I decided to take a few holiday tasks off of my plate this year to ease the stress of the holiday season.
One of those tasks was baking! However, I quickly realized I wouldn't have my typical tins of cookies to gift to friends and neighbors.
If you know me, you know I love fragrance-free aromas to scent my home.
I started brainstorming and quickly remembered one of my fall favorites, the simmer pot.
I started to think about simmer pots I had created in the past and browsed various gift ideas. That is when I decided, I could absolutely give the gift of a warm
and cozy aroma for friends and family without gifting scented soaps, oils, or diffusers.
I titled this gift a " Holiday Home" simmer pot. You can find the printable gift tag below the recipe.
Holiday Home Simmer Pot
You will need:
Sugar in the Raw or White Sugar
Rosemary Sprigs
Cloves or Mulling Spices
1-2 Oranges Thinly sliced
Cranberries
Cinnamon Sticks
Three of your favorite festive essential oils ( I used Christmas Spirit, Stress Away, and Orange from Young Living)
1. Take your thinly sliced oranges and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drop your favorite spiced oil onto each slice. I used Christmas Spirit.
Bake the slices at 250 degrees for five hours or less ( watch for browning). I turned mine at the 2.5 hour mark. Allow to cool completely.
2. Place 1-2 cups of sugar in a bowl. Add 10 drops of Orange oil and 10 drops of Stress Away oil to the sugar and mix.
( I tried this with vanilla extract and it did not go well)
3. In a clear bag, drop your sprig of rosemary and a cinnamon stick. Add 1-2 tablespoons of your sugar mixture. Top with a pinch of cloves and a few cranberries.
Before twisting the bag close, add your dried orange slice.
4. Once you have add all of your items, tie a ribbon at the top of the bag and attach the gift tag below. Your recipient will add 2 1/2/ cups of water to a pot, add the contents of the pouch and simmer.
Your friends and family are sure to enjoy this comforting aroma as they prepare for the holidays!
