This homemade rosehip syrup recipe turns fresh or dried rose hips into a bright, fruity syrup using water and your choice of honey or sugar. I make it every autumn after foraging rose hips and love drizzling it over pancakes, stirring it into herbal tea, or adding it to drinks and desserts.
I forage rose hips along country paths and forest trails. While many people use them forย tea or jam, I also make fire cider, elderberry tincture, wine, and rosehip sauce, which we enjoyed at our Thanksgiving dinner.
When to forage rose hips
Rose hips ripen from late summer through autumn and turn deep orange or bright red when ready to harvest. They grow on wild roses in hedgerows and woodland edges and are best picked after the first frost, when the fruit softens naturally.
Inside the fruit are lots of seeds and tiny irritating hairs, but donโt worry โ when making rosehip syrup, everything gets strained through cheesecloth or a fine sieve.
There are several types of rose hips, but all are edible. Always make sure you can confidently identify the plant before foraging.
It is good to know that rose hips come with thorns, so I always wear long sleeves, trousers, and garden gloves. While picking, donโt forget to leave something for squirrels and birds.
If you prefer to skip the foraging step or you donโt have access to rosehips, you can order dried rose hips. They are also great for making the syrup.
Can I make rosehip syrup from dried rose hips?
Yes, you can easily make rosehip syrup from dried rose hips. Pulse them briefly in a blender or food processor, then cover with water and let them soak overnight to rehydrate. After that, follow the same method as for fresh rose hips.
Fresh vs Dried Rose Hips for Syrup
| Fresh Rose Hips | Dried Rose Hips | |
|---|---|---|
| Flavor | Brighter, fruitier | Deeper, more concentrated |
| Preparation | Require cleaning and trimming | Ready to use |
| Soaking | No soaking required | Soak overnight |
| Color | Often produce a brighter syrup | Often produce a darker syrup |
| Availability | Best during autumn foraging season | Convenient year-round |
How to Make Rosehip Syrup
First step: Prepare the rosehips
Remove the stems and debris from the rosehips and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Cut off the ends and slice larger rose hips in half. Soft, ripe ones can stay whole.
Second step: Mash the Rose Hips
Pulse the rose hips in a blender or food processor until roughly crushed. Avoid pureeing them completely.
Third step: Macerate overnight
Place the crushed rose hips in a large saucepan and pour over pre-boiled, cooled water. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the rose hips to infuse and release their flavor and color.
Fourth Step: Strain
The next day, strain the mixture through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth or muslin to remove the seeds and irritating hairs.
Fifth step: Add sweetener
If using sugar, gently warm the strained rosehip liquid, add the sugar, and stir until completely dissolved. If using raw honey, stir it into the strained rosehip liquid at room temperature or when only slightly warm to avoid unnecessarily heating itย (1)
Sixth step: Bottle the syrup
Pour the finished syrup into clean, sterilized bottles or jars, seal tightly, and store in the refrigerator. For best quality, use within a few weeks, or freeze for longer storage. Refrigeration/freezing is appropriate here because you’re not using a tested shelf-stable canning process
Rosehip Syrup with Honey vs Sugar
Both work well in this rosehip syrup recipe, so you can choose based on the flavor and sweetener you prefer.
| Honey | Sugar | |
|---|---|---|
| Flavor | Richer, more floral | Clean, traditional sweetness |
| When to add | Stir into the strained liquid at room temperature or slightly warm | Gently warm the strained liquid, then stir in the sugar |
| Best for | A more complex flavor | A classic rosehip syrup |
ย Rose Hip Syrup Benefits
Rose hips have long been valued as a natural source of vitamin C, especially during winter when fresh fruit was traditionally less available. They also contain polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamin E, and other naturally occurring antioxidant compounds.(2)
How to Use Rosehip Syrup
On breakfast
Drizzle rosehip syrup over pancakes, waffles, French toast, oatmeal, or muesli instead of maple syrup.
In desserts
Pour it over yogurt, cheesecake, ice cream, or traditional rosehip soup, or use it in dessert sauces and glazes.
In drinks and cocktails
Stir the syrup into hot water or rosehip tea, or combine it with soda water and ice for a refreshing cordial. It also works beautifully in cocktails such as a rosehip whiskey smash.
In smoothies and herbal tea
Add a tablespoon to smoothies or herbal tea for extra flavour and vitamin C.
To make jelly
Combine the syrup with gelatin to make a simple rosehip jam or jelly for toast or desserts.
How to store homemade rosehip syrup?
