This is our cheat’s homemade Rose Syrup recipe, made with just 4 ingredients!
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
What is Rose Syrup?
Rose Syrup is basically, simple sugar syrup flavoured with the aroma of roses. It is one of those drinks that is synonymous with the fasting month in Singapore, and is just as popular across the Middle East and south Asia (India, Pakistan, etc).
In the summer, when we have plenty of organic roses in our garden, the red ones answer to a higher calling and are converted into rose syrup (below) and rose water. You’ll find the rose syrup made with rose petals recipe here, or click the image below.
Rose Syrup vs Rose Water
Both are made with steeping rose petals in water. However,
- rose syrup is made with added sugar and is, in fact, like a cordial. Rose Syrup is sweet.
- rose water is made without sugar, and is used for its aroma, rather than its taste. Rose water is rather bland tasting.
Best Rose Syrup without Rose Petals
This is it, it doesn’t get any easier than this:
- we make some simple syrup with water and sugar.
- we add rose water (or essential oil of geranium or rose).
- we add the colour red.
How to use Rose Syrup
So what can you do with rose syrup?
- Treat it like a cordial, dilute with water at a ratio of 1:4
- Use it in cocktails and mocktails, add it to prosecco for a Rose Syrup Prosecco
- Use it to flavour desserts like Mahalabia and Falooda (some call it falooda syrup)
Where to buy Rose Water for Cheat’s Homemade Rose Syrup?
- Here in the UK, it is found pretty easily, especially in the larger supermarkets. You will find it in the homebaking section, next to the vanilla. This is the one I use, available on Amazon (affiliate link).
- Failing that, you should find it in shops selling cake making and cake decorating supplies
- And finally, Indian and Middle Eastern shops/grocers will definitely stock it. Indian rose water tends to be a little muskier than the rest, so get used to it first, you may find that you need a little less, depending on the brand.
Rose Syrup Colour
You want a concentrated red food colour, not pink. It will become pink as you dilute it and mix it with milk, like when making Sirap Bandung (rose syrup with milk, on my other blog).
Get a good quality, concentrated food colour. You should only need a tiny blob of it, like a pin head size, no more. That’s the beauty of using concentrated food colour. I use Wilton’s quite frequently, like these ones. They are labelled as icing food colour, and perfect for anything; a little goes a long way.
How to Store Homemade Rose Syrup
Once you’ve made your rose syrup, transfer it to a sterilised bottle or jar and store in a cool place. No need to place in the fridge, although that’s what I do. It should last for 1 month, out of the fridge
Sterilising Jars/Bottles for Storing Rose Syrup
- Turn the oven on to a cool 130˚C/250˚F/Gas Mark ½.
- Wash the jars/bottles and lids in hot soapy water.
- Place the jars/bottles and lids upside down in the oven and leave them to dry, with the door closed for 15 minutes.
- Leave the jars/bottles and lids in there, bring them out only when you are ready to fill. Be careful, as they’ll be hot.
Shall we get our aprons on?
If you enjoy the recipe, drop me a comment and let me know. And if you are feeling like a star, don’t forget that 5-star rating!
If you make this recipe, post it on Instagram and tag me @azlinbloor and hashtag it #linsfood.
Lin xx
More Drink Recipes on LinsFood
Cheat’s Homemade Rose Syrup (Quick, Easy and No Roses Required!)
Ingredients
- 250 ml water
- 500 g white sugar
- 3 Tbsp of rose water
- tiny amount of concentrated red food colouring
Instructions
- Add the sugar and water into a saucepan on medium heat and bring to a gentle boil, stirring a couple of times.
- Reduce the heat to very low and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat off, take off the hot hob and stir in the red food colour. How concentrated you want it to be, is up to you.
- Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then stir in the rose water.
- Pour into a sterilised bottle or jar and can be stored at room temperature for about a month although I prefer to keep mine in the fridge and it has gone for as long as 2 months.
- To serve, dilute like a cordial, at a ratio of 1 part syrup to 4 parts water or 1:3, depending on how sweet you like your drinks.
Looks delicious and instagrammable! My friends will love this as well.
Thank you!
Many thanks to you Dear Azlin, for sharing this perfect recipe. I was searching it since many days. You have shared a easy and quick recipe. Now, I am gonna prepare it soon.
I love this, Chef! I can’t find rose syrup easily where I live, but I know we get rose water. I’m definitely going to make this recipe. I would love to try the rose prosecco!
Wonderful color and delicious smell.
Thanks for sharing
Eh eh, I tak realise senang sekali nak buat ni. Dengan rose water sajalah. I buat this weekend! Terima kasih, sayang!