Uses for Rose Petals: Rose Water Recipe & Beyond

Apr 15, 2025

Uses for Rose Petels: Rose water and more recipes.

Roses are not only beautiful, but also useful in so many ways. Today, I will share a few recipes using rose petals, along with some new ideas for bringing the garden into your home.

Roses are among my favorite flowers to grow in the garden, especially the kind that smells like raspberries! I prefer those over the perfumy ones.

In the spring, flowers come out from the dead of winter and give us hope. Summer is filled with all sorts of blossoms too. Since God gave us flowers to remind us of what heaven is like, saving and preserving them in every way possible is one of my favorite things to do.

In this post, I talk about how to grow, preserve, and use roses. I will cover the medicinal uses of roses and several rose petal recipes that you can make at home. If you’re not sure what to do with dried rose petals, try making our refreshing rose water recipe, a Hungarian cherry soup with rose petals, or our delicious rose jam.

The Legal Stuff

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How to Grow and Preserve Rose Petals

Before we dive into the best recipes using rose petals, let’s walk through the steps to go from bushes to blooms.

Did you know that roses are best acquired from a cutting? You can obtain a cutting from a local nursery in the form of a potted plant, or you can gather one from a friend, family, or other place. The Farmer and I have loved wrangling up and planting rose cuttings, watching them grow pretty, colorful petals over time.

If you use the right methods and techniques to care for your roses, the best time to harvest your buds is when they are slightly opened. I know it’s hard to want to cut them down at this point, but they have the highest amount of fragrance and oils. This will give you the best flavor in your rose petal recipes — and the most medicinal benefits too.

After you harvest your roses, the next step is to preserve the petals by drying them out. There are two good ways to do this.

The most basic method is air drying. Start by plucking and laying out the rose petals on a paper towel, packing paper, or even newspaper. This paper will help to wick up any of the moisture on the surface.

Down on the farm, we prefer to use the dehydrator. Here are some important things to keep in mind if using this method:

Spacing: We place the rose petals on the dehydrator tray, leaving a little bit of space around each one if possible. This allows the air to flow around each petal, helping it dry much faster.
Temperature: We dry our petals at approximately 95-125 degrees F. Depending on the moisture level in the room the dehydrator is in.
Time: We dehydrate the petals for about 8-12 hours depending on the humidity in the air and in the dehydrator, as well as the moisture level in the rose petals themselves.

Rose petals are dry when they are crispy enough to bend and break. Once they cool, they will be a little bit more firm than when they are first dry.

Medicinal Uses for Roses

The different parts of roses, including both the petals and hips, can be used medicinally in teas, salves, facial scrubs, and more.

Roses are known to have the following properties:

Antioxidant
Anodyne (pain reliever)
Anti-inflammatory
Astringent
Nervine (calming the nerves)
Mood elevator

As you can see, rose petal recipes are packed with lots of natural healing benefits. Rose petals and hips are also very high in calcium, which helps boost the immune system.

Roses can be useful in supporting the following conditions:

Gut health (leaky gut, IBS, Crohn’s disease)
Heart health (blood pressure and cholesterol levels)
Oral health (tightening and toning the gums)
Skincare (rashes, wounds, sunburns)

Roses have plenty of health benefits for all the mamas out there too! Since the petals are cooling and soothing, they come in handy for PMS, menopause, and postpartum care too.

What to do With Dried Rose Petals

Rose petals are great for making loose-leaf teas –– you knew I was going to say that, right? We love using the French Press to brew fresh rose petal tea and rosehip tea for a cup that is as soothing as it is delicious.

Our Favorite Rose Petals Teas:

You can also use rose petals for culinary purposes, making tinctures, infusing oils, creating salves and balms, and of course, making your own rose water recipe.

Rose Water Recipe

Rose water has become a popular beauty product because of its benefits for the skin. A spritz can be used to calm your skin, soothe any itchiness, and help balance your skin’s pH levels. Best of all, it is gentle and feels so refreshing! A perfect thing to have around for the hot summer time!

Culinary Recipes Using Rose Petals

In another post, we talked about how to grow edible roses from cuttings. We have always loved using rose petals to decorate cakes! They add color and beauty to any celebration without dye or extra sugar.

As a reminder though, you should never consume rose petals that have been sprayed with chemicals since this will make them unsafe for your body and health.

Hungarian Cherry Soup with Rose Petals

A fun recipe to try using rose petals is this traditional Hungarian soup, which combines sweet and sour flavors in every bite. It is made with both rose water and rose petals and is best served chilled.

Rose Petal Jam and Rose Petal Jelly

These sweet, floral jams and jellies tastes amazing on toast or pastries. Start with a rose water recipe as your base, then add in other ingredients to get a rich and thick consistency.

Salves

Our favorite way to use roses is in our Floral Garden Salve. This salve features a rose oil that tackles those skin ailments we mentioned above.

It works with the other herbs and oils in the salve to help bring relief to dry and sore hands while leaving a pleasant fragrance.

SHOP DRIED ORGANIC ROSE PETALS HERE

Rose Water Recipe Frequently Asked Questions

Can rose water be used on all skin types?

Yes, rose water is gentle and great for all skin types, even sensitive skin. If you experience any irritation or discomfort after using rose water, discontinue use.

Is rose water edible?

Yes, rose water is edible. Just make sure that it is food grade. It is safe to spray on your face and also add to various culinary creations.

How does rose water help with stress and anxiety?

Rose water has a light, pleasant, floral scent that can be used for aromatherapy and relaxation. You can also enjoy the benefits of rose water by using it as a face mist or in the kitchen.

Rose Petals a Gift from Heaven

Rose petals remind us of God’s goodness and love, and we love that they have so many benefits and uses in both medicine and the kitchen. Whether you whip up a batch of homemade rose water, soup, or jam, we hope that you find these rose petal recipes refreshing and delightful. If you love making culinary creations from rose petals, make sure to check out the other ways that we cook with similar herbs in our free Cooking with Tea E-book.

Learn More about Roses

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