Make Your Own Flavored Cooking Oil with Rosemary and Other Herbs

Buying pre-made flavored olive oils can get pricey. Cut down on costs by making flavored cooking oil in the comfort of your own kitchen. Homemade infused olive oils are easy, inexpensive, customizable gifts that are fabulous for the holidays, birthdays, housewarming parties, or just to say thank you to a friend who watered your plants while you were away. Herb-infused olive oil can be made in one big batch, so save a bottle for yourself and divvy up the rest for your friends. Start steeping your rosemary-infused olive oil now, and in a few weeks it’ll be packed with flavor and ready to use for scrambling eggs, drizzling over breakfast potatoes, and making savory French toast.

Making rosemary-infused olive oil is simple. Place the oil and rosemary sprigs in a saucepan and heat over low heat for 6 to 8 minutes. You want to get the oil warm enough to begin the infusion process. Let the oil cool to room temperature before filling the bottles. Make sure there’s enough fresh rosemary sprigs to adorn the number of bottles you have. Place one rosemary sprig into each before pouring the infused oil into the bottle for a more decorative DIY gift. Make sure to clean and completely dry the sprigs overnight before placing them in the bottle—bacteria can’t grow in the oil itself, but it can grow in the water left back on the herbs. You can also add some red pepper flakes if you know your friends prefer oil that packs a bit of heat. And if rosemary isn’t your thing, try a different herb like thyme or sage.