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Beautiful. Cost effective. Useful. This DIY potpourri is a Christmas gift idea that covers it all! Make some Homemade Dry Holiday Potpourri – perfect for stovetop simmering, decor, and it is shelf stable!
Do you love the scents of the holiday season? You can have your home smell like Christmas all year long with this wonderful smelling Christmas potpourri recipe. The amazing mixture of fruits and spices will easily fill your home with a pleasing, welcoming scent.
Simmering homemade potpourri with fresh fruit and spices can have a powerful effect, but I like this homemade dried potpourri better, because it lasts longer and smells just as good. It’s also perfect to give as holiday gifts for friends, or as a hostess gift that they can use for as long as they want.
Today, I’ve got 3 different dried stovetop potpourri recipes for you to try. I’m also including some free printable gift tags with instructions for using the stovetop potpourri, so don’t miss out on those!
How to Dry Fruit for DIY Potpourri
Before you begin this project, you’re going to need some dried fruit.
There are two ways you can dry your fruit for homemade Christmas potpourri, either in the oven or in a dehydrator.
Drying Sliced Fruit in the Oven:
For oranges, lemons, limes and other citrus fruits, first preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice your citrus into 1/4 inch thick slices. Arrange on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Cook in the oven for about 6 hours or until dry.
Drying Sliced Fruit in the Dehydrator:
Slice your fruit about 1/4 inch thick and lay flat on the dehydrator trays. Set your dehydrator temperatures from 125 – 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Dehydrating time can take anywhere from 6 – 24 hours, so check your fruit frequently until completely dry.
We love to dry extra oranges to make orange sugar, too. You will want to check out our delicious recipe for Orange Almond Cookies where we used the orange sugar. Super yummy!
If you would like an adorable printable gift tag with instructions to go with your Christmas potpourri gift, I’ve made Stovetop Potpourri printables which you can find HERE.
To get you started making this potpourri, I’ve come up with 3 Christmas stovetop potpourri recipe varieties, but feel free to stack, mix or make substitutions to any of the options as you see fit. They all smell wonderfully together!
Dried Christmas Stovetop Potpourri Option 1
Holiday Baking
This mix of dried cranberries, oranges, spices and the “piece de resistance” – vanilla bean – make your kitchen smell like you’ve been baking all day! (If you’re wondering how to dehydrate fresh cranberries, here’s how to dry your own cranberries.) Combine any amount of the following ingredients:
- Dried oranges
- Dried cranberries
- Cinnamon sticks
- Vanilla bean
- Cloves
Dried Christmas Stovetop Potpourri Option 2
Christmas Morning
This classic mix will ring in the Christmas spirit in no time! Combine any amount of the following:
- Dried oranges, clementines or tangerines
- Dried apples
- Cinnamon sticks
- Star Anise
- Whole Cloves
Dried Christmas Stovetop Potpourri Option 3
Citrus Heaven
This unique combo will help your house feel fresh, clean and festive. Combine any amount of the following:
- Dried lemons
- Dried Limes
- Dried Rosemary sprigs
(I found a ton of fresh rosemary discounted for .50 cents and bought it all up. We also dried it in the dehydrator. It smells so good in the potpourri! If you can find some, I highly recommend using it!)
How to Use Christmas Stovetop Potpourri
Enjoying simmering stove top potpourri is very easy. All you need to do is fill a saucepan about halfway with water and dump in your potpourri.
Set your range on a low heat and let the water slowly simmer. The most important thing is to watch and check the water level. As it simmers the water will dissipate which carries the aroma throughout your home.
However, if the water completely dissipates, the fruit will begin to burn on your pot which will not smell good. You can easily refill with more water or turn off your stovetop when the water level gets low.
Using Your Dried Christmas Stovetop Potpourri in the Slow Cooker
If you don’t want to use your stovetop, you can heat this potpourri up in the slow cooker instead. It’ll take longer to start smelling, because slow cookers heat at a slower rate, but once it gets going, you’ll experience the same delightful Christmas smell.
If you’re going to use a slow cooker, I recommend filling it halfway with water and adding your potpourri. Set the slow cooker on a high setting. Keeping the lid on while it warms will help it heat faster. Remove the lid once it’s come to a simmer. Check on the water level occasionally like you would if you were using the stovetop.
How to Gift Dried Potpourri
Simply gifting dried Christmas potpourri in a clear class container is beautiful enough! To make it extra special, can wrap your jar with twine or festive ribbon and even loop in some dried orange slices, apple slices or citrus fruit. A twig of pine branches would also be lovely.
Your gift recipient could use the hanging string with fruit as a Christmas tree ornament as well.
It’s also a great idea to include stovetop potpourri instructions with your gift . . . which you can find the printable for HERE!
Buying Spices for Potpourri
This Christmas potpourri uses a lot of warm spices, but if you head to the grocery store to buy cinnamon sticks, vanilla beans and star anise and you might drop over because of the prices.
I’ve found some more affordable bulk options online that you might want to try. Simply click the images below to check them out.
Thank you so much for reading and I truly hope you are enjoying my holiday gift giving series! Please let me know if you have any suggestions or if there are things you would like to see me do!
Other Natural Gift Ideas
For another natural DIY gift ideas, you might like:
- DIY Holiday Room Sprays.
- How to Dry Lavender and Remove the Buds from the Stems
- How to Make Cinnamon Extract + Free Labels
- How to Make Lemon Extract + Free Labels
- How to Make Almond Extract + Free Labels
- How to Make Orange Extract + Free Labels
- How to Make the Best Vanilla Extract + Free Labels
- How to Make Mint Extract + Free Labels
Seasonal Simplicity Christmas Series
Please enjoy more Christmas DIY ideas, from my talented blog friends below!
