DIY Autumn Stovetop Simmering Scent
One of the best parts of autumn is undoubtedly all the wonderful scents of the season! For a couple of years I have been putting together these homemade stove-top fall scents for the store and my own home. Each year I have added a few more ingredients and perfected my recipe a little more. These little jars of ingredients pack a punch, within a few minutes they will make your whole home smell just heavenly and exactly like fall! I've included all the ingredients and step-by-step directions below so that you can make your own. We recently had our own build-your-own simmering scent station set up at the mercantile and it was a huge hit! We had all the ingredients ready and empty jars available for customers to fill and customize themselves. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to find out first when we’ll be offering this in-store again!
xoxo
Emily
Cinnamon Sticks
Cloves
Dried Orange Slices (directions for drying below)
Dried Apple Slices (directions for drying below)
Rosemary
Vanilla Extract
Bay Leaves
1. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.
2. Carefully slice your apples and oranges into thin slices (I used a mandoline slicer for both). 1 apple and 1 orange will make you 2-4 batches.
3. Line a few cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place the apple and orange slices in a single layer on top of the parchment paper.
4. Bake at 250 degrees for 2 hours for the oranges and 3-4 hours for the apples.
5. Remove from the oven and let the dried fruit slices cool.
6. Create a batch of simmering scent by taking a handful of each ingredient: 3-5 slices of each fruit, 6-8 cinnamon sticks, 1/4 cup cloves, 2-3 small sprigs of rosemary, and 2-3 bay leaves. Top with a couple of drops of vanilla.
7. To use: pour your ingredients into a saucepan, cover with water, and simmer on low heat for as long as you like!
I reuse my simmering scent over and over again! I just leave it on the stove but turn off the heat and cover when I’m not using it. Whenever I want to use it again, I turn the heat back on simmer and add more water if needed. You can use the same batch for up to a month, before dumping the contents and starting over with a fresh mix!
