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A stovetop simmer pot in the fall or winter time is my absolute favorite way to bring the scents of the season into my home. I always love the warm and cozy scents that almost smell good enough to eat!

While you can make them any time of year, the colder months seem to be a popular time to make simmer pots.

What does a simmer pot do?

Stovetop simmer pots are a great way to make your home smell amazing. And not only are they easy to throw together, they also are natural and free of chemicals.

Additionally, there are many different scent combinations you can make as well.

What goes in a stovetop simmer pot?

Simmer pots are made using a combination of water and naturally derived ingredients, such as citrusy fruits, berries, spices, & herbs, or essential oils.

Common simmer pot ingredients:

• Orange slices, or rinds
• Lemon slices, or rinds
• Lime slices, or rinds
• Apple slices, or peels
• Fresh ginger root, or dried ginger
• Cinnamon sticks
• Vanilla extract, or beans
• Mint leaves
• Cranberries
• Straweberries
• Blackberries
• Sprigs of rosemary, thyme, sage, or lemongrass
• Nutmeg
• Cloves
• Bay leaves
• Lavender (dried, or essential oil)
• Coffee Beans
• Seasonings
• Essential oils – such as lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, lemon, vanilla, cinnamon bark, nutmeg, etc. *

* For essential oils, this is the only brand I recommend. Check out this article for why I recommend them, and an intro to EO’s in your home.

How do you make a simmer pot?

All in all, simmer pots are very easy to throw together. All you need is a medium sized saucepan, water, and your fresh fruits, spices, herbs, extracts, or essential oils.

Here are my simple instructions for making a simmer pot.

How long do you keep a simmer pot on?

You can use the simmer pot for one day – up to 24 hours. Just see the notes below about when to remove the simmer pot from heat.

How many times can I reuse it?

If you’re using fresh fruits / foods, you should only use the ingredients / simmer pot for one day.

If you aren’t using fruits / fresh foods your simmer pot, you can use the same ingredients for up to 4 days. You’ll just need to continue adding water to the pot.

Can I keep a simmer pot on all night? What about if I leave the house?

No, I wouldn’t advise keeping a simmer pot on all night. A simmer pot is something that you’ll want to keep an eye on, & you can’t do that when you’re sleeping or away from the house.

Therefore, it’s safest to remove the simmer pot from heat before going to bed, let it cool, & cover with a lid. If you didn’t use fresh foods, you’ll be able to restart your simmer pot again the next day. Just add more water!

Similarly, I wouldn’t advise leaving a simmer pot on if you’re going to be leaving your house. You should always take your simmer pot off heat if you are not going to be home, or if you won’t be able to keep an eye on it.

10 Stovetop Simmer Pot Recipes

Here are some common ingredient combinations to use to make your house smell amazing! Just use the instructions on the recipe card above for the ingredient amounts.

Your house is going to smell SO amazing!

I hope you enjoyed this post. If you’re looking for other natural ways to make your house smell like the scents of fall, check out this post.

And if winter scents are what you’re after, check out this post as well.

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