The Rose bush in the front yard came into bloom this week and it smells wonderful. I have been making Rose Petal syrup for the last two days (30 pints so far) and I’m not done yet.
We moved into this community 10 years ago. There was this beautiful Rose bush in the front yard. After we had lived here about a year, one of my neighbors stopped by and asked me if I was going to make Rose Petal syrup. I said I had never made it before and didn’t know how.
It turns out that this neighbor was related to the woman that our house was built for (back in the sixties) and she liked to make Rose Petal syrup. Wow. The neighbor who stop by gave me the recipe for the Rose Petal syrup and I was thrilled.
It just so happens that the Rose bush was in bloom, so I made a small batch of the Rose Petal syrup. We mostly ate it over home made pound cake that first year. It was heavenly. We were hooked.
Each year I make larger and larger batches of the Rose Petal syrup. The Rose bush seems to get bigger every year, so I guess it is responding to me taking more and more of it’s Rose Petals each year.
We eat a lot of the syrup, but I also give it away to family and friends who seem to really like it.
We like to put it on Pound cake, yogurt, ice cream, in tea, in buttermilk, etc.., and it is really good.
Here is my recipe for making the Rose Petal syrup:
- I pick a large basket of Rose Petal flowers. You will want to use an old timey Rose that smells really good. A Tea Rose is the best.
- Then I stuff mason jars full of Rose Petals, so full that they can’t take any more.
- Then pour boiling hot (spring) water over the petals in the mason jar. I make sure that I fill the jars full (to very top) of hot water.
- Then put a lid on the jars and let them sit over night.
- In the morning I strain the mixture in the mason jars. I want the water (Rose Water at this point) from the mason jars.
- I will put the Rose Water into a large cooking pot and I measure the Rose water as I’m putting it into the pot.
- Then I add two cups of sugar (white works best) for every one cup of Rose water. So, if I have 6 cups of Rose water, I would add 12 cups of sugar.
- I add the juice from one large lemon to the pot of Rose water and sugar.
- I stir this mixture and bring it to a boil.
- I let it boil about 10 minutes.
- Then I pour this hot Rose Petal syrup into clean, sterile mason jars.
- Once the mason jars are filled and sealed with new lids, I turn the jars upside down for 5 minutes. This helps the lids seal.
- After the jars have cooled, I label them with a sharpie and place them on the shelf with my other canned goods.
Enjoy!
Living on Paint Creek 
Wow Kay, Randy and I are quite impressed with your knowledge. We hope to learn more from you when we are able to move to Greene Mtn Rd permanently. I hope you will generously share your knowledge of the local plants. I am so looking forward to our next trip there. Thanks, Randy & Eileen Oberg
Thanks so much. I’m really a novice, but I’d be happy to share what I know.
Great post Kay. I may try that syrup!
I’ll be smelling all my rose bushes. But, if mine aren’t good, I have a friend who has rose bushes her grandmother planted! (She also has the most beautiful peonies which her grandmother started!)
I love your blog neighbor!
Thanks Janet. Good luck with your rose syrup. I have a gift here for you guys. Danny has been meaning to bring it by as a thank you for all of Charles help with the camper. It includes Rose Petal syrup. Maybe can bring it by soon.
This is fabulous stuff! I am nowhere near Paint Creek (I’m in Scotland), but we just moved into a new house with a beautiful climbing rose bush, and I suddenly thought of making rose petal syrup, so I Googled it and up you came.
It’s a great recipe, really easy – but I can’t believe you didn’t mention the magic bit! When I first made the syrup (from a fairly light-pink rose) it was a prettyish but rather dull pink colour – but when I added the lemon juice, it magically turned deep pink. What causes that – do you know? Whatever it is, it’s a great magic trick, and I can’t wait to show my niece!
Thanks so much for your feedback.
I’m not sure why the little magic bit happens – it just does.
I’m glad you enjoy the recipe and hope it becomes a regular in your home. It is in mine. Enjoy!
Hello Kay! Here I am copying your great Rose Petal Syrup. I will be planting more rose bushes in my house this summer. We have become addicts to it! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe! Hope to see you soon.
Love, Maria
Thanks. So glad you guys like it. We just love it!
Miss and love you guys lots,
Kay (and Danny)
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It sounds very easy and rewarding! What medicinal use has this syrup? Coughs?
It helps to heal a broken heart. It is also very good for your skin (the Rose water. They syrup would be sticky – smile).
Hi everyone,
I was wondering if anyone kows: is this something that would be safe to make with petals from my valentine’s roses (from a florists shop)?
Thanks for any input!
No, don’t do that! Roses from florists and nurseries have been sprayed with all sorts of fungicides and pesticides, which will be in the plant’s whole system, including its blossoms and rose hips (which people also make syrup from). Stick with roses you’ve been growing in your own yard and not spraying for at least several years.
I’ve just started making rose syrup this year. I used my recipe for elderberry flower syrup, where you cook equal amounts of sugar and water into a syrup, pour this over the flowers, add a thinly sliced lemon, and let it steep for 3 days.
Will be trying your method next and keep some of the rose water!
I wonder if the leaves has Vitamin C like the rose hips do?
Good question. I wonder.