I taught holiday cooking classes over Thanksgiving break this year and everyone’s favorite recipe was for Christmas Simmer Pots! You don’t even eat them, but they do make your house smell absolutely delicious for the holidays. This easy project is great to use in your own cozy house, but also makes a great holiday gift (using the free printable template below). Even my five-year-old students make these with ease and love gifting them to friends and family.

I teach cooking camps for kids over Thanksgiving break, and by far, the most popular activity is always to make Christmas simmer pots. Okay maybe the most popular activity was making hot cocoa cookies, but it’s hard to compete with cookies. Simmer pots are the second most popular. We actually called them Thanksgiving simmer pots, but you can easily mix it up depending on the season and call them winter simmer pots, Christmas simmer pots, or holiday simmer pots. The free printable labels I made will allow you to customize the text (more on that below).

If you’ve never made or used a simmer pot before, get ready to be charmed. It smells like apple cider simmering on the stovetop and can make your house smell delicious for hours. 

What is a Simmer Pot?

A simmer pot is a simple, natural (food-based) way to make your home smell delicious by simmering a mixture of water and aromatic ingredients on the stove. The ingredients can include almost any mix of spices, fruit, or herbs and herbs. As the mixture heats up, the steam releases the scents into the air, filling your home with a cozy, inviting fragrance.

These are most common during the colder winter months and typically contain ingredients we associate with Thanksgiving and Christmas like cinnamon, cloves, and citrus. They’re a clean, fresh alternative to synthetic home fragrances. And you can compost them when you’re done with them!

Grab the Free Printable

Because I used these in a class, I created a simple printable that I’m making available to you too! To print these, simply purchase 2” diameter sticker labels (I use Avery 22877).

• Free Printable (use this one to print without making changes; no Canva account required)
• Free Canva Template (use this one if you’d like to customize the labels; must create a free Canva account)

(Note: You don’t need a Canva account to print the labels, but, if you have a free Canva account, you can make a copy of the template and customize those labels any way you’d like!)

Great for Kids to Make

You can make one simmer pot at a time, but if you’re making a bunch to give as gifts, simply set up a station and let your kids assemble them. The complete list of supplies you’ll need is:

• Clear bags (I use 18” clear piping bags)
• Twist ties or ribbons to close the bags (I use these natural twist ties)
• Labels for the bags (I use Avery 22877 labels and the free printable above)
• Whole cloves
• Cinnamon sticks
• Fresh cranberries
• Mandarin oranges
• Fresh rosemary sprigs (optional, but nice if you want to add something green)

See the printable recipe card below for measurements.

How to Use the Simmer Pots

When you’re ready to use your simmer pot, simply slice the oranges in half and combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan with 4 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a low simmer, so that a few bubbles rise to the surface every few seconds. Give it 5 to 10 minutes and the scent will start to fill your house. 

Simmer pots will continue to release scent for hours! Just keep an eye on the pan and add additional water any time it gets low.

More Easy Recipes That Make Fun Gifts

Peppermint Marshmallows

Slow Cooker Ranch Party Mix

Sweet and Spicy Candied Pecans

Red Pepper Jelly