If you could eat / drink cottagecore, this is what it would taste like. Edible flowers have been used in cooking for thousands of years, not only for their visual beauty but for their health benefits and healing properties, too.
We’ve always believed in flower power but somehow daisies on toast just hits different. Good different. From rose petal bark to lavender biscuits, earl grey desserts sprinkled with floral confetti and frozen flower art, make your afternoon teas and your garden tipples bloom with these floral-themed recipes.
Goat’s Cheese Rolls
Here’s one for the savoury fans. Transform your afternoon tea or your cheeseboard with these faff-free bitesize botanicals. Simply mash up a soft cheese of your choice and work into rolls using your hands. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, spread out the edible flowers on a sheet of cling film and roll the cheese onto your flowers. Secure the cling film around the rolls and place back in the fridge to chill and firm for another 20 minutes. You can also use a mix of herbs and veggies, too.
Pansy Topped Shortbread Cookies
Elevenses just got a botanical glow up. This recipe requires pressing your flowers between parchment or waxed paper and placing them on top of the shortbread cookies when they’re fresh from the oven. The heat from the cookies is enough to help the petals bond to the surface, keeping your flowers looking (and tasting) their best. Sprinkle with sugar and tuck in.
Edible Flower Ice Cubes
Looking for a quick and easy way to take your cocks and mocks from basic to bougie? Floral ice cubes are your friend. All you need is a bunch of edible flowers, an ice cube tray and water (plus a boujie bev of your choice). If you want to go all out Kris Jenner party planner vibes, get a novelty ice cube tray/silicone mould too – love hearts, penguins, penises, take your pick.
Flower Doughnuts
Now here’s a bouquet we can get on board with. These doughnuts make for a decadent dessert, perfect for a boozy garden party with your pals. Using a combination of white wine, jelly, sugar, gelatin and, Nigella’s favourite – a microwave – they’re easy to make and even easier to eat.
Herb & Flower Pasta
Flowers and carbs are two of our favourite things so already, we’re off to a strong start. How will we ever return to penne when this Cottagecore carbs like this exist?
NB: you will need a pasta machine for this but let’s face it, you’ve always wanted one so now’s your chance.
Edible Flower Lollipops
The local florist has got nothing on you. Whether you go for lavender, chamomile, pansies or rose petals, these fancy floral lollipops will make for a blooming lovely sweet treat come rain or shine.
Rose Petal Chocolate Bark
Like a regency snack lifted straight from a Bridgerton set, these delightful chocolate bark bites covered in rose petal confetti will make you feel as happy (and as lucky) as the Duke’s spoon.
Edible Flower Crepes
Introducing the brunch of champions – from here on out, we will never settle for an ordinary crepe ever again. If it doesn’t look like a lovingly planted flower bed, we don’t want it.
Edible Flower Tea Popsicles
Like iced tea but better, the heatwave hits different when you’ve got these edible beauties in hand.
Yogurt Sheet Cake
Girl goes to party, cake turns up in the same outfit. Afternoon tea doesn’t get much better than this 11/10 botanical bake.
Blossom Butter
Your toast will never look bland and beige ever again with this next-level spread. Experiment with different herbs and edible flowers – the possibilities are endless.
Earl Grey Pistachio Meringue Tower
Here’s a decadent tablescape tower your guests will be more than happy to climb. Great for parties and special occasions, this tumbling meringue peak studded with figs, flowers and earl-grey infused pistachios and drizzled in blueberry sauce is the ultimate summer showstopper.
Lavender Shortbread
Mary Berry-approved lavender biscuits? Sign us up.
Carta da Musica Flatbread
These paper-thin flatbreads sprinkled with rosemary, crushed red pepper, baby greens, radishes, carrots and edible blooms are a beautiful twist on the Sardinian crispbread speciality, meaning “sheet music”. Cute!
Flora & Juniper Cocktail
Picture this, you’re in a hammock. You’ve just woken up from a half an hour snooze in the sun and you’re seeking a little afternoon livener, something floral but not elderflower cordial and preferably gin-based. Enter the libation of dreams, made with hibiscus tea, rose water, cardamom syrup and lemon on a bed of gin. Lovely drop!
Raw Berry Cheesecake
If no-bake botanical desserts are your thing, these pots of raw cheesecake heaven will be right up your street.
Rose Water Panna Cotta Tartlets
Delicate and delicious rosewater biscuits complete with a fine crumb base and a creamy panna cotta filling. Are you dribbling? We’re dribbling.
Vegan No-Bake Earl Grey Blueberry Tart
A fresh & floral vegan no-bake tart? Hold my drink.
Pineapple and Passion Fruit Roulade
On a hot summer’s day, after you’re done with the barbeque, tuck into this tropical spongy delight. Garden therapy right there.
Spring Nettle Pasta With Vegan Parmesan
Garlicy, pretty, plant-based, what more you could you want life? Garnished with violets and packed with cheesy flavour and marinated artichoke hearts, this is a pasta dish done right.
