Are you excited about dyeing Easter eggs, admiring their perfect oval shapes and heart-warming spring colors, celebrating the renewal that Easter brings, but don't want to use synthetic food coloring? Are you one of those people who actually EAT their Easter Eggs and want a healthy egg?
I found a recipe to dye eggs using common foods years ago -- from Martha Stewart! -- and have been using it ever since. The one pictured is the onion-skin dye, left overnight in the dye-bath.
I've seen natural dyes at health food stores but haven't tried them. I do know they're a little pricey, so I still think using these every day pantry items is well worth it.
Here's what you'll need:
- Eggs (white or brown both work)
- natural dyeing agents
- several large saucepans
- vinegar
- strainer
- large slotted spoon
- drying rack (optional)
Step 1: Make the dyes with pantry items
Select the dyeing food (from list below), and place the quantity in a pot. Add 1 quart of water and 2 T vinegar. Add more water and vinegar if necessary to cover the food. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the dye into another pot or a bowl.
Step 2: Cook the eggs
Place eggs into the pot and cover with the dye solution. Cook the eggs in the dye solution until they are hard-boiled (11-13 minutes, depending on size of eggs).
Gently remove eggs with slotted spoon and dry them on a rack or a paper towel.
You may leave some eggs in the pot longer (with the heat turned off) for a richer color. I've even left them in overnight.
Some of the dye may penetrate into the outer layer of the egg -- this is natural and you don't have to worry about eating it (!)
Dye Options:
These are my favorites for great looking naturally-dyed eggs:
Red Cabbage -- 4 cups chopped. This makes a beautiful robin-blue egg
Turmeric -- 1/4 cup powdered turmeric -- a deep golden yellow
Onion-skin -- 3 cups onion skins (it doesn't matter the type of onion) -- a rich coppery red as in the photo!
Beets -- 3 cups chopped beets, or 2 cups of chopped beets and their green tops -- pink
Coffee -- use strongly brewed coffee (and vinegar) instead of water for a light brown color
Here's Martha Stewart's original recipe
My Lithuanian grandfather used to do this. You can also add interest by placing a tiny flower next to the egg and holding it close to the egg by binding it with something like a piece of nylon stocking. Slip the stocking over the egg and flower and tie both ends. Then you dye the egg and you have an imprint of the flower on your dyed egg after you remove the stocking.