Simmer Pot

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Fill your home with delightful scents and cozy vibes using our Simmer Pot recipe. These four simple ingredients make your home smell amazing!

A simmer pot filled with water, lemon slices, peppercorns, rosemary sprigs, and vanilla extract
Featured with this recipe
  1. Ingredients in a Simmer Pot
  2. What is a Simmer Pot?
  3. Variations
  4. Recipe Tip
  5. Frequently Asked Questions
  6. More Household Recipes
  7. How to Make a Simmer Pot
  8. Simmer Pot Recipe

If you’re like me, then you are always searching for easy and natural ways to make your home smell amazing. This simmer pot is a great (and also cheap) way to achieve a delicious smelling home without the irritants of candles. And while this smells good enough to eat as it is simmering away on the stove, remember, it is purely for the senses, you cannot eat what is in this recipe.

Ingredients in a Simmer Pot

  • Lemon Slices
  • Rosemary Sprigs
  • Peppercorns
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Water
lemon slices, peppercorns, rosemary sprigs, and vanilla extract on a cutting board


What is a Simmer Pot?

A simmer pot is an all natural way to create aroma and atmosphere in your home without using a candle. Welcome your guests into your home with a delicious scent and a small cloud of steam. Typically, you fill the pot with sliced fruits, herbs, and different whole spices to make a soft and subtle scent. Then, you add water and set it simmering. It’s so easy, just put your ingredients in fresh water and let simmer for a few hours in a small saucepan. The scent will permeate your home like a sweet and spicy soup simmering on the stove.

Variations

Any simmer pot blend would smell intoxicating, I’m sure, but here are a few ideas that are curated for you. During the holidays, try our Christmas Simmer Pot.

  • Orange peels or lemon slices (any citrus), fresh cranberries, a cinnamon stick, pine
  • Slices of ginger, a few whole cloves, a few allspice, a few cinnamon sticks, vanilla extract
  • Orange or clementine peels and vanilla extract
  • Apple peels or apple slices, orange slices or peels, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves
  • Slices of ginger, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves
a pot filled with lemon slices, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, rosemary sprigs, cranberries, and water
Christmas Simmer Pot
5 from 4 votes
Fill your home with the aroma of Christmas using our Christmas Simmer Pot recipe and create the perfect cozy ambiance for any gathering.
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Recipe Tip

A pot filled with water, lemon slices, peppercorns, rosemary sprigs, and vanilla extract

Keep the heat low – the water should just barely be bubbling. At this low temperature, the pot can last about two hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you do with a Simmer Pot when it is done?

When you are done simmering, take the fruit, herbs, and spices and compost them, or you could dry them to make a potpourri.

Are you supposed to drink a simmer pot?

You aren’t supposed to drink a simmer pot. However, if you want something that is simmering on your stovetop that smells delicious and that you are SUPPOSED to drink, try hot apple cider. Make it easily by pouring a jug of apple cider in a saucepan, adding things like slices of limes, different berries like blackberries and cranberries, slices of apple, and any whole spices you wish, and you have a delicious fall recipe that smells great and you can also drink as well!

Can you reuse a simmer pot?

Depending on the integrity of the ingredients (are they fruit and are they falling apart), you should be able to reuse the ingredients 3-4 times. However, the smell may fade with time.

Read Next: Our Version of Lush Bath Bombs

More Household Recipes

If you’re looking for more DIY home recipes that use natural ingredients and save you money, then check these out!

How to Make a Simmer Pot

A pot filled with water, lemon slices, peppercorns, rosemary sprigs, and vanilla extract

Simmer Pot

5 from 1 vote
Fill your home with delightful scents and cozy vibes using our Simmer Pot recipe. These four simple ingredients make your home smell amazing!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Course Other
Cuisine DIY
Servings 1 pot

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 lemons
  • 2 rosemary sprigs
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • water

Instructions

  • Thinly slice the lemons.
    lemon slices on a cutting board with a knife
  • Add all ingredients to the pot and then fill the rest of the pot with water. Leave a few inches at the top for boiling.
    A pot filled with water, lemon slices, peppercorns, rosemary sprigs, and vanilla extract
  • Bring to a boil over medium heat and then turn heat to low. Let simmer for up to 2 hours.
    A pot filled with water, lemon slices, peppercorns, rosemary sprigs, and vanilla extract

Notes

  • If the water level gets low before the two hours is up, then you can add a few more cups of water.
  • Experiment with different fruits and herbs to create a blend that is uniquely you! 
  • Do not leave simmer pot unattended. 

Nutrition Information

Calories: 88kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 6mgPotassium: 376mgFiber: 7gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 130IUVitamin C: 115mgCalcium: 82mgIron: 2mg

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About the author

Kelsey Crist

Kelsey lives in Washington with her husband, Alex, and two cats, Diana and Nova. Her happy place is in the kitchen listening to an audiobook and trying new recipes. When she's not in the kitchen you can find her hiking, shopping at Trader Joe's, or playing Animal Crossing. Her favorite food is pasta and Alex loves when she makes Homemade Oreos.

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