Simmering Potpourri - dried oranges, cranberries, spices and pine twigs simmering together with water on the stove top to create an amazing fragrance for your home. This is another one of our great mason jar gift ideas to give over the holidays.
Make sure you grab the free printable gift tags to make your gift even more special.
Do you need a last minute gift for someone this week? Or maybe you need a few hostess gifts to bring to Christmas celebrations and parties over the holidays?
Simmering Potpourri Recipe Gift
Friends and family will love this homemade gift idea of simmering potpourri. Your house will smell amazing as you dry the fruit. And then your house will smell like Christmas as you use the simmering potpourri.
There are printable gift tags for you to attach to the mason jars filled with the Christmas Potpourri. Print them out, cut and add them to the jars with pretty ribbon.
Oh and don't forget, while you're making these simmering potpourri recipe gifts, to keep a jar for your home to use over the holidays!
Helpful Tools
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- Glass Canning Jars
- Ribbon or Raffia and Gift Tags - make sure you include directions on how to use the simmering potpourri.
Ingredients
Exact measurements are listed below in the recipe card. Make sure you scroll down to print and save the recipe for later!
- Dried Fruit - you can purchase already dried fruit or follow the easy steps below to dry it in your own home.
- Dried Cranberries – I used a prepackaged brand from the grocery store.
- Cinnamon Sticks
- Whole Cloves
- Star Anise
- Pine Branch Clippings - take a walk outside and gather a few pine twigs!
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Directions:
Step 1: How to Dry Cranberries for Potpourri
One of the easiest ways to dry cranberries for potpourri is to use a dehydrator. However, if you don't have one, you can also dry cranberries in the oven.
- On a parchment lined baking sheet, spread the cranberries out in a single layer.
- Place the tray in the oven that is set to its lowest temperature.
- The process can take anywhere from two to four hours.
Step 2: How to Dry Fruit for Christmas Potpourri
Citrus fruits like oranges and lemons are perfect for this Christmas potpourri because they retain their shape and color when they dry. Oranges and lemons also look so pretty when they are completely dried.
Dried fruit also makes great ornaments if you have a Christmas tree in your kitchen. I even like placing dried fruit in a bowl on the kitchen counter to keep up all winter long.
- Cut the fruit into thin slices.
- Place the fruit on baking trays lined with parchment paper or you can put them on a rack on top of a baking tray.
- Place the trays in the oven set to 200 degrees and bake for about two hours turning the fruit halfway through.
- Once the fruit is dry, lay the fruit flat on a surface overnight.
- You want to make sure the fruit is completely dry before you package them into the jars for the potpourri.
Step 3: How to Make Christmas Potpourri Gift Jars
- Place the pine branches first in the jar.
- Then add the cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, star anise, dried cranberries and the dried lemons and oranges.
- Add the mason jar lid and ring. Attach the Free Printable Gift Tag using ribbon or raffia.
Step 4: How to Use Homemade Simmering Potpourri
- Place the ingredients of the jar in a small saucepan. Fill the saucepan with water and place on the stove with a small flame underneath.
- Make sure you check the water level frequently while it is on the stove.
Tip: It's very important that you make sure the water does not evaporate completely while you are using the potpourri.
Step 5: Print the FREE Gift Tags
- Print the FREE Gift Tags out, punch a hole in the top and add them with a ribbon on the Simmering Potpourri Jars to give us gifts!
MORE CHRISTMAS MASON JAR GIFT IDEAS:
- Christmas Mason Jar Crafts
- Mason Jar Hot Chocolate Snow Globes
- How to Make Christmas Terrariums in Mason Jars
Simmering Potpourri - A Great Christmas Gift Idea
Simmering Potpourri makes a great homemade Christmas gift or hostess gift to give to family and friends.The best part about this gift is it's easy to make.
Materials
- Glass Canning Jars
- Ribbon or Raffia
- Dried Fruit
- Dried Cranberries – I used a prepackaged brand from the grocery store.
- Cinnamon Sticks
- Whole Cloves
- Star Anise
- Pine Branches
Tools
- Scissors
- Knife
Instructions
Dry the Cranberries
- On a parchment lined baking sheet, spread the cranberries out in a single layer.
- Place the tray in the oven that is set to its lowest temperature or 200 degrees.
- The process can take anywhere from two to four hours.
Dry the Fruit
- Cut the fruit into thin slices.
- Place the fruit on baking trays lined with parchment paper or you can put them on a rack on top of a baking tray.
- Place the trays in the oven set to 200 degrees and bake for about two hours turning the fruit halfway through.
- Once the fruit is dry, lay the fruit flat on a surface overnight.
- You want to make sure the fruit is completely dry before you package them into the jars for the potpourri.
Assemble the Jars
- Place the pine branches first in the jar.
- Then add the cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, star anise, dried cranberries and the dried lemons and oranges.
- Add the mason jar lid and ring.
- Tie pretty ribbon or raffia around the jar.
To Use Simmering Potpourri
- Place the ingredients of the jar in a small saucepan.
- Fill the saucepan with water and place on the stove with a small flame underneath.
- Make sure you check the water level frequently while it is on the stove.
- It’s very important that you make sure the water does not evaporate completely while you are simmering.
Notes
Please make sure you include a note with instructions on how to use the potpourri.
Also include in the note that it is very important that the water does not evaporate completely while you are simmering the potpourri.
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This post has been updated since it first appeared in 2015 with new photos and new printable gift tags. I hope you enjoy the updates as much as I enjoyed working on them!
SL says
I made these two years ago for friends and family and they were a real hit--I am making them again this year! Lois was very kind when I emailed at the time about whether the moisture in the fresh branches would rehydrate the fruit; it did not. These were packaged and mailed several states away a few weeks ahead of Christmas and were just fine. We got RAVE reviews about these. My mom prolonged the life of hers by putting the contents out in a nice little bowl for a few days and said it was both pretty AND made the room fragrant--even before she simmered them. Thanks for the great gift idea!
Lois says
So glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for leaving a comment!
Carole says
Do you dehydrate the pine branches? Wondering if they would add too much moisture if you don’t.
Lois says
No, I didn't dehydrate the pine branches. I added them right before closing the jars and giving as gifts so they would be fresh. Thank you for visiting!
K. says
How far in advance can you make these? How long will they last in the jar once you put the lid on, before you open and use? I'd like to make these now, but give them out on Christmas - will they last a few weeks? Thanks!
Lois says
You can prepare them at least 1 week in advance. They should last about a month in the jar, but you should use them during the holidays for the pretty smells. The dried oranges will start to turn brown after about 6 weeks in the closed jar. Thank you for visiting.
Linda Neely says
I can't wait to try this. Checking my grocery store and/or ordering online later today. Thanks for including to tags.
Made In a Day says
Love this idea for homemade gifts! Thanks for linking up to Merry Monday! Pinned & Sharing on FB! Have a great week!
Kim