Stovetop Potpourri Recipe that Smells Like Pumpkin Pie
This pumpkin spice simmer pot fills your home with the cozy scent of pumpkin pie using cinnamon, orange slices, and apple — no baking required!
When the weather starts to turn chilly, I love making little changes around my house to help it feel cozier. A warm, comforting scent adds so much to that feeling of home, and lately I’ve been swapping out my candles for simmer pots instead. This has become one of my favorite ways to fill the house with the most delicious smell. With just a few simple ingredients simmering together in a pot, it works like absolute magic!
Ingredients for Pumpkin Pie Simmering Stovetop Potpourri Recipe
(A printable recipe card is available below with exact measurements for your convenience.)
- Pumpkin puree- This recipe is a perfect way to use up a little bit of leftover pumpkin puree from making pumpkin banana muffins, pumpkin roll cake, or pumpkin pie!
- orange slices -or you can use dried orange slices.
- apple slices
- cinnamon sticks
- pumpkin pie spice
- cloves
- Water to cover (I just use tap water.)
How to Make Simmering Stovetop Potpourri- A Recipe that Smells Like Pumpkin Pie
Bring the comforting fragrance of holiday baking into your home with this Fall stovetop potpourri recipe that smells like pumpkin pie. Simmering ingredients like pumpkin, cinnamon sticks, and orange peel slowly on the stovetop will make your whole house smell amazing! This scent is perfect for Fall, Winter, or the holiday season.
Materials
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 3 orange slices – about 1/4 inch thick
- 2 apple slices
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 1/2 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- Tap water to cover
Tools
- Serated Knife
- Small saucepan
Instructions
- Place the pumpkin, orange slices, apple slices, cinnamon sticks, and spices into a saucepan.
- Pour over water until it is almost completely covered and stir together.
- Place pot on a stovetop burner and bring the mixture to a soft boil.
- Turn the heat down to low heat and simmer until the fragrance fills your home.
- Check on the simmering potpourri every hour or so and add water if it starts to get low.
- Refrigerate the potpourri when not simmering to help it last longer.
Notes
The same batch of simmering potpourri can be used for up to 4 days.
Step by Step Instructions for this Easy Potpourri Recipe
This simmering potpourri couldn’t be easier to make. Add the pumpkin, orange and apple slices, cinnamon sticks, and spices to a saucepan, then pour in water until everything is almost covered. Bring it to a soft boil on the stovetop, then turn the heat down low and let it simmer until the fragrance fills your home — checking on it every hour or so to top up the water as it evaporates.
Watch me Make this Simmering Pumpking Pie Potpourri!
I recorded a short video of this recipe for Instagram, and thought you might like seeing it, too:
Tips & Tricks
- Keep an eye on the simmering potpourri and make sure it doesn’t boil dry. Add more water as it starts to get low. Here’s a funny hospitality story about a time I let simmering potpourri dry out…
- Once the potpourri fragrance has gently filled your home, remove the pot from the heat and turn off the burner. If you leave it simmering too long, the scent may become overpowering.
- The same batch of simmering potpourri can be used for up to 4 days. To prolong the life your homemade potpourri, place it in the refrigerator when not simmering it on the stove.
Variations for Simmering Potpourri & Why It’s so Fun to Make!
The fun thing about homemade potpourri is that it’s so flexible! You can mix and match ingredients to come up with different scents.
Here are some variations to try:
- Flavour and Savour has a holiday potpourri recipe that uses warm holiday spices and fresh rosemary.
- Cranberries and pomegrante are the stars in this Christmas stovetop potpourri that looks as pretty as it smells.
- You can use dried orange slices or dried apples slices in your simmering potpourri if you have them.
- Use a mixture of warm spices like cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg with citrus fruits like lemon or oranges for a warm and tangy spice scent.
- Simmering potpourri is a great way to use sad fruit produce that isn’t quite good enough to eat, but will still smell great. Try grapefruit, mandarin oranges, lemons, orange, apples, or pomegrantes.
- I’ve found that ground spices work great for stovetop potpourri, but whole spices work well, too. Try cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, cardemom seeds, star anise, whole ginger pieces, ground fresh nutmeg, or sage leaves.
Want More Ideas for Your Home?
Get instant access to my free printables library — filled with home planning tools, checklists, and beautiful printable art to help make your home feel warm and organized all year long! Sign up here!
That’s a good idea. Thanks for this sharing.
come back here and had to say this recipe is so good!!!!
I love the idea of making stovetop potpourri! It reminds me of my grandma’s pumpkin pie scent wafting through her kitchen in fall. Do you have any tips for combining spices to really maximize that cozy vibe?
That fast pace makes pumpkin pie potpourri perfect for quick gaming sessions, and I often find myself playing just one more round before bed, even when I know I should stop.
This pumpkin pie potpourri sounds amazing! Nothing beats filling your home with cozy fall scents. Speaking of escapes, have you tried escape tsunami for brainrots script It’s a fun game that lets you escape rising tsunamis while collecting upgrades!