Learn how to use Natural Egg Dye to dye your Easter eggs. I'll show you the method my mom used to dye her Easter eggs using onion skins along with other natural dye options like tea, turmeric, and purple cabbage. The eggs can also be used as a beautiful Easter centerpiece.

I first shared this method in my cookbook Mom's Authentic Assyrian recipes, which was published in 2008. Since then, the idea seems to have taken off!
Why This Recipe Works
Dying Easter Eggs using onion skins and other natural ingredients is a great way to connect to the past and how many cultures, including Assyrians, dyed their Easter Eggs. Once taught to your kids, they can carry on old family traditions.
Using various herbs and leaves allows you to create beautiful and intricate designs (the parts that don't get dyed) similar to when using wax to cover the parts you don't want to be dyed, similar to dying Ukrainian Easter Eggs.
What You Need to Make Natural Dye Easter Eggs
Before beginning this recipe, make sure you have the following items:
- Various plants, flowers, and herbs (to make the pattern on the eggs)
- Paper towels or pantyhose to wrap the eggs with
- Rubber bands or string to tie the material in place
- A pot or teakettle to boil the eggs in
How to Dye Eggs with onion skins
STEP 1: Gather all your ingredients before you start.
STEP 2: Carefully place one sprig of cilantro or Italian parsley, or whatever leaf or flower you are using, over each egg. Make sure the leaves lay flat on the egg. They stick better if you moisten the egg first.
STEP 3: Carefully cover the egg with a napkin or pantyhose. Gather the material toward the back of the egg. Tie the material in place with a rubber band or twine. Do the same with the remaining eggs.
STEP 4: Carefully place the eggs in an electric tea kettle or a pot. Don't overcrowd the eggs. Cover the eggs with onion skins, then fill the pot or tea kettle with water.
PRP TIP: You can also play around with other natural ingredients to see what colors you can create!
STEP 5: Bring the water to a boil. If using an electric kettle, it will shut off once the water boils. Otherwise, boil for five minutes then turn off the stove and leave the eggs in the dye until cool enough to handle.
6. Carefully remove the eggs, one at a time. Unwrap the eggs and gently remove the herbs, leaves, or flowers. Continue until all the eggs are uncovered, then display those beautiful eggs proudly!
Pro Tips
- Mom used to collect onion skins throughout the year so that when Easter rolled around, she had plenty of onion skins to dye her eggs with. I do the same thing now.
- Although mom used pieces of fabric and string to hold the herbs in place, I find it more convenient to use disposable paper towels, and rubber bands.
- Add a few tablespoons of white vinegar if you'd like. The vinegar is supposed to help the color adhere better, but my mom didn't use it.
Other Egg Dying Materials
Natural Egg Dye Options
Over the years, I've played around with different natural egg dye ingredients to achieve various colors. Some of the ingredients I've used include:
- tea
- coffee
- turmeric
I recommend experimenting to see what colors you can come up with.
Materials to wrap the eggs in
I've tried different things to wrap the eggs in and they all work pretty well. It just depends on what you have handy. If making eggs as a group, I recommend each person use a different type of egg wrap so that when you pull out the eggs you'll know who they belong to.
Here are some of the materials I have used successfully to wrap the Easter eggs in.
- Napkins
- Pantyhose
- Very thin fabric
What Herbs and Flowers to Use on Easter eggs
Besides using different dyes, and different materials to wrap the Easter eggs in, I've also experimented with various leaves, flowers, and herbs to achieve a variety of patterns.
Part of the fun of making Naturally Dyed Easter eggs is hunting for flowers and leaves from your own garden. Just make sure the plants are not poisonous, please.
Some of the plants and flowers I've used include:
- Italian parsley
- Cilantro
- Rosemary
- Rose leaves
- Nasturtiums
- impatiens
Holiday Traditions
My favorite thing about the holidays is the traditions attached to them. I guess I've always been sentimental, but it seems the older I get, the more sentimental I become.
Dyeing Easter eggs in onion skins in an Easter tradition I intend to carry on for the rest of my days. As a matter of fact, there is no better natural egg dye than onion skins, at least according to my mom.
Mom's eggs were always so deep in color, no vinegar was needed, only her special touch! To achieve this color, double the amount of onion skins!
Another wonderful Easter tradition is making The Tomb is Empty Resurrection Cookies! These delicious cookies tell the story of Easter in a fun and creative way that your kids will love!
My son, Scotty, (who's now 21) holding one of Grandma's Easter Eggs.
Assyrian Easter Egg Tradition
Another Assyrian Easter tradition is playing a game with the Easter eggs once they're dyed. This tradition involves challenging family members to see whose egg is the strongest.
You do this by attempting to crack their boiled egg with yours. The one with the cracked egg loses, while the one with the intact egg continues on to the next round, and challenges someone else.
The person who has no cracks in their egg at the end is the winner. In my immediate family, we like to sweeten the deal by giving the winner a twenty-dollar bill!
This game is not exclusively an Assyrian one. Greeks play the same game, along with many other Christian cultures.
Related Recipes
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Easter Eggs (Dyed with Onion Skins)
Ingredients
- 12 eggs
- 4 cups onion skins
- cilantro sprigs
- Italian parsley sprigs
Instructions
- Gather all your ingredients before you start.
- Carefully place one sprig of cilantro or Italian parsley, or whatever leaf or flower you are using, over each egg. Make sure the leaves lay flat onto the egg. They stick better if you moisten the egg first.
- Cover the egg with a napkin or pantyhose. Gather the material toward the back of the egg. Tie the material in place with a rubber band or twine. Do the same with the remaining eggs.
- Gently place the eggs in an electric tea kettle or a pot. Don't overcrowd the eggs. Cover the eggs with onion skins, then fill the pot or tea kettle with water.
- Bring the water to a boil. If using an electric kettle, it will shut off once the water boils. Otherwise, boil for five minutes then turn off the stove and leave the eggs in the dye until cool enough to handle.
- Carefully remove the eggs, one at a time. Unwrap the eggs and gently remove the herbs, leaves, or flowers. Continue until all the eggs are uncovered, then display those beautiful eggs proudly!
Notes
- Mom used to collect onion skins throughout the year so that when Easter rolled around, she had plenty of onion skins to dye her eggs with. I do the same thing now.
- Although mom used pieces of fabric and string to hold the herbs in place, I find it more convenient to use disposable paper towels, and rubber bands.
- Add a few tablespoons of white vinegar if you'd like. The vinegar is supposed to help the color adhere better, but my mom didn't use it.
Kathy Fisher says
It's really fun doing this with a few girlfriends. They turned out beautiful. Some more than others. The best were the ones we used parsley and cilantro for decorations. Don't bother with oregano or other broad leaf herbs - not as pretty.
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Kathy! Sure enjoyed having you ladies over to make some. Don't forget to save your onion skins for next year! 😉
Kelly Methey says
These are so fun and interesting to make. I loved getting creative with all the different herbs and leaves. This really is a fantastic way to color and decorate eggs.
Hilda Sterner says
Loved having you guys over. Don't forget to save your onion skins for next year! 😉
Teresa Evers says
Wow, what a unique way of making Easter eggs, looks like fun. The eggs are beautiful, and all natural no artificial ingredients.
HildaSterner says
Thanks, Mom's eggs were always so beautiful and dark! I always imagine her in the kitchen with me when I make them.
Laura Tulip says
Very interesting read and the eggs look beautiful! The horns amused me too 🙂
HildaSterner says
Thanks, Laura! Glad you enjoyed the post!
tidbitsbytaylor says
Wow I have never seen this before either, they are pretty. The game seems fun too, might have to try it. Thanks for sharing 🙂
HildaSterner says
Thanks! I'm glad there's still people out there that haven't been exposed to this technique yet. A few years ago, someone posted a video on my FB page showing how to do this method. I thought to myself, "Dang it! Someone beat me to sharing mom's egg-dyeing method!" Although, I did share it in my cookbook that was published in 2008, so technically I beat them... As you can see, I'm not competitive at all! 😉 Anyways, they're super easy to make, and the game is fun too! You should definitely try both.
Vox says
These are so beautiful and done with natural ingredients! Thanks for sharing something that I had never heard of before. ?
HildaSterner says
Thank you so much for stopping by and for the sweet comment!