Cooking with Rosehips

Rosehips, also called “haws,” are the fruits that emerge in the fall after summer roses have faded. These little berry-like chewy morsels contain more antioxidants than green tea and more vitamin C than citrus fruits. They also provide vitamins B, E and K, as well as the carotene lycopene and gut-loving pectin.

You can snag and snack on rosehips straight off the vine, but the seeds are often too bitter to enjoy due to a high tannin content. Using the dried, cut and sifted hips is a great alternative. Believe it when I tell you that removing the seeds from each rosehip manually is a long and tedious task!

Rosehips are used to make all sorts of culinary delights, from jam and syrup to ketchup and wine. They are also added to baked goods (as you’ll see in a moment) and incorporated into herbal tea blends. You can even use rosehips in your natural cosmetics.

Rosehip Syrup

1 cup dried rosehips

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

Combine the rosehips and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and mash the hips with a potato masher. Stir in the sugar and bring to the boil again. Reduce heat and simmer, while stirring, until thickened. Strain through a mesh sieve and bottle. You can keep this in the refrigerator for up to a year.

Rosehip & Orange Fruit Spread

1 cup dried rosehips, ground to a powder

1 tablespoon dried orange peel, powdered

Apple juice

Raw, local honey

Using a spice or coffee grinder, grin the rosehips and orange peel into a powder. Add just enough apple juice to the powder to make a “jammy” paste. Drizzle with a bit of honey to sweeten. Stir and transfer into a jar with a lid. Store in the refrigerator. Use within two weeks.

Rosehip Tea

For each cup of boiling water, use 1 teaspoon of dried rosehips. Steep, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain and enjoy with honey and lemon, if desired.

Rosehip, Pear & Golden Raisin Muffins

½ cup dried, cut & sifted rosehips

2 cups oat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ cup golden raisins

½ cup apple juice

¼ cup raw honey

2 eggs

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 pears, peeled and chopped

Preheat oven to 375’ F. Spray two standard-sized muffin tins with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.

Sift together oat flour, baking powder, spices and salt in a large bowl. Add rosehips and raisins; stir to combine.

In a small bowl, combine apple juice, honey, eggs, oil and vanilla. Stir this mixture into the flour mixture. Fold in chopped pears. Spoon batter in prepared muffin tins. Bake 20 minutes. Make 16 muffins.

Other Uses for Rosehips