How to Make Rose Water
To make rose water, simmer clean, fragrant, pesticide-free rose petals gently in distilled water until the color fades, then strain. Use the most fragrant roses for the best scent, and store the rose water refrigerated.
Rose water is a simple infusion of rose petals in water. Gather a generous handful of clean, fragrant petals from roses grown without chemicals — the more fragrant the rose, the better the result. Rinse them, place them in a pot, and just cover with distilled water.
Cover and simmer gently over low heat until the petals lose their color and the water takes on a pale rose tint, usually twenty to thirty minutes; do not boil hard, which drives off the fragrance. Strain out the petals, let it cool, and store the rose water in a clean bottle in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. Choose from our list of fragrant roses for the strongest scent.