Holiday Potpourri Recipe

Most holiday potpourri found in stores consists predominately of scented pine cones and is unfortunately usually synthetically scented.  Learn how to make your own all-natural holiday potpourri with this super easy and inexpensive recipe! In this article we provide one of our recipes for making an all-natural homemade potpourri that is much better than mass marketed bags offered in stores. 

Making all-natural potpourri takes very little time and starts with selecting dried natural botanicals and pure essential oil. Selecting more than one essential oil will give you a wider blend of fragrant notes. 1 mL of each type mentioned in this recipe is quite sufficient since 1 mL consists of approximately 20-25 drops. If you intend to mix up a large quantity of potpourri you will need larger sizes.

Consider making a larger batch so you can gift  friends during the holiday party season. When entertaining at home it is a nice added touch to gift your guests with a container of all-natural potpourri as they depart. If you are the guest then gifting the host/hostess with your all-natural creation is a excellent expression of gratitude for their hospitality.

All ingredients listed in this recipe are easy to locate and will result in a beautiful highly scented focal point. Some of the ingredients you may find in your own yard and costs only the time it takes to walk out and gather up. Alternatively, your local crafts store is a good source for dried botanicals.  Ultimately the selection of dried botanicals to include is entirely up to your imagination and what works well in your decor. 

Note: If using any botanicals from your yard or that you gathered in the wild be sure to inspect closely for hidden critter hitchhikers before bringing inside!

This recipe makes enough to fill a large bowl.  For larger batches simply multiply ingredients.

Supplies:

Large mixing bowl

Large airtight container

Transfer pipette (optional but helpful in removing essential oil from a 1 mL vial by the drop)

5 mL amber glass bottle (for mixing and storing excess essential oil blend) 

Suggested Ingredients:

1 large Conifer Cone (Fir, Pine, whatever your choice)

2 medium Conifer Cones

4 small Conifer Cones

Cedar, Spruce or Fir brachs cut into smaller pieces of 3-4" (filler)

6 dried Orange Slices

1/2 cup Cinnamon sticks cut into 1" pieces

5 dried small Star Anise -or- 3 large

1/4 cup Bakuli pods 

1/2 cup cedar shavings

1/3 cup dried Juniper Berries

1/4 cup dried Cranberries

1/2 cup dried Basil leaves

1 tablespoon Orris Root powder (Orris Root powder serves as a fixative for the essential oils)

Essential oils:

3 drops Clove Bud

5 drops Orange Sweet

8 drops Fir Needle Siberian

4 drops Cinnamon

Directions: Place all botanical items except essential oils in large mixing bowl and sprinkle with orris root powder while mixing well. Add all essential oil drops together in a 5 mL glass bottle and close with euro-dropper cap. Space out essential oil drops when applying to dried botanicals. After applying essential oils mix well and place in airtight container to steep for 7-10 days. Open and mix again before displaying or gifting.