Simmer Pot Gift Bags (Easy Holiday DIY + Printable Tags)
A simmer pot is one of the easiest ways to make your home feel warm, welcoming, and festive during the holidays. It takes just a handful of ingredients, a pot of water, and a little gentle heat to fill your kitchen with cozy fragrance. If you love simple homemade gifts that look beautiful, smell incredible, and feel thoughtful without requiring hours of crafting, simmer pot gift bags are the perfect project
These DIY holiday simmer pot bags are effortless to assemble and make wonderful gifts for neighbors, teachers, coworkers, dinner hosts, and anyone who loves a cozy home. Each bag is filled with natural ingredients that create a bright, warm winter scent: rosemary sprigs, dried oranges, cinnamon sticks, cranberries, and star anise. And to make gifting even easier, I also created printable gift tags you can tie onto each bag, giving it a finished, polished, ready-to-gift touch.
Whether you’re making a batch for a holiday party, stocking your pantry for the season, or building festive goodie bags for friends and family, these simmer pot gift bags are simple, beautiful, and feel instantly seasonal.
What Is a Simmer Pot?
A simmer pot is a natural stovetop potpourri, just add fragrant ingredients to a saucepan filled with water and let it warm slowly. As the mixture simmers, it releases fresh, cozy aromas into your home. It’s a gentle, aromatic alternative to candles, sprays, or artificial scents.
Simmer pots are especially popular during the holidays, when citrus, herbs, and warm spices blend into classic festive fragrances. They’re completely customizable, but the combination in these gift bags is a perfect balance of bright, herbal, sweet, and spicy.
Ingredients in the Holiday Simmer Pot Gift Bags
Each gift bag includes:
1. Rosemary Sprigs
Fresh or dried, rosemary gives off a clean, woodsy aroma that pairs beautifully with citrus and spices. It brings a natural, earthy note that feels like stepping into a winter kitchen.
2. Dried Orange Slices (Instructions Below)
Dried oranges add a bright, uplifting citrus aroma that cuts through the heaviness of winter air. They also look incredible in the gift bags, pretty, colorful, and perfectly seasonal.
3. Cinnamon Sticks
Cinnamon is one of the most recognized holiday scents. Warm, sweet, and comforting, it deepens the overall fragrance of the simmer pot and gives it that classic holiday feel.
4. Cranberries
Cranberries aren’t very aromatic on their own, but they give a lovely pop of color in the pot and make the mixture look festive and cheerful. When warmed, they add a subtle tart sweetness to the simmering water.
5. Star Anise
Star anise adds a light licorice-like scent that blends beautifully with cinnamon and citrus. Its star shape also makes the gift bag look extra pretty and intentional, almost like tiny winter ornaments.
Together, these ingredients create a simmer pot that smells bright, warm, slightly sweet, and cozy. It’s the ideal winter fragrance for your home.
How to Assemble the Simmer Pot Gift Bags
Putting these bags together is simple, even if you’re making a large batch for gifting.
Materials
- Clear treat bags or muslin bags
- Fresh or dried rosemary
- Dried orange slices (Instructions below)
- Cinnamon sticks
- Whole cranberries
- Whole star anise
- Ribbon or twine
- Printable gift tags
Step-by-Step Assembly
1. Add the dried oranges first.
Lay them flat at the bottom of the bag, they create a pretty base and keep the bag looking neat.
2. Tuck in rosemary sprigs.
Let them rest along the side of the bag so some greenery shows through the front.
3. Add whole cranberries.
A handful adds color and fills in space beautifully.
4. Place cinnamon sticks in the center.
They’re the main aromatic ingredient, so it’s nice when they’re visible.
5. Finish with star anise.
Place them right at the top of the bag so the star shapes peek through.
6. Tie the bag closed.
Use ribbon, twine, or baker’s string, anything that adds a simple seasonal touch.
7. Attach your printable gift tag.
This finishes the presentation and gives recipients clear instructions.
These gift bags look high-effort, but they come together in minutes once your ingredients are prepped.
How to Use the Simmer Pot
When the recipient is ready to use their simmer pot, they’ll simply:
- Pour all ingredients into a medium saucepan.
- Add 3–4 cups of water.
- Warm on low heat until the scent fills the kitchen.
- Add more water as needed to keep everything submerged.
They can let it simmer for hours as long as there’s water in the pot.
For people who don’t use their stovetop often, you can also note that simmer pots can be warmed in a small slow cooker on the “low” setting.
Why These Simmer Pot Bags Make the Perfect Holiday Gift
They’re affordable but feel thoughtful.
A small bag of simple ingredients looks like something from a boutique shop, but it costs very little to make, especially when assembling in bulk.
They’re great for all ages.
Anyone can use a simmer pot: grandparents, teachers, coworkers, neighbors, hosts, or your holiday guests.
They smell incredible.
The scent is gentle, natural, and reminiscent of winter baking. It instantly creates a warm atmosphere.
They’re easy to customize.
Add cloves, nutmeg, juniper, vanilla bean, or additional herbs if you want to create variations.
They’re beautiful to display.
Even before they’re used, the bags look pretty sitting on a kitchen counter, in a gift basket, or beside a candle.
They’re perfect for parties.
Place them in a basket by the door for guests to take home as favors.
They pair well with homemade treats.
Add one to a cookie tin, a loaf of holiday bread, or a mug for a curated gift.
How to Dry Orange Slices for Your Gift Bags
If you’re making a big batch of bags, drying oranges at home is easy.
- Slice oranges into ¼-inch rounds.
- Pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 200°F for 2.5–3 hours, flipping once.
- Let cool completely.
They’ll look gorgeous in the bags and last for months.
Storage Tips for Assembled Simmer Pot Bags
Because these bags include cranberries and sometimes fresh rosemary, there are two options:
Option 1: Use all dried ingredients
If you dry the cranberries and rosemary first, the bags last for weeks. They’re great for early prep and shipping.
Option 2: Use fresh ingredients and gift quickly
If using fresh rosemary and cranberries, gift within 3–5 days and store the bags in the refrigerator until then.
Most people use the bags immediately during the holidays, so using fresh ingredients is totally fine.
Ideas for Customizing Your Simmer Pot Bags
These add variety and let you create different scents:
- Add cloves for extra warmth
- Add sliced apples for a sweet, cozy touch
- Add eucalyptus for a spa-like scent
- Swap rosemary for pine for a woodsy fragrance
- Add a vanilla bean for a bakery-style aroma
Each variation smells incredible and can use the same printable tag.
Final Thoughts
Holiday simmer pot gift bags are one of the easiest homemade gifts to assemble, but they feel thoughtful, seasonal, and beautifully curated. The combination of rosemary, dried oranges, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, and star anise fills any home with a warm, bright fragrance that instantly feels festive. With printable tags and simple packaging, you can create a batch of gifts that look polished and intentional without spending long hours crafting.
Whether you’re putting together hostess gifts, neighbor presents, teacher treats, or party favors, these simmer pot bags are a lovely way to share holiday cheer, one cozy scent at a time.
