Fall Simmer Pot: 18 Combinations To Make Your Home Smell Like Autumn

There is something magical about the scents of fall and autumn. If it were up to me, I’d have my house smell like fall all year long. Apples, citrus, cinnamon, cloves, and other herbs and fall spices in the air combine to make these fall and autumn simmer pot recipes.

I love that stovetop simmer pots for fall can be made using natural ingredients you usually have around your kitchen. Instead of burning candles, buying fragrance oils, or using air fresheners with chemicals, simmer pots use ingredients found in your pantry and fridge.

This fall simmer pot guide contains affiliate links, but nothing that I wouldn’t recommend wholeheartedly. Read my full disclosure here.

How do you make a simmer pot?

To create this heavenly simmer pot for fall, simply mix together all of the ingredients in a large pot (like a saucepan, dutch oven, or stockpot). Then cover the ingredients with water and place it on the stovetop.

Turn on the burner on your stovetop and place it on high heat to bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and keep it at a low simmer for as long as you’d like.

What to keep in mind while your stovetop potpourri is simmering

Make sure not to let the water boil, but rather keep the heat at a low simmer so the water in the stovetop simmer pot produces steam.

As the water will evaporate, so make sure to check the water level every 30 minutes or so. Add more water as needed, making sure that the ingredients of the fall simmer pot are covered with water at all times.

You can let it simmer and steam for several hours as long as you keep an eye on the water level and don’t leave the house, of course.

What if you don’t want to put the simmer pot on your stovetop?

Simmer pots are so versatile! A simmer pot can be used on a stovetop or in a Crock-Pot. You can even put them on top of your radiator if you have one. Alternatively, you can place the pot on the top of your wood stove as well!

I’ve also heard of people putting the items in a coffee pot & in a jar on top of a candle warmer too! Those are definitely creative ideas for a simmer pot!

If you choose to your put your autumn simmer pot somewhere else, don’t forget that you still need to keep an eye on it to make sure the water level stays above the ingredients.

Autumn Stovetop Simmer Ingredient Ideas

To get the most out of your fall simmer pot, you can really add any of these aromatic ingredients! It is so fun coming up with different combinations and seeing how it turns out.

You can definitely use fruits, herbs, and spices that are past their prime and aren’t quite something you want to eat. It is a great way to use up fruit that is going bad so you can avoid throwing it away!

Any of the fall scents listed below would go well together, so feel free to get creative and mix and match!

• Oranges (sliced or just the peels)
• Apples (sliced or just the peels)
• Lemons or limes (sliced or just the peels)
• Fragrant herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme, etc).
• Cinnamon sticks – it’s way cheaper to buy them in bulk like this
• Coffee beans (or just leftover coffee grounds)
• Cranberries (fresh, frozen, or dried)
• Whole cloves (or ground if that’s all you have)
• Vanilla bean (or extract)
• Star anise
• Pumpkin pie spice
• Juniper berries (whole)
• Cardomom pods
• Coriander seeds
• Nutmeg (whole or ground)
• Allspice (whole)
• Grapefruit slices
• Ginger
• Pomegranate seeds
• Mint leaves
• Bay leaves
• Almond extract
• Fragrant pines (just clip a piece from your live Christmas tree or outdoor tree!)
• Essential oils that would be good additions: bergamot, cedarwood, lemongrass, sandalwood, fir
• Empty used tea bags

Remember that creating a stovetop potpourri is an art, not a science!

18 Fall Simmer Pot Recipe Ideas

If you love the autumn aromas of apple cider and pumpkin spice, you’ll want to try these fall simmer pot recipes. As mentioned above, you can really mix and match and get creative with your autumn simmer pot ingredients. That is part of the fun!

But if you’d rather have a little direction, I’ve started with 18 different recipes for your fall simmer pot

• Orange peel, sliced apple, cloves, vanilla, cinnamon sticks & rosemary (this is what I used in our fall simmer pot and it was lovely)
• Apples, cloves & cinnamon
• Rosemary, lemon peels, vanilla
• Lemon, cinnamon sticks, cloves
• Orange peel, bay leaves, whole cloves, vanilla & cinnamon sticks
• Cinnamon sticks, rosemary, sliced orange, whole cloves, cranberries, nutmeg (smells like Christmas!)
• Leftover coffee grounds, cinnamon sticks, vanilla
• Juniper berries, lemon & orange peels
• Orange & lemon peels, fir tree clippings
• Coffee beans or grounds, cinnamon sticks, vanilla, cardamom & allspice
• Orange peel, lemon peel, vanilla & cloves
• Pumpkin spice, whole star anise & apples
• Pumpkin spice, nutmeg, cinnamon sticks & vanilla
• Nutmeg, vanilla & cinnamon (smells like holiday eggnog!)
• Nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, star anise & apples
• Bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, vanilla, star anise & almond extract
• Cranberries, orange peel, cinnamon sticks, cloves & vanilla
• Lemon & vanilla (smells just like a Williams Sonoma!)

Simmer pot FAQs

What’s a simmer pot?

A simmer pot is like a boiled potpourri. Simmer pot recipes are simple to prepare. All you need is water, the ingredients, a large pot, and a stovetop or a crockpot. Add image

How long do simmer pots last?

A simmer pot can last several days as long as you keep the water filled up. You can simmer it for a few hours here and there to instantly make your home smell like fall!

We recommend that if you have fruits in your stovetop air freshener store them in the refrigerator in between uses to make them last even longer. If you don’t have any fruits in the simmer pot, it tends to last a bit longer.

What do you do with a simmer pot when done?

When you are done with your simmer pot, you can get rid of the ingredients in the trash. If you have a compost pile, you can add it to that.

If you have a garbage disposal, you can pour the ingredients down the sink and process them. It will make your garbage disposal smell great!

What are the benefits of stovetop potpourri?

• Amazing autumn aromas will permeate your entire house quickly and easily
• No harsh toxins or chemicals
• Recycles peels and skins from fruits and citrus, rather than throwing them away
• Adds humidity and moisture to the air in your home, which is very helpful during the winter season. Indoor humidity has been proven to reduce illness, eliminate pests, alleviate allergies, improve sleep, help your skin, and lower your stress levels. Yes, please!
• Scent is closely linked to parts of the brain that process emotion, mood, and memory. This means that if you’re looking for how to make your home cozy, you better not forget about how it smells!

Can you give simmer pots as a gift?

Yes! Stovetop potpourri makes a great easy DIY gift! There are a few different ways to give simmer pots as a gift.

• You can either dehydrate the ingredients with a dehydrator (we LOVE this one) or bag them up. Check out how we gave stovetop potpourri as a Christmas gift here!
• The other option is to simply put the ingredients together, but don’t slice up the fruit.
• Lastly, you can prepare everything and put it soaking in water in a mason jar. Once everything is soaked in a mason jar, it will last about a week.

So the other options (dehydrating and no slicing up) are better options for longer-lasting gifts.

If you want your house to smell like a fall harvest with minimal effort and no chemicals, try one of these autumn simmer pot recipes!

Which of the stovetop simmer recipes is your favorite?

Let us know in the comments below!