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5 from 7 votes

How to Make Rose Water

Use fresh or dried rose petals from old-fashioned roses to make homemade rose water for natural skincare. This method involves creating a rudimentary still using a kitchen pot, lid, and ice to aid in condensation.
Keyword rose
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 3 hours
Servings 7 oz
Author Tanya Anderson
Cost 10

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place a heat-proof and heavy dish on a clean cloth at the bottom of a large kitchen pot. It should have tall sides like the soup mug in the photo.
  • Fill the area in the pot around the dish with rose petals. Fill all the way up to the top of the central container if you're using fresh rose petals. Halfway up if you're using dried.
  • Pour cold distilled water over the rose petals, completely submerging them. If you're using dried rose petals, add a little extra to compensate for the rose petals rehydrating.
  • Place a second dish on top of the central dish. This is where the finished rose water will collect.
  • Place a (preferably clear) lid over the pot upside down. If it has a ventilation hole, fill it with clay or another non-toxic gummy product.
  • Heat the pot on medium heat until the water inside comes to a simmer. You'll notice steam or condensation on the inside of the lid.
  • Fill the pot lid with ice. This will cool the steam that touches the lid and turn it back into liquid. It will begin rolling down the inside of the lid and into the central container.
  • As the ice melts, spoon the melted water off and replace it with more ice.
  • Carry on with spooning off the water and replacing it with ice. Do this for about twenty to thirty minutes or until the central dish appears to be nearly full.
  • Turn the heat off, remove the lid, and allow the pot to cool.
  • Pour the rosewater from the central dish into a glass jar. Store it in the refrigerator and use it within six months.
  • The faded flower petals and leftover water in the pan should be discarded.

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