Stovetop Christmas Potpourri

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Transform your home into a holiday wonderland with the fragrances of winter and holiday baking.This Stovetop Christmas Potpourri is easy to throw together, smells amazing, and makes a wonderful gift. We will show you exactly how to do it. And we've even included a free printable gift tag.

Why You'll Love This

Potpourri is a mixture of spices and fruit that is used for home scent. It can be in dry form, which typically includes dried flowers, herbs and spices - that is kept in a bowl. It can also be made by simmering the mixture on the stove. It's often made around the holidays or to match the season. This combo we've created is specifically for the holidays.The blend of orange, cranberry, and cinnamon create a cozy and festive feeling in your home. I love to simmer this while I'm making homemade fudge or soft caramels.

You're going to love this Christmas Stovetop Potpourri because:

It smells like Christmas! I absolutely love simmering this mixture during the winter months because it smells just like the holidays should. Spicy, and sweet, and earthy all rolled into one.
This makes a wonderful gift. I'll show you just how to package this up and give to friends. Don't miss our free printable gift tag that is free for the holiday season.
It can be heated several different ways. On the stovetop, in the slow cooker, orange even a dip heater or fondue pot. All make your home smell amazing!
This home fragrance is versatile and can be altered with various spices that you have on hand.

Pro Tip: Whole spices can be hard to find and expensive. I have found that they are cheapest on the ethnic foods aisle in bags rather than jars. You can also find some of them in bulk at Sprouts or Whole Foods. You can also find some online at Walmart or Amazon.

About The Ingredients

All of the ingredients for this Christmas potpourri recipe can be purchased at your local grocery store. Here are a few items to note:

Oranges - while we generally think of pine or fir as a Christmas scent, citrus is quintessential for the holidays. It is when then are in season and combined with other spices it will give you that nostalgic fragrance you're after. You can use naval oranges or even mandarines for this combo.
Fresh Cranberries - Fresh cranberries work best. Dried cranberries don't omit the same strong fragrance, so I recommend sticking with fresh. Fresh cranberries are usually available in the produce section beginning in the fall months. They are sold in small bags rather than loose and will usually remain available until December in stores but it may vary depending on demand. They last for quite a bit (up to two months in the fridge) so I will sometimes buy several bags when I see them to make sure I have them around.
Spices - for this recipe I am using whole spices like whole nutmeg, whole cloves, and cinnamon sticks. If your store doesn't have the whole versions you can use ground with similar results. I also like to add some dried bay leaves to this for an earthly scent
Rosemary Sprigs - this is where we are getting our pine or fir scent in this stovetop potpourri. I recommend using the fresh sprigs. These can be purchased in the produce sections already snipped from the plant, or you can purchase a rosemary plant and snip your own.

A complete list of ingredients and amounts for this potpourri recipe can be located in the recipe card below.

How To Make It

Making this stovetop potpourri is super simple, let me show you how to do it!

Christmas Potpourri being simmered in a pot.

Step 1: Slice your orange into thick slices or wedges.

Step 2: Place sliced orange and remaining ingredients including cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, whole nutmeg, bay leaf, fresh rosemary, and ½ cup fresh cranberries in a saucepan.

Pro Tip: Fresh cranberries are usually available in the produce section beginning in the fall months. They are sold in small bags rather than loose and will usually remain available until December in stores but it may vary depending on demand. They last for quite a bit (up to two months in the fridge) so I will sometimes buy several bags when I see them to make sure I have them around.

Step 3: Cover with 3 cups of water.

Step 4: Bring to a low simmer on the stovetop over medium heat. Reduce to low heat and simmer all day. Continue to add water when it gets low or as needed as it simmers throughout the day.

Gifting Christmas Potpourri

This Stovetop Christmas Potpourri makes a great gift idea to give to neighbors, teachers, or friends. You can package it in a wide mouth mason jar, or in a cellophane bag tied with a ribbon. In my option, homemade Christmas gifts are the best kind of gift ideas.

Two mason jars filled with christmas potpourri. There are sugared cranberries to the side.

Stovetop fragrance in a cellophane bag that is tied with a striped string.

You can prepare this holiday potpourri with fresh oranges as I've shown above, or you can dry your oranges for a little bit longer shelf life. I'll chat about the dried oranges in a bit. For now, let me show you how I package them these homemade Christmas gifts.

1. I like to add the cranberries at the bottom. They ground the look and also fill in all the gaps.

2. Top with orange or dried orange slices.

3. Add in cinnamon sticks.

4. Toss in bay leaves.

5. Add in fresh rosemary.

6. Add in whole nutmeg.

7. Sprinkle in whole cloves.

8. Seal jar or tie your bag closed. Add gift tag. Instruct your recipients to add 3 cups of water and contents to a pot and simmer pot all day for a delicious scent. Add water as needed.

Free printable gift tag for Christmas Potpourri

Add this gift tag tied onto your jar or bag with all of the instructions. These gift tags are a FREE PRINTABLE that you can print at home.

Dried Orange Slices

You do not need to dry your oranges for this potpourri, but it is a beautiful touch if you are giving this as a gift. If you prefer to skip this step - you will still have a beautifully fragrant home.

How To Make Dried Orange Slices

This process is easy, but requires a bit of time. Let me tell you how to do it!

Step 1: Cut your oranges into thin slices. I like to remove the ends of the orange and discard them.

Step 2: If you have a mandolin this is a great way to get even, beautiful slice. Alternately, you can use a serrated knife to cut your orange into slices.

Step 3: Pat your orange slices dry with a paper towel and place orange slices on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with corse confectioners sugar. This step is optional, but it adds a nice sparkle.

Step 4: Place toward the bottom of the top of your oven and bake at 200 degrees F for 2-3 hours until slightly translucent and dry. Use in your potpourri or as decor.

Pro Tip: Flip the oranges half way thru the drying process, this helps them dry out more evenly.

Variations

The stovetop home fragrance is super versatile and can be altered in a so many deliciously fragrant combos. There are also several methods of heating the potpourri. Here are a few ideas:

Additions- Try adding one or many of the following: whole cloves, sliced fresh apples, fresh sage leaves, star anise, or vanilla extract.
Switch Up The Heat - Rather than simmering stovetop, try simmering in a slow cooker or crockpot. Set the temperature to high and place the lid on top. The lid will prevent evaporation so you do not need to add water. You can do the same with a dip warmer or small crock pot.
Trade in the Orange - other citruses work in the fragrance. Try lemon or grapefruit for a fresher scent.
Swap whole for ground - you can substitute the whole spices for ground spices. They smell equally as delicious and may be what you have on hand in the pantry.

Stovetop Potpourri FAQ

How long can I simmer stovetop potpourri?

About 4 days. You can continue adding water to your pot and the ingredients will continue producing fragrance for about 4 days. After this, discard.

How do I make potpourri smell stronger?

Add drops of the matching oil to your potpourri any time you want to make it smell stronger. Make sure the oils you are using are safe to heat

How long do dried oranges last?

Your oranges will last about 2 years if they are dehydrated and store properly.

How long does Christmas potpourri last before using?

The gift jars or bags will last up to 10 days if stored in the fridge. After this the fresh ingredients will start to go bad, so simmer within the first 10 days.

More Holiday Recipes You'll Enjoy

We have so many good holiday recipes, check out these few from our archives:

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