No Easter egg decorating kit? No problem! This is the ultimate guide on How to Dye Eggs With Food Coloring. The best part is, you likely have everything you need in your pantry to make these vibrant and bright Easter eggs!

Dying Eggs With Food Coloring

If you are skipping on the Easter decorating kits this year and want a cheaper, easier alternative, you are in luck!

Not only is food coloring an easy way to dye Easter eggs, but it’s relatively inexpensive (Dollar Tree sells boxes of food coloring) and you probably have everything you need at home already.

Plus, since you know it is food coloring that is edible, the dyed eggs are entirely safe to eat.

Do I Need Vinegar To Dye Easter Eggs?

Yes. If you want vibrant colored easter eggs you do need vinegar. If you want more dull or pastel colors, you can use water.

Alternatives To Vinegar for Egg Dying

You can use lemon or lime juice as a replacement for vinegar in egg dye recipes. This is a 1:1 ratio meaning if a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of vinegar, use 1 teaspoon of lemon or lime juice instead.

How To Make The Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

I have several methods for making hard boiled eggs and each one is personal preference. My personal favorite is the Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs Method because you can have the perfect hard boiled eggs with the 5-5-5 method.

If you don’t have an Instant Pot, here are some other ways to make the best hard boiled eggs to dye at Easter…

How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs In The Oven:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place one egg in each cup of a muffin tin, then carefully pour water into each cup until it is full to the brim.
• Cook for 30 mins.
• Immediately remove them from the tins, to stop the cooking process.
• Place eggs into an ice bath for five minutes. Some brown spots may appear on the shell, the eggs will be fine.
• Peel, Dye or prepare as desired.

How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs On The Stove Top:

• Place the eggs in a pot and cover them with cold water.
• Add in 1 tablespoon or more of salt (depending on the number of eggs)
• Bring to a boil.
• Boil for 8-10 mins, remove now for creamy yolk or turn off the heat and let them sit in the hot water an additional 3-5 mins for a paler and opaque color often used for deviled eggs.
• Move eggs to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Let sit 5-6 mins if serving immediately. Let sit 10 mins if using later on.

Notes:

• Adding salt to the water prior to boiling helps remove the shell without it breaking into a lot of pieces.
• Using an ice bath can help prevent the greenish color around the yolk that over cooked hard-boiled eggs sometimes present.

How To Dye Eggs With Food Coloring

Ingredients Needed:

• Hard Boiled Eggs
• Food Coloring (traditional and neon colors if you want a mix of colors) – You can use regular food coloring (water based) or gel food coloring (oil based)
• Vinegar (can sub for lemon or lime juice – see above note)

You Will Also Need:

• Tablecloth or some covering to avoid getting dye on the table
• Paper Towels
• Plastic Cups (do not use styrofoam or the vinegar will eat through it)
• Slotted spoons, egg dippers or tongs

The key to properly dyed eggs is taking your time throughout this process.

Cover your work surface with towels or newspapers to protect them being stained.

Each color will need enough boiling water to cover the egg completely once submerged.

Using liquid colors will require up to 20 drops, using gel colors requires 1-3 drops depending on depth of color.

Instructions

Fill cups, bowls or containers with the enough water to cover the egg (about 1/2 cup), add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar and food coloring (see amount of drops in note above).

Place the egg on a slotted or regular spoon and dunk into the mixture, turning occasionally so both sides are colored.

Keep in the liquid up to 5 mins or longer for darker colors. Carefully remove the egg and set it aside to dry.

Repeat with additional eggs until you have all of your Easter eggs dyed.

Easter Egg Dye Color Chart

If you want to achieve different colors with your food coloring, this handy chart below is the perfect way to do it. Just follow the chart and use the amount of food coloring it recommends to acheive that specific color.