Water distilled with the flowers of the bitter orange tree. Lighter and more citrus-leaning than rose water, and more forgiving with it — but still a perfume, and still easy to overdo.
Also known as mazaher · ma' al-zahr · mai zahr · orange flower water
- Arabicماء الزهرma' al-zahr
- What it isWater distilled with bitter-orange blossom
- Looks likeClear and colourless
- Compared to roseLighter, more citrus, more forgiving
- KeepsA year or more sealed; fades once opened
The Ingredient Atlas, in your pocket
Every Sofra recipe is free to read here on the web. The app carries an Ingredient Atlas covering Orange Blossom Water and dozens more Levantine ingredients — in English, Arabic and Portuguese, with the name in French and Spanish too — alongside a free collection of 112 recipes to cook from.
Get Sofra — free download →What it tastes and smells like
Floral with citrus behind it — closer to the smell of the tree in flower than to orange fruit. It lifts cream and syrup without dominating them, which is why it is the default distillate in so much Levantine pastry.
It is easier to handle than rose water because the citrus note reads as less perfumed. Easier is not the same as safe: the same soap problem waits at the far end.
Also drunk on its own — a spoonful in hot water is a household remedy across the Levant for an unsettled stomach.
What it is used in
- Awamat2 tbsp Orange blossom water
- Baklava2 tbsp Orange blossom water
- Halawet el-Jibn1 tbsp Orange blossom water (for syrup)
- Harisseh al-Hilweh1 tbsp orange blossom water
- Karabij1 tbsp orange blossom water
- Khushaf1 tbsp orange blossom water
- Knafeh2 tbsp Orange blossom water
- Layali Lubnan1 tbsp orange blossom water
21 Sofra recipes use it in all — browse the collection.
How to buy and store it
Buy the food-grade bottle from a Middle Eastern grocer or an international aisle. Cortas is the brand most reliably stocked outside the region. Strength varies between brands, so treat a new bottle as an unknown quantity.
Add it off the heat at the end, for the same reason as rose water: it is volatile and simmering drives the aroma off. Start with half the stated quantity, taste, then decide.
If you cannot find it
- Rose water goodMore floral and less citrus, but it sits in the same place in a recipe.
- Orange zest with a drop of vanilla acceptableGets you a citrus note. It is not the same thing and will not perfume a cream.
Frequently asked questions
What is orange blossom water?
It is water distilled with the flowers of the bitter orange tree. It carries a floral, citrus-leaning aroma and is used throughout Levantine sweets, creams and syrups.
What is the difference between orange blossom water and rose water?
Orange blossom water is lighter and more citrusy; rose water is more heavily floral. They are interchangeable in many desserts, and orange blossom is the more forgiving of the two.
How much orange blossom water should I use?
Start with half of what the recipe says, taste, and add the rest only if it needs it. Brands vary widely in strength.
When should I add it?
Off the heat, at the end. It is volatile, so simmering it into a syrup drives off much of the aroma you are paying for.
Can I drink orange blossom water?
Yes — a spoonful stirred into hot water is a common household remedy across the Levant for an unsettled stomach. It is sometimes called white coffee.
What is it used in?
Ashta cream, atayef, syrups for pastry, rice puddings and a great many other sweets. Eighteen Sofra recipes list it.