We love blending unique scents to craft simmer pot recipes for our home. Simmer pots are a simple way to add a custom fragrance to your home without the chemically laden fragrances that are found in so many commercial products today.

A glass cup of chrysanthemum tea with blooming flower steeped in warm water on a wooden table.

Whether you choose to create a special simmer pot recipe in the warmer or cooler seasons, simmer pots are sure to bring a smile to many faces.

We love adding lavender, peppermint, or pine into our simple simmer pot recipes because they are abundant in our area. Simmer pots are a great way to use “scraps” of fruit or herbs that you would typically throw out as they will still deliver a wonderful scent for your home. Let’s explore some of the awesome benefits of simmer pots and some simple simmer pot recipes you can use in your home.

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What is a Simmer Pot?

A simmer pot is a simple way to add a unique scent to your home using a variety of natural ingredients. To get started, just fill a stovetop pot (any size will do, but we prefer a medium saucepan) with water and add in your scent-filled items. You may choose to use spices, herbs, citrus peels, or essential oils. You can use dried or fresh ingredients.

Turn on your stove burner to a low setting allowing the ingredients to gently simmer. Then enjoy the scents that fill your home.

Loose dried tea leaves scattered with a metal tea strainer on a dark surface.

We particularly love to use simmer pots as they are an awesome alternative to candles or artificially scented air fresheners. Although you still need to use heat, you don’t need a continuously open burning flame.

The ingredients can be adapted to whatever ingredients you have on hand!

A serene still life of a black teapot and teacup with herbal tea, exuding warmth and tradition.

What Are The Benefits of a Simmer Pot Recipe?

Simmer pots offer multiple benefits including:

Inspiration: By using your creativity in crafting simmer pot recipes, you may be inspired to use spices and herbs into your cooking and baking. I know that when we have apples in our simmer pot recipe, our children begin wanting homemade applesauce with cinnamon!

A metal mug with a hot beverage and lemon slices on a rock by a stream, creating an inviting outdoor scene.

Naturally scented: We love that simmer pot recipes often involve no chemicals. Some people may choose fragrance oils to enhance the scents of their simmer pots, but we love that we can use natural ingredients found throughout our property.

Cost-effective and eco-friendly: Simmer pots are very economical and eco-friendly as you can use scraps from your home or your property. You can use apple peels, lemon peels, orange peels, lime peels, etc. for fruit scents. You can use pine branches or pine cones for a woodsy scent. Go ahead and use rose petals or lavender buds for a floral scent.

A glass teapot with herbal tea, surrounded by cups and a cookie, creating a cozy atmosphere.

Customizable: We love that you can mix and match ingredients based on your preferences or the current season. No more worrying about not enjoying a specific scent. Just customize your simmer pot recipe for your and your family’s enjoyment.

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Humidifying: During those winter months when the furnace is running, the environment often dries out. As the water evaporates from your simmer pot, it adds moisture to the air, which may be helpful.

Therapeutic: Although simmer pots themselves are not necessarily therapeutic, the ingredients in the simmer pot recipe may be calming. Other ingredients may have stress-reducing properties, too.

A close-up of an herbal tea mug filled with dried leaves and flowers on a table.

How Do You Make a Simmer Pot?

Basic Ingredients

Medium Saucepan Pot
4 Cups Water
Fresh herbs, spices, and fruits (over 200 simmer pot recipe blends are below)
Adjust the ingredient quantities based on your pot size and scent preferences

Step-by-Step Instructions

Choose a pot.
Add approximately 4 cups of water to your medium-sized pot.
Add your ingredients.
Place on the stovetop on low heat.
Simmer for as long as you prefer or remove from heat and enjoy the scent.
Add additional water as needed to prevent ingredients from drying out.

Overhead shot of a cup with a blend of dried herbal tea leaves and flowers.

Simmer Pot Safety Tips

Always monitor the pot to prevent it from drying out.
Keep the heat low to prevent the water from boiling.

200+ Simmer Pot Recipe Scents

Citrus & Spice

If scents of orange, lemons, grapefruit, etc. are your thing then you will love these blends!

Orange slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves
Lemon, rosemary, vanilla extract
Grapefruit, ginger, star anise
Lime, thyme, nutmeg
Blood orange, thyme, vanilla
Tangerine, clove, cinnamon
Lemon zest, fennel, ginger
Clementine, rosemary, nutmeg
Citrus zest, basil, mint
Kiwi, cucumber, lime
Celery, lime, ginger
Grapefruit, basil, honey
Tangerine, cinnamon, star anise

Blood orange, ginger, cinnamon
Kiwi, lime, honey
Dragon fruit, mint, lime
Grapefruit, rosemary, honey
Lemon, dill, ginger
Tangerine, basil, cinnamon
Lime, ginger, mint

Herbal

We are fans of using herbs in our simmer pot recipes because we can easily grow them in our yard or in a simple pot on a patio. Herbs are so robust and offer so many unique flavor profiles.

