Pine Citrus Potpourri
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Pine Citrus Potpourri – This all-natural, quick, and easy potpourri recipe makes your home smell amazing with fresh fruits, spices, and a touch of pine!
Hi friends!
Boy, do I have a special post for you all today! We are stepping away from the food for today with this wonder of a “recipe” that will make your home smell amazing! I sure hope you enjoy it!
It reminds me of my recent Alaskan cruise that I’ve talked about with you all previously here and here. The smell of evergreens was amazing and inspired me to share this with you!
If you are like me, there is something about the cooler months of the year, especially since our return from Alaska, where I want cozy recipes, comfy sweaters, and to cuddle up on the sofa with a good book or for a great movie. I also want to be surrounded by the sights and smells of the season, moving all of the summery items to storage until next spring. That’s where this pine citrus potpourri comes in.
Growing up, it seemed like we always had a pot of potpourri simmering away on the stove throughout the fall and winter. Mama would switch the combinations of elements in her potpourri from time to time, but the faint fragrance would greet you as you walked in the door – never heavy or irritating, but just the slight scent of something that smelled amazing.
Now that I have a home and family of my own, the tradition of potpourri filling my home with a wonderful smell continues!
This pine citrus potpourri has been simmering away on my stove on repeat lately! Made with oranges, lemons, cinnamon, cloves, and a special touch of pine, this potpourri is one that doesn’t smell too sweet or too strong. It is the perfect combination of seasonal scents blended with the fresh smell of pine!
Now, the pine scent is not so heavy that you’ll be reminded of pine cleaner. It is a light addition to this pine citrus potpourri and just rounds out the scent making it smell clean and refreshing and reminds me of the fresh air from Alaska.
The addition of fresh greenery from a small pine bough to the potpourri is all you really need, but if you prefer a heavier pine scent, you can add another small pine bough, if you’d like.
And if teenage boys are in your world – I can’t recommend it enough! ๐
To make it, you’ll cut your orange and lemon into wedges and add to your pot.
There’s just something about citrus that automatically makes you want to sing, isn’t there? Oh, just me? Sorry.
To the citrus, add your cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, the small pine bough and enough water to reach the top of the fruit. Set your pot on the stove over low heat and allow to simmer. Keep a watch on the potpourri and add more water as needed to keep the potpourri from burning. As the fruit expires in the potpourri, you can simply refresh it with fresh fruit wedges. The same for the cinnamon and cloves, but they generally last a bit longer than the fresh citrus.
You can also use a small slow cooker on low heat or a warm setting. Just add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker, along with the water, and leave the top off of the slow cooker as it simmers.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Could ground cinnamon be used instead of the sticks?
Right now I using the automatic air freshener, but I would like to use natural potpourri instead. Thank you for the recipe!
I hope you enjoy it!
Silly question… where can one buy fresh pine boughs?
Hi Dani,
We have pines everywhere here in our area so I’ve not had to purchase them, but as Christmas tree farms or lots open for the holidays, you could definitely check with them for a few snippings. You could also check with a local plant nursery, florist, or even at a garden center.
I wonder if after a few hours heating on the stove could you pour it into a mason jar, put it in the refrigerator and heated up again the next day.
Hi Beth,
I’ve not tried doing that, but would love to hear if you do! I would definitely let it cool before transferring to the mason jar just to be safe. xo
nice idea….i have simmered limes… just plain cinnamon sticks…..whatever smells good
I love having something great smelling simmering away!
i will try this! I don’t have teenage boys, but I do have 5 cats! Do you think rosemary could be substituted for the pine?
Hi Barbara,
Yes – I think rosemary could be used. I also have a Lemon Rosemary Potpourri that I make, so I know the rosemary smells wonderful in homemade potpourri. Hope you enjoy this! Thanks!
Excelent idea. Thanks. Will try it soon.
I hope you love it!
I’m hoping that it would be great for the spiders in the basement top. we have a wood stove too but thinking it would be to hot.
Hi Susanne!
Oh I’m not a fan of spiders either! If it repels your spiders, please let me know ~ I’ll have this simmering away every day! ๐
I’ve not tried this on a wood stove, so I’m not sure if it’s too hot or not. I hope you enjoy this if you try it – it smells wonderful!
Thanks so much, Susanne! xo