Dying Easter Eggs has been around for many centuries, symbolizing new life, and the Christian custom of new life in Christ, eggs were dyed red for the blood that he shed.
Now, there are so many commercial products on the market, little tablets of food dye that can be found easily at just about any store, However, there is a wealth of natural dyes available right in your own garden or refrigerator which is great for the environment, is all-natural and easy to access. To create my colorful eggs I worked with two foods for this post, red cabbage, and blueberries.
The red cabbage produces pretty blue eggs, here’s what you need.
- 1 head of red cabbage rough chopped
- 6-8 cups of water, about 1 cup cabbage to 1 cup water
- 1 large pot
- 12 white eggs, if you use brown eggs the result will not be the same
- 1 ladle or slotted spoon
- 2-3 Tablespoons vinegar
- paper towels for drying
Red Cabbage produces the prettiest robin egg blue dye.
As you can see here, I wanted to try and boil the fresh eggs along with the cabbage to see if that would affect the dye or eggs, and it didn’t. You don’t have to boil the eggs separately and then cool the dye liquid before adding your eggs!
Bring your water, cabbage, and eggs to a boil over high heat, once boiling turn down the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the vinegar. Leave the eggs in the cabbage dye as long as you like to create your desired shade of blue. I checked the eggs every half hour till I was satisfied with the color, a total of about 3 hours. I also wanted some of the eggs to have a speckled or mottled appearance and placed the cabbage leaves over them as they were in the dye water. The longer you leave the eggs in the dye, the darker the color will be. Remove the eggs when the color is the desired blue, dry with a paper towel, and refrigerate until ready to use.
I also used fresh blueberries to create pretty gray eggs
- 1 16 ounce package of fresh blueberries, frozen may produce different results but it would be fun to see!
- 5 cups of water
- 1 Tablespoon vinegar
- 1 medium-large pot
- 6 eggs
- paper towel
Boil the blueberries with the eggs if they haven’t been boiled previously. Once you bring the blueberries/eggs to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Turn off the heat. You can strain the blueberries from the water, or leave them in to mottle the eggs. Check on the eggs every half hour till the desired color is achieved. When I took my eggs out, I used the paper towel and crinkled it over the egg to further the mottled pattern. Refrigerate until ready to use. Note: You can shine the eggs with a little vegetable oil if desired, however, I didn’t feel that was necessary.
So get hippity- hopping and create your own beautiful, all-natural colorful eggs!
Bethany Hausen says
I just love this! What a beautiful turn-out. Who would have guessed that cabbage would result in such a gorgeous blue?! I cannot wait to try this over the weekend!
Dee says
Hi Bethany,
I love to delight and bring new ideas, and I’m so glad that I was able to surprise you with how beautiful a blue dye can come out of red cabbage!
I’m excited for you to try it, I think you will be impressed! Happy egg dying!
Kathy says
Dee what gorgeous eggs ! Thank you so much for the wonderful ideas !
Dee says
Kathy, you are the sweetest! I love to share ideas, and I’m so glad that you enjoyed learning about the natural dyes for eggs.
Thank you for your support, you are the best!
Deb says
Love this post and all your great ideas and tips to create such beautiful natural coloured Easter eggs. I’m definitely going to try this with my grandchildren. Happy Easter my dearest from Ontario Canada 🐰🐣🐦
Deb xo
Dee says
Hi Deb, it makes me so happy to hear that you are going to try making this with your grandkids! I think they will be amazed at how pretty the eggs turn out! Happy Easter sweet friend, God bless you, and all your family. xoxo
Pamela Bayer says
Lovely! ❤️🐣
Dee says
Pamela, I’m so glad you liked it, thanks for stopping by, and for your comments, give Beans and Argos some love for me!
Lynn Vogeler says
I would have never guessed that the cabbage would dye the eggs blue. I wonder what beets would do to the egg? Both are so pretty!
Dee says
Hi Lynn, I know seriously what a surprise! I’m glad I was able to share info with you my friend, hope you try it sometime! As for your question, beets turn the eggs a really pretty pink! Thanks again for your comments, Lynn have a fabulous day!
Eleni says
Hello Dee, Congratulations! What a great post! Will have to try the red cabbage. I really want blue eggs this year. Big hugs!
Dee says
Hi Eleni, thanks so much for your lovely comments! You should try the red cabbage, I’m glad you like the blue eggs my friend, they really are pretty! Thanks so much for stopping by, I appreciate your comments my friend!
Csrol says
Dee, I just love this natural idea. They are so beautiful !
I’m going to share this with my nieces for their children. What a great idea! Thanks for sharing. Have a great day!
Dee says
Sweet Carol, Oh it makes me happy thinking of others coloring eggs with natural dye, it is fun! Thank you so much for your sweet comments, I really appreciate you taking the time to read my post! Much love!
Wendy Wainwright says
Oh this is wonderful Dee, thanks for sharing! such beautiful colours!
Dee says
Wendy dearest, It was a joy to share, so many fun things with natural dyes! So glad that you enjoyed it sweet friend, thanks for taking the time to read my post!
Lucy says
I love the marbled look! They look so pretty in the egg shaped blue bowl!
Dee says
I’m so glad you liked them, Lucy! It’s amazing what you can do with natural dyes!
elizabeth@pineconesandacorns says
Dee, first let me thank you for your kind and humbling comment about my post. My grandmother meant the world to me and it makes me so happy to think that I can share just a few of the gifts she instilled in me.
Secondly, happy Easter! I hope that you will be surrounded with love and perhaps with family?
And last, your eggs are beautiful! I too used red cabbage! I love the ombre colors you can create with the natural dye. I will have to try the blueberries next year.
Have a wonderful evening my friend!
Dee says
What a sweet message, Elizabeth. I’m thankful for you, and that my comments also blessed you.
Easter was lovely even with just the two of us, celebrating our Savior’s resurrection, hallelujah!
How fun to know that you also used red cabbage, isn’t it fun to have it create such beautiful blues? The blueberries I would save for eating, the greyish color wasn’t my absolute favorite!
Happy week to you Elizabeth!