Katey’s Rosehip Syrup recipe
Comments(145) 
All my life I’ve loved wading through fallen leaves. At their best they have settled in frothy, tempting drifts on dull pavements. Crisp, dry, and waiting to be ruffled by any passer by. Just remembering the swish and crunch gives me goose bumps. To get the best effect, keep your feet close to the ground and use a skiing motion. This has to be a solitary activity, unless you are under six.
As a child this delight and a daily spoonful of rosehip syrup heralded the start of winter. At home we queued up, in order of age, as my mother doled out the syrup from a small bottle. She called it medicine. I’m sure that this is why it took me ages, as an adult, to consider trying rosehip syrup again. I discovered that homemade rosehip syrup is delicious and worth making. It is a good natural source of vitamin C. It also contains vitamins A, D and E, and antioxidants.
We have two large rose bushes growing on the east wall at the back of the cottage, that produce hundreds of hips each year. We use these to make apple and rosehip jelly in October. When the hips are softened by November frosts, we make syrup. Lots of it. We give a few bottles away to friends who are laid up with bad colds but most of our giant batch is guzzled by us throughout the winter. It tastes too good to be earmarked solely for the sick bed. Danny loves it stirred into creamy yoghurt or swirled over some home made vanilla ice cream. Somewhere in the barn, a demijohn of rosehip wine is still fermenting from last autumn.
If you don’t have roses in your garden there are lots of briar roses in the hedgerows. They are difficult to spot from a car so if you are somewhere rural and have half an hour to spare, it’s well worth walking or cycling along a footpath or a quiet country lane to see what you can find. Try and avoid busy roads as the fruit will have been exposed to exhaust fumes and nasties. Keep a couple of carrier bags in your coat pocket, just in case.
This recipe was given to me by my friend Katey. It is similar to the recipe given out by The Ministry of Food during WW2, although their’s has more sugar. She remembers being frogmarched to pick hips for rosehip syrup as a child. This didn’t put her off, she still makes it today.
Katey’s Rosehip Syrup recipe
Ingredients:
- 4.5 pts of water
- 2 lbs of rosehips
- 1lb of white granulated sugar
Method:
- Top and tail the rosehips.
- Bring 3 pts of water to the boil.
- Mince the rosehips through a course profile mincer (or food processor).
- Transfer the fruit into fast boiling water and bring to the boil again. Remove from heat and leave for 15 minutes.
- Pour through a sterilised jelly bag/or muslin square (how do I sterilise a jelly bag or muslin square? See Tips and tricks below) and allow the majority of the liquid to drip through.
- Return the pulp to the pan and add 1.5 pts of fresh boiling water and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and leave for 15 minutes.
- Strain through the jelly bag again.
- Pour extracted liquid into a clean saucepan and boil to reduce the liquid to 1.5 pts.
- Add the sugar and boil rapidly fro another 5 minutes. Pour into hot sterile bottles and seal immediately. (How do I sterilise bottles? See Tips and tricks below).
Tips and tricks:
- Use small bottles (we use recycled vinegar bottles) as it only keeps for a week or so once opened. If you don’t want to use bottles the syrup can be frozen in cubes.
- How do I sterilise a jelly bag or muslin square?
Both can be scalded with boiling water. If you are using a clean muslin bag or square you can iron them with a hot iron. This also works with tea cloths.
- How do I sterilise bottles?
The sterilising method that we used is simple. Just before making the syrup, I quickly wash and rinse the bottles and place them upside down in a cold oven. Set the temperature to 160� (140� fan-assisted). When the oven has reached the right temperature I turn off the heat. The bottles will stay warm for quite a while. sterilise the lids by boiling these for a few minutes in water.
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I have just harvested a huge basket of rose hips from my Altissimo climbing rose,I am not sure how tasty they will be, as they are very large, round and orange, as opposed to the more berry like rugosa variety. After some internet searching, I have decided to follow this recipe for the syrup – it sounds wonderful! Thanks for the sterilising tips too.
Sure would appreciate advice on how to harvest rosehips for drying and making tea. When are they ready to pick for this purpose? Thanks a bunch!
Hi Rhea,
I haven’t dried rosehips myself but when I do I’ll used the advice from this site
http://www.seedsofknowledge.com/rosehips.html
Thanks for leaving a comment.
I have a variety of rosehips in the garden, can I use any kind of rosehip to make syrup or are only some kinds edible? I am also wondering if it would be a bad idea to mix different hips. Thanks
Hi Eleri
All rosehips are edible and all varieties can be used to make syrup. Mixing the hips would be fine but I would cut the hips into similar sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
Thanks for dropping by.
many thanks for rosehip recipe. Do you have one for rosehip jelly.
Hi Sheila,
We do have a recipe for rosehip jelly it is here http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=60
It tastes very delicate and is good on toast and scones.
thanx for the recipe im making some rosehip syrup right now and i cant wait to try it. they smell so good cooking
Hi Shayla,
So glad it smells good! Rosehip syrup is wonderful.
Is it possible to use a metal sieve to strain rather than a “jelly bag”?
What is a jelly bag?
Hi Kerry,
A jelly bag is a bag or a sheet of muslin. Using a sieve would let the little bits through. I have seen people using an old pillowcase or tea towel instead of muslin.
Hi Folks,
Need a little info on making the syrup can I use honey instead of sugar
Hi Maggy,
I don’t think that you can use honey instead of sugar. You could try making some as an experiment but I have no idea how it would work out. Personally I would use sugar.