How to Flock a Christmas Tree at The Happy Housie
DIY Asymmetrical Wreath at Rooms FOR Rent
DIY Christmas Countdown at Lolly Jane
Christmas Gingerbread Cookie Wreath at Sincerely Marie, Designs
Clock turned Holiday Shadow Box at Confessions of a Serial DIYer
How to Make a Fleece Cone Christmas Tree at Happy Happy Nester
How to Make a Holiday Scrabble Letter Board at Tatertots & Jello
Simple & Natural Wire Hanger Christmas Wreath at Jenna Kate at Home
Kringle’s Cookie Co Christmas Kitchen Sign at Tauni Everett
Easy Advent Countdown Calendar at Jamie Costiglio
French Country Christmas Wreath Printables at Designthusiasm
Copper And Gold Mason Jars DIY at Shabbyfufu
DIY Christmas Crackers at So Much Better With Age
Star Christmas Tree Garland at On Sutton Place
Easy Fringe Napkins for Your Holiday Table at Satori Design for Living
DIY Real Christmas Wreath at Clean and Scentsible
Birch Candle Holders at Finding Silver Pennies
Homemade Dry Holiday Potpourri at TIDBITS
Modern Traditional Christmas Countdown Calendar at Rambling Renovators
Embroidery Hoop Christmas Wreaths at Town and Country Living
Quick & Easy Floating Candles for Your Christmas Centerpiece at Home.Made.Lovely
Glass Filled Ornaments at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Ombré Bottle Brush Tree DIY at Modern Glam
Modern Boho Christmas Wreath at Life is a Party
String Art Christmas Stocking Holders at The Turquoise Home
DIY Holiday Pennant- Two Ways at Lemon Thistle
Vintage Christmas Bell Garland at Willow Street Interiors
DIY Modern Christmas Sign at Love Create Celebrate
Easy DriftWood Macrame Christmas Wreath at Place of My Taste
Table Top or Mantel Christmas Tree Made Using Boxes at In My Own Style
Natural Wood Plate Charger Wreath at Taryn Whiteaker
This is a great idea! Thank you for the free printable gift tag
What size jars are these? Do you know the diameters and how many ounces it holds? I’d like to get the same type of jar but wanna make sure I have the right size. Thank you so much. Looking so forward to creating this
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Where did you buy those adorable jars?
What size jars would u recommend for the dried Christmas Potpourri??
Do you have an article speaking of how you made your orange sugar? Thanks Amy
Did you use fresh or dried cranberries? They look better fresh, but do they last?
can you dry the cranberries in the oven – you listed information on drying the citrus and I was hoping you had input on the cranberries too
How did you dry the cranberries??
I love that everything is dried up. I can make these ahead of time. How do you dry the cranberries?
Thank you so much. I can’t wait to make thee to gift to friends and family xx
Hi again, Cami!
I’m excited to get started on these! Thanks again for sharing. Quick question…is there a way to dry cranberries and not have them look like raisins, or did you just use them fresh? Thanks!
I am wondering the same thing.
Me too.
I’ve been looking everywhere to figure out how to dry cranberries to make them look like round cranberries still- I think I’m just going to add fresh.
Yes, I’d love a printable! Thank you! Also, where are your cute Karan from? Thank you for this wonderful idea!
*jars
I found those jars at Hobby Lobby! They have a lot of great options!
Thank YOU Krista!
So glad to hear you love Ashley! And thank you for pinning! I’ve made even more jars myself and excited to gift them.
Scratch and sniff . . . that’s what we all need 😉 . So glad you like it, thank you!
Just curious where did you get the jars from? They look beautiful and will make wonderful gifts. Thank you for sharing.
Picked them up from Hobby Lobby. They had a lot of cute ones! Glad you liked the idea!
Cami, I have never seen potpourri look this gorgeous. Oh, can we talk about how beautiful your photos of it are? Spot on, ma’am. Cheers and Happy Holidays, Ardith
You sweetie! My heart was having way to much fun playing with all that beautiful dried fruit. Thank you for always being so very kind Ardith!
This sounds wonderful! Have you tried dehydrating the rosemary in an oven as well? I’m wondering if it dries much more quickly perhaps? A printable would be a wonderful gift to us, your readers! ? thank you!
I looked it up and it appears you can. I noticed some of the images made it look a little burned though. If you have time, I would just hang some to dry for a week or so. I bet that would work better than anything. Printable coming at you soon! I wish I would have had it done in time for this post, but alas . . . life.
What is it about the smells of oranges and cinnamon at Christmas time? Great gift idea. Although I don’t have a dehydrator, I would do the oven method. Thanks for providing that option! A printable instruction card would be lovely to include with the potpourri! Thankyou!
Yes, I’ve seen many people dry oranges in the oven and it seems to work great. Printable coming early next week! I hope it is useful! Thank you for visiting!
I can almost smell this through my computer screen! So pretty!
Now where is that scratch and sniff 😉 . Thanks for popping over Kristin!
Cami such a beautiful and USEFUL gift idea, love this. And those clear jars are perfection too 😉
Thank you Jaime!! Glad you liked it!
What a great idea! I have never tried making potpourri but I want to now and what a great gift idea!
I pinned it to my gift ideas board.
xxoxxo
Thank you so much for pinning! I’m excited to gift some too!