An Autumn simmer pot is a wonderful way to fill your home with the fabulous scents of the season. It’s an easy, inexpensive, and all-natural way to make your home feel cozy and inviting. The aroma of orange, apple, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, vanilla, and more waft through your home creating a warm and wonderful fall feeling inside. It’s like an Autumn hug for your home.
Find the full recipe at the end of this post.
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What is a Simmer Pot?
Also known as stovetop potpourri, a simmer pot is quite simply a combination of fruit, herbs, and spices added to a pot of water on the stove. The water is brought to a boil and then reduced to a low simmer. The scented water slowly evaporates and the seasonal aroma fills your home. It’s the best homemade and all-natural air freshener there is! If you haven’t tried a simmer pot in your home, you must. You’re not going to believe what you’ve been missing.
I was first introduced to a simmer pot a couple of years ago when I saw the idea on Pinterest. Once I tried it in the farmhouse, I was hooked! Last holiday season, I shared a simmer pot recipe perfect for Christmastime. The post also includes a DIY simmer pot gift idea that friends and family will love.
Ingredients in an Autumn Simmer Pot
Now that we have an understanding of what a simmer pot is, let’s talk about what is in this Autumn simmer pot recipe. A lot of time was spent trying to come up with the best ingredients that truly encapsulated the aroma of fall.
Here is the list of ingredients:
- Water
- Orange Peel
- Apple
- Cinnamon
- Star of Anise
- Ginger root
- Cardamom pods
- Whole cloves
- Vanilla (bean or extract)
How to Make An Autumn Simmer Pot
The instructions for a simmer pot are easy! First, cut or peel the fruit and ginger and fill a pot with water. Depending on the size of the pot, usually, about 3-6 cups of water will do. Next, add the simmer pot ingredients to the water. This can be done in any order. Then turn the heat on the stove up to bring the water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, Then turn the heat down to low and allow the pot to simmer on the stove for a few hours. Within about 10-15 minutes, your home will start to smell amazing! Finally, check the simmer pot regularly and add more water to replace the water that has evaporated over time.
Perfect Pots
There are so many different small pots you can use as simmer pots. I find that 1.5-2.5 quart saucepans work well. A few of my favorites include enamel, cast iron, and copper. I especially love using copper pots in the fall. However, I recently discovered glass simmer pots and I have completely fallen in love with them.
The ingredients in a simmer pot are beautiful! When they are simmered in a traditional pot that is not glass, they can only be seen when you peer in from the top of the pot on the stove. The beauty of a glass simmer pot is that you can see the ingredients from anywhere in the kitchen. I think it’s very special.
Another reason I like having a dedicated pot for stovetop potpourri is that in the past I have found that there are times that the scent lingers. Even after thoroughly cleaning the pot. Although I adore the scent of a seasonal simmer pot when I’m heating up leftover marinara sauce in the same pot and I don’t want to smell the fragrance of my Autumn simmer pot from the day before. My glass simmer pot is the perfect solution to this occasional problem.
Shop my favorite glass simmer pots here:
Enjoy making a simmer pot of your own this fall and winter season! The best part about making one is that you can add any of your favorite fruits, herbs, and spices. Consider also using pears, lemon, cranberries, fresh pine, bay leaves, lavender, nutmeg, and more.
I hope you enjoy using this all-natural and fantastic candle alternative in your home as much as we enjoy it in ours.
Autumn Simmer Pot Recipe
Ingredients
- 3-6 cups water (Depending on size of the pot.)
- 2 oranges, peeled or sliced
- Apple (I use Fuji or Gala.)
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 5 star of anise
- 1 tablespoon sized knob piece of fresh ginger root
- 10-15 cardamom pods
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean pod
Instructions
- Cut or peel the fruit and ginger and fill a pot with water. Depending on the the size of the pot, usually about 3-6 cups of water will do.
- Add the simmer pot ingredients to the water. This can be done in any order.
- Put the pot on the stovetop and turn the heat up to bring the water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, Then turn the heat down to low and allow the pot to simmer on the stove for a few hours. Within about 10-15 minutes, your home will start to smell amazing!
- Check the simmer pot regularly and if necessary add more water to replace the water that has evaporated over time.
Notes
A slow cooker (Crockpot) can also be used in place of a pot on the stove.
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