The short answer: to make rose syrup, dissolve 200 g sugar in 240 ml water over low heat. Take it off the heat, stir in 15 g of dried rose petals, cover and steep for 1 hour. Strain it, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to deepen the pink, and keep it in the fridge for about 2 weeks.
Rose syrup is a sugar syrup that smells and tastes of roses. It is pink, floral and sweet, and a little goes a long way. In Middle Eastern and South Asian kitchens it sweetens milk drinks, puddings and pastries. At home, 15 ml turns a glass of lemonade pink and a plain latte into something you would pay for. Three ingredients, plus lemon, about an hour of waiting.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Time | 15 minutes, plus 1 hour steeping |
| Makes | About 300 ml (1¼ cups) |
| Ratio | 200 g sugar, 240 ml water, 15 g dried petals |
| Keeps | About 2 weeks in the fridge, 3 months frozen |
Ingredients
- 240 ml (1 cup) water
- 200 g (1 cup) white sugar
- 15 g (½ oz) dried rose petals sold for cooking, or 2 loosely packed cups of fresh petals
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Which roses? Buy dried petals sold as food, from a spice shop or the baking aisle. For fresh petals, pick scented roses from a garden you know was never sprayed. Shop and florist roses are usually treated with pesticides and are not grown for eating. The stronger a rose smells, the more flavour it gives.
How to make rose syrup
- Dissolve. Put the water and sugar in a small pan over low heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup is clear. Let it come to a gentle simmer, then take it off the heat.
- Steep. Stir in the rose petals. Cover the pan with a lid and leave it for 1 hour. The petals fade as the syrup takes their colour and scent.
- Strain. Pour the syrup through a fine sieve into a jug. Press the petals with a spoon to get every drop.
- Add lemon. Stir in the lemon juice. Watch the syrup turn from dusky brown-pink to a brighter pink.
- Bottle. Pour it into a clean bottle, close it, and chill it.
Why the petals never boil
Rose scent is delicate. Boiling the petals drives it off into your kitchen and leaves a syrup that tastes of stewed leaves, with a brown colour. Hot syrup off the heat is warm enough to pull out the scent, and gentle enough to keep it. Cover the pan so the scent stays in the syrup and not in the air.
How lemon turns it pink
The red colour in rose petals changes with acid. In plain syrup it looks dusky, almost brown. Add lemon juice and it turns a clear, bright pink. Start with 1 tablespoon. Add another teaspoon if you want it pinker or sharper. The lemon also balances the sweetness, so the rose tastes floral, not like soap.
8 ways to use rose syrup
- Pink lemonade: 20 ml rose syrup in a glass of lemonade with ice.
- Rose latte: 1 to 2 teaspoons in a latte or a cup of hot milk.
- Iced tea: sweeten iced green or black tea.
- Rose soda: 30 ml syrup topped with 200 ml cold sparkling water and a slice of lemon.
- Yoghurt: drizzle over thick yoghurt with pistachios.
- Rice pudding and panna cotta: spoon over the top just before serving.
- Cake soak: brush over a warm almond or lemon cake.
- Fruit: toss strawberries or raspberries in a spoonful.
Start small. Rose is strong, and too much tastes like perfume. For a softer syrup to mix in, try our vanilla syrup. Rose and vanilla together, half and half, make a good latte syrup.
Rose syrup and rosewater
| Rose syrup | Rosewater | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Sugar syrup steeped with petals | Water distilled with petals |
| Sweet? | Yes | No |
| Use | 5 to 30 ml per drink | A few drops per dish |
| Best for | Drinks, drizzling, soaking cakes | Baking, pastries, cream |
No petals? Make a plain syrup with 200 g sugar and 240 ml water, cool it, and stir in rosewater 1 teaspoon at a time until you like the taste. Some brands are much stronger than others.
Common mistakes
- Boiling the petals: the syrup turns brown and tastes stewed. Steep them off the heat.
- Florist roses: they are not grown for eating and are usually sprayed. Use petals sold as food or from an unsprayed garden.
- Too few petals: a handful in a big pan gives sweet water. Stay at 15 g dried per 240 ml water.
- Skipping the lemon: without acid the syrup looks dull and tastes flat.
- A wet bottle: water drops make it spoil sooner. Use a clean, dry bottle.
The same method, sugar syrup with something steeped in it, works for other flavours. See our ginger syrup for a version with a hot, peppery bite.
How long rose syrup keeps
- Fridge: in a clean, closed bottle for about 2 weeks.
- Freezer: in an ice-cube tray for up to 3 months. Drop a cube into lemonade.
- Throw it away if it turns cloudy, smells sour, or shows any mould.
Questions
How do you make rose syrup?
Dissolve 200 g sugar in 240 ml water, take it off the heat, and steep 15 g dried rose petals in it for 1 hour, covered. Strain it and stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
Can I use roses from a bouquet?
No. Shop and florist roses are usually sprayed with pesticides and are not grown as food. Use dried petals sold for cooking, or fresh petals from a garden that was never sprayed.
Why is my rose syrup brown?
The petals were boiled, or there is no acid in it yet. Steep the petals off the heat, and stir in lemon juice at the end to turn it pink.
How long does homemade rose syrup last?
About 2 weeks in a closed bottle in the fridge, or up to 3 months frozen in an ice-cube tray.
What is rose syrup used for?
Rose syrup sweetens lemonade, lattes, iced tea and sparkling water. It is also drizzled over yoghurt, rice pudding and fruit, and brushed over warm cakes.
