How to make pure Rose Water with fresh rose petals at home!! This is an easy recipe for making homemade organic rose water with fresh rose petals using a simple simmering method. This all-natural delicately fragrant rose water is perfect for making homemade rose syrup, summer drinks, and desserts; fun and couldn’t be any easier! It is great as a gift for a friend.
Let’s Make Rose Water at Home
the Easy Way!!
I’ve started making Rose Water at home instead of buying it!! There are different ways to prepare it, but this recipe uses a simple simmering method. All you need is 2 ingredients; edible organic rose petals and water. It is completely free from additives, dyes, or preservatives.
You can use it in recipes such as rose syrup, cocktails, desserts, and summer drinks as well as an all-natural beauty product. In my case, I use it mainly for making rose syrup, a syrup made from rose water with sugar added. It is great as a gift for a friend.
You’ll find here an easy-to-follow recipe with step-by-step instructions, helpful info, and tips. It’s a flexible, simple recipe that you can easily make your own! I hope you’ll try and enjoy it!! It is worth the effort and extra time.
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What is Rose Water?
Rose water is a liquid made from water infused with rose petals. Historians believe that rose water likely originated in Persia (present-day Iran). It is said that even today, 90% of the world’s rose water comes from Iran.
People have used rose water for centuries for culinary, medical, religious, and aesthetic purposes. It is widely used to flavor food, especially in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Asian cuisines.
How Is Rose Water Made?
There are many ways to make rose water. High-quality Rose Water is commonly made through steam distillation, a traditional method to extract compounds from flowers, petals, and leaves.
However, you can also make it the easy way at home by boiling rose petals in water and then straining. But it’s not quite the same as capturing the pure concentration of rose essence that you get from the distillation.
The Simmering Method; How it Works?
When the fresh rose petals are boiled in the water, the aromatic oils are infused into the water creating gently fragranced water while their color drains into the water creating pink water (if you use pink or red roses). The final color depends on the color of the roses used and the amount of petals used. So, feel free to adjust the amount of petals to suit your needs.
What you will need?
Ingredients
- Fresh organic rose petals
- Distilled water or filtered water
- Lemon juice (optional) – As a natural antioxidant, lemon juice can help prolong the life of rose water (as well as its visual appeal brightening the color.
- Fine mesh stainer
- Ceramic or glass pot
- Air-tight small containers for storage
The Simmering Method; Steps
1. Select the roses
Use edible organic (pesticide-free) fresh fragrant dark pink or red roses.
2. Pluck the petals and Rinse
Pull the petals off and discard the rest of the rose. Make sure to rinse the rose petals under running water to get rid of any dirt, or insects.
3. Place the petals into a saucepan and pour water over them
Add the rose petals in a medium ceramic or glass saucepan. Fill up with distilled/filtered water until the petals are submerged. Anything added in excess can dilute the rose water. The petals will float on the water surface, and push them down into the water.
4. Cover the pot with a lid and set the heat to “low.”
Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Then reduce to the lowest heat, cover the pot, and let it gently simmer for about 20 minutes. Do not let the water come to a boil and using high heat will ruin the color and other properties. The rose petals will release their color into the water and then turn pale. Turn the heat off and let it sit for another 10 minutes undisturbed.
5. Strain the mixture
Let the rose water cool below 104°F / 40°C. Put a fine mesh strainer over a large measuring cup to catch the liquid. Pour the rose petal mixture into the strainer. Discard the rose petals. Then stir the lemon juice, if using, into the rose water until evenly distributed throughout.
Useful Tips
Use organic (non-sprayed) roses
You will need organic, edible roses. If you grow roses, that is great as homegrown roses are organic, fresh, and chemical-free. If you buy roses just ensure they are unsprayed because roses are among the most heavily sprayed flowers. It is good to buy organic roses from an organic grower or grown in a home garden.
The fresher your roses are, the better results you will get
The fresher your roses are, the better results you will get.
The more fragrant the roses, the more flavorful the water
Use the most fragrant roses possible so the finished rose water can be as flavorsome as possible.
The more colorful the roses, the more colorful the water
Use pink or red roses. The color of the roses will determine the color of the finished rose water, If the roses are darker, the pinker the water will be.
Use just one type of rose
Try to use just one type of rose because each type has its distinctive smell, and by mixing many, there is a possibility of not getting good-smelling rose water.
