This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Last week I made a gigantic run in my pantyhose. I’ve never been happier to destroy a pair of good tights (I knew the Easter eggs were coming up!). Pantyhose work best. You can buy a cheap pair for a couple bucks, but foil is a good alternative. I tested both.
The dye is au naturale; the woodsy tones are extracted from onion peels! Some people prefer red onion, but the color gets pretty dark; I like the yellow onion mo’ betta. This whole process of dyeing Easter eggs took me 30-40 minutes and that’s with cooking them in 2 batches. Not bad. It’s easier than it looks.
What You’ll Need:
1 pair of nylon stockings OR foil
A few sprigs of fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, etc.)
12 white eggs
About 1/2 of a plastic grocery bag of yellow onion peels
1/2 Tbsp salt
How To Natural Easter Eggs:
Fill a medium pot with 2/3 of the onion peels and add water until it’s about one third full. Boil for 10 minutes to allow the onion to release it’s color then add 1/2 Tbsp salt. While this is cooking, start on your eggs.
Method #1: Herb Prints
Note: foil does not hold herbs well enough; if you want the herb prints, you really NEED nylons.
1. Wrap cilantro, parsley or whatever herbs you wish to use around the egg.
2. Pull the stocking over one hand and place the egg over it, grab a hold of the egg with your stocking hand and wrap your fingers around it being careful to keep the herbs from folding or wrinkling. Invert the stocking over the egg then tighten and twist at the base. The stocking should wrap snuggly around the egg to keep the herbs in place.
3. Tie a string around the base to secure the stocking.
4. Boil for 10 minutes making sure the eggs are fully submerged then remove from water, let cool until they are a safe temperature to handle, then use scissors to cut away the stocking. Wipe away herb remains with a paper towel.
Method #2: Marbelized hues
Note: the inspiration for these marbelized hues is from: Pille’s Estonian eggs
1. Wrap each egg with enough onion peels to cover the surface; there should be no white showing.
2. Pull the stocking over your hand and place the egg over it, grab a hold of the egg with your stocking hand and wrap your fingers around it. Invert the stocking over the egg then tighten and twist at the base.
3. Tie a string around the base to secure the stocking.
4. Boil for 10 minutes making sure the eggs are fully submerged then remove from water, let cool until they are a safe temperature to handle, then use scissors to cut away the stocking.
Method #3: Solid Wood Hues
This is the easiest way to get that beautiful solid woodsy color is to simply put the eggs into the pot directly with the onion peel; no pantyhose required! Cook 10 minutes (longer if you want a darker tone. I posted this easy peasy method a couple years ago
Making the Eggs Shiny:
I like shiny things. You can make these shiny by putting oil on a paper towel and rubbing the eggs with it. Now take a picture and impress all of your friends on Instagram (I’d love to see your creation too: @natashaskitchen).
Oh and one more thing, these make for egg-cellent egg wars (you know, knocking the eggs against each other) I think the trick is to wrap your fingers close to the end you are going to knock. I know it’s early, but Happy Easter Everyone!
Natural Easter Eggs 3 Ways!
Ingredients
- 1 pair of nylon stockings OR foil
- A few sprigs of fresh herbs, parsley, cilantro, etc.
- 12 white eggs
- About 1/2 of a plastic grocery bag of yellow onion peels
- 1/2 Tbsp salt
Instructions
How To:
- Fill a medium pot with 2/3 of the onion peels and add water until it's about 1/3 full. Boil for 10 minutes to allow the onion to release it's color then add 1/2 Tbsp salt. While this is cooking, start on your eggs.
Method #1: Herb Patterns
- Note: foil does not hold herbs well enough; if you want the herb prints, you really NEED nylons.
- Wrap cilantro, parsley or whatever herbs you wish to use around the egg.
- Pull the stocking over one hand and place the egg over it, grab a hold of the egg with your stocking hand and wrap your fingers around it being careful to keep the herbs from folding or wrinkling. Invert the stocking over the egg then tighten and twist at the base. The stocking should wrap snuggly around the egg to keep the herbs in place.
- Tie a string around the base to secure the stocking.
- Boil for 10 minutes making sure the eggs are fully submerged then remove from water, let cool until they are a safe temperature to handle, then use scissors to cut away the stocking. Wipe away herb remains with a paper towel.
Method #2: Marbelized Eggs
- Wrap each egg with enough onion peels to cover the surface; there should be no white showing.
- Pull the stocking over your hand and place the egg over it, grab a hold of the egg with your stocking hand and wrap your fingers around it. Invert the stocking over the egg then tighten and twist at the base.
- Tie a string around the base to secure the stocking.
- Boil for 10 minutes making sure the eggs are fully submerged then remove from water, let cool until they are a safe temperature to handle, then use scissors to cut away the stocking.
Method #3: Solid Woodsy Colors
- Cut the eggs into the pot directly with the onion peel; no pantyhose required!
- Cook 10 minutes (longer if you want a darker tone.
Making the Eggs Shiny:
- Pour some oil on a paper towel and rub the eggs with it.
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Are the eggs uncooked before you start or does the cooking/dyeing process cook them?
Hi Nancy. The eggs will be boiled in step 5. This is when they cook. 🙂
These look so beautiful. I wish you would do a video because I am having a hard time following the instructions. Thanks for all the recipes that you share!
Hi Gayle. You’re very welcome. Thank you for the feedback and suggestion. 🙂
Natasha, I surely appreciate your recipes, your sense of fun, your sweet attitude, and your helpful Husband–keep up the great work!!!
Aww, You’re so nice! Thank you, Lorrie!
Hi Natasha, I have been dying eggs in onion skins for years. So
I just want to add that you can regulate intensity of color by amount of onion skins in the pot with water, and by letting eggs cool down in the onion skins. Also if you cook brown eggs in the onion skins, the color would be even richer: red-brown. I used to scrape patterns on those brown eggs. Happy Easter!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me. Happy Easter!
I remember my grandmother (Ukrainian) making these, she saved up her onion peels for weeks/months in advance and just put them in the pot with the eggs. She also saved bread of all types that was leftover and let it dry out, then made stuffing for the turkey from breadcrumbs by crushing the dried bread with a rolling pin. Took a lot of elbow grease to do that! But it was delicious!
It really is the best method! thank you for sharing this with us!
I was suggested this blog by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written byhim as no one else know such detailed about my trouble.You’re incredible! Thanks!
That’s just awesome! Thank so much for sharing that with me. I’m glad you discover our blog!
I truly do enjoy writing but it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are generally lost simply just trying to figure outhow to begin. Any suggestions or hints? Appreciate it!
We always recommend getting all of your ingredients ready before starting. Most recipes move fast and having it all ready helps the process.
How do you maintain your cutting board
Hi Barbara, we have been rubbing it with a little bit of olive oil every time we use it. If you want a specific product, the one by boos blocks is very good and we use it about monthly.
Very cool… Natural coloring is the way to go. Great job Natasha!
December
Thank you!
Will be doing this today!
Awesome! Please let me know how they turn out!