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How to Dye Easter Eggs with Rice

Make this Easter egg-stra special with a fun and creative activity for the whole family! Dyeing Easter eggs with rice is a unique and affordable way to add some extra color and personality to your holiday celebration. Not only is this method easy to follow, but it’s also mess-free and a great way to get creative.

Our How to Dye Easter Eggs with Rice guide provides a step-by-step process for creating vibrant and eye-catching eggs in no time. So why settle for store-bought egg dyeing kits when you can have fun and make your own colorful designs with just a few household items and some imagination?

colored eggs on top of white rice

When it comes to dyeing Easter eggs, we try to mix it up each year and try different techniques.

With that being said, this rice dyed Easter egg recipe is one of my favorites and is a great technique because it gives the eggs a speckled look and is an easy way to make bright colored Easter eggs.

The entire family will have a lot of fun making these colorful Easter eggs.

Want more Easter egg decorating ideas? Check out our Egg Dye with Kool-Aid, Natural Yellow Egg Dye Recipe, Easter Egg Dyed Potatoes and 33 Creative Easter Egg Designs.

colored speckled eggs in white egg carton

What You Need to Dye Easter Eggs with Rice

White Rice
Food Coloring
Hard-Boiled Eggs (dozen eggs)
Quart Ziploc Bags
Food Safe Gloves (optional)

rice dyed easter eggs ingredients on marble table

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of food coloring should I use?
You can use gel based food coloring or regular food coloring which is likely already what you have on hand at home. I do prefer gel food coloring as I find it gives a more vibrant color.

Can I use brown eggs?
Yes! You can certainly use brown eggs but keep in mind that the color won’t be as vibrant and will in some cases, be darker.

Do I cook the rice before using?
No. You want to use dry rice (uncooked rice) otherwise the color won’t adhere to the rice or the eggs.

How do I store the eggs dyed with rice?
When you are done coloring the eggs, you can place them inside an egg carton and allow them to dry. You can then place them inside the fridge until you are ready to eat them.

Can little kids help make these?
Certainly! Just keep in mind, this can be messy so cover surfaces, wear old clothing and perhaps have them wear gloves to make clean up easy.

rice dyed easter eggs in wooden basket

Things to Note:

  • The more rice you add to your bag, the more dye you’ll want to add.
  • If you get a few eggs in and color isn’t attaching to the eggs as much, add a couple more drops of dye.
  • I used gel dye, but I’ve had luck with water based dyes as well. Avoid oil based dyes as they tend to not grab onto the shell as well.
  • I’ve used minute rice and regular rice and both worked, although I liked the minute rice more. Brown rice should work as well, if that’s what you have on hand.
  • You can do multiple colors, one after another. Just give it a couple minutes to dry in between colors for the best results.
rice dyed easter eggs in white egg carton

How to Dye Easter Eggs with Rice

First thing, start by covering your work area with a paper towel or newspaper to avoid dyeing any surface. Also, you may want to wear old clothes to avoid getting dye on them.

Next, decide how many colors of food dye you’re going to do and have one baggie per color. If you’re using gloves, put them on now.

hand putting food coloring into rice bag

Place about a cup of rice in each baggie. It doesn’t have to be perfect, you can just eyeball it if you don’t feel like measuring. Just don’t put a ton in the bag. About a ¼ full.

Place about four drops of food coloring in each baggie. Only one color per bag.

Remove air from the plastic bag and seal it before squishing the rice all around until the dye is distributed.

mixing colored rice in baggie

Be sure your eggs are dry and not wet before choosing your color and placing the egg in the bag. Remove the air and seal the bag before gently moving the egg around in the colored rice until you’re satisfied with the color distribution or reach your desired color.

putting white egg inside rice dyed baggie

Set aside to dry or place it in a second color if you want to get funky with it.

hand holding rice dyed easter egg

When ready, you can crack the eggs open, remove the shell and enjoy the hard boiled egg!

Rice Dyed Easter Eggs

Rice Dyed Easter Eggs

Yield: 12 Rice Dyed Easter Eggs
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Dry Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

How to make rice dyed Easter eggs using rice, food coloring and hard-boiled eggs.

Ingredients

  • 12 Hard Boiled Eggs
  • White Rice
  • Food Coloring
  • Quart Baggies
  • Rubber Gloves (optional)

Instructions

  1. First thing, start by covering your work area with a paper towel or newspaper to avoid dyeing any surface. Also, you may want to wear old clothes to avoid getting dye on them.
  2. Next, decide how many colors of food dye you’re going to do and have one baggie per color. If you’re using gloves, put them on now.
  3. Place about a cup of rice in each baggie. It doesn’t have to be perfect, you can just eyeball it if you don’t feel like measuring. Just don’t put a ton in the bag. About a ¼ full.
  4. Place about four drops of food coloring in each baggie. Only one color per bag.
  5. Remove air from the plastic bag and seal it before squishing the rice all around until the dye is distributed.
  6. Be sure your eggs are dry and not wet before choosing your color and placing the egg in the bag. Remove the air and seal the bag before gently moving the egg around in the colored rice until you’re satisfied with the color distribution or reach your desired color.
  7. Set aside to dry or place it in a second color if you want to get funky with it.
  8. When ready, you can crack the eggs open, remove the shell and enjoy the hard boiled egg!

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 95Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 187mgSodium: 62mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 7g

*Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please consult with a registered dietitian for dietary advice. You may read our Nutritional Disclaimer here: https://www.simplisticallyliving.com/nutritional-disclaimer/

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