When Finn and I went apple picking in September, we ended up with a heck of a lot of apples. And there are only so many apples 2 people can eat! We ended up making homemade applesauce and an apple cobbler (after our attempt at an apple pie failed…) and both were absolutely delicious. But we still had a heck of a lot of apples on our hands, so I decided to throw together a fall stovetop potpourri. 

Make your Home Smell Like Fall

Ever since I shared this fresh & clean spring potpourri recipe, I’ve been obsessed with the idea of naturally making your home smell delicious! Whenever I have extra ingredients on hand, I’ll toss them in a pot and simmer them over the day. This fall stovetop potpourri really got us in the mood for fall and we ended up simmering it all day on a Sunday in September.

Fall Stovetop Potpourri – Ingredients

• 2 apples
• 1 orange
• 3-5 cinnamon sticks
• 1 t. ground nutmeg
• 1 t. whole allspice
• Water

How to Make This Fall Stovetop Potpourri

I think what I love most about stovetop potpourri recipes is that they’re pretty foolproof. Unlike cooking (which I suck at…), no one is eating this potpourri (seriously, don’t eat this!) so the pressure is off! You don’t have to follow the measurements perfectly, and it will still turn out just fine. I love that about this recipe as it gives me a lot more confidence in the kitchen. 

Take a pot and fill it about 3/4 of the way up with water. Then slice up your fruit and toss it in. 

I always have lots of cinnamon sticks on hand during the fall and holiday season. They smell so good and I often tuck them into wreaths and around my home during the holidays. Toss 3-5 cinnamon sticks into the pot. 

Next, grab the 2 spices that really smell like fall…ground nutmeg and allspice. Honestly, you don’t need to measure these. Just sprinkle in as much as you want! Warning, you may instantly crave a PSL when you pour these on in. 

Here’s my fall stovetop potpourri before I put it on heat. I love the gorgeous vibrant colors!

Bring the pot to a boil on the stove, then simmer for as long as you want! You’ll have to put more water in as it evaporates, and when you do you can throw in a few fresh ingredients as well. I promise your entire home will be smelling like fall in no time. 

I’ve also made stovetop potpourri recipes in the crockpot and that works just as well! Just put it on low for the day and enjoy those nice smells without having to worry about the stove being on constantly. I would have done that, but Finn uses the crockpot on Sundays to make food for the week so ours was occupied. 

So if you have some leftover apples this season, or you just want to reaaaaally get into the fall spirit (hell yeah!), I hope you give this fall stovetop potpourri a try!

Now I need to start scheming one for the holidays…any good recipes for that?

Casey