9 Simmer-Pot Recipes That Will Make Your House Smell Like the Holidays

Who needs holiday-themed air fresheners when you can make a simmer pot instead? The yummy-smelling DIY hack is amazing on multiple levels: not only do you get an amazing, seasonal smell throughout your home, but it's an environmentally friendly trick, too! Simmer pots are exactly what they sound like: a pot in which chunks of fruit (slices are great, but so are leftover peels) are simmered with spices to create a smell that's better than anything you can buy in stores. If you want to make your home smell cozy and holiday-ready, we've got you covered! Keep reading for some of our favorite fall and winter simmer-pot recipes that are sure to leave a delicious aroma all season long.

01

Lemon, Rosemary, and Vanilla Simmer Pot

This recipe is described by its creator as "making your house smell like the most amazing dreamland/your local Williams Sonoma." It's a simple combination that's perfect year round: lemon slices and lemon peel simmered in water with stalks of fresh rosemary and a hint of vanilla.

02

Fall Simmer Pot

One of the best parts about fall is that indescribable warm smell that seems to go perfectly with the season. This simmer-pot recipe uses all your favorite scents: apple, star anise, ginger, vanilla, and cinnamon.

03

Spiced Apple and Orange Simmer Pot

This simmer-pot recipe smells like all your favorite cold-weather drinks. All it takes are slices of apple and orange, along with cinnamon sticks and whole cloves.

04

Zero-Waste Simmer Pot

Cut back on waste with this simmer-pot recipe by using unused apple scraps and orange peel, along with spices like cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla bean.

05

Christmas Simmer Pot

This simmer-pot recipe will make your home smell welcoming and cozy. Plus, with cranberries, orange peel, rosemary, cinnamon, and nutmeg, its bright red color is gorgeous to look at!

06

Apple Cranberry Simmer Pot

Apple and cranberry are the main scents in this simmer pot, but there's an unexpected twist. Along with the expected spices like cinnamon, this recipe uses bay leaves for an extra dimension.

07

Fall Spices Simmer Pot

There are a few things that show up in most cold-weather simmer-pot recipes: apple, citrus (in this case, orange), and cranberries. What sets this recipe apart? The addition of lavender and fresh mint, two unexpected herbs that add a new and delicious smell.

08

Apple and Citrus Simmer Pot

Apples, lemons, and oranges are mixed with rosemary, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and herbs for a truly wonderful scent.

09

Apple Potpourri Simmer Pot

Apple, lemon peel, cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, and cardamom pods: all fall staples. Put them together in this simmer pot, and you'll have a warm and spicy smell for your whole space!