The recipe prices will vary based on fluctuating grocery costs. Please use what is posted as a guide.
In this easy tutorial, we show How to Dye Easter Eggs with Food Coloring and Rice. To do so, you’ll need hard-boiled eggs, rice, and food coloring.
Dyeing eggs with rice costs $5.08 for one dozen eggs which are only $0.42 per egg.
For another affordable craft to make at home with the kiddos, check out our Homemade Playdough.
Table of Contents
How to Dye Easter Eggs with Food Coloring and Rice
Dyeing Easter Eggs is a tradition that we have a love/hate relationship with. We love the symbolism but hate the mess and stress of it, especially with younger kids. We have a fun solution to take that stress and mess away.
Rice Dyed Easter Eggs are an easy way to color those hard-boiled eggs without worrying about someone knocking over those cups of dye. The kiddos will have fun moving the egg around in the bag of rice, and the pattern that the process makes on the egg is really cool! The eggs look kind of speckled and each one looks different than the last.
As a bonus, let the rice dry completely after you are done dyeing the eggs, and you can put it in a container for use as a sensory bin!
Skip the trip to the store and go without a kit this year to dye your Easter Eggs. Try this method instead with ingredients you already have on hand at home to dye those eggs for Easter!
Our step-by-step tutorial with pictures will show you just how easy it is to Dye Easter Eggs with rice!
Do Easter eggs dye better warm or cold?
While the eggs can be at any temperature for dyeing them, we prefer to color them when they are cold or at room temperature. This makes it easier for little hands to handle the eggs when they are not too warm to touch.
Is it OK to leave Easter eggs out overnight?
While these eggs are so pretty to look at it, it may be tempting to leave them out on the counter to look at. However, hard-boiled eggs should not be left out overnight as you risk getting a food-borne illness if you then eat the eggs. The eggs should only be at room temperature for one hour. Otherwise, they should be stored in the fridge.
Do eggs need to be boiled before dying?
Yes. Please hard boil the eggs first before placing them in the Ziploc bags. That way, there is no concern over cracking the eggs while moving them around so much within the Ziploc bags. This process is meant to make life easier, not messier!
How to Dye Easter Eggs Without a Kit:
STEP ONE: First, add one cup of rice each to six Ziploc bags or plastic cups.
STEP TWO: Then add 15-20 drops of food coloring to each bag. Seal the bag and shake until the rice is completely colored. Or, stir the rice in the cups until the rice is completely colored.
STEP THREE: If you used a cup, pour the rice into Ziploc bags. Then, add an egg to each rice bag. Seal the bags and shake to color the eggs.
STEP FOUR: Finally, remove the egg and allow it to dry on a paper towel or a drying rack made from foam board and pins (see the last picture in the picture collage below).
Cook’s Tools:
- Ziploc sandwich bags
- Paper Towel
- measuring cup
- Drying rack OR foam board and pins
The Flavor and Recipe Variations
The amount of food coloring you will use will vary depending on how bright or dark you want the Easter eggs.
How long is it good for:
Serve: You can keep the hard-boiled eggs out for about 2 hours before they will need to be refrigerated.
Store: Keep the eggs in a covered container in the refrigerator. It’s best to eat the eggs within 5 days.
Freeze: We do not recommend freezing hard-boiled eggs. The egg whites become tough and inedible.
How much will this Rice Dyed Easter Egg recipe cost to make:
RECIPE COST: $5.08
PRICE PER SERVING: $0.42
- 12 hard-boiled eggs – $1.20
- 6 cups rice – $3.78
- 15-20 drops of food coloring per color – $0.10
To find out more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained.
Budgeting Tips:
- To cut down on cost, you can use just 3 cups of rice and 3 kids of food colorings instead of 6.
- Reusing the rice for 2-3 dozen eggs will cut down on the cost per dyed Easter egg.
- Let the rice dry completely after you are done dyeing the eggs, and you can put it in a container for use as a sensory bin!
How to get the kids involved with this recipe:
Ages 2-3: Have your child shake each bag after the rice and food coloring have been added. Make sure the bag is sealed first!
Ages 4-5: Let your child measure and pour one cup of rice into each Ziploc bag. They can also help by putting the food coloring into each bag.
Ages 6-8: This is a great recipe to let them try on their own. Standby for assistance as needed.
Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe.
Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!
More Kid-Friendly $5 Recipes:
- Cake Mix Banana Bread
- Chick-Fil-A Copycat Frosted Lemonade
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Crockpot Chocolate Lava Cake
- Chick-Fil-A Copycat Peppermint Shake
- Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites
- Chocolate Wacky Cake
- English Muffin Pizzas
- French Toast with Blueberry Syrup
- Green Smoothie
- Homemade Lemonade
- Instant Pot Popcorn
- Mango Banana Smoothie
- Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
- Pizza Grilled Cheese
- Quick Monkey Bread from Scratch
- Red Velvet Buttermilk Waffles
Rice Dyed Easter Eggs
Equipment
- Ziploc sandwich bags
- Paper Towel
- measuring cup
- Drying rack made of foam board and pins
Ingredients
- 12 Hard-boiled eggs
- 6 cups rice
- 15-20 drops of food coloring per color
Instructions
- Add 1 cup of rice to 6 Ziploc bags.
- Add 15-20 drops of food coloring to each bag until the desired color is reached.
- Seal the bag and shake until the rice is completely colored.
- Add an egg to each rice bag.
- Shake the bags to color the eggs.
- Remove the egg and allow it to dry on a paper towel or a drying rack made from foam board and pins.
Notes
- You can leave the colored rice in the cup and shake the eggs in the cup. We did find it easier to add the rice to the bag and shake that.
- You may need to add more food coloring, depending on how bright you want the eggs.
- You may need to add additional coloring after 1 or 2 eggs.
- And be sure to color the egg immediately after adding the color, as the dye will dry quickly on the rice.
Justine says
Brilliant! I love that it’s basically mess free.
Jill Baird says
This looks so fun! We’re dying eggs this weekend. I can’t wait to do this! Thanks for the great instructions!