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This simple Homemade Cinnamon Potpourri will make your home smell like the Holidays. This Christmas potpourri is great for gifting too!
Homemade Cinnamon Potpourri + A Gift Idea
Homemade Cinnamon Potpourri is one of my all time favorite things to make AND to give each Holiday season, and it's SO simple to make.
Each year, I'll bundle some together, and give as gifts to friends, neighbors, or as teacher gifts (along with a Starbucks gift card for those teachers who do so much for my kids!)
It's just a pretty way to tell folks you're thankful for them, and I love how it makes your home smell like the Holidays too (perfect for making just before holiday parties).
The best part? It's like Homemade Christmas Potpourri is like Christmas baking minus the calories . . . um, for this girl-who-loves-the-all-the-chocolate, that's a huge gift this time of year!
I'd give anything to “take a picture” of just how yummy this one smells, but since smell-a-vision hasn't been created yet, just imagine that it smells like the Christmas Season walked right on into your home today.
Ingredients Needed:
- clementines
- cloves
- cinnamon sticks
- cranberries (optional)
- pinecone (optional)
- fresh greenery (optional)
Pack the ingredients for your Christmas Potpourri all up in a pretty clear bag (I found mine at Hobby Lobby), tie on some ribbon, and add a tag with these instructions (you can also print a free printable Christmas Potpourri tag HERE.)
Here's how to make Cinnamon Potpourri:
Making a homemade potpourri really can't be easier. It will make your house smell good and lasts longer than commercial air fresheners too.
Gather your ingredients, Slice your citrus, and combine all ingredients together in small pan on your stove top. Cover with 2 cups of water, and simmer on low heat. Add water to freshen and keep your water level where it started. That's all you need!
Cinnamon Potpourri
Materials
- 1 - 2 Clementines
- 1 - 2 Tbsp Cloves
- 2 Cinnamon Sticks
- Cranberries optional
- Pinecone optional
- Fresh Greenery optional
Instructions
- Slice your citrus, then combine all ingredients on stove top in a small pain
- Cover with 2 cups of water
- Simmer on a small burner on your stove top over low heat
- Add water as needed to freshen
I've heard some people take this stovetop potpourri recipe and also use it in their slow cooker or crock pot too. I've not tried that before, but it might be a great idea! Let us know if you've tried that and if it smelled amazing 🙂
Do you have another recipe that you use during the Holidays for Cinnamon Potpourri to make Christmas come to your home? I'd love to hear what you use, so take a minute and leave a comment to share!
Link for tags doesn’t work.
Hi Sheila! Please enter your email when you click the tags to get them. I hope that makes sense! Please let me know if you need more help.
How do you dry the oranges before packaging?
How do you dry the oranges before bagging?
Hi! Novice here. Does everything gets dried out in oven before bundling up in bags? A bit confused with topping up with water to freshen? Thank you.
Hi Molly! So sorry for the confusion. You just bundle the ingredients in the bag. While cooking, you can add water as needed to freshen and to keep the water level where it started. I hope that helps! 🙂
That clementine in the pictures bag doesn’t looked dried and you can’t slice a dried fruit easily. Confused.
Nothing is dried. Slice the Clementine and add all into a pot with 2 cups water.
I’m not sure if this is a not so smart question but when I bag everything do I leave water to the bag also? I’m confused
Hey Loretta, so glad to have you here! Once you have all your items bagged you can just tie them up dried. They have a delightful aroma! Let us know if you try it.
Silly question but where do you get the pine cones? Can I use some I find at Hobby Lobby? Thanks for sharing this cute and fun idea!!
They are just the cutest! You can find the cinnamon scented pine cones at Joannes or Michaels!
Where do you purchase your greenery?
Hi Kim ~ Here’s the link! https://www.bloomsbythebox.com/greenery/
Any garden shop will have greenery (Pikes, Lowe’s, Walmart, etc.)
Thanks for the tip! 🙂
I make this every year using oranges in a small crockpot from Target! I love it!
The tag link didn’t take me to the tag.
Hi Linda, it should take you to a page to put in your email and then you will get them emailed to you so that you can print. If it isn’t working right for you, email us at shop@passionatepennypincher.com and we will get it to you!
Cannot find the place to print the tag
Hi. I tried clicking on the link for the printable tag and it takes me to the free christmas checklist instead.
I’m sorry Steph, can you email us at shop@passionatepennypincher.com and we can get that to you?
Link to printable tag us not working
Hi Gina, it should take you to a page to put in your email and then you will get them emailed to you so that you can print. If it isn’t working right for you, email us at shop@passionatepennypincher.com and we will get it to you!
Been wanting to try this as gifts to teachers and friends. Can you tell me if it needs to stay refrigerated before use? Because of the orange and cranberries? Or is it shelf stable?
I’ve kept it on the counter for a few days and been fine – hope that helps Courtney (since the oranges aren’t sliced you could definitely leave those in too and skip the cranberry if you want it to last longer). Hope that helps!
Do you use plan pine cones or the cinnamon scented ones?
For the greenery I use fresh thyme. It smells amazing!
Thanks so much for the suggestion Amy! 🙂 Love that!
I have a coffee warmer burner type thing you can put a coffee cup, jar on to keep it warm. I use it to melt candles to get the scent without burning them. it lasts for months or years if you add essential oils when the scent starts fading.it was like $3 at the craft store. Anyway, wondering if it would be warm enough to use it for this?
Hi Susan, I am not sure if it would get hot enough but I bet you could give it a try and see! Let us know if that works though, great idea!!
I bet it would work if you heat the water up in the microwave first…
Do you dinner this in the stove in your regular pans you cook with? Didn’t know if smell would stay in pan.
It should be okay Melissa, but you can always purchase a small inexpensive pan at Walmart or grab one at a thrift store specifically for simmering if you like! 🙂
This may sound like a silly question but do you add the pine cone to the pan as well or is it strickly for decoration?
You can add the pine cone too Mendy! 🙂 Hope that helps!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I can’t wait to try it out with lemons and vanilla, too. I guess this will give my candles a rest for a while.
I love that idea Tonya – so fun!
Hi thank you for this recipe! I can’t wait to try it! I was wondering if there is a certain amount of time that it lasts? Like how long is too long to keep adding water to freshen it up? Thank you!
Thank you for posting this “recipe!” I just found a little potpourri crockpot at Goodwill that looks EXACTLY like the one my Mom used to have. I can’t wait to try your recipe and start enjoying the smell of Christmas!
Thanks so much for sharing – I need to hunt down one of those crockpots too! 🙂
Yes! Mom was doing this for as long as I can remember
What was your mom’s recipe? What did she use?
We use the same recipe but add in 1 tbsp. Vanilla ~ 🙂 Its Perfect ~
My Momma was doing this before they had all the good smelling stuff. I loved waking up to a simmering pot of cinnamon- lemons or oranges on the stove. Great idea!!
I need to try adding lemons and vanilla Terrie & Patricia – thanks for sharing! 😉
Do you peel the orange or use it all in tact
I just slice it! 🙂
Hi, which type of greenery do you use in this recipe ?
Any type of evergreen! I usually use arborvitae!