Easy Fall Stovetop Potpourri

No messy wax or canned smells here. Just a few easy ingredients and a house filled with the crisp fragrance of fall.

Stovetop potpourri is one of the prevailing smells of my childhood. I have vivid memories of walking in the door from school and being greeted by the divine scent of simmering cinnamon and fragrant apples.

For the longest time, the moment when I pushed the door open was bittersweet. The potpourri smelled, misleadingly, like delicious baked goods. It was a disappointing thing to realize there were no sweet treats available.

My love of all things autumn grew as I got older. I began to appreciate this easy fall stovetop potpourri for what it is: a creative, economical way to bring your favorite fall scents inside, minus the additives and chemicals of candles and room sprays.

With this potpourri, you don’t have to change wax cubes or make sure you have obscure ingredients on hand. All you need is two minutes and a few pantry staples, and you’re on your way to having a home that smells unmistakably like fall.

Easy Fall Stovetop Potpourri

Ingredients

1 apple, sliced
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. maple extract (vanilla would work, too)
2 c. water

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer on the stovetop. My range cooks hot, so I have to add water after a couple hours, but yours may last much longer depending on the heat level. Just make sure you don’t cook the water out; that is not a pleasant smell.

Note: if you’re concerned about the gas or electricity used to simmer this potpourri for several hours, you could consider purchasing an inexpensive miniature slow cooker to heat it instead.

What scents remind you most of fall?

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Looking for more simple DIYs? You should see this easy no-sew interchangeable bunting, or homemade kool-aid playdough.

How about more ways to fall-ify your life? Check out this easy fall wreath tutorial from Harmony and Happiness or this list of the best movies to watch this Halloween from The Felicity Jar.

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