Homemade Easter Egg Dye
3 Rustic Colors Made From Foods You Might Already Have In Your Kitchen!
The water is boiling, the eggs are hardening, and the dye is soaking. The smell of vinegar laces the air as families gather around kitchen tables. One by one, eggs are lowered into cups of liquid rainbow only to emerge as vibrant masterpieces.
While some enjoy the simplicity of solid colors in varying shades, others see egg dyeing as an opportunity to spread their creativity wings. Permanent markers, crayons, paint, and multicolor dyeing techniques are just a few ways the Easter egg game can be leveled up. But, have you ever heard of making your own homemade dye using food? In fact, you can probably do it with items you already have in your kitchen right now.
Not only is using food for dye a fun way to “get back to basics”, it’s a great non-toxic alternative to artificial dye kits. This is particularly important if you’re wanting to consume the eggs at a later time. So, sit back, relax, and get ready to dye beautiful, rustic eggs using the methods of generations before us.
Good Things Take Time
Electricity. Cars. Television. Cell Phones. All of these things were created in order to make life easier. We no longer have to make our own candles for light or spend a whole day walking to the store for supplies. In many ways, inventions of the modern world have been a huge blessing! However, there is a flip side to every coin.
Having access to the long list of modern conveniences also means, as humans, we are tempted to cram more into each day. The pressure for more builds and anxiety increases. The world has shifted it’s focus to instant gratification, which means slowing down to complete longer tasks has become extremely difficult.
I only mention this because, like many good things, naturally dyeing eggs is not an instant activity. Each dye can take 30 mins to boil, an hour to cool, and then many hours for the egg to soak. Depending on how many eggs you are hoping to make, the process may take several days. Don’t view this as a negative. Think of it as a form of therapy. You are forcing yourself to slow down and reconnect to the world in a way society frowns upon. For me, this was a magical experience and I won’t be buying instant kits ever again. Trust me! Give it a try and you won’t regret it!
Brick Red: Onion Skins
When I first saw that you can make dye out of the skin scraps at the bottom of my onion box, I laughed. I never would have guessed the vibrant orangey-red shade would turn out to be my absolute favorite!
Most recipes say to use the skin off of either red or yellow onions. However, I used what I had on hand which turned out to be a mix. I believe this was a contributing factor in why my dye was so vibrant.
Recipe
- Dry skins from 3 onions (I used 1 red, 2 yellow)
- 2-3 cups of water
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- half pint mason jars
In a small saucepan, combine the onion skins and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 20-30mins. Due to my gas stove burning hotter, I ended up adding an extra cup of water about half way through. This ensured I had about 8oz of dye when the time was complete. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain into a half pint mason jar and add two tablespoons of vinegar. Let cool.
Mustard Yellow: Turmeric & Saffron
Although the onion skin shade is my favorite, this rich mustard tone is a very close second! Turmeric is a beautiful resource for natural yellow dye, but I decided to take it to the next level by also including saffron. This can easily be eliminated if you don’t have saffron on hand.
Recipe
- 1 heaping tbsp turmeric
- 1 big pinch saffron threads, *optional
- 2-3 cups of water
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- half pint mason jars
In a small saucepan, combine the spices and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 20-30mins. Due to my gas stove burning hotter, I ended up adding an extra cup of water about half way through. This ensured I had about 8oz of dye when the time was complete. Using a fine mesh strainer lined with a paper towel, strain into a half pint mason jar and add two tablespoons of vinegar. Let cool.
Taupe Brown: Coffee
Oh my word. When I first showed these beautiful eggs to my husband, he thought they were made out of wood. He asked me where I bought them from. What a great compliment! These eggs are a gorgeous pairing to any rustic or primal décor theme.
Recipe
- 1/2 cup coffee grounds
- 2-3 cups of water
- 1 tbsp vinegar (coffee is already acidic)
- half pint mason jars
In a small saucepan, combine the grounds and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 20-30mins. Due to my gas stove burning hotter, I ended up adding an extra cup of water about half way through. This ensured I had about 8oz of dye when the time was complete. Using a fine mesh strainer lined with a paper towel, strain into a half pint mason jar and add one tablespoon of vinegar. Let cool.
It’s Dye Time
Each dye recipe makes two eggs at a time. If you wish, you can make the dye in larger batches, but be wary. You’ll have to watch the dye closely so you know when it is concentrated enough to be effective. Larger batches can make this challenging, so I prefer to make multiple smaller batches. Then, I can reuse each jar of dye for multiple eggs over several days.
When you’re ready to start dyeing, carefully place a hardboiled egg into a half pint jar. Pour dye over egg until covered. Again, each batch of dye should cover two eggs. Allow to sit for a minimum of six hours, but preferably overnight for best results. Since I made all three colors, I had six eggs soaking at a time.
When time is up, gently remove egg and let sit on a paper towel for 15-30 mins. You can carefully blot off excess dye, but be careful not to wipe the egg until it’s dry or the dye will be removed.
Trial & Error
There are several ways you can personalize this process. Below are four process variations I found useful to get the results you prefer!
Brown vs. White
Since I like the muted, rustic tones, I prefer to use brown eggs as a base. This gives each shade a sepia effect. However, if you prefer more vibrant, pure tones, I’d recommend starting with white eggs.
Hot vs. Cold
Because I am impatient, I wanted to know what would happen if I didn’t allow my eggs or dye to cool before soaking. What ended up happening, is bubbles formed on the shell. This created a marble effect on the dye once the eggs had dried. If you prefer a more solid look, wait for both the eggs and dye to cool to room temp before soaking.
Hours vs. Overnight
My first batch of eggs soaked for approximately six hours. While they still had great color, I wanted to see the difference if I let them sit in the fridge overnight. Overnight eggs are slightly richer in color but dry with less color variation. If you’re going for the marbled look, remove after six hours. If you’re going for the “fix it and forget it” approach, choose the overnight method.
Matte vs. Shine
This is completely personal preference. While I LOVED the matte egg look, a little rub with olive oil took these babies to the next level! In my opinion, this smooth shine is what duped my husband into thinking they were made out of wood. So beautiful!
Conclusion
Hot or cold. Matte or shine. There’s really no right or wrong way to use this dye. The best part is my house did not wreak (less vinegar required) and the dye is reusable. This dye is easier to clean up and the non-toxic food base makes this process super child friendly. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
If you’re still not quite convinced if homemade dye is right for you, that’s totally fine. Check out this all natural dye kit I found on Amazon to get you one step closer!
