Get ready to fill your house with that magical holiday-in-the-air aroma with this easy Christmas Simmer Pot. Made with simple ingredients, this stovetop potpourri has been a part of my household for years now, and I'm so happy that I can finally share it with you.
Christmas in my household may look just a tad bit different than it would for others. We make our favorite African chicken stew paired with some jollof rice, cucumber salad and usually follow it up with some moist carrot cake loaf.
This time, however, I think I'll probably be doing things a bit differently, and I might make a batch of my Rudolph brownies or a nice big batch of my easy Christmas fudge as well. And if all of that cooking won't make my house smell like Christmas, I know this simmer pot will!
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What I Love About this Recipe
If you love those holiday-scented candles, you'll love this easy, non-toxic, no-burning alternative!
It's super simple and straightforward. You can put it together instantly, and your whole house will smell amazing!
It's great for when you're hosting a party or a holiday dinner.
You can also swap some ingredients and customize the aroma to your liking.
Recipe Ingredients
Cranberries: Fresh or frozen cranberries- both work well for this recipe.
Spices: I used a mix of whole spices, including star anise, cinnamon, and cloves to the pot.
Oranges: I used fresh orange slices because I had them on hand. If you don't have fresh oranges, you could just use orange peel or even dried orange peel.
Apple: Sliced apples go into the mix, too! It doesn't matter how thick or thin you cut them—the flavor is all going to seep in, and the way you cut the slices is mostly just for aesthetic appeal.
Rosemary: Fresh rosemary adds another beautiful layer of flavor to the simmering pot. Choose fresh because dried rosemary won't do a great job here.
Check the recipe card for quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Experiment with other spices, such as bay leaves, nutmeg, and cardamom, to add other flavors to the mix. If you don't have whole spices, you can also use a bit of allspice powder instead.
- If you don't have oranges but still want those citrusy notes, you can use lemons or even limes. Grapefruits work wonderfully with this recipe, too!
- Fresh pine needles, juniper berries, pear slices, and vanilla extract are great additions to your Christmas stovetop potpourri.
- You could also make gingerbread-inspired Christmas simmer pot by adding some fresh ginger to the mix.
How to Make Christmas Simmer Pot
- Wash and clean all the ingredients. Slice the oranges and apples and add them to a pot of water with everything else.
- Bring this pot to a boil, then turn the heat down to its lowest setting and let the mixture simmer for as long as necessary.
How to Store the Stovetop Potpourri
Your simmer pot will last for 2-3 days on its own. You can let it stay at room temperature, covered- no need to refrigerate it.
If you want it to last longer, I have a little trick. Once you've used it for a day, allow it to cool down completely, then cover it with a lid and refrigerate it. This can last for up to 7 days, and you can reheat it when you want to use it again.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- I made this incredibly amazing smelling potpourri in water, but you can also use apple juice as the base if you want it to have a stronger flavor.
- Apple cider makes for another great addition to the potpourri. Use it along with water, or just stick to plain apple cider if you prefer a stronger aroma.
- For extra flavor, you can also add a dash of vanilla extract or peppermint, bergamot, spruce or any other holiday essential oil blend of your choice to the mix.
- Use a heavy bottomed pot to make this stovetop potpourri. This ensures nothing stick to the sides or the bottom, and cleanup becomes a breeze too!
- Make sure the pot never runs out of water. If the water seems to be drying up, add in a few more cups.
- Experiment with different quantities of the ingredients to tweak the aroma to your liking. If you love the crispy, sweet notes of apple, add more apples and apple juice and if you love the warm undertones of spice, add a few more spices into the mix.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
This easily adaptable recipe is my favorite to make during the holidays- and not just during Christmas- I think I could easily adapt the flavors and make something fall-flavored and great for Thanksgiving too.
Imagine a holiday feast with a nice herb roasted turkey, some delicious sides, slices of some orange poppy seed cake, a platter or Grinch Rice Krispie treats and the aroma of apples, cranberries, oranges and spices wafting in the background. Ahh... perfect!
Recipe FAQs
Another great way to use this is to portion out the ingredients into small packages or glass jars, decorate them with glittery ribbon, and turn them into little holiday presents for your neighbors and friends.
If you're using fresh ingredients like cranberries and orange slices, you'll need to make them on the same day you plan to gift them. If not, you can dehydrate your citrus slices and skip adding the cranberries to make the potpourri gift last longer.
You can, but I recommend using whole spices if you have them at hand. Their flavor is unmatched, and the resulting aroma will be much deeper and more powerful.
More Christmas Recipes to Try
If you tried these Christmas simmer pot or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Ingredients
- 2 cups Cranberries
- 4-6 cups Water add more dependig on how long you want to simmer.
- 2 Cinnamon sticks
- 1 large Apple
- 1 large Orange
- 3-4 sprigs Rosemary
- 1 teaspoon Whole cloves
- 3-4 Whole star anise
Instructions
- Wash and clean all the ingredients. Slice the oranges and apples and add them to a pot of water with everything else.
- Bring this pot to a boil, then turn the heat down to its lowest setting and let the mixture simmer for as long as you need it to.
Notes
- I made this incredibly amazing smelling potpourri in water, but you can also use apple juice as the base if you want it to have a stronger flavor.
- For extra flavor, you can also add a dash of vanilla extract or peppermint, bergamot, spruce or any other holiday essential oil blend of your choice to the mix.
- Use a heavy bottomed pot to make this stovetop potpourri. This ensures nothing stick to the sides or the bottom, and cleanup becomes a breeze too!
- Make sure the pot never runs out of water. If the water seems to be drying up, add in a few more cups.
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Bilikis says
This is beautiful
Bilikis says
Am smelling chrismas already ma.