Scent your home using natural ingredients with this comforting Christmas Simmer Pot recipe. Create a deliciously warm and cozy atmosphere for the holiday season.

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oranges, cranberries, and spices in a pot of water.

Are you wondering what is a simmer pot? It is a natural way to make your home smell amazing by simmering simple ingredients on a stove in a large sauce pan over low heat. You can use all kinds of fun things to make your whole house smell like Santa’s workshop. This recipe is one of my favorite Christmas diys. Check out our Fall Simmer Pot recipe too!

IN THIS POST: Everything you need to make a Holiday Simmer Pot

Ingredients

oranges
cranberries – fresh or frozen
cinnamon sticks – or ground cinnamon
ginger – ground ginger or fresh – both will work

ginger, orange slices, cranberries and cinnamon sticks on a counter.

Instructions for this recipe

How can I make my house smell like Christmas naturally? I’ve got you! This homemade Christmas pot pourri is a safe and non-toxic way to add fragrance to your home.

First, slice the oranges thinly, leaving the orange peels on.

Then, if you are using fresh ginger, there are a couple of ways to prep it. Either chop it up into chunks or peel it and use the ginger peels in the homemade Christmas potpourri. You can then use the peeled ginger for another recipe if you need it.

Next, add the ingredients to a saucepan. I like to use a really large pot. Cover the ingredients with water and set the pot on the stovetop. No need for a lid! You want the aroma to fill the air.

Finally, bring the pot to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, allowing the ingredients to work their magic and scent your home naturally.

As it bubbles away, the water will dissipate, so keep your eyes on it and add more water as needed.

Christmas simmer pot bubbling in a large pot.

FAQs, Tips, and Substitutions

How long can you leave a simmer pot on? Leave the simmer pot bubbling all day if you want! Just keep adding more water as it evaporates so it doesn’t burn.
How long does a simmer pot take to start smelling? You will notice the warm, comforting aroma of Christmas in less than 30 minutes.
Use a variety of spices and herbs including star anise, rosemary sprigs, nutmeg, bay leaves, allspice berries, mint, lavender, and whole cloves. You can even use a bit of fresh pine from your yard or Christmas tree if you want to be extra.
Substitute any kind of fruit you like! This Christmas stovetop potpourri uses orange slices but citrus fruits, such as lemons, are always popular and apples are lovely also.
Add some sweetness with vanilla extract. Have fun with other extracts like peppermint or maple.

More holiday recipes

**This recipe was originally posted on December 23, 2013, updated on June 15, 2019, and updated again on December 11, 2022.**

If you’ve tried this Christmas simmer pot potpourri, please rate the recipe and let me know how it turned out by leaving me a comment below. I’m always interested in feedback!

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