Store homemade rosehip syrup in clean, airtight jars or bottles in the refrigerator. For the best quality, use the refrigerated syrup within a few weeks.
For longer storage, freeze the syrup in freezer-safe containers or ice cube trays. Leave a little space at the top of the container, as the syrup will expand when frozen. Freezing is a good option when you want to preserve homemade fruit syrup for longer without canning.
If you want to store rosehip syrup at room temperature, use a tested canning recipe and follow its specific processing time and ingredient ratios rather than simply processing this recipe for 10 minutes.
Mistakes to Avoid When Making Rosehip Syrup
Pureeing the rose hips too finely โ This can make straining more difficult and leave more sediment in the syrup.
Not straining the syrup properly โ Rose hips contain tiny irritating hairs that should be removed using cheesecloth, muslin, or a fine sieve.
Using unripe rose hips โ Fully ripe bright red rosehips have the best flavour and sweetness.
Overheating raw honey โ High heat may reduce some of the beneficial properties of raw honey.
Using unclean bottles or jars โ Always use clean jars or bottles to reduce the risk of contamination.
How to Make Rosehip Syrup Thicker
To make rosehip syrup thicker, gently simmer the strained rosehip liquid a little longer to reduce it. If using sugar, you can add the sugar while reducing the syrup and stir until dissolved.
If using raw honey, reduce the rosehip liquid before adding the honey. Let it cool to room temperature or until only slightly warm, then stir in the honey.
Rose hips naturally contain some pectin, so the syrup may also thicken slightly as it cools. If it becomes too thick, simply stir in a little water before serving.
Homemade Rosehip Syrup Recipe (Fresh or Dried Rose Hips)
Make this homemade rosehip syrup recipe with fresh or dried rose hips, honey or sugar. A simple fruity syrup for drinks, pancakes, tea and desserts.
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh rose hips or 2 cups dried rose hips
- 200 ml (about ยพ cup + 1 tablespoon) raw honey or 170 g (about ยพ cup) sugar
- 300 ml (1ยผ cups) water, boiled and cooled before use
Instructions
- Remove the stems and debris from the rosehips and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Cut off the ends and slice larger rose hips in half. Soft ripe ones can stay whole.
- Pulse the rose hips in a blender or food processor until roughly crushed. Avoid pureeing them completely.
- Place the crushed rose hips in a large saucepan and pour over pre-boiled, cooled water. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the rose hips to infuse and release their flavor and color.
- The next day, strain the mixture through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth or muslin to remove the seeds and irritating hairs.
- If using sugar, gently warm the strained rosehip liquid, add the sugar, and stir until completely dissolved. If using raw honey, stir it into the strained rosehip liquid at room temperature or when only slightly warm to avoid unnecessarily heating it. (4)
- Pour the finished syrup into clean, sterilized bottles or jars, seal tightly, and store in the refrigerator. For best quality, use within a few weeks, or freeze for longer storage.
Notes
It is important to use sterilized bottles that are dried, before filling them with the rose hip syrup.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
30Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 121Sodium: 97mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 52gSugar: 29gProtein: 0g
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I can’t wait to make this. I have a huge rose garden and only used them for tea.
Do you still do the blender and mash steps with dried hips?
Yes, but let them macerate over night before the blending.
Beautiful recipe!!
I wonder if its necessary to remove/ cut off the ends of the Rosehips if they willl anyways be strained?
Hi Jess, If you plan to strain the syrup well through a fine sieve or muslin cloth, itโs not strictly necessary to cut off the ends. However, trimming them can help remove any dried flower parts or debris and slightly improve the flavor and clarity of the syrup. So itโs more about getting a cleaner result – not essential, but recommended if you have the time. Vladka
Also its unclear to me how much water + rosehips to use for the syrup
Hi Jess, For this recipe, youโll need 3 cups of fresh rosehips (or 2 cups of dried) and 300 ml (about 1ยผ cups) of water. The water amount stays the same whether you use fresh or dried rosehips โ the difference is just in how much the rosehips expand during cooking.
Can you clarify what you mean by seal? will it keep for 6 months with simply sealing by putting the lid on the jar- or do you neeed to boil it?
Hi Rose, Great question! ๐ By โseal,โ I simply mean closing the sterilized bottles tightly with their lidsโno need to boil or water-bath them. As long as the bottles and lids are properly sterilized and the syrup is poured in while still hot, it will keep well for up to 6 months in a cool, dark place. Once opened, just store it in the fridge and use within a few weeks.