How to Dye Easter Eggs Using Cream of Tartar

Have fun making your own dyed eggs for Easter.

The tradition of dyeing eggs at Easter time has a long history rooted in early Christianity. A symbol of fertility, immortality and Christ's resurrection, dyed eggs not only make a pretty decoration but also a nutritious breakfast on Easter Day. Using natural ingredients, you can continue this tradition and produce beautifully decorated eggs that will impress your family and friends. The addition of a small amount of cream of tartar will help the dye to penetrate your eggs more easily and to create a deeper color.

Things You'll Need

• Fresh eggs
• Saucepan with lid
• 4 cups water
• 1 tbsp. cream of tartar
• Dyestuff made from 2 to 4 tbsp. ground herbs or spices, or 1 cup fresh, cut fruit or vegetables, according to the color required

Instructions

1. Put 4 cups water into a saucepan. Add the cream of tartar and dyestuff, according to your preference.

2. Cover the pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for between 30 minutes and 2 hours, depending on the intensity of the color you require.

3. Add the eggs to the pan of colored water and simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Remove the eggs from the pan, rinse and allow to dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Experiment with different herbs, spices, fruit and vegetables to produce a range of colors -- for red: cranberries or raspberries; pink: beets; orange: chili powder; brown: tea; yellow: turmeric; blue: blueberries; green: spinach.

• Add a few drops of oil to the water to produce a marbled effect.

• To dye precooked eggs, allow the dye to cool and then remove the coloring agent. Place the eggs into the water and allow to soak overnight.

References

• ParentingIdeas.org: Why We Dye Eggs at Easter
• Greatest Grains: Natural Egg Dyeing
• Whole-Body-Detox-Diet.com: How to Make Natural Egg Dye
• Itsy Bitsy Foodies; Natural Easter Egg Dyes; March 18, 2010
• Frontier: Natural Egg Dyeing