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A fragrant stovetop potpourri made from dried rose petals, strawberries, cardamom pods, and fresh pink roses. This rose simmer pot potpourri provides a natural alternative to air fresheners, candles, and artificial sprays.
What Inspired This Rose Simmer Pot Potpourri?
A few weeks ago, I purchased a big bouquet of pink roses as a photography prop for another rose-inspired recipe (stay tuned!) After enjoying the buds in a vase for a few days, they began to look a bit sad and wilty, as fresh flowers inevitably do.
I’m very into simmer pots in general. They’re a great way to fill your home with inviting fragrances, without using artificial room sprays, candles, air fresheners, or diffusers. In addition to providing a more natural alternative, simmer pots are much easier on the wallet. (Good candles and diffusers aren’t cheap!) You can make a homemade simmer pot potpourri with ingredients you already have on hand, such as teas, spices, fruit, or fresh herbs from the garden.
I decided to repurpose my past-their-prime roses by turning them into a stovetop simmer pot potpourri, and the results are so pretty! The vibrant pink flowers look just lovely floating in the pot, and you’ll enjoy the scent of fresh roses as it simmers away on the stovetop. This easy recipe makes a great way to get one last use out of fresh roses before tossing them in the bin.
How to Make a Simmer Pot with Fresh Flowers
To assemble a rose simmer pot, gather a handful of fresh roses, along with dried petals for depth of scent. You’ll also need some sliced fresh strawberries and a generous handful of whole cardamom pods. (If desired, you can add other herbs, spices, flowers, and berries to make the scent your own. See my suggestions, below!)
Add everything to a pot of water, bring the pot to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, and let the enchanting blend waft through your space, transforming your home into a fragrant rose garden.
Rose Simmer Pot Ingredients
To make my rose simmer pot potpourri, I’ve chosen the following ingredients:
Dried Rose Petals – You’ll need at least 1/3 cup of petals, but feel free to add more for a stronger scent.
Fresh Roses – Select 4-6 fresh roses, and remove the stems and green parts to prevent the pot from turning murky and brown. (The green parts don’t smell nice, either.) I’ve used pink roses, but red would be pretty, too!
Cardamom Pods – Whole cardamom pods give your stovetop potpourri a spicy scent which complements the sweet strawberries and fragrant fresh flowers.
Strawberries – You’ll need 1/2 cup, or about 3–4 large berries. Remove the hulls and slice them very thinly so they float to the top of the pot.
This combination of ingredients produces a light, floral fragrance with notes of sweet strawberry and spicy cardamom. However, you can add a little something extra to highlight your favorite smells. Try:
Changing up the berries
Replace the strawberries with cherries, raspberries, or cranberries.
Play up the floral notes
Try adding aromatic dried flowers such as chamomile, lavender, or lemon balm to your pot.
Add a bit of spice
Instead of (or in addition to!) cardamom pods, toss a cinnamon stick or slices of fresh ginger into your stovetop potpourri. Or, include a vanilla pod (or teaspoon of vanilla bean paste) for a warm, caramel-ly note.
Equipment for Making a Rose Simmer Pot
To make stovetop potpourri, you won’t need anything beyond a large pot and a stovetop (duh!) I prefer to use a large, heavy-bottomed stock pot, but you can also make this in a medium saucepan. (I make smaller simmer pots all the time—just reduce the ingredients and the amount of water, so everything fits in the pan with a few inches of room at the top.)
Can You Re-Use Simmer Pot Potpourri?
For most stovetop potpourri recipes, like my spring simmer pot, it’s perfectly fine to re-use the ingredients a couple of times, topping up with additional water as needed.
This one is better as a single-use simmer pot. While bright and fragrant at first, the fresh roses and strawberries don’t hold up well for repeated simmers. After a few hours on the stovetop, both the flowers and the berries will look pretty brown and sad, so you’ll want to use fresh ingredients for each simmer.
Stovetop Potpourri Safety Considerations
Never leave stovetop potpourri unattended. I always stay in the same room so I can keep an eye on the stove, and can top up with additional water as needed. Don’t allow the pan to run dry, and avoid using with children or pets nearby.
Simmer pots are meant to be smelled, not eaten! Once you’re done enjoying the scent, use a mesh sieve to drain the liquid, then dispose of the water-logged fruit, flowers, and spices.
Another simmer pot recipe you might enjoy:
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Rose Simmer Pot Potpourri
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 simmer pot 1x
Description
A vibrant pink stovetop potpourri made with dried rose petals, strawberries, cardamom pods, and fresh strawberries.
Ingredients
5 grams dried rose petals (1/3 cup)
4–5 fresh roses (heads only, stems and green parts removed)
15 whole cardamom pods
65 grams sliced fresh strawberries (1/2 cup, or about 3–4 large berries)
Instructions
Fill a large saucepan or stock pot with water, allowing a few inches of at the top to add your ingredients.
Add all ingredients to the pot.
Bring to a gentle simmer on the stovetop.
Simmer over low heat for as long as desired, topping up with additional water as needed.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Miscellaneous
- Method: Stovetop
