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Have you ever wondered what is the best way to bring all of the rich harvest fragrances of Fall into your home? Well, one of my favorite ways is to use a simmer pot!
A simmer pot (also known as stovetop potpourri) is just a simple combination of fruits and spices that you boil in water in the pot of your choice. The result is a home filled with wonderful, warm and inviting fall scents!
You can easily whip up your own pot with ingredients you have on hand. They’re a safe alternative to other artificially scented options because they don’t contain any chemicals!
Making a simmer pot is so simple anyone can do it, just grab a large pot, add water, and your favorite aromatic simmer pot ingredients! This is one of my favorite Fall activities, so today I am sharing a roundup of fall simmer pot recipes that you can try throughout the season.
7 Fall Simmer Pot Recipes
Cinnamon Apple Simmer Pot
- 1 apple
- 1 orange rinds
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tbsp whole cloves
This combination will make your house smell exactly like Fall. The rich scent of the cinnamon will add that touch of holiday feel and the apple brings a lovely, sweet aroma to the mixture. You can also add a couple of bags of chamomile tea to the pot to create an extra warm fragrance.
Pumpkin Spice Simmer Pot
- 4 tbsp apple cider
- dash of pumpkin spice seasoning
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- tsp ground nutmeg
- a drop of vanilla extract
- 1 tsp whole cloves
Can you even say “Fall” without thinking of pumpkin spice? The two go hand in hand these days!
That’s why I love this recipe for fall stovetop potpourri. These spices all combined create the most intoxicating fall scent that is widely adored.
Lemon & Orange Simmer Pot
- Peel from 1 lemon
- Peel from 1 orange
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 2 tbsp whole cloves
This lemon and orange simmer pot recipe will provide a bright citrusy scent paired with a rich spice aroma from the cloves. I love this recipe for Fall!
Tip: Always feel free to add more of your favorite ingredients! If cinnamon is your fave, then throw in a couple more sticks to the recipe.
Lavender Simmer Pot
- 1 cup of dried lavender
- 1tsp star anise
- 1 tbsp nutmeg
- 1 tbsp whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
Lavender is one of my favorite scents, so I’ll use any excuse to make my house smell like it! This recipe gives off the most wonderful rich lavender aroma and the spices in the mixture really add some dimension to the pot.
Hot tip: You can also use lavender essential oil if you don’t have dried lavender on hand.
Cranberry Simmer Pot
- 2 oranges, sliced
- lemon slices
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- a dash of nutmeg
- 1 tsp whole cloves
- 1 cup cranberries
- 2 sprigs rosemary
Of all the fall simmer pot recipes, this one is a favorite in my household. The combination of the tart cranberries with the bright citrusy scents of the orange and lemon peels creates the perfect balance.
Plus, the addition of rosemary adds a lovely earthy aroma to the mixture which is perfect for Fall!
Bay Leaf Simmer Pot
- 5 bay leaves
- 1 Tablespoon whole cloves
- 2 sticks cinnamon
You may think bay leaves are only useful in soups but in this autumn simmer pot combination they also give off the most amazing aroma! The herbal, slightly floral fragrance of the bay leaves paired with the rich spices creates a perfect blend of Fall scents.
Pumpkin Pie Simmer Pot
- 1 orange slices
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie seasoning
- dash of maple extract
It is more than likely that this simmer pot recipe will make you hungry for pumpkin pie. This delicious combination gives off the most wonderful pumpkin pie aroma, which means it could be the perfect one to make around Thanksgiving.
If you want your home smell like Fall, then this is the recipe to use!
Tips on How To Make A Simmer Pot
How long does it simmer for?
Depending on what ingredients you’ve used in your simmer pot, you can reuse the same one for several days! If you’ve included fruit in your recipe, then it’s best to use that pot for only 1 day.
However, if your recipe doesn’t include fresh fruits then you can simply cover the pot when it’s not in use and then reheat it whenever you’d like to fill your house with the lovely scents again.
What’s the best cooking pot to use?
You can use either a saucepan or a slow cooker to make your simmer pot. For a saucepan, add your ingredients and then fill with water, making sure to leave about 1 inch of space at the top.
Bring the mixture to a boil and after a few minutes turn down the heat to a simmer.
If you’re using a slow cooker, fill the pot with water, add your ingredients (leaving about 1 inch of space at the top), put on the lid, then turn the slow cooker to high. Once you notice steam rolling off the lid, remove the lid and turn the slow cooker to low or a simmer setting.
How much water do you use?
No matter what simmer pot you use it’s important to keep an eye on water levels. If you’re planning to keep your mixture simmering for several hours, then make sure to keep adding water every 30 minutes or so.
If you let the water level drop too low, then your ingredients will burn!
Can you use food scraps?
Yes! If you’re planning on making a simmer pot then think ahead and save those food scraps.
This is a great way to put food waste to use and give it another purpose instead of rotting away in the compost bin. Scraps such as orange peels, apple peels, pear peels or even lemon peels are all frequent ingredients in autumn simmer pot recipes.
Looking for more delicious Fall recipes? Check out my post on Taffy Apple Grapes here!
