Step 1

Place 1 cup water and 1 cup dye option of choice (purple cabbage, onion skins, etc.) in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Step 2

Reduce the heat down to low. Cover and simmer until the color is a few shades darker than you want for your egg, 15 to 30 minutes. Drip a little dye onto a white dish to check the color.

Step 3

Remove the pan from the heat. Let cool to room temperature. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer set over another saucepan or bowl. Press on the solids in the strainer to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the contents of the strainer.

Step 4

Measure the amount of strained liquid. Add 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar per 1 cup strained liquid and stir to combine.

Step 5

Arrange 6 room-temperature, hard-boiled eggs in a medium bowl or quart container (like a yogurt container). Carefully pour the cooled dye over the eggs and make sure they are completely submerged.

Step 6

Refrigerate until chilled and the desired color is reached, a few hours or up to overnight. Remove the eggs from the dye and dry with paper towels. If you want your eggs to be more vibrant and less pastel, give the eggs multiple soaks in the dye, being sure to dry them between stints in the dye.

Step 7

When the eggs are dyed to the desired color, dry each one thoroughly with a paper towel. Gently rub in little oil neutral oil into each egg. Polish with a paper towel. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 8

Explore a variation of colors with different natural ingredients on your eggs — which are all totally safe to eat!