christmas potpourri featured image
Christmas Potpourri is an easy way to create the scents of the season in your home or bottled up in a jar. This quick and simple recipe uses only 5 ingredients that simmer on the stovetop or in a Slow Cooker.
Jump to Recipe

How to make Christmas stovetop Potpourri! This is a quick and simple recipe using only 5 ingredients (oranges, cranberries, cinnamon, rosemary, and cloves) that simmer on the stovetop or in a Slow Cooker–savor it for yourself or put it in a mason jar and give it as a homemade gift.

Making Christmas Potpourri is like bottling up the Christmas smell and an easy way to create the holiday mood inside your home.

christmas potpourri hero image


All About Christmas Potpourri

This Christmas Potpourri is a blend of warm spices and smells like Christmas – it is the easiest way to instantly fill your house with an amazing aroma.

There is no better combination than citrus and cranberry mixed with cinnamon and spices; they all simmer together on your stovetop or in a crockpot for hours to infuse your home with the warm and inviting scents of the holiday season.

Holiday Potpourri is an easy DIY Christmas gift idea – it’s a perfect way to bottle up the holiday scent and give a jar full of something other than food.

I love to put it in a mason jar and tie on a homemade gift tag with festive ribbon or twine, let it double as the instructions, and you’ve given a Christmas smell on demand!

Why We Love This Christmas Potpourri Recipe

  • Quick and easy to make and bottle up the scents of the season.
  • Only uses 5 simple ingredients that simmer low and slow.
  • Flexible recipe that smells better than a scented Christmas candle.
  • You can make potpourri on the stovetop or in the slow cooker.
  • A great homemade holiday gift for family, friends, neighbors, and teachers.
christmas potpourri in a jar

Ingredients for Christmas Potpourri

  • Clementines or small oranges: Any small oranges will work and can usually be purchased in 3 or 5 pound bags in the produce section.
  • Fresh cranberries
  • Rosemary sprigs: If you live in an area with pine trees you can do a freshly cut pine sprig instead.
  • Cinnamon sticks: You can substitute cinnamon bark if you prefer.
  • Whole cloves: You can replace this with an extra 2-3 cinnamon sticks.

Substitutions and Additions for Homemade Potpourri

  • Rearrange Your Ratios: You can change the ratios of ingredients to get more of the scent that you want. If you are a citrus person, add more clementine. For a spicier note, double the cinnamon and cloves. Adding more Rosemary will add a stronger pine/minty smell.
  • Pick Your Produce: Any citrus fruit will smell great in this potpourri. Feel free to try grapefruit, mandarins, tangerines, lemons, and oranges.
  • Add Some Spices: Try mixing in some cardamom pods, a bit of freshly grated nutmeg, ginger, allspice, or even a splash of vanilla.
Christmas Potpourri ingredients

SEE FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BELOW

How to Make Homemade Christmas Potpourri

  1. Slice the orange. Add the sliced orange to a large pot along with the remaining ingredients.
  2. Fill with several cups of water.
  3. Turn your burner to high heat and bring the water to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer. Check periodically, and add additional water, as needed.

How to Package Potpourri for a gift

  1. Place about a quarter cup of cranberries in the bottom of a pint-sized jar.
  2. Add the mandarin orange to the jar (do not cut). Top with remaining cranberries.
  3. Place the cinnamon sticks and the rosemary sprigs against the side of the jar. Sprinkle cloves over the top.
  4. Attach the gift card with a ribbon. Store in the refrigerator until ready to gift.
top shot christmas potpourri

Stovetop Potpourri Tips

  • Make sure you use wide-mouth mason jars so that it is easy to insert and remove the contents.
  • It is important to simmer not boil the potpourri. Simmering is heating just below boiling, so the mixture should gently bubble, not boil
  • Once you have added the water and begun to heat the potpourri, it should be used within 72 hours and discarded after that. 
  • If you don’t have cloves or cinnamon you can add more of the other or even add some freshly cut ginger instead. The ginger will add that spicy scent and complements the rest of the ingredients.
  • You can use orange or apple juice instead of water for the liquid. It will add a bit of scent to the potpourri but may not keep as long.
  • If you are entertaining guests, it is always fun to make your home smell like the holidays before your they arrive! Start your simmer pot about 30 minutes before your guests arrive.

Download Your Free Mason Jar Gift Tag!

We have prepared these adorable (and free) holiday-themed mason jar gift tags that you can attach to your holiday gift. The gift tag will give clear instructions as to use make the stovetop potpourri. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD!

