Festive Citrus Simmer Pot: Make Your Home Smell Like Christmas

One of the best things about the holiday season is the wonderful scents. From the fresh pine smells of Christmas trees and festive mantle displays to wonderful spices of holiday cooking. Fill your home with the aromas of the season with this quick and easy citrus simmer pot. Combine oranges, spice and woody scents to make your home smell like Christmas.

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What is a simmer pot?

Also known as stovetop potpourri, a simmer pot is a way to create wonderful scent throughout your home using natural ingredients. Simply add scented ingredients to a pot of water and simmer on low heat on your stove top to create wonderful festive aromas. You can also use your slow cooker (with the lid partially covering) to create a festive simmer pot.

Festive citrus simmer pot ingredients

For this citrus simmer pot we’ve used;

• 1 orange, sliced
• 1/3 cup cranberries (we used dried, but fresh is even better)
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 star anise
• 1 Tablespoon whole cloves
• 2 sprigs of pine or rosemary
• 6 cups of water

However, you can pick and choose ingredients for your simmer pot based on the fragrances you like best or what is available.

For example, here in Australia it can be hard to find fresh cranberries at Christmas time, so we’ve used dried cranberries instead. You could also use dried citrus slices instead of fresh orange. Feel free to substitute other spices, such as cardamom pods or ginger. For the woody scent, we’ve used pine tree cuttings, but you could also use sprigs of rosemary. Bay leaves are another option. Have a look at our list of flavours that go with orange for more ideas.

Christmas simmer pot instructions

Slice the orange and add all ingredients to a medium saucepan. Add 6 cups of water.

Heat pan on the stove over low to medium heat until the water starts to steam, then reduce heat to low.

Enjoy the fresh Christmas scent for as long as you like, simply top up the water as needed.

SAFETY NOTE: Don’t leave your simmer pot unattended or allow all of the water to evaporate. When finished simmering, remove from the heat and cover with a lid.

How long does a simmer pot last?

Our festive simmer pot has 6 cups of water, so will last for hours on a low heat. When the water gets low, simply top it up!

You can use your simmer pot ingredients for a few days (up to 5). The ingredients will discolour, but the scent will still be delicious.