Lavender, lemon balm, honey
Chamomile, orange peel, cardamom
Mint, basil, lime
Eucalyptus, peppermint, lemon
Rosemary, thyme, lemon
Sage, lemon balm, honey
Tarragon, orange peel, cloves
Dill, cucumber, lemon
Oregano, garlic, onion

Basil, thyme, tomato
Chamomile, honey, lemon
Parsley, lemon, garlic
Sage, eucalyptus, lemon
Dill, cucumber, lemon
Parsley, lemon, thyme
Thyme, mint, lime

Fruity Combinations

Adding fruit to your simmer pot recipe allows you to mix things up by using pieces of fruit that often be thrown away. You can use whole fresh fruit pieces, dried or dehydrated fruit pieces, or you can even use the scraps from the peels in your simmer pot recipe!

Apple slices, cinnamon, nutmeg
Pear, ginger, allspice
Cranberry, orange, rosemary
Pomegranate seeds, vanilla, cinnamon
Kiwi, mint, lime
Nectarine, ginger, cinnamon
Blackberry, lemon, mint
Apricot, vanilla, ginger

Elegant flatlay of herbal tea garnished with thyme and served with cookies, captured from above.

Spicy & Warm

Some of these blends are more edible than others, but mix it up and enjoy the spice scents that fill your home.

Cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, vanilla
Ginger, turmeric, black pepper
Cloves, allspice, orange peel
Cardamom, ginger, vanilla
Chai spice mix, milk, vanilla
Gingerbread, nutmeg, cinnamon
Hot cocoa, marshmallows, peppermint
Sweet potato, cinnamon, nutmeg
Cinnamon, cayenne, chocolate
Black pepper, ginger, honey
Nutmeg, clove, allspice
Anise, cinnamon, orange

Cozy Fall Scents

Did someone say fall y’all? We love these blends at any time of the year, but especially as a fall simmer pot recipe.

Pumpkin spice, cinnamon sticks, vanilla
Maple syrup, apple cider, cloves
Chestnuts, orange, nutmeg
Acorn squash, sage, cinnamon
Hot cocoa, vanilla, peppermint
Chestnuts, cloves, vanilla
Spiced wine (mulled), orange, cinnamon
Apple cider, cinnamon, cloves

Hands carefully selecting fresh green tea leaves in a traditional bamboo basket.

Fresh & Clean

Sometimes you just need a fresh and clean scent in your home and these are great to add to your kitchen stove top.

Cucumber, mint, lemon
Aloe vera, lime, thyme
Green tea, jasmine, lemon
Basil, sage, citrus zest

Tropical Inspirations

Do you hear “Jamaica, Bahama, come on pretty mama…” and Jimmy Buffet songs in the background? With these tropical scents, you are likely to drum up something a little unique.

Pineapple, coconut, lime
Mango, ginger, mint
Coconut milk, vanilla, cinnamon
Papaya, lime, mint
Coconut, pineapple, lime
Mango, coconut, mint
Passionfruit, ginger, lime
Guava, lemon, basil

Warm, inviting tea ceremony scene with traditional teapot, leaves, and cup on a wooden table.

Exotic Flavors

I’ll admit that I am not sure what tamarind or lychee smell like, but these seem like some interesting flavors that are sure to excite the senses.

Saffron, cardamom, orange
Tamarind, ginger, cinnamon
Star anise, vanilla, coconut
Lemongrass, lime, ginger
Papaya, lime, mint
Dragon fruit, coconut, ginger
Lychee, jasmine, lemon
Starfruit, lime, mint

Classic Combinations

You just can’t go wrong with any of the simmer pot recipe blends on this list. Sometimes classic is where it’s at.

Lemon, sugar, mint
Vanilla, almond extract, cinnamon
Peach, ginger, vanilla
Cherry, almond, orange

A golden teapot elegantly pours hot water into a glass pitcher on a wooden table.

Seasonal Favorites

I can already feel the warmth from the wood fireplace as I am dreaming up some of these scents. Get that stovepot ready for these simmer pot recipe blends.

Autumn leaves (maple, cinnamon)
Winter berries (cranberry, rosemary)
Spring blooms (lavender, lemon)
Summer fruits (peach, basil)
Sunflower petals, citrus, mint
Maple leaves, apple, cinnamon
Fir needles, citrus, ginger
Dried corn husks, vanilla, cinnamon
Maple leaves, pecans, cinnamon
Pine cones, cedar, orange
Dried leaves, apple, cinnamon
Corn husks, vanilla, nutmeg

Close-up of aromatic steaming lemon herbal tea served in a ceramic cup with saucer.

Sweet & Savory

Good enough to smell and even better enough to eat (or drink) these simmer pot recipe blends.

Honey, ginger, lemon
Maple syrup, vanilla, nutmeg
Brown sugar, orange, cinnamon
Molasses, cloves, ginger
Maple syrup, vanilla, almond
Brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon
Toffee bits, apple, clove
Caramel sauce, apple, vanilla
Maple syrup, vanilla, almond
Brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon
Toffee bits, apple, clove
Caramel sauce, apple, vanilla
Mulled wine spices (cinnamon, clove, orange)
Hot cider, caramel, cinnamon
Pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg
Spiced tea (chai), vanilla, honey

Festive Blends

Bring on the mistletoe as we prepare these simmer pot recipe mixes. I can taste the smooth eggnog now!

