Simmer pots, also called stovetop potpourris, are a sustainable way to fill your home with seasonal scents using natural ingredients such as fruits, herbs, flowers, and spices. Even food scraps can be turned into zero waste aroma therapy. Simmer pots make your home feel cozy and inviting. They have the power to ignite the senses and warm the spirit. These steaming pots of goodness can help create an environment that is calming, welcoming, relaxing, or revitalizing – it all depends on what you put in them! Citrus offers a refreshing fresh scent while cinnamon and nutmeg warm the air. When herbs are added with intention, the simmer pot becomes a spell, adding abundance, providing protection, or casting away darkness. They also just smell amazing. The best part, you most likely have all the ingredients you need in your refrigerator, pantry, and garden already. Use the directions and recipes below to get you started, but don’t be afraid to mix and match to create your home’s own signature scent.
The Method:
Start by filling a large pot ¾ of the way full. Add the desired ingredients and bring them to a boil. When using flavored extracts like vanilla, add them to the pot after reducing the heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered, allowing the aroma to fill the air. Keep an eye on your simmer pot, stirring occasionally, adding water as needed for longer periods of simmering.
The Goods:
Winter Holiday~ Blessings and Abundance
(3) 3-inch cinnamon sticks
(1) orange, sliced
(2 -3) whole star anise
(2) sprigs of fresh pine, fir, or spruce
(1 tablespoon) whole cloves*
(1) whole apple
(1 cup) fresh cranberries
*Poke whole cloves into the whole apple before adding them to the pot.
Rainy Day
(3 tablespoons) pure maple syrup
(3) 3-inch cinnamon sticks
(2) sprigs of fresh pine, fir, spruce, or rosemary
(1-2 teaspoons) vanilla extract or (1/2) vanilla bean, sliced open
Coffee Shop~ Steep in gratitude and spark inspiration
(3) 3-inch cinnamon sticks
(1 cup) leftover coffee grounds
(2 tablespoons) brown sugar
(2 teaspoons) ground nutmeg
(2 teaspoons) vanilla extract or (1) vanilla bean, sliced open*
*Reduce the heat to low before adding the vanilla.
Me Time~ Embrace inner beauty and self-love
(2 cups) fresh rose petals or (1 cup) dried
(½ cup) fresh lavender buds or ¼ cup dried
(6) strawberries, sliced
(2 teaspoons) vanilla extract or (1) vanilla bean, sliced open*
*Reduce the heat to low before adding the vanilla
Weekly Refresh~ Cleaning Day!
(2) lemons, sliced
(3 sprigs) fresh lavender or 1 tablespoon dried
(2 sprigs) fresh pine, fir, or spruce
Don’t have the ingredients? Try these swaps.
Fresh herbs – use dried herbs and reduce measurements by half
3-inch cinnamon stick – use 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
Whole cloves – use 1 tablespoon of ground cloves
Vanilla Bean – use 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
Fresh fruit – use apple peels, strawberry tops, citrus rinds, dehydrated or freeze-dried fruits
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