Easy Rose Petal and Rose Hip Infused Honey Recipe
If you don’t already love rose petals and rose hips, you’re about to fall head over heels when you make Rose Petal and Rose Hip Infused Honey. Autumn is the season to harvest rose hips from rose bushes. Letting our roses form rose hips (Rosa Canina L.) has been so much fun over the years. After the rose has completed its bloom cycle, the rose plant forms swollen berry-like fruits where the bud has fallen off.
Rose hips are packed with vitamin C and significantly support the immune system this time of year.
Rose hips can be collected fresh and dried or purchased dried and used for various purposes, including DIY skin care products, teas, and, in this case, honey!
Rose petals lend their color, floral flavor, and high amounts of antioxidants to this infused honey project. Stir the infused honey into teas or mixed drinks for a natural sweet and sour taste, or use the infused honey as part of a facial mask or hair treatment ingredient for deep hydration and brightening effects.
Continue reading to learn how to make rose hip and rose petal-infused honey at home. You only need three ingredients! Dried rose petals, dried rose hips slices and your choice of raw honey.
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What is An Infused Honey?
Infused honeys are an infusion of flowers, herbs, fruits, or vegetables for medicinal or culinary purposes.
Adding ingredients such as herbs to honey may increase honey’s health benefits and alter its flavor, aroma, or health qualities for more unique cuisines or body care products.
When applied to the skin, herbal honey infusions may help to reduce inflammation, redness, and sun damage. Honey, in general, is antimicrobial and high in antioxidants, both of which can benefit the skin. When taken orally, infused honey can be a preferred method for administering more bitter herbs and making them more palpable.
Infused honey prepared for use as food contains culinary herbs’ nutrients, flavor, and aroma.
Are All Roses and Rose Hips Safe to Eat?
Not all roses are edible. Make sure to check the variety of roses you’re using, especially if you intend to eat your rose-infused honey. Wild roses, damask roses, and apothecary roses are some of the best for infusing purposes. They have a strong aroma and a high amount of vitamins.
All rose hips are edible. They can be eaten raw, like berries, and included in a variety of medicinal and culinary herbal preparations like rosehip syrup, rosehip tea, jellies, jams, soups, sodas, and other beverages.
Fresh rose hips can be collected in early fall or early winter. The hips form at the base of the rosebud after the rose has bloomed. The base between the bloom and the stem will swell and change from green to red. Wild rose hips can be collected and foraged, as well, but ensure you are collecting the rose hips from non-sprayed and edible rose plants.
Rose hips are a great source of vitamin C, which is good news if you’re looking to increase your vitamin C intake. If you’re working with fresh rose hips, slice the rose hips in half and scoop out the seeds and small hairs before using the hips.
Where to Buy Rose Hips if You Don’t Grow Your Own
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Roses grow well in gardens and are a beautiful addition to the garden. They can be fussy to grow for new gardeners.
You can also purchase dried rose hips.
Here are a few of our favorite places to shop:
Rose Hip Tea from Amazon
Dried rose hips from Starwest Botanicals
Bulk-dried rose hips in a variety of forms from Mountain Rose Herbs
Where to Buy Dried Rose Petals If You Don’t Grow Your Own
Although many gardeners grow roses, not all of them serve culinary purposes.
You can purchase dried rose petals in small amounts as tea or in bulk.
Here are a few of our favorite vendors to purchase dried rose petals.
Tulsi Sweet Rose Tea from Organic India
Dried rose petals from Starwest Botanicals
Bulk-dried rose petals from Mountain Rose Herbs
Damask dried rose petals from Amazon.
Why Make Rose Petal and Rose Hip Honey?
Making infused infused honey is a simple and easy process. Infused honey recipes are a great way to begin working with herbs and plants in medicinal or culinary ways.
With just three ingredients, you can create a customized flavored honey for cooking, baking, and even DIY skincare.
Infused honey is a sustainable method of preserving seasonal plants like rose hips and rose petals to use for the winter months ahead. It is deeply soothing when used medicinally for immune support during flu season. Making infused honey may quickly become one of the favorite things of the autumn season.
I first started working with rose hips at the start of my herbalism journey three years ago. Rose hips pack a lot of flavor and combine well with the sweetness of honey. The few ingredients and the joy of working with flowers and honey made the process extra exciting. The process was so simple I now make infused honey with fresh or dried herbs and flowers every season. In the spring, I love to make lilac-infused honey to preserve the unique and antique aroma and scent of lilacs. To this day, it remains one of the best lip balms I’ve ever made.
Rose hips and rose petals are known for their various healing benefits as part of herbal medicines and natural skincare. Roses are high in antioxidants and have been incorporated into teas for centuries for anxiety and stress relief. Rose hips are a great source of vitamin C and provide an excellent source of antioxidants that assist in alleviating inflammation.
The Best Varieties of Honey for Infused Honey
Selecting the right honey to use in your infused honey recipes is not too challenging. All honey varieties have different qualities that lend different tastes to the end product. 26 types of honey are typically used and enjoyed for culinary and medicinal properties. Typically, it’s best to use raw, unfiltered, and local honey.
Using local honey ensures that you incorporate local environmental exposure to flowering trees and flowers that can help with allergies over time.
