How to Make Colorful Deviled Eggs for Easter

As a kid, I was always disappointed when I couldn’t munch on the pretty dyed eggs after an Easter holiday hunt. This recipe is the solution to my woes. You may not want to hide these Easter deviled eggs around the yard, but you’ll certainly want to eat ’em.

What’s an Easter deviled egg? Take regular hard-boiled eggs, remove the yolks, and make a classic deviled-egg filling. Then, use diluted food coloring with a touch of vinegar to dye the whites whatever colors you like. When the whites are the desired shades, pipe in your filling, et voilà!

Don’t forget that fresh eggs are notoriously difficult to peel, so make sure to start with eggs that are a couple of weeks old, if you can. Here are some other tips for making perfect boiled eggs.

Planning a party and need more ideas? Check out these Easter appetizers.

How to Make Easter Deviled Eggs

This recipe makes 12 servings (as in, 12 deviled egg halves), but if your family is anything like mine, you’ll need at least four per person, so plan accordingly! This recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled.

By the way, looking for Easter breakfast ideas that won’t take all morning? Try these Easter Breakfast ideas that are easy and delicious.

Ingredients

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• 6 hard-boiled large eggs
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• Assorted food coloring
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika

Directions

Step 1: Prep the eggs

Peel eggs and cut in half lengthwise. Remove yolks and set aside egg whites.

Step 2: Make the filling

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In a large bowl, mash yolks. Mix in mayonnaise, mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Taste and add additional seasonings as desired. Want to spice up your deviled egg filling? Try mixing in some Dijon mustard, dill (or other herbs) or hot sauce. You could also use smoked paprika in place of the regular paprika. Cover and refrigerate filling while preparing egg whites.

Step 3: Prep your dye baths

Decide how many colors you would like, and prepare a water bath for each color using around two cups of water, a splash of white vinegar and a few drops of food coloring—the amount will depend on the brand and whether the color is a liquid or a gel. Add food coloring to each water bath a few drops at a time, and stir until the liquid is vibrant. Blend colors as desired. Want to use natural dyes? We’ve got a guide for that!

Step 4: Dye egg whites

Place egg whites in the dye baths and let them sit until they reach the desired tones. For pastel eggs, start checking on the color after three to five minutes. For more vibrant eggs, you can leave them in for up to 15 minutes. If you’re not achieving the desired effect quickly enough, you can always use more food coloring.

Step 5: Dry egg whites

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When you love the color of the whites, remove them from the dye with a slotted spoon, and place them on paper towels. Let them sit for a couple of minutes to dry off while you prepare the filling.

Not sure how to dye easter eggs? We’ll take you through it, step by step.

Step 6: Fill the eggs

If you have a pastry bag, choose your favorite tip and fill the pastry bag according to the instructions. If not, you can use a Ziploc bag with the corner cut off, or use two spoons to fill the eggs: one to scoop up the filling, and the other to scrape the filling off the first spoon and into the dyed egg cups.

Step 7: Garnish

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Sprinkle the finished eggs with paprika. Other garnish options include minced dill or other herbs, your favorite seasoning blend, or a scatter of smoked salt. Bits of crispy bacon would work nicely too.

Also, hop into the kitchen for these Easter breakfast ideas that can be prepped before the egg hunt is finished!

Tips for Making Dyed Deviled Eggs

Can you make deviled eggs from Easter eggs?

The easiest answer is “no”! First, some traditional egg dyes—such as those used for Ukrainian pysanky—are not safe for human consumption. Second, eggs should not be eaten if they have been played with or kept anywhere other than a kitchen, as bacteria can penetrate the shells. Third, the FDA recommends that cooked egg dishes be thrown away after an hour if the temperature is above 90°F, and after two hours in any other case.

If you have eggs that were colored with food-safe dye, were never played with or hidden, and have not sat at room temperature, then they could safely be used in this recipe.

Can you make these deviled eggs ahead of time?

Egg dishes are best when fresh, so making these the day of your festivities is ideal. However, you can make these up to three days in advance.