Natural Egg Dyes

This spring, instead of artificial dyes, use nature's own colors to
create beautiful decorative eggs using simple ingredients from your
pantry. Experiment with double dipping and mixing colors. Nature is
full of surprises!

Brown Use one quart coffee; hot or cold dye

Pink Boil 12 oz. cranberries; hot or cold dye

Red Boil 4 cups chopped beets; hot or cold dye

Beige Hot dye in beets then rinse immediately

Blue Chopped red cabbage; hot or cold dye

Gold Use 3 TB turmeric; hot or cold dye

Green Hot dye in 3 TB turmeric; then cold dye in red cabbage

Lavender 4 cups frozen or fresh blueberries; hot or cold dye

Cold-Dipping Method

Boil your eggs and coloring ingredients separately. After the dye has
cooled and been strained, dip the eggs for five to 10 minutes, then
dry on paper towels. This produces subtle, translucent shades, but it
may create uneven coloring unless the eggs are rotated vigilantly.
Remember to keep eggs refrigerated if you plan to eat later.

Hot Boiling Method

Boil your coloring ingredients and eggs simultaneously. The heat
allows the dye to saturate the shells, resulting in more intense
color. To dye eight eggs, use two tablespoons of white vinegar per
quart of water. Place eggs in pot; cover with one inch of water. Add
natural dye ingredients, bring to a rolling boil, and reduce to a
simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water. Hot-dyed eggs
are purely decorative and not for eating.