When the weather starts to warm up and I catch the first whiff of jasmine blossoms on my walks, I know that spring has arrived. My first instinct is always the same – floral flavours and pretty blooms on everything! “Florals for spring… groundbreaking” as Miranda Priestly said. I can’t help it – I’ve been waiting months to play with these fragrant and fresh flavours. As I dug through my archives I realised I’ve actually made a lot of edible flower recipes over the years – cocktails, cakes, muffins and more – using flowers for both flavour and aesthetics.
What are edible flowers?
There are more edible flowers than you might think, and some have been used for generations for their health benefits. The best-known include rose, chamomile, elderflower, orange blossom, jasmine, hibiscus, dandelion, violet and lavender, all with a beautiful taste and aroma. Other edible flowers such as marigolds, pansies and nasturtiums don’t have as much flavour but make stunning garnishes. Many vegetable and herb flowers are edible too including zucchini and chive blossoms.
It’s important to note that many flowers are not edible, so always look up specific flowers before using it in (or as a garnish on) your food. Buy organic, unsprayed or “culinary” flowers either fresh or dried. I also love growing my own edible flowers in the garden – they’re organic, attract polinators and make great companion plants for my veggies!
This roundup includes some of my favourite ways to use flowers for flavour, aesthetics or both. There’s definitely a way to use flowers in desserts without them tasting like perfume! I especially love pairing them with berries and citrus fruits.
The Garden Party Cocktail
Pretty elderflower ice cubes are the secret to this Pimm’s and gin cocktail. Not only do they look gorgeous, they actually make your drink taste even better as they melt – no watery cocktails here! The perfect drink for a bridal shower or spring garden party.
Banana Biscoff Cheesecake Muffins
I baked these café style muffins during lockdown when I was pouring all my love into my backyard garden. The marigolds I’d grown ended up on top of everything for a while there! The flowers aren’t essential – the muffins are divine on their own – but they make the prettiest garnish. Fun fact – marigolds are actually very easy to grow too!
Flourless Orange and Almond Cake
This fragrant flourless orange and almond cake is naturally gluten-free and perfect for spring! A touch of rose water or orange blossom water in the whipped mascarpone icing gives it a delicate floral twist. Plus the decoration of fresh figs, raspberries, dried rose petals and pistachios makes it as beautiful as it is delicious. One of my favourite edible flower recipes for celebrating birthdays or entertaining.
Turkish Delight Mojito
A floral twist on the classic mojito with organic rose petals, rose water and white chocolate liqueur alongside white rum, lime and mint. It’s refreshing rather than overly sweet, and a fresh mint sprig and tiny rose make the perfect finishing touch.
Lemon Ricotta Donuts with Honey Chamomile Syrup
These little homemade donuts are served with a chamomile-infused honey syrup. The ricotta gives them a lovely light texture and they only take 20 minutes to make. Perfect for a last minute dessert! I found fresh chamomile flowers at the farmers’ market but dried works too. And I’m planning to grow chamomile in my spring garden this year too!
Pear and Pistachio Crumble with White Chocolate
This crumble combines so many of my favourite things. The hint of rosewater is so lovely with pear, white chocolate and pistachio. And a sprinkle of dried rose petals on top looks so pretty too! Next time I make this, I’m definitely adding rhubarb. It would go so well with all of these flavours!
Lavender Lemonade
Lavender has been used in cooking, herbal medicine and aromatherapy for over 2500 years! It pairs beautifully with lemon, berries and honey. Here I infused culinary lavender into a simple syrup for drinks – perfect in iced tea, cocktails, iced lattes or fancy lemonade. The syrup takes on a gorgeous blush colour and tastes amazing.
Berry and Rose Wagon Wheel Slice
Rosewater may just be my favourite for infusing into edible flower recipes. A nostalgic classic biscuit is turned into a slice with Chambord berry jam and a rosewater-vanilla marshmallow layer. It’s topped with dark chocolate, coconut flakes and freeze-dried raspberries. It looks a little rustic, but trust me it’s delicious!
Raspberry and Cacao Smoothie Bowl
Remember when smoothie bowls and edible flowers were everywhere in the early days of Instagram? And on every fancy cafe menu as well? This one is pure throwback. The flowers are for looks only, but honestly I’m okay with that!
Dutch Baby Pancake with Chamomile-Infused Honey
Dutch Baby Pancakes look impressive but are actually easier than regular pancakes because your blender and oven do all the work! Much easier than standing over the stove flipping pancakes before coffee. This spring version is served with fresh berries, passionfruit and chamomile-infused honey, plus a few edible pansies for good measure.
I hope this inspires you to try a new edible flower recipe this spring! If you make any of these, leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram. I absolutely love seeing what you’ve made!