Edible flowers are an exciting, versatile ingredient in baking, offering not only visual beauty but also unique flavors that can enhance a wide variety of treats. Whether you’re looking to add subtle notes of lavender, the sweet delicacy of chamomile, or the vibrant color of hibiscus, there’s a perfect flower for every recipe. At The Flower Food Company, we specialize in bringing the beauty of edible flowers into your baked goods. Here’s your guide to the best edible flowers for baking, and how to use them to elevate your recipes.
1. Lavender: A Fragrant Floral Favorite
Lavender is perhaps one of the most beloved and versatile edible flowers in baking. Known for its fragrant, herbaceous flavor, lavender buds add a calming and sophisticated element to many baked goods. It pairs beautifully with lemon, honey, and berries, making it perfect for cakes, cookies, and even breads.
- Flavor Profile: Floral, earthy, with hints of pine and citrus.
- Perfect Pairings: Lemon, honey, berries (blueberries, raspberries), chocolate, almonds, and vanilla.
- Best Bakes for Lavender: Shortbread cookies, lavender lemonade, lavender pancakes and biscuits, Earl Grey and Lavender Scones, and bread.
Pro Tip: To get the best flavor, use lavender sparingly—its flavor can easily overpower a recipe. A little goes a long way, so be mindful of the amount you add.
2. Chamomile: Gentle, Sweet, and Calming
Chamomile flowers are known for their sweet, apple-like flavor with a hint of earthiness. Their delicate floral notes are subtle yet soothing, making dried chamomile flowers a perfect addition to baked goods that aim for a more understated floral touch. Chamomile pairs well with flavors like vanilla, citrus, and honey, and works wonderfully in cakes, scones, and cookies.
- Flavor Profile: Sweet, fruity, and herbal with a mild apple-like flavor.
- Perfect Pairings: Honey, lemon, vanilla, almond, apple, and cinnamon.
- Best Bakes for Chamomile: Chamomile tea cakes, chamomile cookies, honey chamomile scones, and chamomile shortbread.
Pro Tip: You can infuse chamomile flavor into your batter or dough by steeping chamomile flowers in warm liquid (milk, water, or cream) for 10-15 minutes and then straining them before adding the liquid to your recipe.
3. Rose: Romantic and Elegant
The timeless beauty of rose petals makes them a classic choice for baking. Roses offer a delicate flavor that can range from sweet to slightly tart, with a rich floral undertone that pairs beautifully with citrus, berries, and chocolate. Roses are commonly used in desserts from Middle Eastern to European cuisines, adding a touch of elegance to anything from cakes to cookies. Dried rose petals are the perfect way to add this unique flavor to your baking.
- Flavor Profile: Sweet, aromatic, slightly tart.
- Perfect Pairings: Lemon, raspberry, pistachio, vanilla, and chocolate.
- Best Bakes for Rose: Rosewater scones, rose lemon muffins, rose pistachio cookies, rose petal tea cakes, and rose-infused frostings.
Pro Tip: Use dried rose petals in your baked goods or make rosewater by steeping fresh petals in water for a few hours. Rosewater adds a subtle floral flavor without the need to include petals directly in the recipe.
4. Hibiscus: Bold and Tangy
Hibiscus flowers are known for their vibrant, deep red color and their tangy, tart flavor. Often used in teas and syrups, hibiscus adds a refreshing punch to your baking. Its bold flavor works well in fruit-based bakes and can provide a fun contrast to sweeter ingredients like coconut or chocolate.
- Flavor Profile: Tart, tangy, slightly fruity with hints of cranberry.
- Perfect Pairings: Citrus, berries, coconut, chocolate, and mint.
- Best Bakes for Hibiscus: Hibiscus tarts, hibiscus lemon cakes, hibiscus macarons, and hibiscus syrup for drizzling over cakes.
Pro Tip: You can create a beautiful, flavorful hibiscus syrup by simmering dried hibiscus petals with water and sugar. This syrup can be used as a glaze for cakes or as a flavorful addition to frosting.
5. Pansies: Bright and Colorful
Pansies aren’t just beautiful—they’re also edible and have a mild, slightly grassy flavor with a hint of wintergreen. They are often used as garnishes on cakes, cupcakes, and cookies, adding color and texture with their vibrant petals. While their flavor is subtle, their visual impact is undeniable.
- Flavor Profile: Mild, slightly grassy with a hint of wintergreen.
- Perfect Pairings: Citrus, berries, chocolate, and mint.
- Best Bakes for Pansies: Decorate cakes, cupcakes, and cookies with pansy petals for a pop of color. They can also be added to shortbread for a gentle flavor.
Pro Tip: Candied pansies make a gorgeous and edible decoration for cakes and cupcakes. To candy them, brush the petals with egg white and sprinkle with sugar before drying them in a warm place.
6. Violets: Sweet and Perfumed
Violets are small, colorful flowers that offer a sweet, slightly perfumed flavor. They are most commonly used to decorate desserts but can also be incorporated into cookies, cakes, and syrups. Violets add a unique floral sweetness that pairs well with rich, creamy desserts.
- Flavor Profile: Sweet, floral, with a hint of perfume.
- Perfect Pairings: Vanilla, chocolate, berries, and lemon.
- Best Bakes for Violets: Violet sugar cookies, violet cupcakes, violet macarons, and violet syrup for drizzle.
Pro Tip: Violet syrup can be made by steeping fresh violet petals in sugar water and straining them. This syrup can be drizzled over cakes or used to sweeten beverages like iced tea.
7. Calendula: Bright, Peppery, and Slightly Spicy
Calendula flowers, often called “pot marigolds,” have a mildly spicy, peppery flavor that adds an interesting twist to baked goods. Their vibrant yellow and orange petals can also be used as a colorful garnish for cakes, cookies, or tarts. While their flavor is a bit more assertive than other edible flowers, they pair wonderfully with richer flavors like chocolate and cream.
- Flavor Profile: Mildly spicy, peppery, with a hint of citrus.
- Perfect Pairings: Chocolate, citrus, honey, and cream.
- Best Bakes for Calendula: Calendula shortbread, calendula honey cakes, calendula chocolate tarts, and calendula ice cream.
Pro Tip: You can steep calendula petals in milk or cream to create a flavorful infusion that can be added to batters or used in frostings.
8. Elderflower: Subtle and Sweet
Elderflowers are delicate, with a subtle, sweet flavor that has hints of pear and lychee. While elderflower is often used in drinks (think elderflower cordial), it can also be a lovely addition to baked goods, offering a light, refreshing floral taste that pairs wonderfully with lemon, berries, and cream.
- Flavor Profile: Light, sweet, with hints of pear and lychee.
- Perfect Pairings: Lemon, berry, honey, vanilla, and cream.
- Best Bakes for Elderflower: Elderflower lemon cake, elderflower shortbread, elderflower syrup for cakes, and elderflower ice cream.
Pro Tip: Elderflower syrup, made by steeping the flowers in sugar water, can be used to drizzle over cakes or incorporated into frostings for a fresh floral flavor.
Let Your Floral Creativity Bloom in the Kitchen
Each edible flower offers something unique—whether it’s the calming notes of lavender, the tangy brightness of hibiscus, or the sweetness of elderflower. By incorporating these flowers into your baking, you can elevate your desserts both in flavor and visual appeal. At The Flower Food Company, we offer carefully crafted mixes that incorporate the best edible flowers, so you can bring these delicate flavors into your home baking with ease.
Get ready to bake with flowers and create something beautiful!