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Fall Stovetop Potpourri Recipe – Easy Homemade Autumn Simmer Pot

Enjoy the sweet smell of apples and warming spices in this fragrant fall stovetop potpourri. In this DIY, you’ll learn how to make a stovetop potpourri and make your house smell amazing.

Heating up an air freshener simmer pot is a great way to fragrance naturally – without harsh chemicals and toxins. Simmer pot recipes are an inexpensive way to fragrance your home naturally, using ingredients and materials you most likely already have at home.

Enjoy the sweet smell of apples and warming spices in a fragrant fall stovetop potpourri. In this easy DIY, learn how to make a stovetop potpourri recipe and make your house smell clean and amazing. This homemade air freshener simmer pot is a great way to home fragrance naturally. The materials include fresh fruits, lemon peel, cinnamon and other dried spices. Optionally essential oils, rosemary, orange or vanilla. #potpourri #airfreshener #stovetoppotpourri #simmerpot | countryhillcottage.com

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What is a stovetop potpourri air freshener?

A stovetop air freshener simmer pot is a natural method to scent and humidify the air. “Potpourri” means mixture of things, and just like traditional dry potpourri, a simmer pot contains a mix of different materials, including fresh and dried fruits, herbs, spices, and flowers.

The ingredients are put into a pot filled with water and simmer on the stove. And while the potpourri bubbles away, the fragrant steam waft through your house and give your home a fresh and delicious fall scent.

Enjoy the sweet smell of apples and warming spices in a fragrant fall stovetop potpourri. In this easy DIY, learn how to make a stovetop potpourri recipe and make your house smell clean and amazing. This homemade air freshener simmer pot is a great way to home fragrance naturally. The materials include fresh fruits, lemon peel, cinnamon and other dried spices. Optionally essential oils, rosemary, orange or vanilla. #potpourri #airfreshener #stovetoppotpourri #simmerpot | countryhillcottage.com

What are the benefits of a fall stovetop potpourri?

Skip the synthetic room sprays and artificial candles and make an autumn stovetop air freshener. A liquid potpourri is a great natural way to make your home smell like fall – without chemicals and artificial fragrances. While the potpourri simmers, water evaporates, and small droplets not only scent your home but also humidify the dry autumn air.

A simmer pot is a good homemade air freshener for those who are allergic to artificial fragrances. Some people also react sensitive to essential oils, which aren’t needed to create a fragrant simmer pot with apples and spices. And for those of you still wondering can you add essential oils to a simmer pot, read on to find out!

Materials for a DIY simmer pot recipe: apples, lemon and cinnamon sticks

Homemade Fall Stovetop Potpourri Recipe Ingredients

Apples are the star in this homemade potpourri recipe for fall and I added a handful of spices to create an abundant fall fragrance. Think of these simmer potpourri ingredients as guidelines. You can be creative and switch out ingredients to make the simmering potpourri recipe your own. Here are the ingredients we need to make this fall stovetop recipe:

  • 2 – 3 small apples – Small aromatic apples work best. Instead of using whole fruits, the homemade potpourri can also be prepared with leftover apple peel. If you ever wondered what can I use apple peelings for? Now you know: make a liquid potpourri.
  • spices – Spices give the DIY fall potpourri that warm and homey autumn smell. I used whole cinnamon sticks, anise stars, allspice berries, and cardamom pods. Cloves or vanilla beans are great stovetop scents, too. You can also make the simmer air freshener with ground spices or a spice mix. Try our homemade apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice, or use this organic spice blend.
  • fresh lemon peel – Use an organic lemon if possible. I wanted only a subtle lemon smell but if you want more tang throw some lemon slices into the DIY potpourri recipe. You can also play with other citrus fruit such as oranges or tangerines.
  • water – Use fresh tap water to simmer the fall potpourri ingredients. In case the water in your area is chlorinated, filter the water first to remove the chlorine. Alternatively, use bottled water.
Enjoy the sweet smell of apples and warming spices in a fragrant fall stovetop potpourri. In this easy DIY, learn how to make a stovetop potpourri recipe and make your house smell clean and amazing. This homemade air freshener simmer pot is a great way to home fragrance naturally. The materials include fresh fruits, lemon peel, cinnamon and other dried spices. Optionally essential oils, rosemary, orange or vanilla. #potpourri #airfreshener #stovetoppotpourri #simmerpot | countryhillcottage.com

