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This stovetop Christmas potpourri will fill your home with the magical scent of Christmas. Make some for yourself or give it as a gift. Free printable gift tags included! This simmer pot is a holiday must-have!
Nothing can set the holiday mood quite like a fabulous fragrance. This stovetop Christmas potpourri captures the essence of the holidays. I find myself making and loving this combination of beautiful scents every year. It’s just not Christmas without it!
Much like the best fall simmer pot recipe, and my spring simmer pot recipe, this simmer pot or stovetop potpourri, is made with fresh, natural ingredients for an authentic Christmas aroma that cannot be beat. Trust me, this stuff will make your home smell incredible!
If you’re ready for an easy, gift-worthy, smells-like-magic project that comes together in a snap, then keep reading.
Table of contents
- What is Stovetop Potpourri?
- Why I Love Stovetop Potpourri
- Ingredients and Supplies for this Stovetop Christmas Potpourri
- How to Make and Use this Stovetop Christmas Potpourri
- Printable Recipe Card
- Customize Your Potpourri
- The Secret to Christmas Scents
- Make a Shelf Stable Version
- Perfect for Gifting! Where to get Free Printable Tags
- Other Holiday Fragrance Ideas
What is Stovetop Potpourri?
Stovetop potpourri, also known as a simmer pot, is typically made from a combination of water, fruit, herbs, spices and other fragrant ingredients that are simmered together on the stove top or in a slow cooker. As the mixture simmers, it releases delicious fragrances into the air to make your house smell fabulous.
Why I Love Stovetop Potpourri
I love using simmer pots/stovetop potpourri because it’s easy to make, smells like a million bucks, can often be made with scraps (think leftover orange peels or a few sprigs of pine branches from the yard) and it uses natural ingredients.
I also adore having a warm pot of something fragrant simmering away on a cold day. It’s a cozy, comforting way to create a little holiday cheer.
Ingredients and Supplies for this Stovetop Christmas Potpourri
To make this recipe, you’ll want to gather the following ingredients:
- apple slices
- orange slices
- cinnamon sticks
- whole cloves
- rosemary, sage, spruce or pine sprigs
You’ll also need a large saucepan or slow cooker and water.
How to Make and Use this Stovetop Christmas Potpourri
To make your house smell amazing:
- Fill a large pot or slow cooker with water.
- Slice your fruit.
- Add the orange slices, apple slices, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and rosemary, sage, spruce or pine sprigs to a large pot.
- Bring the pot to boil on the stove.
- Reduce to low heat and simmer on the stove or in a slow cooker.
- Check the water level occasionally, adding more water as needed.
Printable Recipe Card
Stovetop Christmas Potpourri
Ingredients
- water
- 1 apple, sliced
- 1 orange, sliced
- 1 tbsp whole cloves
- cinnamon sticks
- rosemary, pine or spruce sprigs
Instructions
- Fill a large pot or slow cooker with water.
- Slice your apples and oranges.
- Add the sliced fruit, cinnamon sticks, cloves and rosemary, sage, pine or spruce sprigs to the water in your pot.
- Bring the pot to a boil and then lower to a simmer.
- Allow the pot to simmer for as long as you wish. Be sure to check it every so often to make sure the water level doesn't get too low. Add more water as needed.
- Enjoy!
Customize Your Potpourri
This Christmas potpourri recipe is fantastic, but don’t feel like you have to stick to this version. This recipe is easy to adapt, and you can try different ideas each time you make it.
For example, add some fresh cranberries, fresh ginger or sage to your simmer pot. Try a different citrus, like lemon slices. Throw in a vanilla bean or some vanilla extract.
If you want to substitute ground cinnamon for cinnamon sticks, that will be just fine. Other spices like nutmeg and star anise would also be fantastic.
If you don’t have any evergreens handy, try adding some pine or cedar essential oils to the mix. Got some leftover citrus peels? Throw them in!
Use this recipe as a jumping off point and get creative with what you have!
The Secret to Christmas Scents
In my opinion, I think it’s the touches of woodsy fragrances – like sage, pine and rosemary – that really bring the Christmas vibes. Try different combinations of these scents for a wonderful holiday fragrance.
Make a Shelf Stable Version
If you’re thinking that you’d like a shelf-stable version of this stovetop potpourri to pull out to use sometime later, then I got you covered. Check out my homemade dry Christmas potpourri. This version is perfect for stashing away until a later day.
Perfect for Gifting! Where to get Free Printable Tags
Christmas stovetop potpourri makes a wonderful gift! You can package and gift this fresh version, or my homemade dry Christmas potpourri. Either one makes a fantastic Christmas gift!
I’ve even got free printable gift tags for your stovetop potpourri. All you’ll need is something like a mason jar, ribbon or twine and you’re good to go!
Other Holiday Fragrance Ideas
Stovetop potpourri recipes are a favorite of mine. Try this one today and let me know what you think!
If you’d like more great ideas for adding delicious fragrance to your home, try one of these. Thanks for reading!
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