This simple fall simmer pot recipe will fill your home with the beautiful, bright and warm scents of cinnamon, orange, clove and more and will set the mood for cozy season.
One of my favorite ways to make my home smell amazing and add a level of coziness is to make a fall simmer pot, also known as stovetop potpourri. It literally makes your house smell like the quintessential fall scents and makes you just want to curl up with a good book or bake something. This fall simmer pot recipe uses ingredients like orange slices, cinnamon sticks and cloves which you may already have on hand. It’s also incredibly easy to make and all you have to do is set it and forget it. If you’re sensitive to the strong scents of fall candles or plugins, then this is a natural way to make your home smell great!
What’s great about this recipe is it’s super versatile. You can make it in the same way as I’ve shown below, or simply use what you’ve got. If you don’t have whole cinnamon sticks, then use ground cinnamon instead. If you’re someone who still has herbs in the garden, then throw some of those in too. To break it down, this simmer pot is simply water with some fragrant smelling kitchen items added into it! But trust me when I say, even if it’s simple, it packs a punch, in the best way of course!
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FAQs
What do you put in a simmer pot?
You can really put any type of aromatics into a simmer pot and tailor it to the seasons, for instance summer, autumn, Christmas and winter. You can add in fresh herbs, citrus fruits and peels, spices like star anise, cinnamon and cloves and anything else you can think of that you enjoy.
How long do you leave a simmer pot on?
You can leave a simmer pot on all day and reuse the contents for several days. When the water gets low, simply add more. If you don’t feel comfortable leaving the stovetop on overnight, turn it off, add a lid and resume simmering the next day. You can even use a CrockPot instead if you prefer. Another great place to add a simmer pot is on top of a wood stove. That surface gets super hot and you can put it to good use by simmering water and aromatics!
Do simmer pots actually make your house smell good?
Okay, before I ever tried making a simmer pot, I admit I was a bit skeptical. HOWEVER, I’m here to tell you that simmer pots do in fact make your house smell amazing! I’m very sensitive to strong fragrances like some candles and air fresheners so I love that this is an all-natural alternative to freshen my home and make it smell great.
How many times can you reuse a simmer pot?
You can reuse the contents of a simmer pot over several days or until the fresh ingredients are no longer holding up.
Optional Add-Ins
- Fresh rosemary
- Orange peels
- Lemon peels
- Whole cranberries
- Vanilla or vanilla beans
- Fresh mint
- Peppercorns
- Tea bags
How to Make a Simple Fall Simmer Pot
Tools You May Need:
Ingredients:
- 1 whole orange sliced
- 1 whole apple sliced
- 3 whole cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise
- 2 tbs whole cloves
Directions
Cut whole oranges and apples into slices and set them aside.
Fill a large pot with water, leaving about 2 inches of headspace.
Add in the orange slices, apple slices, whole cloves, cinnamon sticks and star anise into the pot.
Place the pot on the stove and turn the heat to low-medium until the pot starts to simmer.
Turn the pot to low heat and allow it to simmer, adding water as needed.
Notes
- Simmer pots are super customizable and many different aromatics can be added.
- When the water gets low, simply add more and allow the pot to keep simmering.
- The contents of the simmer pot can be reused for several days and even swapped out.
- This autumn simmer pot recipe can also be done in a CrockPot to avoid having to shut it off at night.
Fall Simmer Pot
This simple fall simmer pot recipe will fill your home with the beautiful, bright and warm scents of cinnamon, orange, clove and more and will set the mood for cozy season.
Materials
- 1 whole orange sliced
- 1 whole apple sliced
- 3 whole cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise
- 2 tbs whole cloves
Tools
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Large pot
Instructions
- Cut whole oranges and apples into slices and set them aside.
- Fill a large pot with water, leaving about 2 inches of headspace.
- Add in the orange slices, apple slices, whole cloves, cinnamon sticks and star anise into the pot.
- Place the pot on the stove and turn the heat to low-medium until the pot starts to simmer.
- Turn the pot to low heat and allow it to simmer, adding water as needed.
Notes
- Simmer pots are super customizable and many different aromatics can be added.
- When the water gets low, simply add more and allow the pot to keep simmering.
- The contents of the simmer pot can be reused for several days and even swapped out.
- This autumn simmer pot recipe can also be done in a CrockPot to avoid having to shut it off at night.
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Looking for more seasonal tutorials like this?
Looking for more seasonal tutorials like this fall simmer pot recipe? Check these out:
Did you try making this simple fall simper pot recipe? If you did, I’d really love to see it. Tag me on Instagram (@thesimplehomeplace) to show me your own recreation of this tutorial!
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