Depending on the size of the roses, adjust the quantity as needed
It’s a flexible, simple recipe that you can easily adjust the amount of ingredients.
Use distilled or filtered water
If you can use distilled water which is free of any bacteria. Tap water often has bacteria in it. To use tap water, boil some filtered water and let it cool back down to room temperature.
Don’t use a metal pot
Don’t use a metal pot; this will react with the oils. Use a ceramic or glass pot. Make sure that the pot is very clean.
Make sure that the bottle is made from glass
Make sure to use clean sterilized glass bottles with tightly sealed lids to store the rose water.
Storage
This recipe doesn’t use any preservatives. So there is always a chance that bacterial growth can begin to form even store it in the fridge. The mixture will stay in the fridge for about a week. If you add lemon juice, it should last a bit longer.
For longer-term storage, the best option is freezing and you can keep it in the freezer for about a year or so. But the quality of rose water starts to degrade with time.
Make sure to use clean and sterilized glass bottles with tightly sealed lids to store the rose water.
When you fill the containers with rose water, leave a small amount of space at the top as it will allow for expansion as the water freezes.
Use small bottles because they are easier to handle than large ones. Small batches can be individually defrosted when ready for use so you can keep unused products sealed and protected for longer.
You can also pour the rose water into small containers that are suitable for freezing like ice cube trays and then un-mold and store cubes of rosewater in a larger container. These can then be brought out individually and defrosted for use as needed.
More Drink Recipes
Homemade Rose Water
(Step-by-Step Recipe)
Course: DIYs, Drinks
Cuisine: Asian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Resting Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 300 to 500ml (appr.)
Ingredients
2 to 3 big roses or 8 to 10 small roses
500 to 700 ml distilled or filtered water
1 tbsp lemon juice, optional
Note: Use, preferably, dark pink or red roses. This is a flexible recipe that you can easily adjust to your needs.
Instructions
Use organic fresh edible fully blooming roses.
Gently pull the petals off the stem. Look through the petals and remove any wilted or brown spots. Discard the stem. Place the petals in a large colander and gently rinse them under running water to remove dirt and insects. Don’t soak petals in water.
Add the rose petals in a medium ceramic or glass saucepan. Fill up with distilled/filtered water until the petals are submerged. The petals will float on the water surface, and push them down into the water.
Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Then reduce to the lowest heat, cover the pot, and let it gently simmer for about 20 minutes. ( Do not let the water come to a boil and using high heat will ruin the color and other properties) The rose petals will release their color into the water and then turn pale. Turn the heat off and let it sit for another 10 minutes undisturbed.
Let the rose water cool below 104°F / 40°C. Put a fine mesh strainer over a large measuring cup to catch the liquid. Pour the rose petal mixture into the strainer. Discard the rose petals. Then stir the lemon juice, if using, into the rose water until evenly distributed throughout.
Pour the rose water into clean dry airtight glass bottles. Label and store in the fridge for up to a week or so. I usually keep them in the freezer for up to 6 months or so.
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I love hearing from you so feel free to leave a comment on the post. If you make any of my recipes, I’d love to see pics of your creations #joyofeatingtheworld or @joyofeatingtheworld
Easy! Homemade Rose Water with Fresh Roses
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 big roses or 8 to 10 small roses
- 500 to 700 ml distilled or filtered water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice optional
Instructions
- Use organic fresh edible fully blooming roses.
- Gently pull the petals off the stem. Look through the petals and remove any wilted or brown spots. Discard the stem. Place the petals in a large colander and gently rinse them under running water to remove dirt and insects. Don’t soak petals in water.
- Add the rose petals in a medium ceramic or glass saucepan. Fill up with distilled/filtered water until the petals are submerged. The petals will float on the water surface, and push them down into the water.
- Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Then reduce to the lowest heat, cover the pot, and let it gently simmer for about 20 minutes. ( Do not let the water come to a boil and using high heat will ruin the color and other properties) The rose petals will release their color into the water and then turn pale. Turn the heat off and let it sit for another 10 minutes undisturbed.
- Let the rose water cool below 104°F / 40°C. Put a fine mesh strainer over a large measuring cup to catch the liquid. Pour the rose petal mixture into the strainer. Discard the rose petals. Then stir the lemon juice, if using, into the rose water until evenly distributed throughout.
- Pour the rose water into clean dry airtight glass bottles. Label and store in the fridge for up to a week or so. I usually keep them in the freezer for up to 6 months or so.
Notes
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