Stovetop potpourri is a lovely way to fill your house with fragrant aroma to really make the season come alive. The combinations are endless. All you need are some spices, herbs, fruit, and/or extracts, then toss them in a pot of water, and let simmer while the fragrance fills your home.
One of my favorite parts of Christmas is when we get our tree and picking off tiny needles to smell the fresh scent of pine. Since I always have extra trimmings, I decided to use them to make some potpourri.
I also got some whole spices: nutmeg, cloves, all spice, cinnamon sticks, and star anise (which were a bit too fragrant for my liking when I made my first test pot, so I soaked them in water for a few hours to absorb some of the fragrance).
There are two types of cinnamon sticks, Ceylon and Cassia. I chose to get Ceylon cinnamon* sticks, because I plan to use them when I cook, and I think they are prettier than Cassia cinnamon (though Cassia is more fragrant). You can read more about the difference between Ceylon and Cassia Cinnamon here.
I also sliced up some cuties (tangerines) and dried them out in the dehydrator.
Below is a list with more suggestions of spices, herbs, fruit peels, and extracts that can be used in simmering pots. This list is not exhaustive by any means, it’s just a few suggestions to help get your creative juices flowing!
Ingredient Suggestions:
Spices
- Kitchen spices (cloves, nutmeg, allspice, anise)
- Cinnamon sticks
- Vanilla Beans
- Ginger
Herbs
- Dried flowers (roses, lavender)
- Kitchen herbs (rosemary, basil, sage)
- Leaves/branches (holly leaves, tree clippings)
Fruit
- Citrus (lemon, orange, lime)
- Apples
- Berries (cranberries, juniper berries)
Extracts
- Mint (peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen)
- Tree Bark (fir balsam, cypress, sandalwood)
- Oil Blends (100% pure oil blends – if it is diluted, you’ll need to use more to get the desired aroma)
After you’ve selected all your ingredients, you can divide up the portions into mason jars for later use, or a cute gift!
How to Make:
- Fill a medium size pot a little over half way with water.
- Add in all your goodies: spices/herbs/fruit/extracts.
- Bring water to a low boil, then lower the heat and let simmer as long as your heart desires.
- Keep an eye on the water level and replenish as needed.
Holiday Stovetop Potpourri
Supplies You Need:
Vast array of different whole spices, herbs, fruit, and/or extracts.
3 cinnamon stick halves
1 whole nutmeg
3 whole cloves
3 whole all spice
3 slices of dried tangerines
3-4 tree clippings.
Directions:
- Fill a medium size pot a little over half way with water.
- Add in all your goodies: spices/herbs/fruit/extracts.
- Bring water to a low boil, then lower the heat and let simmer as long as your heart desires.
- Keep an eye on the water level and replenish as needed.
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