I made wild rosehip syrup and rosa rugoas syrup today. Both are cloudy. Any ideas? Also anyone know where to buy 375 and 500ml clear glass bottles and corks in UK? We’ve exhausted our own supply of recycled bottles (and raided all local bottle banks) but not enough for elderberry syrup plans! Thanks
Hi Lindsey,
I don’t know why both are cloudy. Did you strain through muslin (twice)? If you squeezed the muslin this could be the problem. As with jelly, this can make the juice go cloudy.
I suspect that the contents will settle and it will get clearer in a few weeks.
I didn’t squeeze the muslin as I’ve made that mistake before! I’m wondering if it may be because cooked on the Rayburn and therefore slower process. Also the cordial is thin. I remember it being syrupy as a child.
Hi Linsey,
It should be a clear syrup, I don’t know what went wrong. I am sorry I can’t help you here. Perhaps it’s down to cooking it on the Rayburn, as you say.
They say it is worth waiting for the first frost before picking. Can we replicate this by freezing them after picking or does the frost have to happen to the rosehips while they are on the plant ?
Hi Jonesy,
The first frost softens the hips. Putting them in a bag in the freezer would do the same. I don’t think that they taste better if they are left until the first frost but I am not sure about this.
A lot of my rosehips are soft already this year.
thanks this website helped alot
hi there i have been trying to get the resapie for rosehip gin can you help do you know of one so i can have a go and make some i have picked a load of them saterday and dont whant to chuck them out from kim
Hi Kim,
I’m sorry but I don’t have a recipe for rosehip gin.
All that I can suggest is that you experiment by putting the hips and a little sugar into the gin. I’ve no idea how it will turn out and would be interested to hear the results.
well thanks for that i am going to try 1lb rosehips 10oz of sugar and 1 and a half pints of gin and do as the same for sloe gin so lets whacth this space in about six mounths i will let you know the out come
Hi Kim,
Thanks for sharing your recipe. Looking forward to hearing how it turns out.
I am new to rosehips, in fact, I just sat down with the small pouch of dried hips I just bought to google what to do with them. I think I just think I want to make some healthy tea. I read that the inside hairs can be used as “itching powder,” so should I not use them? Some sites imply that they may use the whole pod–seeds and all; others say to remove the hairs and seeds. I guess I just need to know if I should avoid consuming the seeds and hairs, especially since I have food allergies.
Thank you for any details you can provide!
Jocelyn
Hi Jocelyn,
What a quandary. Given that you have food allergies I would ask the source of the dried rosehips if they contain seeds and hairs. I am sure they will be able to advise you on whether your dried hips can cause an allergic reaction.
Thanks for dropping by.
Hi,
How long can I keep the rose hips for before I cook them / do they loose their vitamin C if not cooked fresh?
Thanks
Hi Kerry,
I think that they’d be fine kept for a few days in the fridge. Or you could freeze them. I quite often do this and make the preserves when I have a bit more time.
Hello,
Having read your reply to Jocelyn with regards to the seeds and hairs and their origin, is it best to remove the seeds and hairs completely? Ouch sounds time consuming! Are there some that are safe and some that are not?
Forraging with the children on the weekend for chesnuts and may go for some rosehips too!
Kind regards,
Hi Sean,
The seeds and hairs will be removed when you strain the rosehips through the jelly bag if you are making rosehip syrup or jelly. As far as I know all parts of all roses are edible.
As I am not qualified as a doctor so I cannot advise Jocelyn. All I can do is point her in the safest direction for someone with food allergies. She was referring to dried rosehips for tea. A totally different ball game.
Hi there – what a helpful message board! Just collected about 5lb of rosehips with husband & children. Wondered if all the boiling is esential for making rosehip syrup as it must reduce the Vitamin C content such a lot. Mrs Beeton has a cold pressing method for making syrups, but I’m not sure if it’s really only for soft fruits. Method says to crush in a bowl, repeating each day for 5 days, during which the pectin in the fruit breaks down & the juice is released. Alternatively, I was wondering about processing the hips through a juicer, then going straight to your step 9 above. Am I wasting my energy worrying about it, because all the Vit C will be destroyed by the final boiling anyway?! Many thanks, Ruth
Hi Ruth,
I am so sorry but I can’t answer your question vis a vie the final vitamin C value for your two suggested alternative methods. All I know is that the syrup is a great source of vitamin C, perhaps it is not destroyed by boiling?
Thank you so much for leaving this comment. Perhaps someone else knows the answer.
Hi, for the smallholder and Kim (above), I made rosehip vodka last year and made it the same as I make sloe gin and vodka – 1lb fruit, up to 0.5lb sugar depending on how syrupy I want it, 70/75cl bottle booze. As I recall I used slightly less sugar thinking the hips are probably more sweet than sloes. Anyway, finally tried it a couple of months ago and it blew my head off, it was so good! It was a bit cloudy though as I did squeeze my muslin (I can never resist getting every last drop – I’m not trying to win prizes!). After filling one bottle I mixed the rest with a bit of elderflower cordial I had left over, and this was absolutely delicious. As a tip, if I’m trying fruit out for the first time (cranberries are good too, but not exactly hedgerow fayre!) I tend to use vodka, as I’m unsure how the fruit will go with the taste of gin – vodka’s neutral at least. Hope this helps. Website’s great by the way – how do you find the time?
Hi there,
I have made the syrup! When will it be ready?\How long can it stay bottled for?
thanks for your previous advice. Brilliant website
Hi Abi,
Rosehip vodka sounds just the ticket. I must try some this year. Thanks for the recipe! Yes, I tend to try a fruit vodka first when experimenting.
Glad that you are enjoying the site. It takes loads of time but is enormously satisfying and rewarding.
Hi Kerry,
The syrup should be ready to drink immediately. If you processed your bottles (as above) it should keep for about a year. Once a bottle has been opened, keep in the fridge and use within a couple of weeks.
Hi I’ve been eating soft rosehips off the bush for a number of years now but have not tried the syrup recipe. Do you have a method for getting a syrup off these soft fruits without boiling them? Seems like a good harvest this year. Have you ever tried making a syrup from sea buckthorn. WE have a few closely guarded bushes down here in Kent but its a messy process!!
Excellent web site by the way.
Regards Alasdair
Hi Alasdair,
I am sorry but this is the only recipe that I have. I think that all cordials require boiling. Perhaps someone out there knows a different method?
You have just introduced me to sea buckthorn. What does it look like?
thanks its all a great help ive tried several of the recipes given and so far all succesfull thanks again an english admirer
Ray Mears can be seen sqeezing the juice from these berries in his last wild food programme. The spiny bush has silvery grey pointed leaves with an orange to yellow berry. The juice is a little astringent but varies from bush to bush. It a cloudy orange, smells of cider and tastes vaguely of brambly apples. However, get past the flavour( which you get used to eventually) and you have a super power packed juice. Its keeps for about two to three weeks covered in the fridge. Google the name and see why the chinese have planted so many 1,000’s of acres of this plant. It is a wonder berry to rival all others, and its growing here wild in the UK. Go forth and enjoy.
Hi Matthew,
It is great that our recipes worked for you. I am so pleased.
Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment. Much appreciated.
Hi Alasdair,
This is good information. We don’t have sea buckthorn around here (as far as I know). But your comments will be so useful for people who have sea buckthorn in their area.
Ray Mears certainly knows his stuff and your additions are valuable. There is nothing like hands on experience of a hedgerow fruit. Googled the fruit in China. Amazing.
Have just found recipe for rosehip vodka which I will now try. Was wondering what to do with a good harvest of rosehips other than the usual!
Made a bottle of hawthorne brandy yesterday so will be interesting to see how that turns out in the new year.
Hi Jane,
Thanks for dropping by.
I’d love to hear how the rosehip vodka and hawthorn brandy turn out, when the time comes!
I read that when you crush or chop rosehips an enzyme starts to break down the vitamin C at once, so you must get them into boiling water quickly. I have just started collecting rosehips, and many of them on the bushes are soft. Will this affect the vitamin C content, so should I only collect hard ones?
Hi Keiran,
I always pick my rosehips after the first frost – so that they are soft and quicker to cook.
I am not sure if this affects the vitamin C content. I doubt it as this is the traditional way to collect rose hips. If you discover anything else vis a vie rosehips and vitamin C, I’d love to hear about it!
hi all,
I have been eating rosehips straight off the bush
for the first time this year with no problems
at all from eating the entire fruits, hard or
soft. I notice most references to the hairy seeds
say they are an ‘irritant’, could this be merely
an assumption due to use as ‘itching powder’ ?
They are usually a bit crunchy and taste a bit
like apple peel. I imagine processing them as
food will destroy the little hairs, same as chewing……….
Hi Steve
I have just nipped out to the garden and am eating a rosehip as I type my response. It tastes quite good!
The little hairs are caught in the muslin when making syrup or jelly.
with reference to sea buckthorne,this has been used for thousands of years across asia ,russia and also here.it is a red berry with a huge vitamin profile and it contains natural caretonoid and has the advantage of 4 omega oils.3,6,9 and very rare 7..it is also a very effective antioxidant .I have a book from 1794 here and it is mentioned in recepies for various animals.it is the future beleive me
regards simon carr
Hi Simon
Thanks for this information. Much appreciated.
Hi,
I live in Australia am originally from England and remember having Rosehip syrup when I was young. I have just picked a few rosehips from the only one of my roses producing rosehips and came across your site whilst looking for a recipe. Unfortunately I don’t have enough rosehips to make even a tenth of the recipe but I will store what I have in the freezer and wait patiently. Thankyou for such an interesting site.
Carolyn
Hi Carolyn
I do hope that you don’t have to wait too long before finding more rosehips!
Glad that you are enjoying the site.
Can you use the hips from dogroses?
As I live in the Shetland Islands, they are the only variety that can really stand the climate!!
What do you think?Would love to hear.
Thanks Marie
Hi Marie
I don’t see why not. I’d love to hear how you get on.
My paternal grandmother came from the Shetland Islands.
The hedges around our home are covered in rosehips and when my family were young I used to make rosehip syrup. It was good for keeping 3 young boys free from colds etc.
I have a penfriend in USA, she was telling me tonight that all members of her family suffer from a hand tremble and she has just heard that rosehip tea is a good thing for this problem.
Bluebell
Hi Bluebell
Thanks for dropping by.
Good to know that it’s a good remedy for hand tremble. I’ve recently discovered that it’s good for arthritis too!
We are surrounded by rosehips and wondered if it is possible to make rosehip gin. I have made blackberry gin and elderberry gin in the last few weeks but cannot find a recipe for rosehip gin, can anyone help…please
Julie
We are trying the recipe for Rosehip syrup.I am wondering is it too early in the year as the hips are a mixture of colours and quite hard
Hi Julie
There is a recipe for rosehip schnapps here http://www.danish-schnapps-recipes.com/rose-hip.html
Most schnapps recipes can be made with gin or vodka.
Hi Stephanie
I usually wait until the hips are softer, in September. Would be really interested to hear how you get on, picking them earlier.
I’ve picked mine early as the birds were decimating my rose shrubs, and the syrup seems to have turned out fine. Be warned though that I have never made it before, so it may be that if you pick them later it is even tastier, but to me mine tastes absolutely delicious.
Thank you so much for the recipe – I’m glad to have stumbled across this site while looking for it and will definitely be trying some more of your recipes!
Jenny
Hello,
Can anyone tell me how to seal the bottles of syrup? I’ve collected various glass bottles but have no lids/corks/tops for any of them. I have transparent covers for jam jars, will they do the job well enough?
Xx
Hi
I made rosehip syrup a few years ago and the stuff in unopened bottles still fine, but once opened has a fridge life of a couple of weeks. Your transparent covers would not be enough. They need a better seal with cork or screw lid if you can get some right size.
Thanks for that Tania, I’ll get hunting for some xx
Hi Jenny
Thanks so much for the feedback.
The birds ate most of our precious elderberries this year. So I reckon that you were right to harvest early. Perhaps global warming is having a knock on effect on wildlife – there just isn’t the usual food available.
Hi Francesca
Keep the tops of the bottles in the future. These can be sterilised along with the bottles. Pasatta jars are great for syrups.
Corks are good for vinegar bottles.
Hello Tania
Thanks for answering this question! Quite often, these days, I don’t have access to my computer and can’t answer urgent queries.
Just about to make my very first batch of rosehip syrup. I have Rhuematoid Arthritis and I believe Rosehip syrup will help. Thanks for all the great tips and comments that have been very, very helpful.
What a beautifully friendly and knowledgeable site. Thanks for responding so quickly to my e mail, but I see that if I had had the wit/patience to read the comments here, my question would have been answered!
Amazing info here. I have never heard of hawthorn brandy before which is great as we have shedloads of hawthorns here and I have been moaning that I can’t do anything with them…
Thanks so much, you’ve been very helpful
Hello Katey
What a fabulous website! Thanks for taking the trouble. I’ve made elderberry cordial for years (oh, those perfect autumn days, gathering the berries in the still, hazy sunshine out in the beautiful open countryside with my Dad – quality time!) this time, Dad suggested having a go at the rose-hips – I just needed a recipe! Thank you so very much, we’re off a-gathering tomorrow, I intend to freeze them to soften as I just can’t wait!
Hello everybody,
Thanks for your recepie, I made rosehip syrup about 25 years ago, but had lost the pages. Now I can make it again. My husband collects all sorts or hedgerow fruits while out walking our dog, so rosehips will be the next batch I guess – he swears by it for colds and as one of your comments suggests it might help with my arthritis.
Thanks again for a great site.
We seem to have an ambundance of rowan berris, unlike elderberries so am going to try using them for jelly with crab apples. I guess its just trial and error for making it! Do you think it is worth trying these in vodka too?
Grace
Hi Mary
I do hope that you find relief for your arthritis with this recipe. It’s tasty too!
Hello Sian
Just had a dip in your site – great stuff, thank you.
Do hope that the hawthorn brandy turns out well. I’d be really interested to hear how it turns out for you – if you have a moment.
Hi Diane
Hope that you had a great and bountiful day!
Hello Margaret
Do hope that it helps with your arthritis. It tastes delicious anyway.
Hi Grace
I haven’t used rowan berries for anything so can’t advise. Most fruit tastes better infused in vodka rather than gin, so that’s a god starting point. I’d love to hear how any experiments work out!
Hi
I was wondering if anyone has tried juicing rosehips and has any tips on getting the best results.
the Bee Lady
Hi The Bee Lady
I haven’t tried juicing them so can’t help.
Hi,
Just finished bottling my rosehip syrup which was made to the recipe I found on here. I say I bottled it but thats not quite true because I’ve had to put it in jars as I couln’t find any bottles in any of the shops in town, well yes I did,but the cheapest I could find were £2 each so in future I will be saving my bottles instead of giving them to the recycling bin. I guess it won’t be wasted what ever recepticle its in as it is lovely and will keep the winter chills at bay and hopefully keep my joints going too.
Thanks again for a great site, will let you know how the sloe vodka works out when its ready.
Hi I was just wondering if anyone has any suggestions for a use for the pulp left over from making rosehip syrup as it seems such a shame to waste it? Thanks for the recipe, we used to drink it as kids, so nice to make my own.
Hi,
I’ve just made my 1st batch of syrup from your recipe and it’s delicious.
Thankyou
John
Hi Margaret
Thanks for your input, much appreciated!
Hello Leaf
No ideas for he pilp as yet. Thanks for dropping by.
Hi John
Great that you like it!
What a great site. I have never eaten rosehips before and came upon your site after seeing wonderful hips in my hedge rows and thinking there must be something I can use them for.If I make rosehip syrup,how much would you reccomend to take each day and what other uses are there for the syrup, if any.
OK, I’m a scientist so done a bit of research – Vit C decomposes at 190oC – shouldn’t deminish during these recipes. Will leech if you use copper pan. I thought that something used for hundreds of years to stave off colds wouldn’t be wrong!
Its meant to get frosty here tonight so I’m off picking in the morning – yay! Looking forward to it. My granny is very proud! Thanks for the recipes!
Hi there…this is just the site I was looking for…great stuff!
I am new to Prague and have just noticed all these rosehips along the roads and paths…will be collecting some tomorrow to try your recipe…used to have to buy the syrup from the drugstores in Singapore but since I can make my own…with your wonderful recipe of cos!(everyone who has tried it raves about it!…)I will try soon
Hope I can taste homemade rosehip syrup soon…if my culinary skills don’t fail me!
Thanks again!
Would it be possible to bootle the syrup in plastic bottles, i.e. empty water/coke bottles?
Hi Debbie
We were given a teaspoon of roship syrup a day as children. It’s good poured over ice cream too.
Hello Rose
Hope that it turns out well for you!
Hi Margaret
The bottles need to be sterilised and sealed warm so plastic bottles wouldn’t work.
What abou the seeds? do they impart a bitterness? or is it fine to chuck the whole hip in?
Hi Rachel
The seeds don’t impart a bitterness and they help the set so leave them in! All our recipes ae tried and tested.
Thank you so much for this. I am about to try for the first time. We had to cut a hedge down and it seemed such a waste to throw away the hips.
Hi, I have 2 questions – how much syrup do you end up with by following your recipe? Just so I know what quantity of bottles/jars I need to gather.
My aunty used to make this and I remember her pouring it from a demi-john onto a big spoon for us all. I assumed it must keep well as she kept this demi-john in a pantry and I’m sure it would have been around for a while….. How do you tell if it’s gone off?
I must say that your site is very interesting and felt I had to reply to a question from Gary. Rose Hip Syrup has a small yield to the amount of hips that are collected, so you may get about 5 or 6 jars of about 280g capacity ie jars of shop-bought apple sauce size. I usually use jars to keep the syrup in, as its more difficult to find suitable bottles.
The syrup will have a distinctive aroma when it has gone off!!
We also have some Sea Buckthorn bushes locally and my family and me regularly eat the berries straight from the bushes. They are an acquired flavour though and I would love to find a recipe to preserve them…maybe in alcohol?!
Hello.
Thank you so much for such a delightful and entertaining website.
My wife is thinking of making Rosehip Syrup and other wonderful things as we live in the country.
Could anyone help with a source for small bottles such as a store or website.
Again our thanks.
Kind Regards–Glen
Hi Lynn
Hope that it turned out well for you.
Hi Gary
Primrose has answered your question about the yield.
It goes off fairly quickly so you need to make it and seal it in small bottles, refrigerate once opened – opened it will last a couple of weeks in the fridge.
Hi Primrose
Thanks for your advise. I can’t answer all the comments that are coming in at the moment as my time is very limited.
I’ve never tasted Sea Buckthorn. Preserving it in vodka or gin would work as it does with most fruit. Only for six months or so.
Hi Glen
Talk to your local pub. A lot of mixers come in glass bottles with screw tops that would be perfect for syrup.
My guess is that if you make it using honey, it will not go off so quickly, as honey has natural anti-bacterial properties which is the reason it has been used for embalming and wound-dressing, and also the reason you see mould around jam-jar lids but not on honey jars. You could also maybe try adding Sage or Lavender to the recipe (at the heating stage, then strain off along with the pulp) as these have a similar effect and can add a nice taste too.
Glen
Don’t bother going to the expense of buying jars/bottles, recycle!!! Ask your neighbours, family and friends to save them for you. Over a year you will be amazed at the amount that will be stored in a shed/garage! You can then get busy sorting, washing and sterilising them ready for your autumn tasks like jam making, pickling onions etc. As a ‘Thank You’ I then present a jar to everyone that has contributed which pleases the donor and encourages them to save more for you!!!
Thank you fn for the idea of the vodka infused Sea Buckthorn!! Can’t wait to try!!! I will let you know how it goes. [The berries have an orangey aroma, then as you bite into the berry there is a slightly sour aftertaste. Like Marmite you love it or hate it!!!]
Ray Mears says that our ancestors were most grateful for them during the winter months, as they have so much vitamin C in them.
The Damson Gin I made from 2 years ago tastes wonderful! The book I had the recipe from suggests that it tastes better after 7 years!! Ever tried waiting that long?
Thanks to Kev for the idea to add honey. I will try both and see which is the better!!
I must add that this year has been a disaster for Damsons and Sloes, but not for Apples, Hawthorn, Rosehips or Rowanberries. I have made lots of stewed Apple and frozen it, all picked for free locally. [I believe in getting food for free and have done it since I was child, like my mother showed me! With the current financial crisis, more people should do so too!!]
Hawthorn Jelly is lovely, but lots of work for the yield that you get.
Rowanberry Jelly has, so far, been a pain to do as there is still a bitter taste, but one day I will get it right!! Any suggestions would be gratefully received, as I have tried loads of different recipes, with similar results.!!!!
Cheers everyone!
Hi
Just to say I am so pleased with the Rosehip Syrup I have made with your recipe
Not sure if the colour is supposed to be as deep red as it is? It is clear tho….and it sure tastes good…
So I can keep it for a year in a cool cupboard? If in the fridge? How long will it keep? Cos only had pasta sauce jars and it’s quite much to consume in a short time…
Thanks again
Rose
Hi Rose, well done for trying!! It doesn’t matter about the colour as long as it tastes good!!!
A cool cupboard should be fine.
When you have opened it, keep it refrigerated, but then you can use it for all sorts of things!! We use it to drizzle on pancakes…a good excuse to make them!! My kids love it!!
I have drizzled it over pork for the last half hour of roasting and it gives a lovely flavour to the crackling! Same for Chicken too!
Its amazing how quickly you will empty that jar and have to open another one, so don’t fret!!!
This is now a good excuse to start saving smaller jars for your next batch next year!
Enjoy!
Hi
Regards bottles:
Carlsberg 275ml bottles are a good size for syrups. I buy the silver branded Carlsberg which i think is called Export as this is the better fit for the corks I buy. I get corks from my local Homebrew shop, East Grinstead Homebrew in Lingfield. Look up home brewing or beer / wine making in your yellow pages.
It worked out cheaper buying Carlsberg, often on offer at the supermarket, than the empty bottles from the homebrew shop.
Mostly my sealing works, hot bottles from the oven and cork them up. About 1 in 10 to 15 gets a little mould on the top.
Thanks for the super site.
Hi Kev
Thanks for the idea of using honey. Like the suggestion of adding sage or lavender!
Hello Primrose
Thanks for this and all your suggestions. I’ve never made rowanberry jelly so can’t help you. Thinking about it they might be good in wine.
Hi Rose
I agree with Primrose. A cool cupboard and then into the fridge once opened. You need to drink it within a couple of weeks once opened.
Hi Primrose
Great ideas, thank you!
Hi Matt
Great idea. Thanks for taking the time to share. Glad that you are enjoying the site.
I use sterilised (rinse them out with boiling water from the kettle, be careful and use a tea towel to hold the containers), 1 pt opaque plastic milk bottles from Tesco for various fruit juices and keep them in the freezer till required for jellies etc. I also make approx 20 litres elderberry cordial and keep that in the same way. No problems so far and the cordial is consumed long before we can make some more the next year, and never any complaints of the quality, rather it is “is there any more?”.
Once open the cordial is kept in the fridge and will last in there for a few weeks.
Hi
I picked 5kg of rose hips yesterday and simmered till soft, crushed them with potato masher, then drained overnight and ended up with 1 pint of quite thick juice. This is a first for me so do not know if this is the usual output, but it certainly looks powerful juice to me.
Hi again
correction 5kg should read 5lb
I am longing to make rosehip syrup and although we have had a frost all the hips around here are still very hard. When will they become soft or can I make the syrup when they are still hard without boiling for too long to soften?
Hi Jo
Cut the hips up before you start to cook them or alternately, try putting them in the freezer overnight, letting them thaw and then cooking as usual. I read about this last year regarding Sloes, as they also need a frost to soften them. It worked marvelously as the sloes softened up and the gin is gorgeous!!!! As I couldn’t get any Damsons this year, I used the ones that I had put in the freezer last year for my jam and that has been a success! Let us all know if this works on the Rosehips.Good Luck!
I just made some rosehip syrup and it is gorgeous but none of my rosehips were soft so don’t worry about that the sugar sweetens them up. Can’t wait until I make some pancakes tomorrow and the tip about dizzling it over port yummy!!
I read in the Daily Mail Rose hips were good for arthritic pain as I have had hip pain since March I made some of your syrup. After three days yes only three days the constant pain completely dissapeared. I can now run up stairs again
Thanks for the tips on storage
Hello there,
Many thanks for the recipe – just trying it out.
One question – excuse me for being dense. When you say ‘Pour extracted liquid into…’, do you mean the juice extracted from both strains? Or do you discard the juice from the first pass? I also have a recipe from a Ministry of Defence 1943 pamphlet (reprinted in ‘Food for Free’) and it’s just as unclear!
Many thanks,
Dan
Hi Robert,
Great idea to use plastic bottles. Gets round the problem of sterilising and sealing the bottles very neatly if you have space in the freezer.
Hi Robert
Our recipe yields 1.5 pints of liquid before adding the sugar. Hope that your syrup turned out well.
Hi Jo
The syrup can be made with soft or hard rosehips.
Hi Primrose
Thanks for helping out with advice! Much appreciated.
I love damson gin! Damsons work well in vodka too.
Hello Emma
Great idea to drizzle the syrup over pancakes!
Hi Barbara
That’s brilliant news. How much are you taking each day?
Hi Dan
Use the liquid from the first and second extraction and reduce it all to 1.5 pints before adding the sugar.
Hi fn
I have done Damsons in Vodka and they sure are excellent. I have also tried Blackberries in Gin too, but they went quite mushy and so I had to strain them several times to clear the liquid. I was appalled at the waste of good gin soaking into the clean tea towel I used ha ha!!!!
At the moment I am experimenting with the Sea Buckthorn in Gin…it has a strange scent to it, but I am awaiting the result, which will be a few more weeks yet!!
Thank you too for allowing me to comment. Free food and experimenting with it is something that I have done for quite a long time and I love to share my experiences.
I also read about Rosehips being good for arthritis and have read many articles about it. The only way to obtain it in the shops is via tablet form, so if we sufferers can get it for free, then go for it, I say!!
[...] aren’t any good. I’ve saved 1kg to make the wine. For the syrup I followed the recipe given on this website. It made 3 and a half small bottles. I used 2 lemon juice bottles, an olive oil bottle and a [...]
Hi fn
used your recipe (Katey’s)for rose hip syrup.
tastes great and am hoping winter colds now a thing of the past. Looking for other uses.
Thinking of adding to crab apple jelly, rose hip royale etc.
Any suggestions?
Thanks Primrose and fn for your answers and suggestions….I just finished the one I stored in the fridge and am moving on to my second jar…now I wish I had been more diligent in picking more…LOL…can I still pick them when they are soft? How do I tell if they have gone bad? Are the really soft ones with some black hairs ok to use? Sorry for my ignorance but am really new to this syrup making business
P.S. while preparing them to be made into syrup…I used the gel like “flesh” of the rosehip to rub on the back of my hand…just for a couple of minutes then I washed it off…seems to have made my skin smoother…or maybe it’s just my obsession with rosehips..haha..anyone tried this before?
Just to let you all know I am still out of pain and back playing golf. I’ve picked loads of them and have the scars to show.I drink about four tablespoons a day. I am going to give a bottle to a friend who has severe pain in her fingers to see if it works. My pain was constant but not severe. Hers is severe. watch this space
Hi Primrose
All comments are god as they add to the knowledge base of the site! Thank you for taking the time and trouble to do so.
Hi Robert
It’s great poured over ice cream!
Hi Rose
It’s fine to use them when they are soft (loads of people leave them unil after the first frosts. They are bad when they go black.
Hello Barbara
This is such good news. Thank you for the update!
Hi everyone,
wonderful site – thanks to all.
One question – is it ok to freeze the syrup? will it defrost ok?
Hi Katie
Because I only had large bottles When I open a new bottle I put half into ice trays. Drink the rest from the bottle then use three cubes per day
That way the large bottle does’t go off before I have drunk it.
My friend had some relief from pain but not complete relief
Barbara
Katie you are to be commended for the kindness of putting this up on the net. But I’m surprized and disappointed that intelligent people encourage others to use sugar so freely.
Get on the program. It’s poison. It’s action mimics alcohol. Ask any skilled bio-chemist to discuss the two and you have your eyes opened.
Gloria Swanson ran a one-man campaign against sugar back in the 20s; for the very reason that it rots everything in the body. Just have a look at the health of America today. It’s patently obvious that few read labels of what’s in their food!
Hi Robin
Homemade syrups, jams, marmalade, jellies and cordials all contain a lot of sugar. I’m always surprised about how much sugar is needed! And I didn’t discover this until I started making these at home.
So Katie’s recipe is in a round about way extremely educational.
Thanks for your input. Much appreciated.
[...] nyper kan brukes som tilbehør til stekt kjøtt og fugl, til grønnsaksretter og på brødskiva. Nyperosesirup: Brukes som smakstilsetter, og ble brukt som styrkedrikk/vitamindrikk på vinteren. Pai med nyper. [...]
Rosehip syrup….!!!! Bliss in a bottle…. Gotta try the recipe one of the days. With respect to comments about sugar in foods such as jams, syrups and suchlike… Moderation is the key word here. Consider other foods like patisserie of all kinds… Most recipes there are at least half fat to flour for certain pasties. What about the hazards of too much fat in one’s diet? Even sponge cake contains a veritable amount of fat AND sugar. Check nutritional info before you eat, but enjoy treats IN MODERATION, or wise restriction if need be.
Hello Linda
This recipe is well worth trying.
Yes, I agree, enjoy but watch the sugar and fat content.
For those concerned about maximizing vitamin C:
1) Once you mince or bash the rose hips, get them into water immediately, away from oxygen
2) Get them up to boiling as fast as possible. While they are hot but not yet boiling, enzymes activate which begin to rapidly break down the vitamin C. Boiling destroys these enzymes. Boil for 2 minutes to be sure the rose hips are heated sufficiently throughout.
3) Once boiling, the enzymes are denatured (dead). Further boiling may be counter-productive. Remove from heat and let steep as in the recipe.
4) Do not use copper. Copper catalyzes a reaction that breaks down vitamin C.
Also, when straining you might get a clearer result if you capture the first liquid that strains through and you pour it back into the top of the bag to restrain. After the first liquid drains through, the pulp compresses down slightly to form a natural filter, and further liquid comes through clearer. Research “sparging” for more detail on this process.
Hello Mike
Thanks so much for this expert advice. Much appreciated.
THANKYOU,FOR THE WONDERFUL RECIPE I WILL BE
COLLECTING ROSE HIPS TO MAKE SOME SYRUP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
WILL MAKE LOVELY PRESENTS!
ANY IDEAS FOR RECIPES FOR CRABAPPLES?
THANKYOU VERY MUCH CAT LADY X
Hi Cat Lady
Rosehip syrup is good.
We have a super recipe for crabapples here
http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=470
Am planning to make Rosehip syrup this year. Can anyone advise me on the dosage for children, I have a seven year old and a fifteen month old baby, is it safe for babies?
Hi, I’ve collected HUGE rosehips and am going to freeze them first. Just a general question, do you think they are particularly early this year? I’ve been looking through questions and comments on this site and mid August appears very early, they are ripe – no doubt about that!! As a reply to the general Vit C issue, the advice about bringing to boiling point then cooling off is correct. Don’t excessively boil. Some recipes say reduce the syrup by half, some don’t – I’d advise that the reduction in itself will reduce Vit C. Hope that helps!!
Hello Jane
I have no idea about the dosage for children, as far as I remeber we all had a dessert spoonfull a day or it could have been a large teaspoon. Sorry to be so vague.
Hi Claire
Thanks for your suggestions re vit C.
Yes rosehips, blackberries and plums are all early this year!
Someone mentioned Rowan berries being bitter. They need to be frozen in order to get rid of the bitterness. Either naturally or simply in the freezer.
Hi Brynhildur
Thank you so much for leaving this tip!
HI, i recently made Rosehip syrup using honey and unrefined sugar without any problems and its a whole different taste,cant leave it alone.
Hello Eric
I’m going to make rosehip syrup mext week and will give your method a go – thank you.
Made some Rosehip Syrup over the weekend and it’s delicious
. Just about to try some with homemade yoghurt but up till now we have been road testing the spoonful a day to see if it helps our creaky joints, as some people have suggested. Thanks for the recipe.
Rosehip Jelly/Jam to follow this weekend and probably some Rosehip Vodka too. Can you tell we’ve got thousands of the things lol
Hello Sarah
I’m going to be harvesting my rosehips soon too. Somewhere in the barn I have a flagon of rose hip wine – very delicate.
Love to hear what the rosehip vodka tastes like.
Has anyone tried it using honey? How much honey compared to sugar should you use? xx
Hi Sally
If you look at the comments above yours, Eric made it using honey and unrefined sugar. I don’t know the honey sugar weight equivalent – perhaps Google can help?
just love rose hip syrup and jelly. have made 10 pints of syrup and 12lbs of jelly today. the jelly is fantastic with chilli as accompianment for meats or cheeses also tastes great with strawberries.
for all wondering about other fruits/berries to make into jelly if you cover fruit with water and boil till soft then leave till cool and strain through muslin. use 1lb sugar to 1pt juice and if low in pectin use bottled pectin as per amounts on bottle.boil for 10 mins and do the crinkle test every 5 mins till set is achieved. this is my recipe for all jellies and has never let me down. i also flavour them with various herbs and spices my favourites being quince with star anise and rosehip with lavender or lemon balm.mind you rowan and sage is pretty good too.
thanks for this great site there are so many ideas on it.
Hi Saiorse
Thanks for suggestions.
approx how much sage and added to rowan berries when?
hi babs
i just pop about couple teaspoons of dried sage or a good few sprigs of fresh into the 1lb jar (basically a good layer on bottom of jar)and pour jelly on. seal and allow to cool a bit then shake well and finish cooling upside down. this means the flavouring is on the bottom or middle of jar so get flavour to end of jelly not just on top.
this quantity works well with all flavours but chillies can be hot so up to your own taste.
you can add the flavour when jelly comes to boil i just do it in jars as it allows me to mix and match the same batch of jelly. i experiment every time with new flavours some i love and some i hate. have just tried quince and mint and it is great.
Hi Saiorse
thanks so much for reply
Babs
Hi there, in addition to the healthy benefits of Rosehip Cordial I have also been reading about similar benefits with Elderberry Cordial, apparently it’s great for preventing coughs and colds. Do you think it would be possible to do a cordial with a mixture of the two fruits, say 50% of each? Imagine all the vitamin C?!
Thanks,
Helen
Hello everyone, jusy a couple of further notes to add to my last message on the 10sept.
I simply replaced the standard sugar ammount with 50/50 mix of unrefined sugar (molasses sugar)and Honey (and a couple of ounce extra for look.
As i said at the time this came out well and has a more MELLOW flavour than just white sugar,give it a try people,
Best wishes to all
Oooops Sorry for the above spellings folks,
that will teach me to rush!!
Eric
Can you use dried rose hips to make syrup anf if so how much?
Hi Eric
Thanks for that – can’t wait to try it!
Hi Tere
There’s a recipe for syrup using dried rosehips here
http://www.latimes.com/features/printedition/food/la-fo-streetrec11a-2009mar11,0,2423870.story
wonderful rosehip syrup recipe plus another reason to be outdoors picking natures bounty in the super autumn sunshine.
I have made some Rose Hip syrup today as per your recipe. It looks great and tastes lovely but I would say it is rather thin and not syrupy as I remember it when I was a child. Do you think I should boil it again, add more sugar? I would appreciate your advice
Hello Audrey
I couldn’t agree more. I’ve made loads of rosehip tea this year too.
Hi Helen
The boiling reduces the water in the syrup. So you can reboil until it’s thick enough. If you go too far and it turns into jelly just add water to get the right consistency.
Wonderful!. It has turned out perfect after reboiling. Thank you very much for your help,
Helen
Hi Helen
That’s good news!
[...] Rosehip syrup [...]
I have just recently became a fan of natural foods and herbs. I live in southeastern Washington and there is an abundance of wild roses here. I have taken the rose hips and just sucked on the seeds and pulp inside the hip. I would like to know how and when to pick the rose hips and how to use them for a healthy me. If you know of a book on natural herbs and how to harvest, dry, and store them, and what uses they have, then please tell me. We also have yarrow growing wild around here along with mulberry, asparagus, and I know many other things that are useful to our health besides man made potions. Thankyou.