Eggnog, nutmeg, cinnamon
Gingerbread spices (ginger, nutmeg, cloves)
Mistletoe mix (pine, cedar, citrus)
Holiday spices (cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg)

A close-up of dried chamomile flowers ideal for tea brewing and herbal remedies.

Earthy Combinations

There is nothing wrong with getting back to your roots. Haha, see what we did there. These simmer pot recipe blends are sure to ground you (yep, did it again) and help you grow your senses. Ok, I’ll see myself out.

Cedar, pine, clove
Birch, maple, vanilla
Oak leaves, cinnamon, apple
Spruce, orange, ginger
Spinach, basil, lime
Kale, lemon, ginger
Arugula, apple, mint
Beetroot, ginger, lemon
Beetroot, ginger, cinnamon
Sweet potato, sage, maple
Mushrooms, garlic, thyme
Carrots, ginger, honey
Dandelion root, ginger, honey
Turmeric, lemon, pepper
Ashwagandha, honey, cinnamon
Beetroot, rosemary, apple

Savory Simmer Pots

Add a dash of any of these to a stovetop soup recipe and enjoy! These could be great as a stand-alone simmer pot recipe, too.

Garlic, onion, rosemary
Bay leaves, thyme, celery
Peppercorns, sage, tomato
Mushrooms, garlic, thyme
Rosemary, sage, garlic
Basil, oregano, thyme
Celery, carrots, onion
Coriander, cumin, lime

All-Natural Ingredients

I couldn’t think of a better way to label this group as each of the scents in this list is all-natural. Some great simmer pot recipe blends to try in your home.

Honey, lemon, fresh herbs
Ginger, turmeric, honey
Vanilla bean, almond milk, cinnamon
Green apple, lemon, cinnamon

Unique Combos

Try your hand at these and let us know how you enjoy.

Chai spices (cardamom, ginger, cinnamon)
Curry leaves, coconut, lime
Coriander, lemon, ginger
Fennel, orange, vanilla
Fig, rosemary, vanilla
Olive oil, rosemary, garlic
Pomegranate, mint, lime
Persimmon, ginger, cinnamon

Berry Berry

Berry good scents below (I just can’t help myself if you have read this far).

Blackberry, lemon, thyme
Lime, ginger, coconut
Strawberry, basil, mint
Raspberry, vanilla, rosemary
Blueberries, lavender, lemon
Raspberries, mint, basil
Strawberries, honey, cardamom
Mulberries, vanilla, cinnamon

Spicy Blends

Bam! As Emeril used to say. Go on and kick it up a notch with these unique simmer pot recipe blends.

Chili peppers, garlic, lime
Szechuan peppercorns, ginger, garlic
Wasabi, lime, cucumber
Jalapeño, mint, pineapple

Floral & Fresh

Invite a bouquet in your home with fresh or dried flowers on this list. We are particularly keen on lavender in our simmer pot recipes but you can get crafty with a different blend.

Rose petals, mint, lime
Jasmine, lemon balm, honey
Lavender, chamomile, orange
Hibiscus, ginger, lemon
Marigold, lemon, mint
Chamomile, vanilla, honey
Violet, lemon, rosemary
Dahlia, mint, lime

Rustic Blends

Rustic, nutty, or unique, we will let you decide. These blends are different from some things that we have tried before and will be sure to excite your senses.

Wheatgrass, apple, ginger
Corn stalks, cinnamon, vanilla
Acorn squash, maple, cinnamon
Pecan, brown sugar, vanilla
Almonds, vanilla, orange
Hazelnuts, cinnamon, clove
Walnuts, maple, apple
Chestnuts, rosemary, apple

Herbal Teas

Use these as flavored waters, teas, or as a simmer pot recipe. Either way, we would enjoy drinking a hot tea with any of these flavors.

Green tea, ginger, mint
Rooibos, vanilla, cinnamon
Peppermint, chamomile, honey
Hibiscus, ginger, lime
Cucumber, mint, green tea
Eucalyptus, lavender, lemon
Tea tree, mint, rosemary
Jasmine, rose, lemon
Watermelon, mint, lime
Blackberry, lemon, basil
Kiwi, cucumber, mint
Grapefruit, rosemary, orange

Fresh Greens

Although we wouldn’t typically think to grab a green leafy vegetable for a simmer pot recipe, we can definitely see how these blends would smell wonderful in any home.

Spinach, cucumber, mint
Kale, lemon, ginger
Arugula, lemon, honey
Swiss chard, garlic, lemon

Bonus Scents: Lavender Simmer Pot

Finally, lavender! We are fans of this magical herb and love using it in our simmer pot recipes. It helps that we have an abundant amount available at our Ohio lavener farm. You will love inviting the scents of fresh lavender into your home.