What Is Rosewater? A Guide to This Aromatic Ingredient

You might know rosewater as a fragrance, but this aromatic liquid is also a staple in many global food cultures, which include Middle Eastern, South Asian, and Mediterranean cuisines. Rosewater is most commonly used in desserts such as Turkish Delight and baklava, but its soft, floral aroma also imbues savory dishes like herbed rice or biryani. 

The distillation of rose petals is thought to have originated thousands of years ago in Iran, where 90% of the world’s rosewater (also called golab) is still produced. In the U.S., rosewater was a popular baking ingredient until the 1840s, when vanilla extract largely replaced it.  

While no longer as ubiquitous as vanilla in many kitchens, rosewater is worth getting to know for its beguiling floral flavor. Here’s everything to know about buying and using it in everything from cakes to cocktails. 

How is rosewater made?

Rosewater can be made at home by simmering rose petals in water for between 45 minutes to an hour. Once the petals lose their color, rosewater is ready to be cooled. 

However, “a much richer, complex rosewater is produced when the distillation method is used,” says Malek Labidi, a Tunisian chef and author of La Table du Nord and La Table de la Côte.

This results in a sweet, floral aroma, and a subtler taste. 

In the distillation method, rose petals, often from damask roses, are cleaned and packed into a copper or stainless steel still. Next, water is added to cover the petals before the still is heated and the steam rises through the flower. 

The essence of the roses is carried in the steam, which condenses back into liquid in a cooling coil. Finally, the condensed liquid is collected in an “essencier,” where the rose’s essential oil separates and floats at the top. The water beneath it is collected, filtered, and stored in dark glass bottles. 

In the Khasan region of Iran, a rosewater festival occurs annually from May through June to celebrate the harvest (Golab-Giri). There, traditional distillation methods, such as the use of large copper pots, are still practiced. 

How to use rosewater in cooking and baking

Rosewater is used in a variety of Middle Eastern, Indian, Persian, and Mediterranean dishes. “[Rosewater] is mostly used in sweets, like baklava,” says Anissa Helou, a Lebanese chef and cookbook author. 

Rosewater can also be used in savory dishes to provide aromatic depth. In Morocco, it might be added to chicken or lamb tagines that contain dried fruits to enhance their sweet-savory balance. “In the Gulf, it is sprinkled on rice at the end of cooking to add fragrance,” says Helou. 

Persian-jeweled rice, known as Javaher Polow, is often scented with rosewater or orange blossom water, where it complements the floral notes of saffron, pistachios, almonds, barberries, and orange peel in the dish.

Use rosewater sparingly, as its flavor is quite strong. Start with a teaspoon or two if you are adding it to a drink or dish to avoid an overly perfume-like flavor. If heated, rosewater will lose some of its potency, so baked goods can handle a little more.