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We have received emails this month asking about a homemade fall stove top potpourri recipe we recommend.
I have mentioned this a few times in newsletters, but have not done a post on it yet!
This DIY stove top potpourri recipe is perfect for autumn, thanksgiving, and the Christmas season.
You can have this going through the rest of the year because it is so festive!
This is especially great for parties and having people over.
Homemade Fall Stove Top Potpourri Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 large orange, cut in half
- 2 apples, cut in half
- 2 tsp cloves
- 1 tbsp nutmeg
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 2 tsp hazelnut or vanilla extract
- 1 cup apple cider
- a few fall leaves from outside (not dried out ones, but ones that still have a nice scent)
- a few drops of fall essential oil (optional)
- Water
Directions:
- Add all ingredients to a pot except for the extract and essential oil if you are using it.
- Add enough water so all ingredients are covered.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Once simmering on low, add in the extract, then a few drops of essential oil (optional).
- Stir ingredients around periodically to make sure everything stays covered with water.
How Long Does This Homemade Potpourri Last?
The scent will last a long time. You can simmer it all day, turn off the heat, then put the pot in the refrigerator to use again the next day. Or you can add all the ingredients to a Tupperware or jar to store in the fridge. I have had success with using this for 2-3 uses in a row. Just make sure to store it in the fridge to keep ingredients fresh!
How Does This Compare to Our DIY Fall Room Spray?
A few years ago, we shared our homemade autumn room spray. It was a big hit and readers continue to enjoy it! The base of this fall room spray is made similar to a stove top potpourri, but it is then diluted with a few ingredients to turn into a room spray.
Our fall room spray is more of an earthy, autumn scent with leaves and pumpkins in the mix. I love it! It has such a fresh scent. This DIY fall potpourri is a more spiced smell perfect for a fall day. It also does better simmering for a long time. So, I recommend using the stove top potpourri when you plan to have company over and want a wonderful smell bubbling all day.
Thanksgiving Stove Top Potpourri
This recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving! If you would like to make this more “Thanksgiving-y” you can add in a few tablespoons of pumpkin puree. It adds just the right amount of pumpkin scent for the Thanksgiving holiday. Almost like you are baking a bunch of pumpkin pies 🙂
The fall essential oil I mention in the ingredients that is optional also has an incredible pumpkin scent, so you can add about 10-15 drops of that once the potpourri is set to simmer for a great smell addition. This oil is completely optional, so feel free to just add pumpkin puree for Thanksgiving 🙂
Extract Options
I enjoy using vanilla extract or hazelnut in this mixture, but you are welcome to try anything you have on hand. We have a DIY vanilla extract that has the most wonderful scent for a stove top potpourri. Hazelnut also makes a great addition.
Other extracts you might try are cinnamon, orange, or even almond extract. For almond extract, you only need to use a small amount because the scent is very strong. You can play around with the extracts to see what you enjoy best 🙂
How Strong is This Potpourri Recipe?
I have had readers asking this question. Many of our readers have a sensitivity to strong smells! My mom has asthma and is very sensitive to fragrance. I have this going in my house around her, and it doesn’t bother her. It is not an overpowering smell, more like a wonderful warm scent in the kitchen. Similar to if you were baking all day.
This type of homemade option makes a great substitute to real potpourri which can be very strong. If you have sensitivities, leaving out essential oil is a good idea.
Please let us know if you make our Homemade Fall Stove Top Potpourri Recipe!
I hope you enjoy making this Homemade Fall Stove Top Potpourri Recipe as much as we do! Please tag me on instagram if you make it!! You can also use the hashtag #chemistrycachet
Happy Fall Y’all!
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Alexis is an investigative chemist sharing her expertise in cleaning, skincare, gardening, and home hacks. She personally tests out products like the best skincare products or home products then shares not only the science behind how it works, but also her personal results. She is the mom of two living in Texas with her husband. Find her on Instagram for fantastic videos, tips, and behind the scenes.
Hi Alexis,
The french lady from Quebec (me ?!!!) still loving your homemade products so much! I tried a lot of them for cleaning and air freshener sprays. I use them every day. Thanks you again for sharing .
I have some questions and I’ll try to write them in an correct english ?:
-can I turn this recipe in a room spray (following the same process that you used for your natural automn room spray)?
There is a lot of snow here since a few days and it feels more like winter than fall. I will try to keep the warm atmosphere of autumn indoors for a few more weeks with your récites!
– Are all your room sprays (or other air fresheners) ideas/recipes on this site (chemestry cachet)? I’m not on Instagram and don’t want to miss one!
thank you,
Maryline
Hi Maryline! I remember you 🙂 I am so happy you are enjoying everything. I don’t like this one for a room spray as much because the solution is a little more thick especially if using apple cider. You can try to make it a room spray, but I would not use the apple cider for that. All of the recipes are on Chemistry Cachet 🙂 You should be able to find them all under our cleaning tab found here. Let me know if there is anything else I can help with!
I was tinking using water instead of Apple cider and I saw in another of your post that you use apple cores in a room spray.
Would it be better than apple chunks?
And when you mentionned the possibility of adding oranges in the room spray, is it better to use oranges peels only or the whole fruit?
Same question if I want to use Lemon
On another sujet:
I saw your diy vanilla extract and will definitly try it.
I want to do it with lemons and oranges too. Maybe with limes..
I read the comments and answers following this post and one person asked the same question too:
How would you do it?
At the Time, you didn’t have an answer.
Can you suggest me something?
As they contained alcohol, I was wondering if I could use them in room/air freshener sprays, reducing the amount of needed essential oils for some of my recipes?
Not planning of using them for bakery
I would just like to have your opinion and advice on the quantity of peels and vodka
Finally, I will ask you a final question on another topic (haha!):
In your Quick daily bathtub/shower spray, is the amount of blue Dawn really 1/4 Cup ? Just seem a lot of Dawn
Big snow storm here today…good time for making recipes!
Thanks a lot,
Maryline
Apple chunks are great, but the apple cider will be more fragrant for this long term simmering room spray. It is really just about what is convenient for you. You can use lemon, orange or lime rinds to make an extract. We have a post on making lemon infused rubbing alcohol for cleaning, you would use the same method but make sure to use vodka instead so it can be used for food. I wouldn’t recommend using them as room sprays since the ratio and quantity are more towards extracts in foods. Yes, the daily bathtub spray contains 1/4 cup dawn. This solution is made for spraying the entire bathtub surface and making sure it targets soap scum quickly. When putting it in a spray bottle it will coat the surface lightly, making it easy to wash off 🙂 Hope this helps!
Ok! Thank’s a lot!
Is this safe for cats and dogs?
Yes it is
This is a great idea! I would save the electricity (we don’t have natural gas in our area) and place a pan on my Cast iron wood stove and let the heat do it’s work. We specifically got the cast iron type so we could heat water if the power goes out… which happens a lot where we live in Oregon. High winds + tall trees + power lines = regular power outages. I like this idea though. Great for when people come over.
Thanks for sharing!