A Dozen Rose-Infused Recipes to Serve on Valentine’s Day

Orange Cardamom Butter Cakes with Rose Water Icing — Photo: Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Heather Claire Spollen

Sure, you can buy a bouquet of roses for Valentine’s Day and call it a night — but cooking with roses is a creative (and quite aesthetically pleasing, might we add) way to mix things up. In this roundup, you’ll find rose recipes for any time of the day. Stuffed peppers with flowery honey for hors d'oeuvres? Check. Vodka rose punch and creamy rose panna cotta for dessert? You got it. Some use rosewater, while others use rose petals — all in all, we ended up with a solid dozen. It just felt right, given the theme.

01 of 12

Kaak Warqa

These delicate, doughnut-shaped, rosewater-scented almond flour cookies hold a special place in Tunisians’ hearts. To serve with the cookies, a jasmine tea with its delicate flavor pairs nicely, or a mint tea which is a staple in Tunisia.

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02 of 12

Rose Matcha Latte

Here, we blend matcha with oat milk for a light, creamy latte. Rosebuds release their fragrance in the warm brew; if you can't find a matcha with rosebuds, purchase dried rosebuds separately.

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03 of 12

Pistachio-Rose Brittle

Quality saffron is key to both the flavor and color of this vibrant, crisp brittle that has great crunch. A striking contrast of green pistachios and pink rose petals makes it a visual treat, too.

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04 of 12

Cucumber-Rose Gin Spritz

A classic combination of gin, lemon, and club soda gets a refreshing twist with cucumber, basil, and black cardamom-infused syrup. Dried rose petals add a subtle floral flavor and act as a beautiful garnish.

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05 of 12

Orange-Cardamom Butter Cakes with Rosewater Icing

Ideal with afternoon tea, these delicate Sri Lankan cakes from cookbook author Ruwanmali Samarakoon-Amunugama are light with a buttery, moist crumb and a hint of citrusy cardamom. The sweet frosting gets flavor and a floral aroma from rosewater and orange blossom water; a drizzle of raspberry jam thinned with orange juice adds the perfect sweet-tart contrast.

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06 of 12

Ricotta Crêpes with Honey, Walnuts, and Rose

These crêpes are light and delicate — and scattered rose petals on top add an extra special touch.

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07 of 12

Persian Love Cake

You can make this cake within an hour — but, with the pretty combination of pistachios, rose petals, and bright white icing on top, you’ll look like you’ve been working all day.

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08 of 12

Creamy Rose Panna Cotta

For her variation on traditional panna cotta, Erin Eastland of Cube, a market–café in Los Angeles, uses Italian rose syrup (found in specialty food stores) and vanilla bean to create a light, delicate dessert.

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09 of 12

Strawberry, Rhubarb, and Rose Fool

If you want to play on Valentine’s Day colors, look no further than this strawberry, rhubarb, and rose fool (the name of the British dessert), which has a beautiful red and white contrast.

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10 of 12

Rosewater and Saffron Ice Cream (Bastani Irani)

This incredibly fragrant ice cream is a show-stopper, visually and in taste. Make sure to get the dried roses for the garnish.

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11 of 12

Stuffed Baby Peppers with Yogurt and Floral Honey

If you don’t think roses and peppers would go together, think again. Lavender-rose honey is the perfect finishing touch to these yogurt-stuffed peppers.

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12 of 12

Vodka-Rose Punch

It only takes 10 minutes to make Padma Lakshmi’s Vodka-Rose Punch, which combines club soda, rose syrup, fresh mint leaves, and more. The end result is a dreamy pink drink.

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