Fill Your Home with Holiday Cheer: Simmer Pots to Enjoy or Share (Free Gift Tags!)

Ready to get in the Christmas spirit? This post includes an easy recipe to create festive simmer pots, plus creative ideas for gifting them during the holidays. Don’t forget to grab the free printable gift tags to make your simmer pot bags extra special!

If you are here for Christmas party ideas, then check out this Christmas charcuterie wreath appetizer. It is just as lovely as it is tasty. Another way to make your house smell amazing for Christmas is to make glowing winter luminaries. They dress up your mantle and have an amazing aroma too.

Here’s a delightful and easy way to scent your home this fall and winter. This stovetop potpourri will fill it with a warm, cozy fragrance-naturally! Forget about holiday candles that give you a headache and don’t even smell that great. When you simmer this stovetop potpourri, you will fill your entire home with warm, inviting aromas from real herbs and spices.

This scent is just strong enough to be noticeable but not so much that it overpowers you as you walk into the room. It’s the perfect backdrop for holiday parties and curling up to watch a holiday movie. Plus, you won’t believe how easy this is to make. It’s easier and cheaper than candles, so what are you waiting for? Let’s make some stovetop potpourri.

How to Prep for Easy Stovetop Potpourri

The very first step is to slice your orange so it fits in the pot. I like to slice mine evenly and thinly. I think it makes the potpourri look more decorative as it simmers when all the slices are uniform.

The Best Types of Fruit For A Simmer Pot

Since this simmer pot isn’t for eating, the type of fruit you use isn’t critical. That said, some apples are naturally more fragrant, like Gala or Honeycrisp, making them excellent choices if you’re including apples. Any variety of oranges or cranberries works beautifully. The recipe below keeps it simple with just cranberries and an orange to make it easy for gifting, but feel free to customize with any combination of fruits for your simmer pot.

After you put the fruit in your saucepan, top it with cinnamon sticks and cloves. Nutmeg is a nice optional addition as well if you have it on hand.

If you don’t have cinnamon sticks, you can just sprinkle some cinnamon on top. The cinnamon sticks may last longer and have more scent, so they are better for the simmer pot. They also look prettier if you are planning to gift simmer pot bags.

How Much Spice To Add To A Holiday Simmer Pot

There isn’t an exact amount that you have to stick to. If you want it to have a bit more of a spicy scent, use more cloves. If you prefer stronger sweet notes to come through, add more apples and oranges.

The best part? You can customize it to suit your exact preferences! I’m sharing two slightly different recipes: the recipe card at the bottom of the post is perfect for gifting, while the recipe in my video offers another fun variation. Feel free to adjust the ingredients and amounts to make it truly your own!

Use Real Vanilla In Stovetop Potpourri

Trust me, real vanilla extract has a stronger scent than imitation vanilla. You only need about a teaspoon of it, so invest in the good stuff.

Optional Things To Add To Stovetop Potpourri

Here are a few other things you can add to your potpourri:

• Star anise
• Cardamom pods
• Whole cranberries
• Fresh rosemary sprig

Then, all you need to do is to add water to your pot and simmer away!

Once you have all the ingredients added, simmer away! I keep my pot at a medium low heat. If it starts to boil, you’ll want to turn the heat down slightly. Enjoy as the wonderful scents of the holidays fill your room!

How to Make Simmer Pots:

Gifting Simmer Pots

Simmer Pots make great holiday gifts for co-workers, neighbors, teachers and friends. Grab the perishable ingredients at the grocery store and order some clear plastic treat bags. Add the ingredients to the bags and then tie them off with a Christmas ribbon and a free printable gift tag. It’s the easiest DIY Christmas gift and my recipients always rave about how much they enjoyed the holiday scent in their home. It’s like gifting Christmas cheer!

Tip: If you aren’t planning to gift them immediately, store the bags in the refrigerator to prolong their shelf life.

Enter your info below to get your free printable gift tag!

How to Make Simmer Pots: Video

That’s it! You are going to love how this DIY stovetop potpourri makes your entire kitchen and house smell. It’s like heating up a saucepan of Christmas cheer!

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