Christmas Potpourri

Storage Tips for DIY Homemade Potpourri

  • To Store: The prepared Christmas Potpourri jars should be stored in the refrigerator for maximum freshness. The ingredients will last 1-2 weeks (with uncut clementines) if kept in the refrigerator and 3-5 days when kept at room temperature.
  • To Freeze: This potpourri does not freeze well.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is potpourri?

Potpourri is a mixture of spices and fruit that is used for scent or as a natural room freshener. It can be in dry form, which typically includes dried flowers, herbs and spices. It can also be made by simmering the mixture on the stove or in a crockpot, like this recipe.

What else can I add to my Christmas Potpourri?

You can add in some of your other favorite Christmas flavors such as chopped apple, pine sprigs (be sure to use fresh ones if you can), sliced lemons, sliced grapefruit, star anise, or any other favorite Christmas ingredient that can be heated.

How long does stovetop potpourri last

You can simmer this stovetop potpourri for hours and hours over the course of a few days. Just refill the water every 2 hours and refrigerate overnight!

Can you drink Christmas Potpourri?

The short answer is yes, everything in it is edible, however, it will taste very bitter and honestly, not very good! So while you can, I would recommend not drinking it.

Can I use dried cranberries

No, dried cranberries will not work in this recipe.

Christmas Potpourri inside a mason jar

Other Easy DIY Gift Recipes

5 from 5 votes
christmas potpourri featured image

Christmas Potpourri

Serves — 1
Christmas Potpourri is an easy way to create the scents of the season in your home or bottled up in a jar. This quick and simple recipe uses only 5 ingredients that simmer on the stovetop or in a Slow Cooker.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup cranberries
  • 1 mandarin orange
  • 2 rosemary sprigs
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 teaspoon cloves
  • Pint sized jar
  • Ribbon or twine
  • Gift tag

Instructions
 

Preparing the Potpourri:

  • Place about a quarter cup of cranberries in the bottom of a pint-sized  jar.
  • Add the mandarin orange to the jar. Top with remaining cranberries.
  • Place the cinnamon sticks and the rosemary sprigs against  the side of the jar. Sprinkle cloves over the top.
  • Attach the gift card with ribbon. Store in the refrigerator until ready to gift.

Instructions for Use:

  • Slice the orange. Add the sliced orange to a large pot along with the remaining ingredients.
  • Fill with several cups of water. Turn your burner to high heat and bring the water to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer.
  • Check periodically, and add additional water, as needed.

Jenn’s Notes

Don’t forget to download our free mason jar gift tag with instructions for how to use the stovetop potpourri – see them in the post above! 
Storage:
  • To Store: The prepared Christmas Potpourri jars should be stored in the refrigerator for maximum freshness. The ingredients will last 1-2 weeks if kept in the refrigerator and 3-5 days when kept at room temperature.
  • To Freeze: This potpourri does not freeze well.
Tips:
  • Make sure you use wide mouth mason jars so that it is easy to insert and remove the contents.
  • It is important to simmer not boil the potpourri. Simmering is heat just below boiling, so the mixture should gently bubble, not boil
  • Once you have added the water and begun to heat the potpourri, it should be used within 72 hours and discarded after that.
  • If you don’t have cloves or cinnamon you can add more of the other or even add some freshly cut ginger instead. The ginger will add that spicy scent and complements the rest of the ingredients.
  • You can use orange or apple juice instead of water for the liquid. It will add a bit of scent to the potpourri but may not keep as long.
  • If you are entertaining guests, it is always fun to make your home smell like the holidays before your they arrive! Start your simmer pot about 30 minutes before your guests arrive.

Related Recipes

Secrets to Quick & Easy Desserts
FREE EMAIL BONUS
How to make delicious desserts in no time at all!

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

How many stars would you give this recipe?




Comments

  1. How long would the jars last if not stored in a fridge? Asking for the fresh cranberries in specific. I have 50 jars, but no room in my fridge.

  2. 5 stars
    This was easy to make and smells great, just like Christmas. I’m making jars of the potporri to give to friends and family.

  3. 5 stars
    Thank You FOR Sharing JENNIFER 👏🏼👍🏼♥️ SOUNDS GREAT ❗️This WILL SMELL WONDERFUL 👏🏼👍🏼😊♥️G-d♥️Bless

  4. Do u have a really good fresh lemon 🍋 scent we can leave in the crock pot to have the house smell like lemons all day or crock pot recipe don’t like spices.