This spring simmer pot recipe is going to make your home smell like heaven…
I don’t think there’s anything nicer than walking into my home and having it smell lovely and welcoming. One of my favorite ways to keep my home smelling nice is to use simmer pots. These are such a clean, natural way to scent your home and they’re also fun to make. I do simmer pots all winter to keep the air in our home from drying out, and it’s one of my favorite ways to freshen things up for spring.
What’s a simmer pot?
A simmer pot, sometimes called stovetop potpourri, is simply a pot, filled with water and aromatics (fruits, herbs and spices), that is heated to a low temperature to slowly release scents and fill a room with a pleasant fragrance. Think scented candle, but the cleaner, less expensive, more effective alternative.
Since many of us will be hosting for Easter this Sunday, I thought I would share my all time favorite Spring simmer pot recipe, plus a few more of my favorites for the season.
This simmer pot recipe will make your entire house smell so heavenly, it only takes a couple minutes to put together, and you probably already have most of these ingredients in your fridge and cupboards.
This particular spring simmer pot recipe has three lovely notes in it. The top note is lemon, and it hits you first, and then there’s a warm spicey cinnamon with just a hint of rosemary in the middle, and then the bottom note of vanilla really rounds it out and warms it up. It’s simultaneously fresh and cozy, and is the perfect scent for a spring gathering.
Spring Simmer pot recipe:
To make this spring simmer pot, all you do is add the following ingredients to a pot of water, turn the stove onto the lowest setting and let it simmer, add more water as needed and it can simmer all day. I like to use a copper pot for simmer pots, because it looks so lovely simmering on my stove all day, but dutch ovens also work great. You can use any pot for these!
Ingredients:
- 1 lemon sliced
- 2-3 fresh rosemary sprigs
- a handful of cinnamon sticks
- 1 TBSP vanilla extract
How long do you let it simmer?
I like to start my simmer pots in the morning, especially on days when I’m cleaning or hosting, and let them simmer all day. When the water starts to get low, simply add more and keep simmering. It will literally fill your entire home with the most wonderful smell, and make the air feel so fresh. You can use the same pot and ingredients for a couple days.
More great spring simmer pot recipe combinations:
Herby spring simmer pot:
- 4-5 fresh thyme sprigs
- sliced grapefruit
- sliced lemon
- vanilla
- a few peppercorns
Floral spring simmer pot:
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- 1 sprig of fresh mint
- 2-3 Roses or rose buds, stems removed
- 2-3 lavender sprigs
- 1/2 cup fresh chamomile flowers
Orange Creamsicle simmer pot: (this one is very nostalgic)
- 1 orange sliced
- 2 tablespoon vanilla extract
Citrus & Coconut simmer pot:
- sliced lemons
- sliced limes
- sliced oranges
- 1 TBSP of coconut extract
More recipes for Easter hosting:
Easy Cheese Danish recipe: perfect for an Easter Brunch.
Homemade honey rolls recipe: the butter alone is worth writing home about.
Peach and Mint Lemonade recipe: such a fresh, light drink.
Cinnamon Rolls Recipe: another great option for Easter brunch. I’ll be making these for our church Easter egg hunt on Saturday morning.
