There are many traditions associated with Easter Sunday, but one of the most beloved is dyeing Easter eggs. On this holiday, children and adults around the globe use vibrant dyes, paints and waxes to create beautifully decorated eggs in a rainbow of colors.
The practice of decorating eggshells dates back thousands of years and was adopted by the early Christians of Mesopotamia to symbolize the resurrection story. Today, dyeing eggs is a wonderful way to celebrate the Easter holiday, showcase your creativity, and bond with loved ones over a shared activity.
How to Dye Easter Eggs Using Tea
Tea-dyed Easter eggs are an all-natural and chemical-free alternative to eggs dyed with artificial food coloring. Tea will not yield the same bright neon hues as artificial dyes, but will instead result in muted, earthy colors like pale gold, burnt orange, dusty blue and soft green.
Easter eggs dyed with tea tend to have beautiful watercolor appearances with natural variations like speckles and swirls—perfect for creating an elegant, on-trend Easter display.
The key to creating colorful tea-dyed Easter eggs is to steep very strong batches of tea. We recommend using 2-3 tea bags (or 1 tablespoon of loose tea leaves) per every 4 eggs. Adding a splash of white vinegar to the tea will also improve color transfer and staining of the eggs.
Best Teas for Dyeing Easter Eggs
- Matcha Powder = Soft green
- Butterfly Pea Flower Tea = Light blue
- Hibiscus Tea = Dusty grey/blue
- Turmeric Cinnamon Tea = Pale gold
- British Breakfast Black Tea = Reddish brown
- Red Rooibos Tea = Burnt orange
Ingredients
The following list of ingredients will yield four dyed Easter eggs in ONE color. Repeat for each desired tea varietal / color shade.
- 4 hard-boiled eggs (cook before dyeing)
- 3 tea bags OR 1 tablespoon loose tea leaves
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 cups boiling water
Directions
- Add the tea bags or loose tea leaves to a medium-sized bowl or pitcher. Pour boiling water over the leaves. Allow the tea to steep, then cool until it reaches room temperature. Do not remove the tea bags or strain the tea leaves.
- Add white vinegar to the steeped tea to improve staining (optional).
- Add hard-boiled eggs to the containers of steeped tea, then place in the refrigerator. Let sit overnight, or for a minimum of 4-6 hours.
- Remove the eggs from the containers using a slotted spoon. Pat or gently wipe the eggs dry with a paper towel.
We hope you enjoy this colorful and creative DIY Easter project using tea!
