They came out a very pretty deep rose color.
If you want to give it a try, it is not that difficult. There are many other plants which can also be used as natural dyes to color Easter eggs:
- Dandelions – yellow
- Red cabbage leaves – light blue
- Walnut shells – reddish brown
- Orange peels – pale yellow
- Yellow onion skins – Dark yellow or orange
- Spinach – yellow-green
- Beets – pink
- Blueberries – blue
- Blackberries – purple
- Raspberries – pink
- Cranberries – pink
- Strong coffee – light brown
- Red zinger tea – light purple
- Strong green tea – light yellow
- Grape juice – light purple
Get creative and try some other. Lots of science is just trying something to see what happens.
You can make the dyes separate from boiling the eggs, but many people find it easier just to do it all at once. That’s how my grandmother did it.
Natural Dyes for Easter Eggs - Instructions
- Put the eggs in a large pan.
- Add water until covered.
- Add a small amount of vinegar (about 1 teaspoon).
- Add the dye materials.
- Bring the water to a full boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the eggs from the liquid and cool.
- If you want a more intense color, strain the liquid through a fine mesh or a coffee filter and cool it. Place the eggs back in the liquid and refrigerate until the desired color is reached.
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