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    Home » Easy Recipes » Four Ingredients or Less!

    15 simmer pot recipes

    Published: Jun 17, 2023 by Susan Moncrieff · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    Simmer pots are an easy way to make your home smell fresh and inviting.  I specifically love having a simmer pot blend because it doesn't contain chemicals like store bought air fresheners and the flavors and ingredients can be customized.  In many cases, everything you need is already in your home or yard.

    What is a simmer pot?

    simmer pot that contains slices of orange, springs of thyme, cranberries and cinnimon sticks

    Essentially, it is a pot of water containing fragrant ingredients that are brought to a boil and then simmered on low heat. This accomplishes two things. It releases fresh flavors into the air and it also helps humidify the air.  Personally, I love having a simmer pot when I'm home on a cold day!

    How to do a simmer pot

    A small saucepan can be used, however, I prefer using a small slow cooker (crock pot). You don't have to watch the slow cooker as closely to make sure there is sufficient water in it. This is a smaller slow cooker I have. I love the size and the color (and the price!). It's great when you want to have a small simmer pot on the counter. This smaller size, more along the size you would keep appetizer dips in or cook for a couple of people. A crockpot/slowcooker is perfect because it can keep your ingredients at a low heat.

    Table of contents

    • What is a simmer pot?
    • How to do a simmer pot
    • Simmer Pot Ingredients
    • Simmer pot ideas
    • Herbs and spices (fresh if you can but dried also work)
    • From the yard - non-edibles
    • Combinations I use & enjoy
    • Cranberry & lemon
    • The William Sonoma house smell
    • Cranberries & oranges
    • Gingerbread
    • Orange & mulled Spices
    • Citrus
    • In the Woods
    • Apple Pie
    • Ginger and Lemon
    • Smells like Chai!
    • Fresh outdoor scent!
    • Cinnamon and Cranberries
    • Richly spiced orange
    • Lovely Lemon & Cranberry
    • Orange Rosemary & Pine
    • Fruit and Pine
    • Lemon & Sage
    • Ways to save money with your simmer pot ingredients!

    Simmer Pot Ingredients

    Items that have a fresh smell are the best. I combine certain groups, but let me give you some ideas as to what can be used.  A simmer pot is usually made up of lots of water and 3 to 5 of the ingredients below. Ingredients can be from your fridge, pantry, garden or yard.  Below are a few pictures and combinations showing you some of the ingredients you can use.

    Simmer pot ideas

    I love using different fruits in my simmer pots. The citrus scent especially, is very fresh.

    plate with oranges, a lemon, lime and an apple surrounded by green herbs


    Orange slices
    Orange peels
    Lemon slices/lemon peels
    limes/lime peels
    grapefruit
    Apples/apple slices/apple peels
    Apple cider or apple juice
    Cranberries (awesome for a splash of color!)

    Herbs and spices (fresh if you can but dried also work)

    Herbs and spices give depth and often a stronger scent. Think about cloves, cinnamon or lavender. They smell wonderful but are certainly stronger than simmering fruit.

    fresh sage, thyme and rosemary


    Sprigs of rosemary
    whole cloves
    vanilla extract
    sprigs of thyme
    star anise (so pretty!)
    nutmeg
    bay leaves
    lavender
    fresh rosemary
    cinnamon sticks
    fresh ginger slices
    mint

    ginger, star of anise, bay leaves and cinnamon sticks on a white plate

    From the yard - non-edibles

    If you enjoy the smell of the outdoors, make sure to choose a combination that has items from nature, like strongly scented trees. A little goes a long way!

    a small sprig of cedar (arborvitaes work)
    Spruce or pine from a tree

    Combinations I use & enjoy

    Modern simmer pots are about both fresh and clean scents and also have a pretty appearance. These are not the old stovetop potpourri mixtures that were brown and on the unsightly side. I'm including quite a few ideas, all of which I have tried and used.

    a planter with colorful plants
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    Cranberry & lemon

    This is my favorite fall simmer pot. Probably because it's just so pretty! And the cranberries are only available for a certain period of the year. Treat yourself to a cranberry simmerpot in the fall when those cranberries are plentiful and inexpensive in stores.
    lemon, rosemary, cranberry and vanilla extract
    Sliced lemon
    cranberries
    rosemary sprigs
    vanilla extract (a teaspoon or a tablespoon's worth, depending on how large your pot is)

    The William Sonoma house smell

    This was the first simmer pot recipe I ever used. It is widely shared that this is the Williams Sonoma simmering potpourri used in its stores . (I can't confirm, but their stores do smell divine!).

    simmer pot with lemon slices, cinnamon sticks and rosemary sprigs


    Sliced lemons
    Rosemary sprigs
    Cinnamon sticks
    vanilla extract

    Cranberries & oranges

    Part of the apeal of simmerpots are how pretty the simmering combinations look. This combination is also one of my favorites.

    simmer pot that contains slices of orange, springs of thyme, cranberries and cinnimon sticks

    Cranberries
    Orange slices
    cinnamon sticks
    sprigs of rosemary

    Gingerbread

    This is a winter favorite. When you simmer cinnamon sticks with cloves and anise, it's a wonderfully reach smell. Careful though, it might tempt you to start making cookies!

    ginger slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves and anise

    Thinly sliced fresh ginger
    2-3 cinnamon sticks
    whole cloves
    whole star of anise

    Orange & mulled Spices

    Sliced orange
    2-3 cinnamon sticks
    mulling spices
    A sprig or two of fresh rosemary

    Citrus

    This always smells fresh and clean in a house! I actully love using this when I'm in the house all day doing chores.

    sliced lemons, oranges and limes in a white simmer pot


    Slices of oranges, lemons and limes.
    Cranberries (optional garnish)

    In the Woods

    I take small clippings of aromatic trees in my yard. To me, it smells like being in the woods! I consider these types of ingredients part of my fall simmer pot recipes.

