Christmas Simmer Pot - Easy DIY Recipe -The Honour System (2024)

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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The Christmas holidays are our favorite time of year! This recipe is a fun and easy Christmas DIY project. Check out our Fall Simmer Pot recipe, too!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Christmas Simmer Pot Ingredients

Find the complete ingredient list, with measurements, in the recipe card below.

• Oranges – Different varieties of oranges have distinct aromas. Try aromatic varieties like Valencia or blood oranges for a more fragrant experience.
• Cranberries – Frozen or fresh cranberries both work.
• Cinnamon Sticks – Ground cinnamon is great too.
• Ginger – Ground ginger or fresh.

Equipment

• Cutting Board and Sharp Knife – For slicing the fruit and chopping the ginger.
• Saucepan – We recommend using a large saucepan. The more water it holds, the longer you can simmer your pot.

Instructions for this recipe

Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the FULL recipe details.

Step 1

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

Step 2

Then, if you are using fresh ginger, peel it, chop it into chunks, and use both the ginger peels and the chunks in the homemade Christmas potpourri.

Step 3

Next, add all of the ingredients to the large saucepan. As mentioned above, we like to use a huge 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.

Step 4

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.

Step 5

Based on my observations, the pot will give off a beautiful aroma for approximately 2-3 hours.

To discard, turn the heat off and allow the simmer pot to cool completely. Strain the water, and toss the remaining solids in the compost or trash.

Substitutions

• Substitute any kind of fruit you like! This Christmas stovetop potpourri uses orange slices, but citrus fruits like lemons, limes, or grapefruit are always popular, and apples are lovely.
• Use a variety of ground spices, whole spices, and herbs, including star anise, fresh rosemary sprigs, nutmeg, bay leaves, whole allspice berries, mint, lavender, cardamom pods, and whole cloves.

Recipe Variations

• Incorporate a bit of fresh pine from the yard or even your fresh Christmas tree to make your whole house smell like Santa’s workshop.
• Add some sweetness with vanilla extract. Have fun experimenting with other extracts like peppermint or maple.

Serving Suggestions

This simmer pot is a fun way to set the scene for a holiday party. Use Christmas simmer pots during holiday gatherings and parties to infuse your home with a seasonal aroma. Start simmering the pot before guests arrive to greet them with a warm and inviting fragrance as soon as they enter your home.

Serve this Caprese Christmas tree salad to set the festive theme. It looks beautiful and tastes even better.

Pour a warm cup of chai coffee or apple core tea to accompany the cozy vibe.

FAQS

More Holiday Season Recipes

**This recipe was originally posted on December 23, 2013, updated on June 15, 2019, and updated again on December 17, 2023.**

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

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