DIY Simmer Pot Gifts
Learn how to make simmer pot kits, the easiest DIY Christmas gift! These beautiful handmade gifts are quick to put together, budget friendly, and instantly fill the whole house with cozy holiday scents everyone will love.
Just a quick heads-up: Everything in this post reflects my genuine opinions and recommendations, but it’s not a substitute for professional advice. To keep this content free, I use ads and include affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
This Christmas season, I’m making DIY simmer pots for my family, coworkers, my kids’ teachers and of course myself because when a handmade gift is this good, I want one too!
They’re super affordable, around $8 per jar, which makes them perfect when you’re giving a lot of gifts. The kids love helping put them together, and they make the whole house feel warm and cozy in the best way.
These DIY simmer pot kits are one of those simple things that feel thoughtful without being stressful making them my favorite kind of gift.
In this post I’m sharing exactly what you need to put these together quickly, so even if you’re last-minute, I’ve got you.
My Christmas Stovetop Potpourri Recipe
Here’s the full list of ingredients and supplies you’ll need to make your simmer pot kits. I’ve included links to almost everything so if you’re like me, you can skip the crowds and the cold and grab it all online ahead of time. It makes putting these kits together even easier!
- 8 oz mason jars
- 2-3 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tablespoon whole cloves
- 1 tablespoon allspice
- 1-2 whole star anise pods
- 1 small handful of cranberries or goji berries for color
- Ribbon
- Brown paper
- 2-3 dried orange slices
- 1-2 sprigs rosemary
- 1-2 sprigs of evergreen branches
- Label
How To Dry Oranges
Before we get to putting these kits together, you’ll need to know how to dry your oranges. Of course, if you’re super short on time, you can just buy them (linked here).
But, to keep things on budget and because this step is actually really easy and part of the fun, I like to do it myself. Here’s what I do:
- Slice the fruit into uniform pieces. A medium to large orange will give you about 9 to 10 slices per orange. I used 3 to 4 oranges for my 12 kits.
- Turn your oven to its lowest temperature. For me, this is 170 degrees.
- Arrange the slices on parchment paper and place them in the oven to dehydrate, flipping them periodically. This takes about 6 to 8 hours, give or take. I started on a Saturday morning when I knew I would be home for the day.
- Remove from the oven and save until you are ready to assemble the jars. I left mine out on the counter overnight to fully dry. Make sure the fruit is 100 percent dry, as mold can grow if any moisture is still present.
Assembling The Simmer Pot Gift
- Layer in the ingredients. I started with a few berries at the bottom, followed by an orange slice, the spices, another orange slice, cinnamon sticks (cut in half if they’re too long), a few more berries, and then the greens. Sometimes the orange slices were too large, so I cut them to get them in. Some broke, and that’s okay too. There’s no science to this, so my best advice is to just go with what looks good to you.
- Create a gift tag with instructions on how to use the kit. Mine include “add 2 to 4 cups of water and simmer on low,” or a more detailed version: “Place ingredients into a pot with 2 to 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer on low. A splash of vanilla is a nice touch too. Do not leave unattended, and add more water as it gets low.”
- Cut rounds of brown kraft paper roughly 1 inch larger in diameter. Colorful fabric is also an option! I went with the brown paper this year and plan to write each teacher’s name on top.
- Cover the lid with brown paper and add your tag with twine and any other festive accessories to the jars. This year I included a mini snowflake ornament that I snagged from Walmart (keep reading to see how cute these turned out!). Another festive idea is to use mini bells.
Simmer Pot Teacher Gift Idea
When I gave these as teachers’ gifts, I added mini ornaments as a little extra something special. It’s such a small touch, but it makes the simmer pot kits feel a little more elevated and festive.
DIY Simmer Pot Gifts For Family
For my family, I went one extra step and created a little gift set by including a gorgeous clear glass simmer pot and a dish towel. You can see what this looks like here, and I’ve linked to these items below.
You definitely do not need a clear glass pot to simmer. Any pot will do. But in my opinion, it’s so pretty and really elevates the gift for someone you want to spend a little extra on.
More DIY Christmas Gifts Ideas
- 25 DIY Christmas Gifts That Are So Good You’ll Want One Too!
- DIY Cozy Christmas Basket Gift Ideas For Family, Friends, Neighbors, and More
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These simmer pot kits have quickly become one of my favorite Christmas gifts to make. They’re simple, affordable, and feel so thoughtful, especially when you’re giving gifts to a lot of people. I love that the kids can help, they’re easy to customize, and they make any home feel instantly cozy. Whether you’re gifting them to teachers, friends, family, or keeping one for yourself, they’re such a sweet way to spread a little holiday warmth this season.
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