If you’re frequently hitting up your neighborhood cafés, you may have noticed a fun floral addition to the menus as of late: Rose. Whether it’s a rose latte or rose macaron, this ever-romantic floral is blooming this spring. 

That’s not just you wearing rose-tinted glasses: Consumers are increasingly curious about exploring new flavor combinations in 2025, including floral notes in dishes, according to a report by Food Business News.  

It may feel like rose has suddenly popped up everywhere, but reports show it’s  been trending upward for several years, with 43 percent growth on restaurant menus between 2017 and 2022 (and 1,470 new rose-flavored products between 2017 and 2021), per McCormick Flavor Solutions. 

Despite being a traditional staple in cuisines like Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, rose may be emerging as a trend in the U.S. now because of its association with newer wellness trends.

“Floral flavors are now associated with relaxation, mood enhancement, and overall well-being,” says Yumna Jawad, recipe developer and author of The Feel Good Foodie Cookbook. “They have a lot of staying power, especially with rose water being a part of the Mediterranean diet that is more and more being highlighted for promoting good health and longevity.”

A “trend” with long-standing cultural significance

While the U.S. is just now stopping to, er, smell the roses, this floral has long been a staple in countries like Iran, Armenia, Lebanon, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Greece.

“Rose water is typically used in sweet dishes to enhance the flavoring,” says Rahaf Al Bochi, RDN, LD, owner of Olive Tree Nutrition LLC. For instance, it is commonly used in fruit salad, rice pudding, and in syrup that is drizzled on Middle Eastern sweets like knafeh, a shredded phyllo and cheese dish.

Jawad, whose parents are Lebanese, says rose water played a prominent role in her family’s traditional desserts and lemonade growing up. 

“If I ever had a headache, my mom’s answer was immediately a homemade lemonade with freshly squeezed lemons and a couple drops of rose water,” says Jawad. “The taste and the fragrant aroma alone worked wonders at relieving any headache.” 

In Armenia, Damask rose is considered a valuable crop on farms—where some farmers must distill five tons of petals to produce just one quart of rose oil, according to the Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage.  

So, what are the health benefits of rose?

According to a 2015 review in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, Iranian traditional medicine uses rose to fight germs, protect cells from damage, reduce pain, lower inflammation, control blood sugar, and lift mood. This is thought to be due to two main components of rose: Citronellol and geraniol.

However, Ro Huntriss, RD, the chief nutrition officer at nutrition coaching app Simple, notes that the scientific evidence on the benefits of rose is limited. “Although there are many claims about its benefits, most are based on traditional use and anecdotal reports,” says Huntriss.

There is some research suggesting that rose water has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, says Al Bochi, citing a 2018 study in the journal Food Science & Nutrition. The study found rose petal extract had anti-inflammatory effects in response to solar UV exposure. However, the extract was applied topically in that research—not consumed orally. And, according to a 2020 study in the journal Molecules, rose extract has been found to have an antibacterial effect on strains including Escherichia coli (E. coli). 

Other research shows that a whiff of the flower could have rosy benefits: According to a 2017 review in Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, the scent of rose has been found to reduce anxiety symptoms during labor and also may lower cortisol levels in people who did not have chronic health conditions. Meanwhile, a 2022 study in the Avicenna Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Care found it improved happiness levels in the elderly—though the effect was less pronounced than music.

Still, more research is needed to understand how adding rose water, specifically, to your recipes can benefit your wellbeing. “As it stands, there isn’t enough evidence to suggest that adding rose water to food or drinks can improve health,” says Huntriss. “However, it may enhance the taste and aroma for some people, which could help expand their food choices or make the foods it’s added to more appealing."

How to use rose water in your own kitchen

If you’re just starting to use rose water at home, Jawad recommends keeping these three key tips in mind. 

• Use it sparingly: Rose water is very concentrated, so just a couple drops or half a teaspoon goes a long way. 

• Pair it with the right ingredients: Try it with recipes that are creamy (like arroz con leche), fruity (like fruit salad), or nutty (like baklava). 

• Add acidity to rose water recipes: Lemon juice is often used with rose water, but anything acidic like vinegar or yogurt—or even slightly bitter like dark chocolate or coffee—can help balance the floral flavors.

Rose water is available at many Middle Eastern grocers or from online retailers. “Look for varieties without artificial flavors, fragrances, preservatives, added sugar, or sweeteners,” says Huntriss.

Typically, you can use rose water in any sweet dish. One of Al Bochi’s favorite ways to use rose water: Adding a splash to a freshly cut fruit salad. “You can also experiment with it in your homemade lattes,” adds Al Bochi. 

Another easy cheat code for getting started with rose water? Consider swapping it in whenever a recipe calls for vanilla. “I recommend trying it in a recipe that uses vanilla extract that you already know and love and replacing the vanilla extract in that recipe with just ½ teaspoon of rose water,” says Jawad. “Start with something as simple as pancakes or muffins and have fun with it.”

Recipe: Strawberry Rose Pancakes

For an easy at-home recipe using rose water, try these simple pancakes—a modern riff on a traditional Lebanese recipe from Jawad’s The Feel Good Foodie Cookbook.

Makes about 8 (6-inch) pancakes 

• 1 cup milk (of your choice)
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for cooking
• 1 teaspoon rose water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 cup strawberries, hulled and finely chopped, plus more for serving
• Maple syrup, for serving

1. In a large bowl, whisk the milk, egg, butter, and rose water until smooth. Gently stir in the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until everything is combined (a few lumps are okay). Stir in the strawberries.

2. Coat a griddle or large nonstick skillet with butter over medium heat. Pour the batter onto the griddle or into the pan ⅓ cup at a time, forming pancakes that are about 6 inches in diameter, making sure there is a little space between each pancake. Cook the pancakes on one side until small bubbles start to form on the top and the edges begin to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip each pancake; cook on the second side until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Serve immediately with the maple syrup.