How to Make Your Home Smell Like Williams Sonoma This Holiday Season

This is Obsessed: my weekly column devoted to sharing all the things I'm loving right now—from unique food and gift ideas to travel destinations and beauty products—plus some tips and tricks for living your best life.

I've always loved the way Williams Sonoma stores smell—especially around the holiday season. Before the pandemic, in the Williams Sonoma store closest to me, there was usually a large slow cooker full of their signature mulled cider. The aroma was so warm and comforting, and the scent greeted you the moment you crossed the threshold. I have yet to find a candle that replicates the cozy holiday vibes of a Williams Sonoma store (they're always either too cloying or too spicy). So, when Williams Sonoma posted a recipe for their holiday simmer pot, I nearly jumped out of my seat and ran to buy the ingredients.

To make Williams Sonoma's holiday simmer pot, you'll need just five ingredients and a large heatproof vessel (they use a Le Creuset Dutch oven. Buy it: $370, Williams Sonoma). Next, add 8 cups of water, one fresh orange cut into slices, ½ cup of fresh cranberries, 2 cinnamon sticks, ½ cup of Williams Sonoma mulling spices (buy them: $17, Williams Sonoma) and a sprig of fresh rosemary or fir cut from your holiday tree. Bring the aromatic mix to a simmer over low heat and continue simmering uncovered for up to 2 hours while you enjoy the perfect holiday scent.I plan to have this simmer pot gently bubbling on Christmas to make my home smell festive and feel warm and cozy. Williams Sonoma's recipe is perfect for the holiday season, and I love that it's endlessly customizable. Don't have oranges? Sub in lemons or add a splash of vanilla. Don't have a jar of mulling spices? Drop in extra cinnamon sticks or add whole cloves, allspice berries or star anise. Simmer pots can be a great way to use up leftover holiday baking supplies or items you'd normally throw in the compost (like orange peels or extra herbs) and will make your home aromatically amazing. To complete the cozy vibe (and add another delicious scent layer to your home), whip up some of our Cinnamon Icebox Cookies.

Jaime Milan is EatingWell's digital editor for all things newsy and trending. She's always on the hunt for the latest and greatest things to share with EatingWell's readers. In her spare time, you can find her experimenting in the kitchen, tackling home projects with her husband or taking pics of her very photogenic American Eskimo Dog, Grits. Follow her on Instagram at @jaimemmilan.