This Centuries-Old Ingredient Makes Almost Everything Taste Like Magic

Growing up in the Middle East, my sister and I used to joke that our desserts were flavored with ingredients that sounded like they were plucked straight out of an enchanted garden: mastic resin, rose water, sahleb (actually made from orchid tubers). Orange blossom water is right at home among them, and despite its magical-sounding name and even more magical aroma, it was always an everyday ingredient for us. It’s increasingly an everyday ingredient in the US as well—today, you can find bottles of it in mainstream grocery stores and online.

Orange blossom water might have been a part of our childhood imaginings, but it has long been a pantry staple across the Levant, Iran, Turkey, and North Africa. Once you start using it, it becomes one of those quiet essentials, subtle but mysteriously transformative, adding something you can’t quite name but instantly love. It is a powerful ingredient, far more versatile than it may seem at first glance, finding a welcome place in refreshing drinks, breakfasts, salads, and so much more.

What Is Orange Blossom Water?

Distilled from the blossoms of bitter orange trees (also known as Seville orange trees), it has the power to transform a dish with just a few drops. Though often confused with rose water, orange blossom water is lighter, more delicate, and far less polarizing—floral without notes of grandma’s golden-tubed lipstick. Our in-depth guide to orange blossom water goes into great depth on its history and how it’s made. 

While I personally enjoy the heady flavor of rose water—familiar to anyone who’s sipped an amaro Montenegro or eaten Turkish delight—I recognize it’s not for everyone. Orange blossom water is a gentler introduction to floral flavors. I’m especially fond of Cortas, a Lebanese brand known for its high-quality products.

Where Orange Blossom Water Is Used

Orange blossom water is a key ingredient in qater, a thick, simple syrup that’s usually also includes a splash of lemon juice. Qater flavors desserts like knafeh, the beloved cheese-filled pastry layered between crisp threads of kataifi (phyllo-like) dough. In Egypt, basbousa bel ashta—a semolina cake—is soaked in the floral syrup and layered with rich clotted cream.

During Ramadan, crescent-shaped qatayef, filled with cheese or nuts and fried until golden, are plunged into a pool of orange blossom–scented syrup while still hot. The fragrant water also stars in chilled drinks like khoshaf, made from dried apricots, dates, figs, and nuts, served across the Arab world as a refreshing, nutrient-rich way to break the fast.

Though most often associated with sweets, orange blossom water also plays a role in savory cooking, such as in Moroccan bastila, a celebratory pie layered with spiced chicken or squab, almonds, and eggs, wrapped in flaky pastry, and dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon. There, it’s often mixed into the filling, adding a subtle floral contrast to the richness.

Whether in sweet syrups or savory spiced meat fillings, it brings elegance and soft complexity. And with a careful hand, it enhances without overwhelming.

How to Use Orange Blossom Water at Home

While its roots are centuries old, orange blossom water works beautifully in modern cooking and less traditional applications. If you’re new to it, go easy—a little goes a long way. Here are some of my favorite ways to use it:

• Add a splash to lemonade or sparkling water. The citrusy-floral note lifts even the simplest drinks into something more interesting. 
• Use it in desserts like rice pudding, custard, or cheesecake. A little bit stirred into the base infuses a subtle perfume that pairs beautifully with vanilla, honey, or citrus.
• Make a floral simple syrup. Combine equal parts sugar and water, heat until the sugar dissolves, and, once cooled, add a bit of orange blossom water (1 teaspoon at a time). Use this syrup to sweeten cocktails and spritzes.
• Whisk a tiny amount into a lemon vinaigrette. It’s an unexpected twist that works especially well on salads with bitter greens, fennel, or fruit.
• If you’re feeling a little extra at breakfast, warm some maple syrup with a small splash of orange blossom water and drizzle it over pancakes or waffles. Top with crushed pistachios for a loosely baklava-inspired moment. 
• And then there’s the simplest use of all—something my mom used to make for us: a pitcher of cold water infused with a splash of orange blossom, garnished with fresh mint and lemon slices. Think cucumber spa water, but with a floral, princess-worthy upgrade.

All it takes is a few drops of this special ingredient to bring a gently compelling note to whatever you’re making. Once opened, store your bottle in a cool, dark place. It keeps well, but once you start experimenting with it, it won’t linger for too long.