Tips to make the best simmer stovetop potpourri for fall

Ready to make your own fall stovetop potpourri? Use this homemade autumn potpourri to freshen and humidify the air in your home. There are only a few simple steps in this recipe for a stovetop potpourri. You can warm a liquid potpourri on the stove top and or make a crockpot potpourri. I have included instructions for both stove simmers.

Prep the fruits

  • First, wash the apples and lemon under warm running water. If the apples are waxed, try to wash off most of the wax.
  • Next, cut the apples in halves or quarters. I could fit 4 small apples into my pot,  but 2 to 3 are enough to give you a great natural apple fragrance. And don’t discard the seeds! Apple seeds contain benzaldehyde, a substance that smells like almond.
  • Using a small paring knife or potato peeler, cut away the rind of the lemon. The surface of the lemon is slippery, so be careful that you don’t cut yourself.

Simmer potpourri on the stove top – How do I make my house smell good on the stove?

Setting up a simmering potpourri recipe is really easy and only takes 5 minutes prep. You can boil the stove simmer recipe for hours. Just make sure to replenish the water to avoid burning the ingredients and don’t leave the simmer pot unattended when kids or pets are around. Here are the simple steps:

  • Place the apples, lemon peel, and spices into a small or medium pot or saucepan.
  • Add water until half full, the apples should be swimming in the water and not touching the bottom of the pot.
  • Bring the water to a boil.
  • Then reduce the heat to low for a mild simmer.

Crockpot potpourri

The instructions on how to make a crockpot potpourri in a slow cooker or crockpot are pretty much the same as for the stovetop method.

  • Add the potpourri materials into your crockpot or slow cooker and add water until half full.
  • Cook on slow and refill water as needed.
Ingredients for a homemade stovetop potpourri: apples, lemon and cinnamon sticks

Can I use essential oils in a fall stovetop potpourri? Homemade potpourri with essential oils

Yes, you can add essential oils to a homemade stovetop potpourri. While our simmering potpourri smells wonderful on its own, essential oils can be used to enhance the fragrance and for added aromatherapy benefits.

For an autumn-themed homemade potpourri with essential oils,  try spicy essential oils like cinnamon bark, clove bud and ginger. Woodsy scents such as pine, cedarwood, or balsam fir, are also excellent stove top scents and good for stovetop aromatherapy.

I recommended simmering the potpourri for 30 minutes before you added the essential oils, so you know how the DYI stovetop air freshener potpourri smells by itself. And don’t add more than 10 to 15 drops to the potpourri. Essential oils can cause headaches and respiratory problems if too much is used.

Enjoy the sweet smell of apples and warming spices in a fragrant fall stovetop potpourri. In this easy DIY, learn how to make a stovetop potpourri recipe and make your house smell clean and amazing. This homemade air freshener simmer pot is a great way to home fragrance naturally. The materials include fresh fruits, lemon peel, cinnamon and other dried spices. Optionally essential oils, rosemary, orange or vanilla. #potpourri #airfreshener #stovetoppotpourri #simmerpot | countryhillcottage.com

How long does stovetop potpourri last? Can I reuse stove top potpourri?

A DIY fall stove potpourri is perfect for a day. How long it lasts after that depends how long it simmered for. If you simmered the potpourri for 1 to 2 hours, you can probably use the potpourri on the next day. Let the potpourri cool and store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

If you cooked the potpourri for several hours, the apples will eventually become soft and start falling apart. In this case, the potpourri can’t be used again and you have to discard the fruits. You can place the cinnamon sticks and anise stars on a paper towel to dry and reuse them in craft projects.

I usually let my homemade potpourri simmer for 5 to six hours with the kitchen door opens so my entire house smells amazing. After six hours, I take the potpourri off the heat and let it sit on the counter overnight and my home smell amazing on the next day, too.

