Skip to main content

Homemade Rose Water


These days, roses are best known as an ornamental garden plant, or as a gift between lovers.  But in years past, roses were much more than a young man’s means of wooing a pretty lady.  Roses were once used for medicine, decoration, beauty products, and even food.

One easy way to make use of your roses is to make rose water, using a simple distillation method.  You won’t need any special equipment to do this, and chances are you have everything you need already.

Note:  Please read my upcoming blog post to find out what to use your rose water for once it’s made.

Homemade Rose Water

Ingredients:

Handful of rose petals
3 Quarts filtered water or rain water
Ice or frozen cold packs*

Equipment:

Large Pot with rounded lid
Large Rock with a flat top or a large, heavy glass bowl*
Small glass bowl

Process:

1.  Thoroughly wash the rock and place it into the pot.
 
2.  Scatter the rose petals around the rock.

3.  Pour the water into the pot.



4.  Place the small glass bowl onto the rock.  Place the lid onto the pot upside down.

5.  Heat on high until the water boils; reduce heat to a simmer.

6.  Place the cold packs or ice into the inverted lid.  Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, replacing the cold packs with ones fresh from the freezer if necessary.

 

7.  After the simmering time is up, turn off the heat, and allow the pot to sit and cool.

8.  Once the lid is cool to the touch, remove it. The bowl you placed on the rock should have 1 to 2 cups of liquid inside. This is your rosewater!  Pour the rosewater into a bottle or jar, and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.







*Rose water notes

Ice or Cold Packs:  I prefer to use cold packs, since the melting ice can be a bit messy.

Large Rock or Glass Bowl:  I decided that I liked the rock better.  When I tried to use a bowl, it would always start to float when I added the water.  So, unless you’ve got a very heavy bowl, the rock will stay put better.
Labels:

Comments

  1. Blossom Barden (NorthLaurel)July 30, 2011 at 5:04 PM

    Why do you use a rock? or a bowl for that matter in with the water and petals? And why the cold packs? I've made rose water before (love it!) but never did it this way... Perhaps I am missing something. Would you mind explaining for me :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kristie KohnAugust 1, 2011 at 8:05 AM

    Hi Blossom, great questions! The rock (or bowl) is just used as a platform to keep the smaller bowl placed on top out of the water. The cold packs make the lid cold, which allows more condensation to form on the lid. This condensation then drips into the small bowl. Basically, this is a simple steam distillation method. Rose oil evaporates with the steam, and this is a simple way to catch it. Hope I explained that alright, but if not, here's wikipedia's explanation of steam distillation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_distillation

    P.S. I would love to know how you make your rose water :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Blossom Barden (NorthLaurel)August 2, 2011 at 9:50 PM

    Oh, I made mine perhaps the 'wrong' way :) Not entirely sure since I didn't look up how to do it in the first place lol. I boiled distilled water and poured it over a jar full of rose petals. I left it until it was cool then strained the water into a jar.
    Your explanation was perfect, thank you :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Journey11August 3, 2011 at 11:30 AM

    This is a very clever way to catch all the rose essence that is in the condensation. I've noticed that when I make herbal tea too, that the steam carries awaw a lot of the smell/flavor. I have a book on herbs by Rosemary Gladstar, and she said to always put a lid over tea as it steeps so the good stuff won't get away! Thanks for the how-to, I will definitely be trying it!

    ReplyDelete
  5. pollysplaygroundDecember 16, 2011 at 6:12 AM

    thankfully found this post when i needed rose water for a recipe. learning how to make it was the best part (or, actually, the ONLY good part) or the recipe i used it for. we've got a massive rose bush, i'll definitely make more and use it in some of the ways you suggested in your other post. thanks so much!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Kristie KohnDecember 16, 2011 at 10:10 AM

    You are welcome, I'm so glad that my post was able to help you! :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousNovember 13, 2012 at 6:07 PM

    hi, is it wrong to just put the rose petals in distilled water?? or is this way more effective??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kristie KohnNovember 14, 2012 at 8:24 AM

      Do you mean as an infusion? There is nothing wrong with making a rose infusion. The method I used is more to capture the essential oils evaporating in the steam, which should give you a more pure and concentrated rose water. When making an infusion, it will be a bit more dilute and not quite as pure because the essential oils will evaporate with the steam. But a rose infusion is still a useful item to make.

      Delete
  8. UnknownApril 17, 2013 at 7:54 PM

    Hello! I was wondering what the shelf life is? How should it be stored?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kristie KohnApril 17, 2013 at 9:01 PM

      Rose water can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or for longer term storage, it can be frozen.

      Delete
  9. UnknownSeptember 11, 2014 at 10:07 AM

    ok. so the rock is to hold the bowl which fills up with water? how many ice packs do you think I will need? where do you get ice packs? can I use a stainless steel pot? thank you want to make this weekend

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

I will just take a quick peek at your comment before it posts to avoid getting bombarded by spam. Please don't take it personally, I'm sure you're a lovely person.

Popular posts from this blog

Soapmakers: Why You Shouldn't Use Vinegar if You Come into Contact with Lye

It was one of the first things I learned when I began making my own soap; I read it in books and on the internet: "Always keep a jug of vinegar on hand when you are working with lye.  Vinegar neutralizes lye." Soapers, have you heard this?  Do you practice the habit of keeping vinegar nearby when you make your soaps?  So did I, until recently, when I read an interesting post on a soap forum, and then decided to research the claim myself.
2 comments
Read more

Homemade Drain Cleaner

To avoid clogging and bad odors, sink and tub drains should be periodically cleaned. A once a month cleaning with a non-toxic, homemade cleaner prevents needing a stronger, usually sodium hydroxide (lye) based, cleaner to remove clogs.  Sodium hydroxide is extremely caustic, and will damage the lungs if inhaled, burn skin and eyes, and can be fatal if swallowed.  In addition, the heat generated by using sodium hydroxide can soften PVC pipes, and damage old, corroded pipes.  It also changes the pH of water and can cause fish kills. A much nicer alternative to this harsh chemical is the simple combination of baking soda and vinegar, followed with boiling water.  When baking soda and vinegar are combined, they foam and expand, cleaning the sides of your pipes and dissolving fatty acids.  The boiling water then washes it all away.  This method is a great way to use up the box of baking soda in your frig that is not longer doing a good job of d...
51 comments
Read more

Khachapuri: A Delicious Cheese and Egg Filled Bread

If you love the taste of freshly baked bread, cheese, and eggs, this recipe is for you!  It is based on a dish called Khachapuri ( pronunciation here ), which comes from the beautiful country of Georgia, located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Asia.  The name Khachapuri translates to "curd bread," owing to the heavenly combination of melted cheeses inside a soft, fluffy bread boat.
Post a Comment
Read more