How to Make Rosemary Oil

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Co-authored by Lorena Barcal

Last Updated: March 14, 2024 Fact Checked

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Rosemary oil is a popular infused oil used in cooking and beauty treatments. If you want to make rosemary oil quickly, heat a few sprigs of fresh rosemary in your oil of choice. However, keep in mind that this oil must be used within a week or it could go rancid. Alternatively, use dried rosemary to create an oil with a longer shelf life. Dried rosemary can be mixed with your oil of choice in a canning jar and set in a sunny place to slowly infuse into an edible oil. This method can be used with prepackaged dried rosemary or your own homemade dried rosemary.

Ingredients

Fresh Rosemary Oil

Three or four sprigs of fresh rosemary
Two cups (475 ml) of oil (olive oil, jojoba oil, or sweet almond oil)

Dried Rosemary Oil

Three or four sprigs of dried rosemary OR
One large tablespoon of dried rosemary
About two cups (475 ml) of olive oil

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Fresh Rosemary

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1
Wash and measure the rosemary. Wash a few sprigs of fresh rosemary under cold, running water to remove any dirt and debris. Next, remove the leaves from the stem and measure out about a cup of leaves.^{[1]
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- Leftover rosemary leaves can be discarded or set aside for other recipes.
2
Fill a small saucepan with oil. Measure out two cups of oil and pour them into a small saucepan. Most people prefer to use olive oil for its flavor, cooking uses, and cosmetic applications. However, if you’re planning on exclusively using your oil for beauty purposes, you can use jojoba oil or sweet almond oil.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Lorena Barcal
Clinical Herbalist & Clean Beauty Specialist

Expert Interview. 28 June 2020.}^{[3]
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- Jojoba oil and sweet almond oil should not be eaten or used in cooking.
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3
Heat the rosemary in the oil. Add the rosemary sprigs to the saucepan. Place the pan over low heat on your stove. Heat the rosemary for five to ten minutes, stirring constantly.^{[4]
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Research source} As the oil warms up, it will begin to smell like rosemary.
- If the oil begins bubbling around the rosemary, the oil is too hot. Reduce the heat and stir.
4
Strain and cool the oil. Place a metal colander in a large metal bowl. Pour the oil mixture into the colander to strain out the rosemary pieces. Discard the leftover pieces of rosemary and let the oil cool in the bowl. ^{[5]
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- Metal strainers and cheesecloths can also be used to strain the oil. Make sure the oil has cooled before using these tools.
Once the oil has cooled to room temperature, it can be poured into a clean bottle. Label the bottle with the bottling date and the ingredients used. However, resist the urge to add a sprig of rosemary to the bottle. It looks pretty, but it can cause harmful bacteria to grow in the oil.^{[6]
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6
Refrigerate the oil. Oils infused with fresh herbs should be refrigerated and used within the week.^{[7]
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Research source} This will prevent the growth of any harmful bacteria that could cause the oil to become rancid.
- If the oil is a gift, be sure to include a “use by” date on the label.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Infusing Oil with Dried Rosemary

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1
Sanitize a canning jar. Fill a large, deep pot with water and place it over medium-high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, use tongs to place the canning jar in the water. Let the jar boil for ten minutes to kill any harmful bacteria that may ruin your rosemary oil.
- You don’t need to boil the lid. Instead, wash the lid with soap and water and let it air dry.^{[8]
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- You can also use a boiling-water canner to sterilize the canning jar. If so, follow the manufacturer instructions.
2
Put dried rosemary in the jar. If you dried your own rosemary, place three to four sprigs in the jar. If you’re using prepackaged dried rosemary, add a large tablespoon to the canning jar.^{[9]
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- Do not use fresh, undried rosemary. If you do, your oil will become rancid and might grow harmful Botulism bacteria.^{[10]
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  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
  
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3
Pour oil over the rosemary. Fill the jar with olive oil, leaving about half an inch (1.2 centimeters) of space at the top. Make sure all of the rosemary is completely submerged in the oil.^{[11]
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Research source} If necessary, use a clean spoon to push dried rosemary into the oil.
- You could also use coconut oil in place of olive oil.^{[12]
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  Expert Source
  
  Lorena Barcal
  Clinical Herbalist & Clean Beauty Specialist
  
  Expert Interview. 28 June 2020.}
Screw the lid onto the canning jar and set it in a sunny place. Let it sit undisturbed for two weeks. During this time, the oil will slowly heat and become infused with rich rosemary flavors. After two weeks, you can use your rosemary oil.
5
Strain the oil. Place a cheesecloth in a large metal bowl. The edges of the cheesecloth should hang over the sides of the bowl. Next, pour the contents of the canning jar into the cheesecloth. Gather the cheesecloth into a bundle and squeeze it over the bowl to separate the oil from the small dried rosemary pieces.^{[13]
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- Use clean hands to squeeze the cheesecloth.
- Discard the leftover pieces of rosemary.
6
Store the rosemary in your pantry. Pour the strained olive oil back into the canning jar and replace the lid. If you want, add a sprig of dried rosemary to the oil for decoration. Oils infused with dried herbs have a shelf life of one year. ^{[14]
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- If you move the oil to a new jar, sterilize the jar first.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Drying Fresh Rosemary

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1
Wash fresh rosemary. Fresh rosemary can be harvested from your own rosemary bush or purchased at the grocery store. Wash the sprigs of fresh rosemary under running water to remove dirt and debris. Pat the rosemary with a paper towel to remove excess water or use a salad spinner.
- You will need three to four sprigs of rosemary to make one canning jar’s worth of rosemary oil.
- Dried rosemary has a very long shelf life. Dry as much as you want, even if you don’t plan on using it all for rosemary oil.
Line a large baking sheet with a large piece of parchment paper. Next, place the rosemary on the baking sheet in a single layer. If you overcrowd the rosemary, it won’t dry properly in the oven.
3
Dry the fresh rosemary in the oven. Preheat your oven on the lowest setting for ten minutes. Next, place the baking sheet of rosemary in the oven. Let the rosemary bake for two to four hours.
- When the rosemary is done drying, it will crumble easily between your fingers.
- Let the sprigs cool completely before making rosemary oil.

Rosemary Oil Recipe

Sample Rosemary Oil Recipe

Expert Q&A

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Question

What is best carrier oil for rosemary oil?

Lorena Barcal
Clinical Herbalist & Clean Beauty Specialist
Lorena Barcal is a Clinical Herbalist, Clean Beauty Specialist, and Writer for IslandBeauty.co, a blog dedicated to sharing the benefits of using all-natural beauty products and recipes created by herbalists. Lorena specializes in studying and developing natural alternatives for beauty products. After finishing her herbal studies, Lorena managed an herbal lab in Barcelona developing natural beauty products. As a writer for IslandBeauty.co, she shares knowledge and insights to promote the natural beauty industry.

Lorena Barcal

Clinical Herbalist & Clean Beauty Specialist

Expert Answer

Jojoba and coconut oils are the best carrier oils to use, as they mix very well and create a great natural beauty product.

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Question

Does this work to put in lotions, soap, shampoo, ect.

Community Answer

Yes. Many people like to put a few drops of rosemary oil in their lotions, soaps, and shampoos before using them. To do so, mix a small amount of product in a small bowl with a few drops of rosemary oil.

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Question

What if I cannot get fresh rosemary?

Community Answer

It's perfectly fine to use dried rosemary instead. One large tablespoon of crumbled, dried rosemary equals about three to four sprigs of fresh rosemary.

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