It’s always best to select unrefined, high-quality, and raw honey for infusing. Choosing organic honey is always best when possible. The goal is to make the best possible infused honey, after all. Below, you will find my favorite recipe for a simple infused honey method using dried rose petals and dried rose hips. Use the honey to ease sore throats, add sweetness to tea, and as a delicious method of ingesting a high vitamin c content.
How to make Rose Hip Infused Honey
Ingredients
2 cups raw, unfiltered honey at room temperature
1/2 cup sliced and dried rose hips
1/2 cup of dried rose petals
Tools and Equipment for No Heat Infusing Method
Tools you’ll need
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links help our small business earn a commission at no additional cost
to you. Thank you for your support!
Tools and Equipment for Heat Infusing Method
Tools you’ll need
*This article contains affiliate links. Purchases made through our
links help our small business earn a commission at no additional cost
to you. Thank you for your support!
The No Heat Process for Making Rosehip and Rose Petal Infused Honey
The no-heat method for infusing herbs into honey is a simple process that uses time and patience. This method is a favorite among herbalists.
Prepare the Herbs and Honey
Measure the dried rose petals and rose hips into a sanitized and dry glass jar.
You can grind the dried herbs if desired. Use a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder designated to herbal products.
If you have ground the herbs, pour them into a dry jar that is glass and heat-safe. No liquid can be introduced during the infusion process to avoid contamination.
Always work with clean, dry hands and tools.
Pour the room-temperature honey over the plant material, completely submerging the rose petals and rose hips in the honey.
Fill the jar until the honey rests 1 inch above the submerged plant material. With a spoon, mix the herbs and the honey. Release any air bubbles and press the plant matter down into the honey so all parts remain covered. You can also secure the jar lid tightly and tilt the jar back and forth to submerge the plant material.
Let the herbs settle for 5-10 minutes, and add more honey if needed. Some lighter herbs will float at first; the additional 1/4 inch of honey will ensure the herbs remain covered.
Infuse for 7-10 Days
Cap the jar tightly.
Place the jar in a cool, dark place and allow it to sit for at least 7-10 days, or up to 4 weeks. The longer the honey sits, the stronger the infusion flavor will be.
Shake and turn the jar over to mix the herbs in the honey at least daily and up to three times a day.
Strain the Infused Honey
When the infusion is complete, strain the honey from the herbs.
Place a mesh strainer or sieve over a new, clean, sanitized, airtight jar.
Pour the infused honey through the mesh strainer, separating the herbs from the honey.
Press the remaining pulp with your fingertips to release any remaining honey.
Allow the fresh infusion to sit indoors for two to three days. The sitting time will allow any remaining sediment to settle to the bottom. You can strain the honey again if desired.
Bottle the infusion in glass airtight bottles or jars, label it, and store it in a cool, dry, and dark place.
No Heat Method Tips and Tricks
Tips
- Many dried herbs will absorb the extra 1/4 inch of honey. Check your mixture 24 hours after making it; if absorption has occurred, add enough honey to reestablish the extra measure of honey.
- Place the infusing jar into a paper bag on warmer days and set it out in the sun for a slow-warming infusion.
The Heat Process for Making Rosehip and Rose Petal Infused Honey
The heating process of infusing honey is quicker and a preferred method for infusing more woody or thick herbs into honey-like barks. There is a higher likelihood of introducing unwanted moisture into the infused honey through the heating process, which can result in unwanted contamination. Unlike when making mulled or fermented honey, where heat is introduced in a controlled manner, heat infusion with herbs its important to ensure all tools have been sterilized and dried thoroughly before use.
The heat method may also reduce some of the benefits of raw honey that are maintained at room temperature infusions.
Prepare the Herbs and Honey for The Heating Method
Pour the herbs into a clean, sterilized, dried, and cool saucepan.
Pour the room-temperature honey over the plant material, completely submerging the rose petals and rose hips in the honey.
Place the saucepan onto the stove and turn it on to medium heat.
Infuse the Herbs into the Honey
Use a spatula or spoon to fold the herbs into the honey. As the honey warms, stirring will get easier.
Continue to stir frequently until the honey begins to bubble. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the honey to cool.
Repeat the process 3-5 times throughout the day until your honey has reached the desired flavor.
Strain the Infused Honey
Once cooled, place the sieve or strainer over a sterilized and dry mason jar and pour the honey through the sieve to remove the herbs.
Let the honey settle for 5-10 minutes, and strain again to remove any remaining herb matter or sediment from the honey.
Store your herb-infused honey in a cool and dark location. Most herbal-infused honey has a shelf life of up to one year.
Heat Method Tips and Tricks
Tips
- For a longer and gentler heating process, place the honey and the herbs into a jar and place the jar in a car on a hot day. Leave it in the car for 8-10 hours for a similar heat-infusion effect. All of the processes shared in this article are also methods for creating herbal-infused oils.
- Don’t discard the honey residue jar and herbs! Fill the jar with boiling water and add a teaspoon of black tea to create a sweet tea infusion that can be diluted to make cold or hot tea beverages.
- Try other herbal mixtures to infuse in your honey or to create rose petal honey; omit the rosehips.
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Try More Herbal Blends to Make Herbal-Infused Hone
There are endless options for the combination of herbs that can be used to create unique and flavorful infused honey. Some of our favorite herbs to use include
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