20 Edible Flower Recipes That Are Colorful and Delicious (2024)

A Visual Guide to Edible Flowers—and How to Use Them

Pansy Pancakes

Perk up traditional buttermilk pancakes by setting pansies into the batter before you flip each flapjack. Consider it a one-of-a-kind way to serve a bouquet of flowers alongside breakfast in bed.

Goat Cheese with Edible Flowers and Arugula

Give plain goat cheese a colorful makeover by mixing in edible blossoms, like nasturtium, borage, and pansy, and placing whole flowers on top. Add the colorful rounds to arugula salads or display with baguettes at brunch.

Daffodil Cake

The two layers of this cake mimic the spring daffodils that inspired it: One is a light and airy whiteangel food cakelayer, the other a richer orange and lemon cake. Copy the daffodil color palette by topping the glazed cake with orange, yellow, and white pansies just before serving.

Lillet Rosé Spring Cocktail

This fruity and refreshing three-ingredient cocktail calls for Lillet Rosé, a wine-based apertif, gin, and ruby red grapefruit juice. Strain into coupe glasses and top with edible flowers (pink varieties are best to complement the color of the drink).

Steamed Artichoke and Asparagus Salad

For a particularly pretty salad, start by selecting colorful in-season produce—artichokes, asparagus, purple potatoes, mixed greens, and radishes—then add a vibrant Dijon vinaigrette. Finish with edible pansies to create a plated bouquet of color, texture, and flavor.

Sugared-Flowered Doughnuts

Donuts dipped in orange blossom glaze and finished with candied flowers are a sweet addition to a brunch menu or bridal shower. Sugaring the flowers lends them both a crunchy coating and dewy look; it also preserves the color and shape of the blooms, letting you prepare this treat ahead of time.

Green Salad with Edible Flowers

A simple salad of baby greens, tossed with a homemade Dijon mustard and red wine vinaigrette, is brightened with a topping of pastel-colored edible violas.

Brownie Cupcakes with Sugared Pansies

Decadent brownie cupcakes are embellished with white chocolate ganache and sugared edible flowers. Use gel-paste food coloring to adjust the shade of ganache to coordinate or complement the blooms you choose.

Flower Sugar

Enhance the depth and flavor of your favorite shortbread, pound cake, or other baked goods by using white sugar ground with fennel or hyssop flowers—or use it to lightly sweeten a cup of herbal tea.

Embellished Wreath Cookies

Wreath cookies aren't just for the holidays: These classic crisp sugar cookie rings are spring- and summer-ready when topped with a pastel palette of candied flowers, crystallized ginger, and chopped pistachios.

Rose Petal Syrup

This three-ingredient syrup is easy to make: Bring rose petals, water, and sugar to a boil, let steep, and strain. Use it in a festive rose petal gin fizz, mix into sparkling water for a floral mocktail, or add to whipped cream for topping cakes and fruit.

Gently Steamed Fish with Cucumber, Borage, and Tahini Sauce

Marinate fresh halibut with lemon and dill, and, after steaming, top with from-scratch tahini sauce, sautéed cucumber and borage stalks, and a handful of vibrant purple borage flowers.

Pickled Rose Petals

Plump rugosa rose petals, pickled with white wine vinegar, salt, and honey, are flavorful, aromatic, and perfectly pink.

Mini Pistachio Bundt Cake

These mini cakes aren't your classic bundts: Ground pistachios, pistachio extract, and orange-flower water give them a rich, complex flavor. Top with nuts and rose petals, two traditional toppings for Persian love cakes.

Herbal Stress Release

Soothe yourself after a stressful day with this herbal tea, made with dried chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, rose petals, and chrysanthemum.

Chocolate Truffle Cakes with Fresh Pansies

Make a big impact with a small cake by topping these 4-inch chocolate confections with rich chocolate ganache and jewel-toned edible pansies.

Watermelon Punch

Top icy watermelon cocktails—made in the blender from seedless watermelon chunks, superfine sugar, and white vermouth—with a colorful pansy garnish for a fresh, fruity summer drink.

Edible-Flower Cupcakes

Even the simplest cupcake looks professional when topped with a few carefully placed edible blooms. Top vanilla cupcakes with basic buttercream and edible flowers of your choice to create custom desserts for your next celebration.

Pansy Tartlets

Tiny lemon curd tartlets are tea-party ready when topped with colorful pansies (and a generous spread of melted apricot jam).

Rose and Ginger Cupcakes

Rose-flavored glaze and candied ginger add sweetness and spice to these mini ginger cakes. Sugared rose petals—brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with superfine sugar—sit on top.