How To Make Confetti Eggs & Other Easter Decorations

Question: "What are cascarones?"

Answer: “A fun way to ring in the Easter holiday…and a neat project you can do at home!”

Confetti eggs, or “cascarones” as they’re known in Spanish, are a custom associated with certain holidays in Mexican and Hispanic-American culture. In their most basic form, a cascarón is a whole, hollowed-out chicken egg that’s been decorated on the outside and filled with brightly-colored confetti on the inside. In accordance with tradition, to crack a cascarón and sprinkle the confetti over someone’s head—either by crushing the cascarón in your hand above them or (gently!) smashing it against their scalp—is to wish that person good luck.

Now, cascarones are also sometimes called “confetti Easter eggs,” and that’s because they’re a very popular Easter tradition. There’s just something about colorful that works with the concept of spring and renewal! Assembling confetti eggs—and, of course, cracking confetti eggs—is a fun craft project for families, especially if you have young children. So here’s our guide to making Easter eggs filled with confetti at home!

CONFETTI EGGS “RECIPE”…

As with any craft project, it’s always a good idea to make sure you have all the necessary pieces before you get started. To make confetti filled eggs, you’ll need:

• Large- or jumbo-size raw eggs. Plain eggs from the grocery store will work fine.
• Confetti. Use the smallest, finest Easter confetti you can find so that filling the eggs is easier (and the display will be more terrific). Also, if you’re planning to crack the eggs outside, be sure to use biodegradable, eco-friendly confetti!
• A large pin or needle. A standard sewing needle is too thin, but a thumbtack, poultry lacer, or doll needle should suffice.
• A food-safe bowl (optional). If you plan to throw away the raw eggs, this isn’t necessary.
• Masking tape, painter’s tape, or decorative washi tape. Clear “office” tape is generally not strong enough, but duct tape is a little TOO strong!
• Tissue paper. This will be combined with the tape to cover the bottom of the egg.
• Egg dye, permanent markers, and other craft supplies (optional). These are for making the eggs look pretty. If you’re planning to dye eggs, you should do so before turning them into confetti eggs. Otherwise, coloring it can wait until after it’s been filled.
• A small spoon (optional). This can make puncturing the eggs and adding confetti a little easier.
• Liquid soap and access to a sink. A clean egg is a nice-smelling egg!

…AND CONFETTI EGGS PROCEDURE 

Once you’ve got all of your materials rounded up, then it’s time to get to work on your diy confetti eggs! Here’s how to make cascarones, step by step:

• Step 1: Prep the egg. Take an egg, and, using your needle, very carefully puncture the bottom of the shell. Then, either wiggle the needle or use the spoon to turn the pin-prick into a small hole. This is where you’ll be inserting the confetti, so keep that in mind as you figure out how big the hole needs to be.
• Step 2: Empty the egg. Hold the opened egg over a bowl (if you’re planning to keep the white and yolk) or the sink (if you’re going to just throw the white and yolk away) and shake it gently so that the innards slide out. It may help to use your needle to “stir” the egg contents and thin the yolk slightly. And if you’re really having trouble with this part, you can use the needle to poke a teeny-tiny hole at the top of the egg, then blow into the tiny hole to force the slimy stuff out of the larger hole (note: you might want to wash surface of the egg before putting your mouth on it!).
• Step 3: Clean and dry the egg. Rinse the now-empty egg shell with soap and cool (not hot!) water and let it dry overnight. Also, if you happened to retain the egg whites and yolks in a bowl, be sure to put them in the refrigerator for later use.
• Step 4: Fill the egg. Once the egg is completely dry, grab your paper confetti and start filling it up! Depending on the size of the hole and the size of your confetti, you may be able to scoop the confetti in with a spoon. Another option is to create a “funnel” using a rolled piece of paper or a plastic baggie with one corner cut off.
• Step 5: Seal the egg. Use the tape and tissue paper to cover the small hole on the bottom of the egg. Please note that, while you don’t want to go crazy with the tape (because that’ll affect the egg’s crackability), it’s totally okay if the tape and paper are clearly visible or contrast with the egg’s color/designs. That’s just the way cascarones look! Plus, the tape is a visual indicator that this egg is for smashing, not for eating!
• Step 6: Finish decorating the egg. If you want to beautify your egg any more than you already have, now’s the time to do it.
• Step 7: Take pride in your creation…AND THEN SMASH THE EGG. Let that gorgeous confetti fly!

DECORATION IDEAS

Let’s be clear: there’s no right or wrong way to decorate confetti filled cascarones. But if you’re feeling a little stuck and need some more ideas on how to decorate your eggs, here are some suggestions:

• As we said earlier, egg dye and permanent markers are usually safe bets. However, you can also use acrylic or watercolor paint, watercolor pencils, glitter glue, pastels—anything that speaks to your artistic vision and will show up on the egg’s surface!
• If you opt to add 3D details (like googly eyes, pom-poms, ribbons, tiny felt hats, etc.), be mindful of those pieces when you go to crack the egg on someone’s head. After all, nobody wants an indentation on their forehead because they got smacked with a wayward googly eye!
• Do you have extra confetti leftover after filling the egg? Consider adding some to the outside of your confetti egg by giving the shell a few swipes with a glue stick and sprinkling (or rolling) on the confetti pieces. Double your confetti, double your fun!

And that’s all there is to making making diy confetti eggs or cascarones at home! Happy crafting—and happy cracking!