There quite possibly isn’t something as so elegant and alluring as a summer rose. The delicate layers, like the most luxurious silk dress, make these beauties a queen in my garden. I adore their sweet and sultry scent, which holds many memories. On my weekly trip to the farmers market, I picked up a few and some summer honey from a local beekeeper. As I unloaded my basket filled with green and floral goodies onto the table, I thought infusing the local honey with rose petals would be a lovely summer project - an easy and satisfying one at that! Being a big tea drinker and baker, it seemed like a unique experiment to try in both. I have some rose tea bumping around in my pantry that is divine for special occasions, but I’ve never tried rose honey - lavender, which is also gorgeous. You only need a few clean petals from an organically grown rose. This led me down the rabbit hole of infusing honey with all varieties of edible flowers! It is by no means an original idea, but I found it a satisfying and soothing Sunday project. They also would be a great host gift idea tied with a ribbon and thank you note. It’s simple, thoughtful, and certainly will be appreciated.

Infusing Honey with Roses Alanna O'Neil Photography

Here’s what you’ll need:

1-2 organically grown fresh roses (no toxic sprays or chemicals! I also like to have a variety of colors. You can also use dried whole roses and dried petals too!)

local raw honey (the amount depends on how much you want to make, I prefer to make smaller 1 oz jars)

1 oz jars (make as many as you like)

Optional: sieve

Gently pluck the petals off of the roses and give them a rinse. Place them into a tea towel and lightly pat them down to dry completely. If they are quite large you can gently tear them into smaller pieces.

If your honey is crystallized, create a double boiler to soften it. Putting it into the microwave will kill off all those wonderful enzymes and beneficial properties! If it’s not that hard, you can also place it in the sun for a few hours to let it soften up.

Fill half of the small sauce pot with water to create a double boiler. Bring the pot to a low simmer and place a glass bowl on top to fit.

Scoop or pour the honey into the clean bowl.

Allow the honey to simmer until smooth and pourable. You can test it by stirring it with a small spoon.

Prepare your jar(s) by removing the lid(s), giving them a quick rinse, and drying them thoroughly.

If using a 1 oz jar, add a few rose petals (5-7) to the bottom of the jar. If you are infusing a larger jar, I like to fill it at least half with rose petals. Aim for 2 parts rose to 1 part honey ratio.

Slowly pour the honey over the rose petals in the jar, filling it to the brim. Use a rubber spatula to scrape any remaining honey into the glass bowl - don’t waste that liquid gold! Stir to remove any air bubbles.

Screw or latch the jars firmly, wiping away any excess or spills down the sides.

Allow the honey to infuse at least 3 weeks before using! You can strain the honey with a sieve if you like, but I prefer to keep the beautiful petals inside.

Store the honey in a cool and dark place. Make sure to secure it firmly to keep the ants out!

These are just a few ideas that I’m anxious to try with my new rose honey! I hope you give this a try - perhaps you will get carried away like me with all sorts of edible summer flowers!