If you've ever drizzled a gorgeous herb oil over grilled chicken, finished a summer salad with a citrus-kissed vinaigrette, or dunked crusty bread into something warm and garlicky, you already know the magic of infused oil. What you might not know is just how easy it is to make your own at home — and how perfectly Mason jars are suited for the job.

Infused oils are one of those kitchen projects that look impressive, taste incredible, and cost a fraction of what you'd pay at a specialty store. They make stunning homemade gifts, beautiful additions to your counter, and genuinely transformative ingredients in summer cooking. And with the right Mason jar accessories, the whole process — infusing, storing, and pouring — is cleaner and easier than ever.

Here's everything you need to know to get started, plus our favorite summer flavor combinations to try.

What Is an Infused Oil?

An infused oil is simply a carrier oil — typically olive oil, avocado oil, or a neutral oil like grapeseed — that has been steeped with fresh or dried herbs, spices, citrus, peppers, or other aromatics until it takes on their flavor and fragrance.

The result is a deeply flavorful oil you can use for cooking, drizzling, dipping, marinating, or finishing dishes. Think of it as building flavor into the oil itself, so everything you cook with it gets an automatic upgrade.

Choosing Your Oil

The base oil you choose matters as much as what you infuse it with. Here's a quick guide:

Olive oil is the most popular choice for infused oils. Extra virgin olive oil has a rich, fruity flavor that complements herbs, garlic, and citrus beautifully. It's the best choice for drizzling and dipping. For high-heat cooking, use a lighter olive oil or one of the options below.

Avocado oil has a mild, buttery flavor and a high smoke point, making it ideal for infusions you plan to cook with. It lets the flavoring ingredients shine without competing.

Grapeseed oil is very neutral in flavor, which makes it a blank canvas for delicate infusions like floral or citrus notes. It's also light and affordable.

Sunflower or safflower oil are good neutral, budget-friendly options for everyday infused cooking oils.

The Two Methods: Cold Infusion vs. Heat Infusion

Cold (slow) infusion: Combine your oil and flavoring ingredients in a clean Mason jar, seal it, and store it in a cool, dark place for 1–2 weeks. This method is simple and hands-off, and it produces a subtler, more nuanced flavor. Best for dried herbs, spices, and chili flakes.

Heat infusion: Gently warm the oil with your flavoring ingredients on the stove over very low heat (around 150–180°F) for 30–60 minutes, then strain and pour into a Mason jar to cool. This method extracts flavor much faster and works well for garlic, rosemary, and other aromatics you want to use right away.

Important safety note: Fresh herbs, garlic, and other low-acid, high-moisture ingredients in oil can pose a risk of botulism if stored at room temperature for extended periods. Always use the heat method for fresh ingredients, and store finished infused oils in the refrigerator. Use within 1–2 weeks. Dried herbs and spices used via the cold method are generally safer for longer-term pantry storage, but when in doubt, refrigerate.

What You'll Need

Making infused oils in Mason jars is simple, and you probably already have most of what you need. Here's the basic setup:

• Mason jars (pint or quart size work great) for infusing and storing

• Silicone Oil Cruet Pour Lid or Stainless Steel Oil Cruet Pour Lid for drip-free, controlled pouring when you're ready to use your oil

• Stainless Steel Spice Shaker Lids for herbs needed in the infused oils or to shake directly onto food

• Pour Over Drip Coffee or Cold Brew Filter for straining out solids before storing — the fine stainless steel mesh is perfect for catching herbs, garlic, and spice particles, and it fits right on your Mason jar so you can strain directly into the jar you'll be storing your oil in

• Stainless Steel Canning Funnel for clean, spill-free pouring into jars — crafted from heavy-duty 304 grade stainless steel, rust-resistant, and fits both regular and wide mouth Mason jars perfectly

• Vinyl Chalkboard Labels (48 Pack) for labeling your jars with the flavor and date made — dishwasher safe, reusable, and the perfect size for most Mason jar sizes. Pair with the Liquid Chalk Pen for clean, easy-to-read writing that wipes right off when you're ready to relabel

The Silicone Oil Cruet Pour Lid in particular is a game-changer for infused oils. The silicone tip gives you a slow, precise pour every single time — no glugging, no drips running down the side of the jar. Once you use it, you'll never pour oil from a regular bottle again.

