diff --git a/esphome/components/stepper/__init__.py b/esphome/components/stepper/__init__.py
index 243d7ebe2f..0c997fc2b6 100644
--- a/esphome/components/stepper/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/stepper/__init__.py
@@ -68,29 +68,22 @@ def validate_speed(value):
     return value
 
 
-def validate_rotation(value):
-    value = cv.string(value)
-
-    if value in ("both"):
-        return 0
-
-    if value in ("cw", "clockwise"):
-        return 1
-
-    if value in ("ccw", "counterclockwise", "counter-clockwise"):
-        return -1
-
-    raise cv.Invalid(
-        f"Expected rotation as 'both', 'cw', 'ccw', 'clockwise', 'counterclockwise', 'counter-clockwise', got {value}"
-    )
-
+Rotation = stepper_ns.enum("Rotation")
+ROTATIONS = {
+    "BOTH": Rotation.ROTATION_BOTH,
+    "CW": Rotation.ROTATION_CW,
+    "CLOCKWISE": Rotation.ROTATION_CW,
+    "CCW": Rotation.ROTATION_CCW,
+    "COUNTERCLOCKWISE": Rotation.ROTATION_CCW,
+    "COUNTER-CLOCKWISE": Rotation.ROTATION_CCW,
+}
 
 STEPPER_SCHEMA = cv.Schema(
     {
         cv.Required(CONF_MAX_SPEED): validate_speed,
         cv.Optional(CONF_ACCELERATION, default="inf"): validate_acceleration,
         cv.Optional(CONF_DECELERATION, default="inf"): validate_acceleration,
-        cv.Optional(CONF_ROTATION, default="both"): validate_rotation,
+        cv.Optional(CONF_ROTATION, default="both"): cv.enum(ROTATIONS, upper=True),
     }
 )
 
@@ -208,15 +201,14 @@ async def stepper_set_deceleration_to_code(config, action_id, template_arg, args
     cv.Schema(
         {
             cv.Required(CONF_ID): cv.use_id(Stepper),
-            cv.Required(CONF_ROTATION): cv.templatable(validate_rotation),
+            cv.Required(CONF_ROTATION): cv.enum(ROTATIONS, upper=True),
         }
     ),
 )
 async def stepper_set_rotation_to_code(config, action_id, template_arg, args):
     paren = await cg.get_variable(config[CONF_ID])
     var = cg.new_Pvariable(action_id, template_arg, paren)
-    template_ = await cg.templatable(config[CONF_ROTATION], args, cg.int32)
-    cg.add(var.set_rotation(template_))
+    cg.add(var.set_rotation(config[CONF_ROTATION]))
     return var