Homemade Thanksgiving Potpourri

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.

Fill your home this holiday season by making your own homemade Thanksgiving potpourri with dehydrated fruits, fall spices, and essential oils. This homemade potpourri is a perfect hostess gift. It is made using all-natural ingredients and makes for a beautiful centerpiece.

A pan filled with thanksgiving potpourri.

This potpourri recipe is one of my favorite ways to bring the scents of the season right into the home. So what makes a good potpourri?

Some of my standouts are anything that reminds me of the season: freshly baked pies, apple cider, and hot cinnamon rolls.

I loved making my own stovetop potpourri for Christmas in the past. Making one for the Thanksgiving holiday has always been something I have wanted to do.

They really make the best gift for your hostess and help get you into the holiday spirit.

Why You’ll Love This DIY
Ingredients
How to Make a Thanksgiving Potpourri Gift
How to Use Stovetop Potpourri
Helpful Tips
Recipe FAQs
Related Content
Homemade Thanksgiving Potpourri Recipe

Why You’ll Love This DIY

Thoughtful, homemade gift: If you’re attending a Thanksgiving gathering at someone else’s house, this is an easy and unique hostess gift to bring along! Potpourri is an item anyone can use and they will love the thought that went into making the gift.
Easy to make: While it looks fancy and beautiful, potpourri is surprisingly easy to make. You can make it even easier by purchasing your fruit already dried; then it’s just a matter of adding everything to a jar.
Natural fragrance: Stovetop potpourri is a great way to make your home smell like fall without scented candles or air fresheners that often have harmful artificial fragrances. The addition of essential oils in this recipe gives the stovetop potpourri an even stronger scent while using only natural ingredients!
Prevent food waste: Potpourri is a great way to use up old fruit and expired spices that you would otherwise throw away.

Looking down on a jar of Thanksgiving potpourri.

Ingredients

For this potpourri, we are going to use fruits, spices, and essential oils that have fall scents. This makes the potpourri perfect for Thanksgiving!

You can use any ingredients you wish or follow the recipe below to keep it simple. Don’t be afraid to get creative with your combinations!

Dried fruit: Apples, oranges, and cranberries are my favorites to use because they smell like fall! You can also use other citrus fruits or anything else you can think of.
Spices: Spices add additional scent and visual appeal. I use cloves, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, and star anise.
Ginger: You can use dried ginger slices or ground ginger from the spice cabinet.
Pinecones: Adding pinecones gives this potpourri a beautiful look and an earthy smell.
Essential Oils: My favorite essential oils for fall include cinnamon, clove, ginger, cardamom, vanilla, and wild orange.
A container: You’ll need a container to store your potpourri in! I like using a mason jar or weck jar, but feel free to get creative with your container. Airtight is best so the smell is preserved.

Sliced apples, oranges, and cinnamon sticks on a cutting board.

How to Make a Thanksgiving Potpourri Gift

Making your own potpourri is so easy to do! You can make a stovetop potpourri or a dry potpourri.

The same ingredients can be used for both; just the way you use them will be different. Dehydrated fruits must be used for the dry potpourri.

Place all the ingredients into a cute mason jar, Weck jar, or an airtight glass bowl.
Add 10-15 drops of essential oils over the ingredients.
Decorate with ribbon, hemp, or burlap if giving this as a gift; secure a lid onto the container to trap the scent.
Open and enjoy or gift it to a loved one!

How to Use Stovetop Potpourri

Place all the ingredients into a medium-sized saucepan.
Fill to about an inch from the top with water.
Heat over medium-high heat till it almost reaches a boil and reduce heat to a simmer; this allows for a long, slow release of the potpourri.
Enjoy the aroma! Keep an eye on the water level and top off as needed.

Helpful Tips

You can purchase your dried fruit or make it yourself! I have dried my own apples, oranges, and ginger for potpourri. Simply slice them thin and bake them in the oven on the lowest setting (150-200 degrees F) until they are completely dry.
Using dehydrated fruit isn’t necessary for stovetop potpourri if you are using it right away. If you make stovetop potpourri with fresh ingredients, it must be used within a couple of days.
You can add dried herbs such as lavender or rosemary for additional scent.
Keep an eye on your stovetop potpourri and make sure the water doesn’t boil off completely. Add more water as needed to prevent it from burning.
Feel free to get creative with the essential oils you add! My November diffuser blends are perfect seasonal scents for Thanksgiving.

Recipe FAQs

How long will homemade potpourri last?

If everything is dry, the potpourri will last indefinitely. That said, the scent may diminish if the jar is opened. As the scent begins to fade, add one to two drops of essential oils for a quick recharge.

Which spices are best for homemade potpourri?

This is a matter of preference as they each add unique scents to your potpourri! I like to stick to cinnamon and cloves for Thanksgiving, and occasionally, I’ll add in nutmeg, allspice, or pumpkin pie spice. For Christmas, I’ll usually add in dried rosemary and star anise.

What is the best container for homemade potpourri?

This is the fun part! You can find a fun container for your DIY potpourri at a garage sale, in your basement, or at the local thrift shop. Use a vintage mason jar, a festive mug, or a weck jar. It is best to use a container with a lid and keep it closed when you are not using it to preserve the scent.