I like to use edible flowers – both fresh and dried – in my cooking. The fragrance, the color, the range of petal shapes, tastes and flavors – it all makes them irresistible to me. Spring and summer are when I encounter the widest range of edible blossoms, and because I get a lot of questions related to sourcing and using edible flowers, I thought I’d write up a few of the things you can do to ensure a supply throughout the year.
Edible Flowers: Safety First!
Before consuming any flower, check with a medical or plant expert. You need to act with caution and know exactly what you’re consuming. Also, please keep in mind, not all parts of the flower are edible, and some varietals should be avoided if you are pregnant or nursing. There are some many good online and offline references, so be sure to read up.
Books About Edible Flowers
Books about edible flowers are a great way to learn about this rich topic and there are some wonderful titles available, both new and old. These are a few to look for:
- Edible Flowers: How, Why, and When We Eat Flowers by Monica Nelson — I contributed a miso soup with chamomile recipe to this beautifully comprehensive title from the founding creative and photo director of Wilder Quarterly. The book highlights 100 edible flowers arranged alphabetically along with recipes from a wide range of chefs and cooks. And, if you’re looking for an even deeper dive, there is a fantastic list of related books on the topic in the back of the book.
- The Edible Flower: A Modern Guide to Growing, Cooking and Eating Edible Flowers by Erin Bunting
- Eat Your Flowers: A Cookbook by Loria Stern
- Cooking with Flowers: Sweet and Savory Recipes with Rose Petals, Lilacs, Lavender, and Other Edible Flowers by Miche Bacher
- The Edible Flower Garden by Rosalind Creasy (1999)
- Edible Flowers & Leaves Volume II by D. & P. Gramp (2013)
Where to Buy Edible Flowers
Farmers’ markets are a great place to buy edible flowers. Ask if you don’t see them displayed. Because they are fragile, farmers often keep them in a cooler. Beyond that, you can sometimes find them in the produce department of certain grocery stores, typically refrigerated near the herbs.
Grow Your Own
The most economic way to source edible flowers is to grow them yourself. Harvesting flowers from your own yard is incredibly rewarding (and beautiful!). Chive flowers, thyme and oregano flowers, lemon blossoms, and rose geranium are in bloom at different times throughout the year in our yard. They’re often the perfect accent that makes a salad or cake extra special. Look for plants at your local nursery or chat with any plant seller at your local farmers’ market, they often focus on edible varietals. There are also seed packets of available online and at garden centers.
What Are Some Common Edible Flowers?
Hibiscus, camomile, rose, violet, calendula, chive, basil, borage, thyme, zucchini blossom, and nasturtium are commonly used in cooking, baking and beverages. There is a more comprehensive list below. Keep in mind, not all flowers are edible, some are poisonous, and proper identification is essential. Again, not all parts of the flower are edible, and some varietals should be avoided if you are pregnant or nursing, so please read up with some of the references I link to up above.
What to Make with Edible Flowers
I’ve included a number of the things I’ve learned down below, in the section that normally hosts the recipe. One of my favorite things to do, with certain edible flowers, is simply dry the petals. These organic rose petals (pictured) are about halfway through the process of drying, instructions below. They lose an incredible amount of volume as they dry, so even if you feel as if you’re starting with more petals than you could possibly use, keep in mind you’ll end up with far less than when you started.
Flower Inspiration
There are many amazing cooks and chefs working with edible flowers. One of my favorites is April Valencia at Masa Memory.
The #edibleflowers hashtag has nearly a million posts. You’ll see a lot of flower cookies, flowers on cakes, petals in ice cubes and the like. And then the occasional floral wildcard. Follow along to see the creative uses.
More Ideas
There is a goldmine of ideas down in the comments, so be sure to browse those for ways to put your edible flowers to work. A few stand-outs:
- Chelsea mentioned making a rose petal za’atar and I love that idea.
- Holly talks through making chive blossom salt in the comments, and it sounds amazing.
- And don’t forget zucchini blossoms – Erin shares the memory of a version stuffed with manchego, lightly battered and fried, but then drizzled with some honey. Or, imagine a hot honey drizzle!
Rose Geranium Lime Sugar
One of the most prolific plants in my yard is a rose geranium. Sprawling out every year from a shallow pot, it determinedly sends up pretty lilac-shaded flowers. Keep an eagle eye out for rose geranium at your local nursery, the leaves perfume the world around them – perfect for infusing sugars, alcohol, and baked goods. I included a recipe for this rose geranium sugar in the Spice / Herb / Flower / Zest PDF I made for members of this site. You can find it in your account if you’re a member, or sign-up to be a member here.
Edible Flowers: Recipes
I’ve included more ideas and information in the recipe section below. Please let me know if you have other favorite edible flower ideas, uses, or references. I saw a rose petal paste the other day that looked incredible, and I’m always looking for other ideas, techniques to explore. On the list to try: Lilac Honey, Lilac Ice Cream or Lilac Sugar, and chive blossom vinegar.
Here’s a rose petal granola, and a beautiful rhubarb rosewater syrup. These buttermilk berry muffins are dusted with rose cinnamon sugar. And I like to infuse iced green tea with a bit of rose in the infusion. Lastly, here’s a post I wrote about how to dry herbs, many of the best practices related to edible flowers applies here as well. Enjoy!
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