April 19. 2025
Jane Powell
When I think of decorating Easter Eggs, I remember little plastic cups, wire egg holders, and the dye that inevitably dribbles or splashes to create chaos in the kitchen.
As a kid, it was so fun to magically change the color of eggs; later, it became a way to express creativity with wax drawings and stickers.
The store-bought kits made it easy, everything you need (minus the eggs) in one small box. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this method. It created lots of memories.
But if you want to skip the box, some pantry and garden items will provide natural dye.
Depending on your color choices, here are the items you will need:
Red – 4 cups red onion skins
Blue – 4 cups chopped red cabbage
Green – 4 cups spinach
Yellow – 4 cups orange or lemon peel; if not using citrus peel, 2 Tablespoons cumin will work
Orange – 2 Tablespoons of paprika
Light Brown – 1 quart of strongly brewed coffee.
Choose the colors you want to create, but take a moment before jumping into the project. You wouldn’t step into the garden without a plan; the same applies to this project.
All chefs and artists begin with “mise en place” – a French phrase meaning to put in place. This includes reading the recipe, gathering the ingredients and tools, preparing and organizing the ingredients, and prepping the workspace.
Items needed for this project include white eggs, white vinegar, several stainless steel and glass containers, and an empty egg carton.
Now, using white eggs, place them in water, bring them to a boil for approximately 10 minutes, then cool.
In a separate stainless steel or glass pot for each color, bring 1 quart of water to boil. Add dye ingredients to each pot of boiling water, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-30 minutes until the water changes color.
When the water is colored, strain and add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to the water. The vinegar will clean the shells and open their pores, allowing the dye to be absorbed easily.
Next, add the boiled eggs to the different colored water and soak until the shells reach the desired color intensity. Then remove the eggs and place them in the egg carton to dry and refrigerate.
This project calls for white eggs colored with natural ingredients. Mother Nature, with the help of a variety of hens, also creates pastel blue, green, and brown eggs. The hen’s breed and genetics determine the color of the eggshells.
Many years ago my grandfather raised chickens and sold eggs. I remember the hen house, gathering eggs (not my favorite, instilling a healthy fear of chickens), and then wiping the white eggs clean. So, I was really surprised when visiting a friend and seeing beautiful soft blue and green eggs in the fridge. They were so special, and the memory is with me after all these years.
Chocolate bunnies and colored eggs are a marker of spring. However, you choose to create the memories of a rainbow of eggshells, have fun, and enjoy the mess.