You want to have natural Easter eggs this year? Then you should dye Easter eggs with onions. This is what you need to pay attention to when dyeing eggs with onion skins and so it's guaranteed to succeed!
Every year you hear and read that store-bought egg colors are full of chemicals. Some are even said to be harmful to health. This can make you lose your appetite.
But you know what? Our grannies used to dye eggs with onion skins. And that worked out wonderfully.
I tried it this year for the first time in a big way and want to show you how you can dye your Easter eggs with onions. And of course what you need to pay attention to.
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Eggs in warm brown tones are anything but boring. They fit perfectly into a natural Easter nest or with decorations made of natural materials. The trend is moving away from toxic green and bright red to natural earth tones.
And what could be better than something that we all have at home: Onions!
But let's get a few details straight in advance.
Why dyeing eggs with onion skins is useful
Coloring eggs with onions is quite simple. You do not need to be someone who has years of crafting experience.
Onions, eggs and a pot - that's all you need. If you like, you can use leaves and flowers to conjure up a pattern on the shell. But I like them best almost quite simple and without many frills.
What speaks for dyeing Easter eggs with onions
- Simply
- Environmentally friendly
- Cheap
- Pure vegetable - no chemistry
For me, the point "no chemistry" plays a big role. It is not uncommon for eggs to have a crack in the shell and for the artificial colorants to penetrate the egg. These we then simply eat with.
At the same time, very many of them are harmful to health.
In short, you simply cook the eggs in onion broth. But do not worry: the eggs do not take the taste of onions. Not even if the shell has a crack.
How many eggs per day are healthy?
Which is better: dye light or dark eggs with onion skins
You can get very different shades from onions. It depends on whether you use light or dark eggs. And on the other hand, whether you use brown or red onion skins.
Overall, by dyeing with onions you get beautiful red and brown tones that look very natural. Dyeing gives white eggs warm brown tones and brown eggs a dark red color.
How intense the color turns out depends very much on how many onion skins you use. From light brown pastel tones to dark red-brown and orange, everything is possible.
In my experiment, this is what came out:
- White eggs and red onions make a beautiful bright red
- Dark eggs with red onions provide a darker red
- White eggs turn light brown with brown onions - provided you don't use too many shells. Otherwise, they turn reddish brown. If you do not get the right amount, almost look like conventional brown eggs.
- Dark eggs with brown bulbs turn dark brown-red.
Help, the eggs have expired. Can I still eat them?
How you can dye Easter eggs with onions
You are convinced? Then let's get started and dye beautiful red and brown eggs - without artificial dyes.
What you need for 10 eggs
- 70 gram onion peel
- 2.5 liters of water
- 2 tsp vinegar
- a saucepan
- Kitchen towels
Here's how it works in four steps:
1. peel and prepare the onions
We only need the onion skins. So you can start putting onion skins aside a few weeks before dyeing. If you keep them in a cloth bag, that's optimal.
It is best to wear gloves when peeling onions. Then your hands will not smell so intensely of onions.
2. put on the dye decoction
Now put the onion skins in a large saucepan. Bring the water to a boil and then turn down the temperature. Let the onions simmer gently for 10 minutes - this should produce a nice brown colored broth.
In the meantime, you can prepare the eggs.
To do this, add 2 tsp. vinegar to a liter of water. Wash the eggs in the vinegar water so that they become clean and the color holds better later.
These herbs and spices are suitable for dyeing eggs!
3. eggs dyeing with onion peels
Important: The eggs should be at room temperature so that they do not crack during cooking. From the cold refrigerator into the hot water - this is sure to miss.
Grab a soup spoon and spoon each egg into the pot one at a time.
The eggs should rest on the onion skins so that they do not crack during cooking.
Let them simmer gently for ten minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, put the lid on and let the eggs soak in the onion broth for another 30 minutes.
4. apply gloss
Take the eggs out of the broth with a spoon and place them on a cake rack or paper towel. If you want the eggs to shine, rub them with a little cooking oil or butter.
Ready!
How to get a pattern on the Easter eggs
Are brown eggs too boring for you? Then you can get a pattern on the Easter eggs with very simple tricks.
If you choose one of these methods, you should make sure that the water does not boil. Otherwise the pattern will not be beautiful.
What works perfectly is: Boil eggs normally, then prepare them and place them in the color broth. They can be left to infuse for several hours. That way you are on the safe side.
Mega cute: Easter cookies in the shape of bunny buns!
Leaves and stockings provide a natural pattern
If you want a leaf or a flower on the eggs, then you take a small leaf for this and fix it on the egg. I always do this with old fine pantyhose.
- Cut the tights into 15 cm pieces.
- Put the egg with a leaf in the pantyhose.
- Twist the pantyhose in at the bottom and top so tightly that the egg can no longer move.
- Tie the stocking with yarn.
- Put it into the dye bath.
When you take the eggs out of the color broth, they must dry in the stocking. Only then slowly remove the stocking and the sheet. This way the pattern will stay beautiful for sure.
Twist the stocking too tight and you'll get the pattern you see on my DIY Easter eggs - it looks like star to me. On some you can also see the stocking pattern.
Rubber rings for dyeing eggs with onion skins
Normal rubber rings ensure that your Easter egg gets stripes. Put the rubber rings on the egg before you put it into the color broth.
Alternatively, you can use kitchen twine.
Again, dyeing eggs with onion skins will be really nice if you take the gummies from the cooled and dried egg.
Have you ever made Easter chicks out of eggs?
Paint the shell with opaque white
You want to let off steam artistically? Then buy a tube of opaque white and a fine brush. With it you can paint directly on the shell.
Especially beautiful and at the same time simple are flowers or dots.
Adhesive letters for an Easter message
If coloring eggs with onion skins is not enough for you, you can also leave a greeting message on the shell. This works best with adhesive letters.
Pull them off after cooking and drying, and you're ready to wish your loved ones "Happy Easter."
If you don't have adhesive letters, you can write the message on the shell with lemon juice. Dip a cotton swab in lemon juice and write the message on the egg. But don't get too much lemon! The juice will etch the onion color from the shell.
Our conclusion
You want to dye eggs with onion skins? Very good idea! This method is time-tested and results in many beautiful brownish and reddish Easter eggs. With kitchen twine or pantyhose you can give the eggs a personal touch.
Have fun making them!
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