While I love the cool stillness of winter, it’s so exciting when the first flowers peek out in the spring. The mornings feel energized and alive, the world teeming once again with the buds of spring. Some of the first friends to poke their heads out are dandelions, the much-maligned flowers deemed weeds by hardware store owners and middle-aged dads alike. These wonderful plants bring so much to the heart and the home, though, and one of the more versatile ways to use it is through making dandelion infused oil.
Uses for Dandelion Infused Oil
To make this oil, you just need to gather the flower heads. All the other supplies you definitely have in your kitchen already. This oil is summery, floral, and light, perfect for salves, lotions, and lotion bars. One of my favorite ways to use this is in my dandelion lotion bars! It is said to have pain-relieving properties, and it’s perfect to rub into sore muscles or painful joints. The scent goes well with lavender, chamomile, sage, and rosemary, among others.
This dandelion infused oil will be topical only, though, so do not ingest this. You can eat dandelion flowers, leaves, and roots, but not when prepared this way.
How Do I Harvest Dandelions?
For this dandelion infused oil, you will need to find a dandelion source that is free from pesticides. Your yard, friends’ yards, the woods, or a local farm are all great places to find dandelions. Public places are not the best place to find flowers because they have more than likely been treated, so try to find a private space.
Like so many of my recipes, this is a process more than it’s a strict measurement. You can make as much or as little of the dandelion infused oil as you want. What’s important here is the ratio, not the exact amount.
Time
- Active: About 30 minutes
- Inactive: 2 weeks
Ingredients & Supplies
- dandelion flowers
- oil to cover the flowers
- a glass jar
- a breathable lid, like a coffee filter and rubber band or Ball jar ring
Process
- Gather the dandelions from your pesticide-free source.
- Once home, you will need to give them a rinse.
- Spread them out on a towel in a sunny spot, either inside or outside, for an hour. This lets any bugs who hitched a ride home find a new spot. If you have any longer stems, make sure to cut them off.
- Pack your flower blooms into a glass jar, leaving at least an inch of head space.
- Cover them in oil, then carefully poke them down into the oil with a chopstick or spoon to get rid of air bubbles.
- A Word about the Oil: You can use pretty much any liquid at room temp oil that you like. I used olive oil because it is what I had on hand. Sweet almond or grapeseed oil are also great choices.
- Secure your breathable lid.
- Set them in a sunny spot and let them infuse for at least 2 weeks.
- After 2 weeks, strain out the flowers, preserving the oil.
Once you have your oil, use an airtight lid and store for up to a year. It has been known to go rancid after that time, so make sure you mark the date on your jar.
If you make this dandelion infused oil, how will you use it? Let me know on Instagram!
[…] make these bars, you’ll need to first make dandelion-infused oil, the recipe for which you can find here. It takes two weeks, so in the meantime, you can soothe your frustration by making my dandelion […]