If you have never tried a rose syrup recipe with honey you’re in for a real treat. In fact, you may not have even known that roses aren’t just for fragrance and skin care, they’re completely edible.
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I’ve always loved roses but last summer as I got deep into foraging wild plants, I became totally infatuated with wild roses like rugosa and multiflora. The fragrance was so intoxicating. I couldn’t get enough of it. I would scour the roadsides as I drove around windy back roads knowing very well that I should not be foraging on the side of a road, but I couldn’t help myself. I’m counting down the days until they’re in season again.
These beauties continue to give to gift us year round when they produce rose hips for winter and fall picking. This isn’t a foraging article though, I’ll try to stick to the topic of making rose syrup. You can read more about rose hips and foraging in this post.
Benefits of Rose Syrup
Here’s why you should make this rose syrup recipe. We know the smell of roses usually produces warm and pleasant feelings which is why it’s so popular with aromatherapy, but this also translates to consuming it. It has antidepressant and soothing properties. It’s loaded with vitamins and antioxidants like vitamin C, can help balance gut flora, and even regulate hormones (including helping PMS!) No wonder I gravitate to roses. I will drown myself in rose syrup if it helps with any of the above!
Honey is just another form of sugar and there is such thing as too much of a good thing, but it does have added health benefits, unlike plain sugar. Raw local honey especially can help with allergies, soothe a sore throat, and boost the immune system. Roses and honey go perfectly together.
Besides that, the internet is full of rose syrup recipes with regular sugar, we don’t need another one. It’s not that I’m trying to reinvent the wheel or be a health snob, but I think we all know by now that white sugar is not so great for you. You deserve something better. So do the roses!
More About Ingredients and Where to Find Them
I use a small amount of hibiscus in this rose syrup recipe, mainly for color, but feel free to add some more. It has it’s own health benefits as well and adds a floral tang. The more hibiscus you use, the more sour it will be.
I bought a huge bag of dried organic hibiscus flowers a while back that has lasted me forever. I use a combination of roses I foraged and bought at Mountain Rose Herbs to make mine.
I foraged multiflora rose and beach rose locally. Multiflora are an invasive variety with very small white flowers, but they have some of the strongest fragrance and taste out of them all. All rose petals are edible as long as they are not treated with chemicals. The source is more important than the variety, although they will all have slightly different flavor and fragrance. Buy roses specifically for food use, not just from a florist. There are plenty of trusted sources online if you don’t have a local apothecary.
You will find dried petals, whole buds, and different rose varieties at varying prices. I used local raw honey. I suggest using local if you’re trying to prevent allergies but any honey will do. Use up that half a teddy bear sitting in your cabinet for the past year. Whatever works. Just keep in mind raw has more benefits and is naturally antimicrobial so your syrup may last longer.
I settled on this amount of hibiscus to not overpower the rose. Its perfectly balanced. If for some reason you just don’t like honey you can substitute white or brown sugar, probably even agave syrup.
How to Use Rose Syrup
So how should you use this rose syrup recipe? My favorite way is in tea or to flavor my homemade kombucha. It’s also great for a fancy cocktail or mocktail. If you’re someone reading this and not too into roses yourself, make your wife/girlfriend/mother/whoever a special rose syrup drink for valentines day and they will love it, I’m telling you. You will also score points for the effort even though it’s pretty easy to make.
Some rose syrup food and drink ideas:
- Rose latte with regular or plant milk.
- Matcha latte with rose syrup.
- Sparkling rose water.
- Rose lemonade.
- Rose iced tea.
- Rose mimosa
- Rose beet juice smoothie, imagine the color here.
- Crepes with rose syrup and cream.
- Ice cream with strawberries and rose syrup.
- Rose vinaigrette.
- Vanilla rose cupcakes
Let me know what you think in the comments, enjoy!
Recommended Reading
- Northeast Medicinal Plants: Identify, Harvest, and Use 111 Wild Herbs for Health and Wellness
- Native American Herbalism for Families: Rapidly Develop an Herbal Intuition with 100 Western Medicinal Plants and 70+ Home Remedies
- Raised Naturally: A Parent’s Guide to Herbal Medicine From Newborn to Adolescence Step by Step
- Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine: 550 Herbs and Remedies for Common Ailments
- Herbalism for beginners: A practical guide on how to improve your health by using inexpensive, accessible herbs
Rose Syrup with Hibiscus
Equipment
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 strainer or cheese cloth
- 1 jar or bottle for storage
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dried rose petals
- 1 tsp dried hibiscus
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup honey
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan.
- Turn the heat down to low, add the rose petals and hibiscus. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by about half.
- Let it cool enough to touch, but strain flowers and mix with honey while it's still warm. Honey doesn't blend well in cold water.
- Stir or shake until very well blended and store in jar or bottle in the fridge for up to 1 month.
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How much syrup do you put in with your Kombucha?
Hi probably about a tablespoon for a 16 oz bottle, I just eyeball it.