Natural Egg Dyeing

Color eggs using natural ingredients from your kitchen, such as beets, blueberries and even coffee grounds.

Dying eggs naturally creates soft colors and a unique mottled look. Although the Atlanta Botanical Garden has cancelled this year’s egg-dying event, they’ve provided instructions online so you can have fun experimenting at home. Two of their recipes are below. You’ll find more color ideas and complete instructions on the Atlanta Botanical Garden website.

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Before you begin, remember to protect your clothes and workspace. Glass containers are best for storing dye; don’t use light-colored silicone or wooden spatulas as they will stain.

Beets (pink)

Chop up a few red beet roots (4-5) into medium sized pieces.
Bring beets to a boil in about 4 cups of water and ¼ cup of white vinegar.
Reduce the heat when they get to a rolling boil and simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on. (If the lid is off, much of your dye juice will evaporate.)
Remove the pan from heat and allow it to cool fully before straining the liquid into a mason jar.
When you are ready to dye your eggs, wrap rubber bands around some tongs and gently drop the egg into the dye and allow it to sit for a moment.
Remove the egg and let it dry. We recommend a wire baking sheet with something below it to capture drips.

Blueberries (purple)

It’s fun to squish your eggs in a small bowl of smooshed blueberries before dunking them in the blueberry dye. It creates a mottled look.
Measure 2 cups of frozen blueberries into a medium sauce pan.
Bring berries to a boil in about 4 cups of water and ¼ cup of white vinegar.
Reduce the heat when they get to a rolling boil and simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on. (If the lid is off, much of your dye juice will evaporate.)
Remove the pan from heat and allow it to cool fully before straining the liquid into a mason jar.
Follow the steps above to dunk and remove your egg and let it dry.

Source: atlantabg.org