8 Summer Infused Oil Flavors to Try

1. 🌿 Garlic & Rosemary

This is the classic. Rich, savory, deeply aromatic — garlic rosemary oil is endlessly useful in the summer kitchen. Use it to brush grilled bread, drizzle over roasted vegetables, finish a steak, or use as a dipping oil for crusty sourdough at a dinner party.

How to make it: Use the heat method. Combine 2 cups of olive oil, 6–8 lightly crushed garlic cloves, and 3–4 fresh rosemary sprigs in a small saucepan. Heat over very low heat for 45 minutes — the oil should barely shimmer, not bubble. Strain into a clean Mason jar, cool, and refrigerate. Use within 2 weeks.

Best used for: Grilling, bread dipping, pasta, roasted potatoes, drizzling over pizza fresh out of the oven.

2. 🌶️ Calabrian Chili & Garlic

If you like heat, this one becomes your go-to summer condiment. The combination of fruity, spicy chili and mellow garlic creates an oil that adds depth and a slow burn to everything it touches.

How to make it: Heat method. Combine 2 cups of olive oil with 4 crushed garlic cloves and 2–3 tablespoons of dried Calabrian chili flakes (or any good-quality red pepper flakes). Warm over low heat for 30–45 minutes. Strain if desired, or leave the flakes in for extra heat over time. Store in the fridge.

Best used for: Pizza, pasta, grilled shrimp, drizzling over eggs, brushing onto corn on the cob.

3. 🍋 Lemon & Thyme

Bright, fresh, and herbaceous — this is pure summer in a jar. The citrus lifts everything it touches, and thyme adds a subtle earthiness that keeps it from being one-dimensional. It's light enough to use as a salad dressing base and flavorful enough to stand on its own as a finishing oil.

How to make it: Cold method works beautifully here. Combine 2 cups of good olive oil with the zest of 2 lemons (use a vegetable peeler for wide strips — avoid the white pith) and 6–8 fresh thyme sprigs in a Mason jar. Seal and refrigerate for 5–7 days. Strain before using. Use within 2 weeks.

Best used for: Salad dressings, grilled fish, drizzling over hummus, finishing grilled chicken, tossing with summer pasta.

4. 🧄 Roasted Garlic

This is garlic oil's richer, mellower, sweeter cousin. Roasting the garlic before infusing removes the sharp bite and replaces it with a deep, caramelized sweetness. The result is one of the most versatile cooking oils you'll ever make.

How to make it: Roast a whole head of garlic (drizzled with oil, wrapped in foil) at 400°F for 40 minutes until golden and soft. Squeeze the cloves out into a Mason jar, pour in 2 cups of olive oil, and heat gently on the stove over low heat for 20 minutes. Cool, strain, and refrigerate. Use within 2 weeks.

Best used for: Sautéing vegetables, finishing soups, spread on grilled bread, tossed with pasta, drizzled over flatbread.

5. 🍅  Basil & Sun-Dried Tomato

This one tastes like Italian summer. Basil-infused oil is delicate and floral, and the sun-dried tomatoes add a concentrated, savory sweetness that makes the oil taste rich and complex. It's stunning drizzled over fresh mozzarella or a Caprese salad.

How to make it: Blanch a large handful of fresh basil leaves in boiling water for 30 seconds, then immediately transfer to ice water (this preserves the bright green color and reduces moisture for safety). Pat completely dry. Warm gently in 2 cups of olive oil over low heat for 20 minutes with 4–5 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, halved. Cool, blend briefly if desired, strain, and refrigerate. Use within 1 week.

Best used for: Caprese salads, drizzling over bruschetta, pasta, grilled zucchini, flatbread.

6. 🫙 Smoked Paprika & Cumin

For the grill master in your house, this one is a summer essential. Warm, smoky, and earthy, this oil is extraordinary brushed onto meats and vegetables before they hit the grill, or drizzled over finished dishes for a finishing flourish.

How to make it: Cold method. Combine 2 cups of neutral oil (avocado or grapeseed) with 2 tablespoons of smoked paprika and 1 tablespoon of whole cumin seeds in a Mason jar. Seal and store in a cool, dark place for 5–7 days, shaking occasionally. Strain before using or leave the spices in for a deeper flavor over time.

Best used for: Grilling chicken, shrimp, and vegetables; drizzling over roasted corn; tossing with chickpeas; adding to marinades.

