EXPLORE NC
Bring Nature in This Winter
Winter scented pine cones
Cheryl Bowen | January 16, 2021
Winter Scented Pine Cones
What you Will Need:
Pinecones
Essential oils (cinnamon, sandalwood, peppermint—whatever you love!)
Gallon size zip-lock bag
Dish soap
Cookie sheet
Aluminum foil or parchment paper
Small spray bottle
Collect pine cones
Scope out your yard or walk your neighborhood to find pine cones. Collect pine cones of all different sizes and prepare them to be scented.
Clean pine cones by immersing them in water with a small amount of dish soap. This ensures that any stowaways are removed! Rinse and shake out excess water. You may notice your pine cones have closed after being immersed in water, but these will return to normal during the drying process.
Dry Pinecones
To prepare for drying, arrange pine cones on a foil or parchment-lined baking sheet. Note – the foil will prevent any sap from dripping and baking onto your baking sheet. Bake at 200 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until pines cones begin to open up. Check every 15 minutes and turn occasionally to prevent over-heating.
Apply Essential Oil
Remove from oven and gather your favorite essential oil. We love to use cinnamon, sandalwood, or peppermint in the winter! Using a small spray bottle, add 1/2 cup water and ~20 drops of essential oil. Spray your pine cones with the solution and then place in a sealed container for 1-2 days. The longer they sit, the more intense the aroma.
Enjoy!
Place your scented pine cones in various locations throughout your house – your foyer, bath, table – where ever you like! Enjoy the fresh scents of winter all season long!