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–+ servings
colorful easter eggs dyed with rice in a white bowl.

Rice Dyed Eggs Recipe

Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 24 eggs
Calories: 63kcal
Author: Becky Hardin
These easy rice-dyed Easter eggs are the ultimate mess-free holiday craft for families. Using just rice and food coloring, you can create vibrant, speckled, and multi-toned designs that are 100% edible and double as a fun sensory activity for kids!
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • 6 Sandwich-Sized Zip-Top Bags

Ingredients

  • 24 hard-boiled eggs *
  • 6 cups dry white rice divided
  • Food coloring multiple colors**

Instructions

To Hard-Boil the Eggs

  • Place the eggs in a pot of water, bring them up to a boil, then cover with a lid and turn off the heat. Allow the eggs to sit in hot water for 15 minutes. You can run the eggs under cold running water to cool them.
    24 hard-boiled eggs
    ingredients for rice dyed easter eggs.

To Dye the Eggs

  • Place one cup of rice into each zip-top baggie.
    6 cups dry white rice
    hard boiled eggs in bags of colored rice.
  • In each bag, add 10-15 drops of food coloring to the rice, so you end up with a different color in each bag. Shake them up so the rice is well coated with the food coloring. Every few eggs, you will need to add a few more drops of food coloring to the rice to keep it wet.
    Food coloring
    drops of red food coloring and rice in a sealed ziplock bag with a hard boiled egg.
  • Allow your kids to put the eggs, one at a time, into the bags. Seal the bags and allow them to shake or smush the rice around the egg for 1-2 minutes. You can even let them move the eggs into different colors to get the eggs a fun multi-tone.
    mixing red-dyed rice around a hard-boiled egg in a sealed plastic bag.
  • Using tongs, have them place the eggs into the empty egg carton or a plate lined with paper towels. Allow the eggs to dry and store them in the fridge.
    hand holding a rice dyed easter egg.

Notes

*White eggs show vibrant colors, but brown eggs create deep, earthy jewel tones.
**You can use either liquid or gel food coloring to dye the eggs. I prefer to use liquid, as it coats the grains of rice much easier, but gel will work fine if that's what you have.
Tips:
  • Don't use too much food coloring at once. If the rice is too wet, you'll get solid-colored eggs. The rice should be just barely coated and still feel gritty. 
  • Optionally, add 1 tsp of white vinegar to each bag of rice along with the food coloring for stronger colors.
  • The hard-boiled eggs are pretty tough, but be careful not to squeeze them too hard, or you could scratch or crack them. Gently massage or shake them away from any hard surfaces.
  • I always double-bag my rice just in case the first bag leaks.
  • Use a wire cooling rack set over a sheet of parchment paper to dry the eggs with even air circulation so they don't stick.
  • Once the eggs are completely dry, put a drop of vegetable oil on a paper towel and gently buff each egg for a shiny appearance.
  • Make these dyed eggs for decorations by making them with ceramic eggs that can be left out.
  • You can eat the eggs so long as they are kept in the refrigerator and you use food-grade dye.
Storage: Store rice dyed Easter eggs in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1egg | Calories: 63kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 62mg | Potassium: 61mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 238IU | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg