Last Updated on September 13, 2025 by Nico
Rosehip syrup is easy to make and is a wonderful way to utilise those bright red rosehips. They are full of vitamin C, and they make a lovely syrup for ice cream, late-summer drinks, and more.
When the first frost touches the garden, many people think the foraging season has ended, but there are still lots of plants to forage, including wild rosehips. We have wild roses as well as dog rose (Rosa canina) growing around where we live, and September is the time when I start to forage the hips for fire cider, tinctures, tea, as well as to make rosehip syrup.
Rosehips have a high vitamin C content and a tart and sweet flavour, which makes the syrup not only medicinal but also delicious.
I love using this syrup on ice cream, adding it to soda water, or in tea for added medicinal benefits.
What is rose hip syrup?
Rose hip syrup is a sweet syrup made by simmering the ripe fruit of the rose plant. These fruits, commonly called rose hips, ripen in late September (although this year they are out a month early!) and continue to sweeten after the first frost. This is when their flavour mellows and their medicinal benefits are at their peak.
The syrup has a bright red color and a tangy-sweet taste similar to cranberries with floral undertones.
Why make it?
There are so many reasons to make rose hip syrup:
Nutritional boost: Rose hips are packed with vitamins C, antioxidants, and other nutrients that can support the immune system during flu season and the winter months.
Medicinal properties: Rose hips have a long history of use in folk medicine and have been used to help ease sore throats and support the digestive system.
Simple rosehip syrup recipe
Ingredients
Wild rose hips – Here’s an organic, dried source
Water
Sugar (or substitute part with raw honey or maple syrup)
Lemon juice
Equipment
Large pot or large saucepan
Potato masher or food processor
A jelly bag, muslin cloth, or layers of cheesecloth – I like this unbleached cheesecloth
Clean glass storage bottle
Sharp knife and a large bowl
Instructions
If you’re foraging, the best time to forage your rosehips is in late summer or early fall, ideally after the first frost.
Remove the stems and leaves and wash them.
Use a sharp knife to chop them, or you can use a food processor to make this part faster.
Add the chopped hips into a large pot with 2 litres of cold water. Bring the water to a rolling boil and then reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
Turn off the heat and use a potato masher to break down the fruit even further into a soft hip mash.
Pour the mixture through a jelly bag or a double layer of muslin cloth suspended over a bowl. Let it drip slowly at room temperature for several hours or overnight. Resist the temptation to squeeze the bag because this can push through the irritating tiny hairs and seeds.
For extra clarity, you can pass the liquid through a second time using fresh layers of cheesecloth. This ensures no tiny little hairs remain in the syrup.
Return the strained rosehip juice to a clean saucepan. Add the sugar (or raw honey, maple syrup, or both) and a splash of lemon juice. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Boil for about 5 minutes, skimming any foam from the top.
Carefully pour the hot syrup into sterilised bottles using a funnel and seal them right away.
Store the syrup in a cool, dark place.
How long will it last
When bottled into clean bottles and kept in a cool, dark place, rose hip syrup will last for up to a year. Once opened, store in the refrigerator and use within a month. Freezing small portions in jars or ice cube trays is another good idea for extending its shelf life!
How to use rosehip syrup
Here are some ideas:
- Added over ice cream, pancakes, or yogurt.
- Stirred into soda water.
- Added to hot water or herbal tea.
- Mixed with elderberry syrup for a double boost during flu season.
- Use as a glaze for cakes.
- Directly: taken daily by the spoonful, it’s a great way to support overall health, especially during the colder months.
Variations
Swap part of the sugar for maple syrup or raw honey for added medicinal benefits. Just make sure not to heat raw honey, as it will kill off its medicinal benefits.
Add spices like cinnamon, cloves, or cardamom alongside the sugar.
Cook them down with other fruits such as crab apple (this is so good).
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Homemade Wild Rosehip Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- If you’re foraging, the best time to forage your rosehips is in late summer or early fall, ideally after the first frost.
- Remove the stems and leaves and wash them.
- Use a sharp knife to chop them, or you can use a food processor to make this part faster.
- Add the chopped hips into a large pot with 2 litres of cold water. Bring the water to a rolling boil and then reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and use a potato masher to break down the fruit even further into a soft hip mash.
- Pour the mixture through a jelly bag or a double layer of muslin cloth suspended over a bowl. Let it drip slowly at room temperature for several hours or overnight. Resist the temptation to squeeze the bag because this can push through the irritating tiny hairs and seeds.
- For extra clarity, you can pass the liquid through a second time using fresh layers of cheesecloth. This ensures no tiny little hairs remain in the syrup.
- Return the strained rosehip juice to a clean saucepan. Add the cup of sugar (or raw honey, maple syrup, or both) and a splash of lemon juice. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Boil for about 5 minutes, skimming any foam from the top.
- Carefully pour the hot syrup into sterilised bottles using a funnel and seal them right away.
- Store the syrup in a cool, dark place.
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