    None of these simmer pots are to be consumed. If you don't have a dedicated one, I would avoid using your food pot to heat items you would not consume.

    cedar and fir clippings


    Clipping of cedar
    clipping of spruce

    Apple Pie

    What goes better with apples than cinnamon? An apple simmer pot with cinnamon and cranberries will have your home smelling like fresh baked apple pie!

    Apple slices, cinnamon & cranberries

    This is perfect when you have apples that are just past where you want to eat them.

    Apple slices
    Cinnamon
    Cranberries (optional - for color,and flavor)

    Ginger and Lemon

    This simmer pot with lemon and ginger (with some cranberries for the pretty color) smells deliciously healthy.

    Did you know these two ingredients make ginger tea? It's so good!

    ginger and lemon slices floating on water

    Thinly sliced fresh ginger
    sliced lemon
    (add something colorful for garnish - I had cranberries handy).

    Smells like Chai!

    This is a deliciously rich smell for that I enjoy in the fall and winter. It does smell like chai tea and looking at the ingredients, that shouldn't be a surprise.

    cinnamon sticks, whole anise, peppercorns and cloves on a white plate

    Speaking of tea, this mixture of anise (the star shaped spice), whole cloves, cinnamon sticks and whole peppercorns is such a wonderful scent on a cold day!

    Cinnamon sticks
    Whole anise
    Whole cloves
    peppercorns

    Fresh outdoor scent!

    Rosemary and cedar are a delightful fall scent!

    cedar, rosemary, bayleaves


    Clipping of cedar (not edible)
    Sprigs of rosemary
    Bay leaves

    Cinnamon and Cranberries

    Cinnamon with any type of fruit in it makes me think of pie. It just smells delicious!

    cinnamon sticks with cranberries and rosemary floating on water


    Cranberries (lots of cranberries)
    Cinnamon sticks
    Rosemary

    Richly spiced orange

    This orange cinnamon simmer pot is extra special with the addition of anise and cloves. It is such a wonderful scent, especially in cooler weather.

    orange slices, anise flowers, whole cloves and cinnamon sticks floating on water

    Did you know that anise is the flavor of black licorice? It's such a rich flavor!
    Sliced oranges
    Cinnamon Sticks
    Whole Anise
    Whole cloves

    Lovely Lemon & Cranberry

    lemon, cranberry and cinnamon stick simmer pot ingredients

    Lemon
    Cranberries
    Cinnamon

    Orange Rosemary & Pine

    A pine simmerpot always reminds me of cool outdoor weather. Enoy simmering this with some fresh additions like orange or lemon slices.

    Orange slices, rosemary and pine cutting in a simmer pot

    Another outdoor woods type scent!

    Orange slices
    Rosemary sprig
    pine cutting

    Fruit and Pine

    apple orange and lemon slices with a sprig of pine


    Orange slice
    apple slice
    lemon slice
    cinnamon sticks pine sprig
    vanilla extract

    Lemon & Sage

    lemon slices, sage and whole cloves

    Makes me think of Thanksgiving!

    Lemon slices
    Sprig of sage
    Whole cloves

    Ways to save money with your simmer pot ingredients!

    Some of these ingredients (looking at you cinnamon sticks) have become very expensive over the last few years.  Here are some frugal ideas to obtain less expensive ingredients.

    Use what is in season!  Cranberries are beautiful and also add a nice scent in combination to other fruits, herbs and spices. Use these in the fall and freeze some!
    Buy items on sale. Fruit for example. Buy the inexpensive apples or the citrus that is on sale that week.
    Use up what you have. Apples not crisp? Slice them and use them this way.
    Slice fruit peels and use those. Orange peels, apple peels can be sliced and used.
    Buy things like cinnamon sticks at the dollar store or the bulk store. So much cheaper!
    Use what is in your garden (or ask a neighbor who gardens if they can share).
    Forage in your yard for fresh-smelling ingredients (cedar, spruce & fir trees).
    Use up old herbs & spices in your spice drawer.

    FAQs

    Can I simmer these on the stove?

    Yes, but the water evaporates quickly and you have to keep a closer eye on your stove top simmer pot.

    How long can these be simmered?

    Make sure there is water in the pot, or slow cooker at all times. I will simmer the same ingredients for a couple of days. After that, I find the scent is a little off and the ingredients don't look nice. It starts looking like that dried brown old poutporri that was around decades ago.

    If you have any other ideas on how you make pretty but inexpensive simmer pots, let me know!

    For those of you using these to add humidy into your home, take a look at this post called Increasing Humidity in a Dry House.

    herb bundle with rosemary and thyme

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    If you enjoyed these simmer pot combinations, please pin this to your Pinterest account!

    two simmer pots using fresh fruit, cinnamon sticks and rosemary. There is a text overlay stating 15 plus simmer pot combinations

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    1. Tessa

      December 05, 2022 at 2:21 pm

      I love these! Can't wait to try the fruit and cedar one - we have tons of cedar.

      Reply
      • Susan Moncrieff

        January 20, 2023 at 9:54 pm

        I love the smell of cedar in my home!

        Reply

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    I'm Susan Moncrieff! I love sharing easy recipes, especially those that take less than 30 minutes and have less than 5 ingredients. I'm passionate about gardening and creating flower planters. My home is 100 years old and sometimes you will see it in my posts! It was a true fixer upper and I love it!

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