The season of scented candles has begun!

While Pumpkin Spice Latte and Vanilla Bean Frosting might sound scrumptious and inviting, the truth is that many scented candles are made of petroleum-based paraffin with dubious artificial scents. A better and safer alternative is to do what your grandmother did: simmer a pot of spices on your stove! Ingredients like cinnamon sticks, apple peels, orange rinds, cloves, apple juice, vanilla, anise, and nutmeg will soon make your home smell like you’ve been baking all day.

Simmering potpourri is a lovely way to make your home smell warm and inviting, especially during the holiday season when you use fragrant spices like cinnamon and cloves.

How It Works

Just fill a pot with water, add your favorite ingredients and simmer all day. This also helps humidify the home a bit.

The recipes below are just guidelines, you can use different amounts and mix up ingredients as you like. Save: Orange, lemon and lime peels, apple skins (dry them out first before storing in a container) and add assorted spices. Experiment to find your favorite aromas!

How To Simmer

Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add the ingredients from your favorite recipe, boil for a few minutes, then turn the heat down to simmer all day. Top up water as needed.

Important Note:
Set your timer for 30 minutes so you remember to top up with water. You don’t want the pot burning dry. Do not leave the house with this left heating on the stove.

10 Simmer Pot Recipes

Recipe 1

Cinnamon sticks
Apple peels
Orange rinds
Whole cloves

Recipe 2

Apple juice
Cinnamon sticks
Whole cloves

Recipe 3

Vanilla (a few drops)
Orange peels

Recipe 4

Whole cloves
1 tsp nutmeg

Recipe 5

Peel from a whole orange
Whole cloves
2 Cinnamon sticks

Recipe 6

5 bay leaves
1 TBS whole cloves
2 sticks cinnamon

Recipe 7

Peel from 1 lemon
Peel from 1 orange
2 bay leaves
3 cinnamon sticks
2 TBS whole cloves

Recipe 8

1/8 cup cloves
1/8 cup allspice
2 cinnamon sticks

Recipe 9 | Winter Freshener

2 cups dried rosemary
2 cups dried lavender
1 cup dried eucalyptus leaves
1/2 cup dried peppermint or spearmint
1/2 cup dried bay leaves

Directions: Keep stored in an airtight container then add 1 cup of mix per 3 cups boiling water.

Recipe 10 | Christmas Potpourri Simmering Pot

3 sprigs evergreen or handful pine needles
2 cinnamon sticks
2 TBS whole cloves
2 bay leaves
2 pieces orange rind
2 pieces lemon rind

BONUS RECIPE | Fragrant Slowcooker Version:

1 cup dried lavender leaves
4 cups dried rose petals
1 tsp. anise seed
1 TBS ground nutmeg
1 TBS whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick (broken and crushed into pieces)
1 TBS crushed benzoin fixative
5 drops jasmine oil
5 drops patchouli oil
5 drops rose geranium oil
5 drops rosemary oil

Directions: Mix all ingredients and store in a glass container for 1 month before using (store in dark location). Fill crockpot halfway with water, add 1 to 2 cups potpourri then turn the heat on low (lid off). Source: Company’s Coming Slow Cooker Recipes (by Jean Pare).

Tips

Storage: You can refrigerate your simmering recipe and reuse daily for up to one week. Just keep adding water as needed.
Frugal Idea: For apple juice, cranberry juice, herbs and spices that are outdated, don’t throw out–just add to your simmering pot.