10 Best Simmer Pot Recipes

We are deep into cozy season and I am here for it with 10 of my best simmer pot recipes.

What is a simmer pot you ask?! It’s the absolute best way to make your home smell warm and inviting. All you do is bring a small pot of fruit and spices to a simmer – your house will fill with the most amazing smells.

Cottage core

Give me all the cottage core feels because in another life I would definitely be living out in the woods, wearing a long flowy dress with my chickens happy outside. Of course all my food would come from my garden and everything would be just so. Freshly baked sourdough and soup would be on the menu and everything would smell amazing because of my simmer pot!

Ever since fall hit, I’ve been doing a different simmer pot everyday and it’s been so nice! It really adds something to the feels of home and having a pot simmering and steaming on the stove is so cozy. Usually I drive Mike nuts with lighting expensive candles, but I haven’t been giving in to my candle addiction as much because I’ve been all about the simmer pots.

What is a simmer pot?

A simmer pot is an alternative to scented candles, completely all natural and beautiful smelling. All you do is simmer a pot of spices on the stove and your home fills up with the smells of a cozy fall day. Things like cinnamon sticks, apples, oranges, cloves, vanilla, star anise, and nutmeg makes it feel like you have the sweetest smelling home ever.

What can I use for a simmer pot?

Anything you love the smell of! You can use whole fruits or you can save your fruit peels in the freezer until you have enough. Warming spices smell amazing and vanilla is a delicious touch.

How to make a simmer pot

Fill a small saucepan with water and add your simmer pot ingredients, bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Add water every 30 minutes or so. The beauty of simmer pots is that they are an art, not a science. You don’t need definitely recipes and your house will still smell amazing. I’ve included my favorite combinations below!

Crock pot simmer pot

If you don’t want to use your stove, you can easily use your slow cooker on low or simmer. Just fill it most of the way up, add the ingredients, turn the heat up until it stems, then turn the heat down.

Apple cinnamon

• apples, cut in half, sliced or just peels
• 1-2 sticks cinnamon
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Lemon bar

• 1 lemon, cut in half, sliced, or just peels
• 1 knob fresh ginger
• 2 tsp almond extract

Citrus vanilla

• 1 lemon, cut in half, sliced, or just peels
• 1 orange, cut in half, sliced, or just peels
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Cranberry orange

• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
• 1 orange, cut in half, sliced, or just peels
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 springs fresh rosemary

Pumpkin spice simmer pot

• pumpkin peels (if you have them)
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 1 whole nutmeg
• 1 knob fresh ginger
• 5-6 whole cloves

Chai spice

• 1 knob fresh ginger
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 5 whole cardamom pods
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 2 star anise
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns

Gingerbread

• 1 knob fresh ginger
• 1-2 sticks cinnamon
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 whole nutmeg
• 5 whole cardamom pods
• 2 whole star anise

Christmas clementine

• clementines, sliced in half (or clementine peels)
• cedar sprigs
• bay leaves
• fresh rosemary

Festive forest

• cedar sprigs
• spruce sprigs
• eucalyptus sprigs

They sell most of these at garden stores, Home Depot, or even Whole Foods during fall and winter.

Warm woods

• cedar sprigs
• pear, sliced or halved
• smoked wood chips (you can find these at outdoor/garden stores)

Hope you enjoy the smells! Please let me know if you have any favorite simmer pot combinations because I love trying out new ones!
xoxo steph