Decorate your baked goods with these elegant Candied Rose Petals. All you need are rose petals, an egg white, sugar, and a bit of patience! These beautiful petals are a gorgeous garnish for cookies, cakes, pies, and so much more.
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Edible decorative rose petals
It’s hard to believe rose petals are edible but it’s true! Naturally sweet and delicious, these flower petals are literally as sweet as candy when coated in egg white and sugar. Plus, you won’t find a better garnish for all kinds of desserts.
Candied Rose Petals are yummy in salads, on charcuterie boards, and even in cocktails, but my favorite way to showcase them is on beautiful baked goods. They’re a great way to decorate shower and wedding cakes with whimsical and romantic charm and can even spruce up holiday cookies. You can’t go wrong with a few candied flower petals draped over your favorite dessert!
If you’re looking for more ways to use rose petals in baked goods, check out my Brioche Doughnuts with Rose Pastry Creme and Vanilla Bean Rose Baked Doughnuts
Where to find edible rose petals
Unfortunately, the roses at most grocery store florist counters are grown with a lot of chemicals and fertilizers that aren’t safe to eat. That said, the best place to find edible rose petals is from your own organic garden, but if that’s not an option, check with a reputable local or online nursery for organic roses.
Ingredients and equipment needed
You’ll need a paintbrush dedicated to food, a small bowl, wire racks, a bit of patience, and the following 3 main ingredients to make candied rose petals:
- Rose petals - All varieties of rose petals are edible and delicious. Typically, if roses have a sweet, floral fragrance, they’ll likely taste great.
- Egg white - To coat the petals and give the sugar something to stick to. Use a room temperature egg white.
- Granulated sugar - As the petals sit out at room temperature, the egg white and sugar coating will crystalize and harden. The added sweetness doesn’t hurt either!
How to make candied rose petals
Step 1: Coat in egg white. Before getting started, wash and dry your petals thoroughly and place the sugar in a medium-size bowl. Using a paintbrush dedicated to food, gently paint each side of the petals with egg white.
Step 2: Coat in sugar. Next, place the petals in the bowl of sugar, making sure to coat both sides.
Step 3: Leave to harden. Transfer the sugar-coated rose petals to a wire cooling rack, leaving space in between each. Place the rack in a cool, dry spot for at least 4 hours or overnight for the best results.
Step 4: Use them ASAP. Use your candied rose petals ASAP, as they’ll soften the longer they’re stored.
Tips and variations
- Sugar free candied petals - You can make candied roses without refined sugar. Just replace the granulated sugar with date sugar, coconut sugar, or monk fruit crystals.
- Egg free candied petals - For an egg free variation, replace the egg white with aquafaba (the liquid or brine in a can of chickpeas).
- Dehydrated candied petals - If you happen to have a dehydrator or a “dehydrator” setting on your oven, you can place the petals on a baking sheet in the oven at 175°F for 2 ½ hours so they harden faster.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are plenty of ways to use your petals! Chop them up and stir them directly into cake batters, bread doughs, teas, and jellies for added texture and flavor. Or, if you’re looking for a simple and sophisticated way to garnish your desserts, edible flowers are a stunning way to decorate tarts, cakes, and even doughnuts.
The petals are best used as soon as they harden, so ideally within the same 24 hours. You can keep them in an airtight container at room temperature, however, the petals will begin to wilt and soften the longer they’re stored.
In addition to rose petals, jasmine, violas, sage flowers, thyme flowers, and pansies are delicious when coated in egg white and sugar. If you use wildflowers, avoid picking them from roadways and places exposed to pollution or toxic chemicals. Not every flower petal is edible! Head over to my guide for making sugared flowers to learn more!
More garnish and decoration recipes
As always, I love seeing your creations and hearing from you! If you make these candied rose petals, please leave a review or share your creation with me on social media! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and Pinterest - for more delicious recipes sent straight to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!
Candied Rose Petals
Equipment
- Paintbrush
- Small Spoon
Ingredients
Candied Rose Petals
- 1 cup Rose Petals , Washed and Dried, Organic
- 1 Egg White
- ¼ cup (50 g) Granulated Sugar
Instructions
Candied Rose Petals
- Gently paint your washed and dried rose petals with the egg white using a paintbrush that is dedicated to food use!1 cup Rose Petals, 1 Egg White
- Then, place the petal into a bowl of granulated sugar, making sure to coat both sides with sugar.¼ cup Granulated Sugar
- Then, place the coated rose petals apart on a wire cooling rack and place them in a cool, dry spot to harden for at least four hours, yet ideally overnight.
- If you happen to have a "dehydrator" setting on your oven, place the petals in the oven at 175°F for 2.5 hours to speed up the process.
Video
Notes
- How do you use candied rose petals? There are plenty of ways to use your petals! Chop them up and stir them directly into cake batters, bread doughs, teas, and jellies for added texture and flavor. Or, if you’re looking for a simple and sophisticated way to garnish your desserts, edible flowers are a stunning way to decorate tarts, cakes, and even doughnuts.
- How long do candied rose petals last? The petals are best used as soon as they harden, so ideally within the same 24 hours. You can keep them in an airtight container at room temperature, however, the petals will begin to wilt and soften the longer they’re stored.
- What other flower petals can you candy? In addition to rose petals, jasmine, violas, sage flowers, thyme flowers, and pansies are delicious when coated in egg white and sugar. If you use wild flowers, avoid picking them from roadways and places exposed to pollution or toxic chemicals. Not every flower petal is edible!
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