7. 🐝Lavender & Honey

A little unexpected, deeply lovely, and perfect for summer. Lavender oil with a touch of honey stirred in (added after infusing) is beautiful drizzled over soft cheeses, stone fruits, or used in summer cocktails and salad dressings. It's also a stunning hostess gift in a labeled Mason jar.

How to make it: Cold method. Combine 2 cups of light olive oil or grapeseed oil with 2 tablespoons of dried culinary lavender in a Mason jar. Seal and store in a cool, dark place for 7–10 days. Strain well — lavender can become bitter if left too long. Stir in 1 tablespoon of honey after straining if desired.

Best used for: Drizzling over goat cheese, peaches, or watermelon; salad dressings; finishing grilled stone fruits; charcuterie boards.

8. 🔥 Jalapeño & Lime

This one is made for summer cookouts. Spicy, citrusy, and bright, jalapeño lime oil is the kind of thing you'll put on everything — grilled corn, tacos, fish, avocado toast, you name it. It's bold enough to make a statement and versatile enough to reach for every day.

How to make it: Heat method. Combine 2 cups of avocado oil, 3 sliced jalapeños (seeds in for more heat, seeds removed for less), and the zest of 2 limes in a saucepan. Heat over very low heat for 30–40 minutes. Strain into a clean Mason jar, cool, and refrigerate. Use within 2 weeks.

Best used for: Grilled corn, fish tacos, drizzling over guacamole, finishing grilled shrimp, tossing with summer slaws.

How to Store & Gift Your Infused Oils

Once strained, pour your infused oil into a clean Mason jar using a funnel for a neat, spill-free fill. Seal with a storage lid for the fridge, or pop on a Silicone Oil Cruet Pour Lid if it's heading straight to the counter for daily use.

Label every jar. Always write the flavor and the date made on a chalkboard label or a strip of masking tape. Infused oils look similar once strained, and you'll want to know when to use them by.

For gifting: A Mason jar filled with a beautiful infused oil, topped with a cruet lid or a decorative storage lid, tied with a ribbon and a handwritten recipe card is one of the most thoughtful homemade gifts you can give. It looks like it came from a gourmet shop, costs almost nothing to make, and is genuinely useful. Try pairing a jar of garlic rosemary oil with a small loaf of crusty bread for a host gift that gets remembered.

Mason Jar Accessories for Infused Oils

The right accessories make the whole infused oil experience better — from making to using to gifting. Here are the ones we reach for most:

• Silicone Oil Cruet Pour Lid — for precise, drip-free pouring at the stove or table. The best way to use your infused oils day to day.

• Stainless Steel Spice Shaker Lids — perfect for chili and spices you want to shake directly onto food.

• Pour & Store Pitcher Lid with Handle — great for pouring oil into a pan or basting dish with control and an easy grip.

• Stainless Steel or Plastic Storage lids — keep your infused oils sealed tight in the fridge between uses.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do infused oils last? Infused oils made with fresh ingredients (garlic, fresh herbs, citrus zest) should be stored in the refrigerator and used within 1–2 weeks. Oils made with thoroughly dried herbs and spices can last up to a month in the fridge. Always discard if you notice any cloudiness, off smell, or mold.

Can I leave garlic in the oil while it stores? For food safety reasons, it's best to strain out fresh garlic before storing. Garlic submerged in oil at room temperature creates an anaerobic environment that can allow harmful bacteria to grow. Strain, refrigerate, and use promptly.

Can I use fresh herbs instead of dried? Yes, but always use the heat infusion method and refrigerate the finished oil. Fresh herbs contain moisture which increases the risk of bacterial growth. Make sure herbs are as dry as possible before infusing, and use within 1–2 weeks.

What size Mason jar should I use? A pint jar (16 oz) is perfect for a single batch of 2 cups of infused oil — plenty for personal use over 1–2 weeks. If you're making a larger batch for gifting or cooking, a quart jar (32 oz) gives you more room to work with.

Do I need special equipment? Not at all. A Mason jar, a small saucepan, a fine mesh strainer, and a Silicone Oil Cruet Pour Lid are really all you need to get started.

Ready to Start Infusing?

Making infused oils at home is one of the most rewarding kitchen projects you can take on this summer. It's low-effort, high-reward, and the results are genuinely delicious. Once you start, you'll find yourself making batches to keep on hand at all times — and probably a few extra to give away.

Browse the full collection of Mason jar accessories to set up your perfect infused oil station at masonjarlifestyle.com.

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