Autumn Stovetop Potpourri

Make your home smell like fall with this fragrant autumn stovetop potpourri, made with fruit, spices and herbs.

In a perfect world my home would always smell of lavender or freshly baked cookies (and my dishwasher could empty and fill itself on its own…but that’s a whole other story). While my home will often smell of food (given the multitude of recipes I test and shoot for my day job as well as this blog), not all scents are equally welcome. The smell of a freshly baked pie = yes please; the scent of homemade vegetable broth = umm, not thanks. 

This is where autumn stovetop potpourri comes in. This fragrant blend will cover other (unwanted) scents and create a cozy atmosphere. (I prefer to open plenty of windows and let in some fresh air for a few minutes prior and then put the potpourri on.)

This potpourri is ideal for dinners with friends or events where you want your home to feel particularly homey. But it’s also a great addition for cozy evenings spent on the sofa with a book and a cup of tea when it’s gloomy outside – a situation, that most of us find themselves in at least once (or rather weekly) during the cold seasons.

So take this recipe as some inspo to put on those super thick, ultra-fluffy socks, I know you have sitting in your closet, and turn your home into the coziest place ever. 

Reasons to try autumn stovetop potpourri

Because – and I’m not exaggerating here- this will make your entire home smell amazing! Picture those lovely fruity and spicy scents wafting through the rooms, giving your home a fall-like atmosphere. In fact, as opposed to baking a batch of cookies or making some apple cider, the scent of this stovetop potpourri is a lot more intense. Since it simmers for several hours, the fragrance will disperse a lot more, creating a lasting autumn-y scent throughout the entire day (or, as long as you simmer it for). In contrast to store-bought air fresheners and room scents, it is all natural and not unhealthy to breathe in over longer periods of time.

Benefits of stovetop potpourris

• all natural
• inexpensive
• a great way to use up fruit that has gone too soft or spices that have been stored for too long
• adds moisture to air – perfect if the air in your home tends to get a little too dry due to heating

Variations

Another great thing about this stovetop potpourri is how adaptable it is. Don’t have any oranges on hand but them tangerines that you want to get rid of? Or maybe some cardamom pods that have been sitting in your spice cabinet for a while now? Did you just make a fruit salad and have some peels left over? The herbs, fruit and spices can easily be adapted to your liking and what you have available. Instead of using whole fruit, you can also make this stovetop potpourri solely with peels. (You may need a little more to get the same intensity.)

How to Gift Autumn Stovetop Potpourri­­

Even though this is a fresh potpourri, it makes a nice gift for anyone who loves using scents around their home. Simply package the ingredients in a basket, using a little glass bottle for the spices. Don’t forget to add a short instructional card so the recipient knows how to use it.

Print