Simmering potpourri recipes to keep your home smelling amazing

table of contents[Hide][Show]

Cooler months mean more time inside. Simmering potpourri recipes are a great way to make a home cozy and inviting. They are just one way to get your winter hygge going!

What is simmering potpourri?

When I say potpourri, I don’t mean the weird, man-made scented bowls that collect dust in older relatives’ bathrooms. Simmering Potpourri is made from naturally fragrant products that are heated in water, juice or tea.

You can use a saucepan on the stove, a crockpot, or the slow cooker function of your Instant Pot. I’ve even seen little crockpots and wax warmers that would work. However, when using the oven, do not leave it unattended!

What do you put in a simmering potpourri?

There are many options here and you can combine ingredients to create your own fragrances. Spices, tea, herbs, and fruits are popular alternatives.

Simmering potpourri can also be very economical if you use lemon, orange, and apple peels and kernels. Lemon peel also make a delicious lemon pepper spice. Just don’t use bowls that are mushy, brown, or go bad in any way. Smelly rotten apple smell mixed with cinnamon is not what we are looking for here.

Simmering potpourri ingredients

Apple peels, slices and / or cores
Orange peel or slices
Lemon peels or slices
Grapefruit peel or slices
Mandarin peels or slices
Lavender (dried or fresh)
Mint (dried or fresh)
Pine or pine needles
Pine cones
Fresh ginger
cinnamon sticks
Cloves
Star anise
nutmeg
pimento
Cranberries (dried or fresh)

The health benefits of potpourri

Aromatherapy is a powerful tool for emotions, mental health, and physical health. We use essential oil diffusers in our home for their health and mood enhancing benefits. When simmering potpourri is heated, the essential oils wander through the air, creating an inviting scent. These are the same essential oils that are found in essential oils.

A Clinical study 2009 reported students showed less stress when inhaling bergamot essential oil. A Animal study 2020 Found essential oils can reduce anxiety, depression, and inflammation caused by oxidative stress. These are just a few of the studies that highlight the emotional benefits of volatile vegetable oils.

Simmering potpourri not only creates an inviting atmosphere, it also has antimicrobial benefits. There are other powerful antimicrobials (like garlic and onions) that don’t smell as nice as part of a potpourri mixture.

Lavender relieves stress and is antibacterial.
Rosemary improves memory, reduces stress, and is antibacterial.
Orange peel relieves stress and anxiety, lifts mood, and is antimicrobial.
Spices like cinnamon, clove, and ginger have antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties.

Cooking potpourri recipes

These are not really strict recipes, rather like ingredient lists and guidelines. It’s easy to mix and match and combine to create your own custom fragrance, but here are some ideas to get you started.

Orange, rosemary and mint
Apple, cinnamon and clove
Cranberry, orange, cinnamon and star anise
Lavender, lemon and orange
Orange, pine needles and pine cones

Turn it into a gift!

DIY skin care products are often my first choice for homemade gifts, but it’s nice to craft something different too. Simmering potpourri makes a great gift – just put something in a mason jar or a sweet bag. Some of the ingredients would even work as a drawer freshener in a cloth bag.

Don’t forget about fresh fruit, fresh peels, or fresh herbs when giving it as a gift. However, these ingredients can be easily dried for a shelf stable version.

Get ideas for other hearty DIY gifts for the holidays here.

To press
Pen