3 Cozy DIY Autumn Aromas

Of all the seasons, fall has the most distinct flavors and smells. Warm and spicy, cozy and comforting are the aromas of autumn. If you want to fill your home with memorable scents, here are three ideas on how to do so. One involves a simmer pot, the other scent absorption, and the third a small crockpot. Whichever method you choose (or all three!), you’re sure to have the best-smelling house on the block this season.

Fall Simmer Pot.

For this autumn aroma, you will need a large orange (or 2-3 small oranges), a couple of medium-sized apples, 3-5 cinnamon sticks, and a teaspoon or two of vanilla extract. And a pot and water.

Begin by slicing up your fruit into smallish bits. Bigger than bite-sized, but small enough to really let the warmth of the heated water bring out the scents. You could just peel the orange and place the rind into your pot if you prefer. Put them into the pot.

Toss the cinnamon sticks into the pot.

Add your vanilla.

Fill the pot with water so it covers the fruit and place onto the stovetop.

Bring the contents of the pot to a boil.

Don’t boil the pot very long. As soon as it’s reached a boil, turn it down to simmer. Let the delicious smells infuse your home for hours. Add water to the pot throughout the day as it evaporates.

Orange-Cinnamon Pinecones.

Everyone loves the smell of those cinnamon pinecones at stores during the fall, right? Here’s a simple way to make your own. But you need to plan ahead; this one takes a few weeks. You simply need pinecones, a Ziploc bag that’s big enough to hold the pinecones, and orange and cinnamon essential oils.

When you choose your pinecones, make sure they have the look you want. Some pinecones are more closed-up than others, and these will absorb the scent more slowly than the open pinecones. But the more open pinecones will lose their scent faster as well. So a mix might be good for your collection.

Place the pinecones into your bag. Brush off any needles or debris before you put them in.

Add 2-3 drops each of essential oil, orange blossom and cinnamon. (Or, if you want straight cinnamon scent, you can just do 4-5 drops of the one flavor.)

Secure the zip on the bag.

Carefully shake the pinecones, or roll them around inside the bag, to mix up the oils and to get the pinecones closer to the oils.

Set the zipped-up Ziploc bag in a safe place for three weeks. Open it up, and enjoy the sweet scent of fall!

Place your pinecones all together in a large dish display, or spread them out in smaller bowls around your home. Either way, the seasonal aroma will be pleasant whenever you catch a whiff of it.

Cozy Crock Pot-Pourri.

If you’re short on time but want to fill your home with natural smells of autumn (and even the upcoming holiday season), you’re going to want this cozy crock pot-pourri recipe in your arsenal. All you need are: a large orange, 5-7 cinnamon sticks, 2 tbsp of whole cloves, and about 5 bay leaves. And a small crock pot.

Begin by peeling the orange. (Give the insides to your kids, or eat them with lunch!)

Toss the peels into the crock pot. I’ve found that a small (e.g., 1.5-quart) crock pot seems to work best for this small recipe with a big, flavorful aroma.

Toss in the cinnamon sticks….

…and add in the whole cloves. Mmmm. It smells delicious just making it.

After adding the bay leaves to your crock pot, you’re just about ready to start the simmering.

Of course, in the crock pot, you want liquid. Cover all the ingredients with water; if any ingredients float to the top, don’t worry about it. They’ll still start smelling lovely soon.

Set your crock pot to low and walk away. Or, if you need the aroma to hit you sooner, you can turn it to high, but turn it down to low after about 15 minutes so nothing burns or smells cooked.

Can you just smell the warmth and spice in this photo? My kids came up multiple times during the day, asking what smelled so good. This one will be a staple over the coming six months. Enjoy filling your home with the warm, cozy smells of fall!