More DIY home fragrance projects

For more homemade air freshener ideas, check out these DIYs. I have more DIY autumn home fragrance ideas to share with you. Take a look at these natural home fragrance with essential oil DIYs to try:Report this ad

  • 6 essential oil blends for fall – These beautiful essential oil blends include autumn favourites such as pumpkin spice, apple pie or sweater weather and more essential oil combinations for diffuser.
  • 6 floral autumn diffuser blends – These fall essential oil blends combine flower scents and warm fall fragrances.
  • pumpkin spice candles – These pumpkin spice scented candles are pretty to look at and smell even better! A must for pumpkin spice season.
  • pumpkin spice wax melts – Cute soy wax melts and more pumpkin spice… oh my!

Do you know more simmer pot recipes or stove scent ideas? I’d love to hear about your homemade stovetop simmers and potpourri mix!

Enjoy the sweet smell of apples and warming spices in a fragrant fall stovetop potpourri. In this easy DIY, learn how to make a stovetop potpourri recipe and make your house smell clean and amazing. This homemade air freshener simmer pot is a great way to home fragrance naturally. The materials include fresh fruits, lemon peel, cinnamon and other dried spices. Optionally essential oils, rosemary, orange or vanilla. #potpourri #airfreshener #stovetoppotpourri #simmerpot | countryhillcottage.com

Fall Stovetop Potpourri Recipe – Easy Homemade Autumn Simmer Pot

Yield: 1 simmer pot
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: easy

Enjoy the sweet smell of apples and warming spices in this fragrant fall stovetop potpourri. In this DIY, you’ll learn how to make a stovetop potpourri and make your house smell amazing. Heating up an air freshener simmer pot is a great way to fragrance naturally – without harsh chemicals and toxins. Simmer pot recipes are an inexpensive way to fragrance your home naturally, using ingredients and materials you most likely already have at home.

Materials

Instructions

Stovetop Potpourri

  1. Cut the apples in half and place in a small or medium pot. Tip: To avoid browning, rub the apples with lemon juice.
  2. Add the cinnamon sticks, anise stars, allspice berries, and cardamom pods.
  3. Add to 2 to 3 cups water.
  4. Bring to a boil on the stove, then reduce the heat down to a simmer.
  5. The fall stovetop potpourri can simmer all day. Check every 30 to 60 minutes, adding more water as needed.

Crockpot Potpourri

  1. Cut the apples in half and put in a slow cooker or crockpot.
  2. Add the cinnamon sticks, anise stars, allspice berries, and cardamom pods.
  3. Add to 2 to 3 cups water.
  4. Let simmer on low throughout the day.
  5. Check occasionally and top up with water when necessary.

Notes

How long does a stovetop potpourri last?

A DIY fall stove potpourri is perfect for a day. How long it lasts after that depends how long it simmered for. If you simmered the potpourri for 1 to 2 hours, you can probably use the potpourri on the next day. Let the potpourri cool and store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

If you cooked the potpourri for several hours, the apples will eventually become soft and start falling apart. In this case, the potpourri can’t be used again and you have to discard the fruits. You can place the cinnamon sticks and anise stars on a paper towel to dry and reuse them in craft projects.

I usually let my homemade potpourri simmer for 5 to six hours with the kitchen door opens so my entire house smells amazing. After six hours, I take the potpourri off the heat and let it sit on the counter overnight and my home smell amazing on the next day, too.

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Over to you!

Thanks so much for visiting Country Hill Cottage – we’re so happy you’re here! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

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Irena xx

nermeen saade

Thursday 29th of September 2022

Thank u for the info will try it

Irena | Country Hill Cottage

Friday 30th of September 2022

Thank you! I hope you'll enjoy it.

A Life Adjacent

Saturday 28th of September 2019

Oh my goodness, this must smell like apple pie and heaven! So pretty looking too! We are going to try this soon! Great idea, ladies.

Irena | Country Hill Cottage

Sunday 29th of September 2019

Thank you so much, ladies! The smell is absolutely wonderful, I hope you'll love this potpourri as much as we do.

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