How to Make Beautifully Scented Pinecones
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Scented pinecones are a great way to freshen up the air during the holiday season and winter months! They make a room smell spicy and cozy! Did you know these beautiful smelling pinecones are so easy to make yourself? Let’s make scented pinecones DIY!
This is such an easy and fun DIY! Even if you are not crafty, you can make scented pinecones.
One of our StoneGable readers, Sindy said…
Pinecones Forever! Thank you for sharing so many creative ideas for decorating with pinecones, Yvonne. I tried your scented pinecones recipe this year and I am super pleased with them. Placed them all over the house in different containers and the scent is so wonderful–I get a big smile on my face every time I get a whiff–I can’t get enough!
Let’s get started!
Start with collected pinecones or buy unscented ones.
THINGS YOU WILL NEED FOR THE SCENTED PINECONE DIY
- PINECONES, you collected or purchased them HERE, HERE. and HERE
- ESSENTIAL OILS- cinnamon, clove, orange, or your favorite warm scent combination (see below)
- parchment paper or heavy-duty foil
- sheet pan
- plastic bag (gallon size)
- pretty container for your pinecones. I have used my white ceramic bread basket HERE for over a decade! It’s such a classic.
WHY PINECONES
Other than the obvious reason that pinecones are perfect to use when decorating for the holiday and winter months…
- they are cheap
- pinecones are often free
- they are porous and will soak in the essential oils
- the make great filler
So, really, pinecones are nature’s big decorating gift to us!
I love pinecones and keep a big bin of assorted ones handy for many uses!
HOW TO DEBUG AND REMOVE SAP FROM ORGANICALLY COLLECTED PINECONES
If you have store-bought pinecones, you can skip this step completely!
If you are collecting pinecones from nature, they are probably full of dirt and sap. They may even have little critters living in their nooks and crannies.
You can start by washing the pinecones in warm, sudsy water and rinsing them until they are clean. This might make them close up, but don’t worry, they will open back up once they are dry.
I usually skip the pinecone bath! I’m okay with just knocking off the visible dirt on my pinecones.
But I don’t skip the next step!
Preheat your oven to 200°. Layer the pinecones on a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes, checking to make sure they do not burn. The goal is to kill any bacteria, get rid of bugs, and melt the sap away.
Take them out of the oven and let them cool.
Now for the fun!!!!
SCENTING THE PINECONES
Pinecones are quite porous and will absorb essential oils very easily. The amount of essential oils you use will determine the strength of the aroma diffused into the air and how long the pinecones will stay scented.
Put the pinecones in a gallon zip-type plastic storage bag. Add a few drops of each essential oil to the pinecones in the bag. You will want to distribute the drops of oil around the pinecones in the bag.
Close the bag and move the pinecones around to distribute the oils.
I like my pinecones generously scented, so I use 5 drops of each oil for a 2/3 full gallon bag of pinecones.
Seal up the bag and keep it in a dark place for several days or up to two weeks.
When you open the plastic bag, you won’t believe how gorgeous the aroma that comes wafting up is.
Take them out of the bag and use them in your favorite container with a couple of sprigs of pretty greens!
PINECONE SCENT COMBINATIONS
I love essential oils! Use your favorite combinations to freshen the air in your home!
My favorite essential oils are from Young Living Oils. They are all therapeutic-grade essential oils and smell heavenly! You can order oils from Young Living Oils HERE and use my membership # 3098375.
Here are some pretty scents to combine for the holidays and winter…
- cinnamon
- vanilla
- clove
- nutmeg
- Thieves (Young Living Oil)
- Pine
- Wintergreen
- Peppermint
- Tangerine (my favorite)
- Orange
- Lemon
- Christmas Spirit (Young Living Oil)
I love cinnamon, clove, and tangerine together! I might also add a drop or two of Nutmeg to this combination. To me, it smells like Christmas! As the image above shows, these essential oils are “well-loved”! I use them a lot!
I think an aroma is much more interesting if it combines two or three specific scents.
OTHER SCENTED PINECONE ADD-INS
I like to use different-shaped pinecones as part of my decor. A little variety looks so pretty!
However, pinecones are not the only organic thing that can be scented. You might want to try adding these other found-in-nature elements to your plastic bag to scent along with the pinecones…
- acorns (if you collected them in nature, remember to bake them too)
- mini pinecones HERE
- seed pods HERE
- dry lotus pods HERE
- sweet gum seed pods HERE
- star anise (you can add them after the pinecones are scented)
- willow balls
- cinnamon sticks
KEEPING PINECONES SCENTED
This Scented Pinecone DIY is so easy that you should make two batches! As one batch of pinecones loses its scent, you will have another ready!
Then repeat the process over again to refresh your pinecones!
Just so you know…
Be careful when using essential oils. Some are classified as “hot” oils and can irritate skin and eyes. So do not put your fingers up to your face or eyes when using them!
Also, keep anything with essential oils on it away from an open flame, and don’t put pinecones scented with essential oils in the oven.
And just because I would be remiss… keep them away from children and pets who could eat them!
But you probably already knew that!
You might also like these other pinecone diy’s…
Scented pinecones also make a lovely gift as a gift exchange or a hostess gift!
Yvonne, Planning on making some of these for a gift. About home long will the scent last?
It all depends on how much essential oil you use. Probably a couple months. What a lovely gift!
I would love to do this and I will bake the pinecones for decorations already have some but the prices of this oil is way out of my price range but I love the how to for bleaching also thankyou
You might be able to find the oils at Grocery stores or drug stores for less. I find they are a lower quality but they might work for this DIY. Hope this is helpful.
Thank you!!!
Did you bleach them
I tried but no luck really
I did bleach them, Cindy. Try adding more bleach to the bath you put the pinecones in. Also, you can leave the pinecones in the bath longer.Hope this helps.
Thank you for this, Yvonne, I can’t wait to try. Quick question. Can I add the essential oils directly TO the pine cones or is the oil too abrasive as to erode the cone? I’m right on it once I know. Thanks and Merry Christmas.
I’ve never had a problem with the essential oil and the pinecones. Just shake the essential oil into the bag with the pinecones. You will love home beautiful your home will smell!
Mixing the oils for holiday is some thing I didn’t think about. Orange peels add a nice scent. Thank you
These are beautiful additions to your holiday home.
Thanks so much for your directions on how to scent pinecone successfully. The information is very helpful.
Wonderful! I hope you enjoy making and using the pinecones in your Christmas decor.
Thanks for sharing!,.sadly I hav no Christmas spirit this yr,but im looking for it!,i think making its batch of these pinecone may just bring it on,I’m a single lady,very small family, I spend most of my time alone,I’m really trying to look at the bright side of life,wish me luck please!!,,A very Merry Christmas to all,God bless.
Merry Christmas, Crystal!
Aromatic brilliance! The article’s unique approach to combining scents demonstrates a thoughtful consideration for creating a harmonious and fragrant ambiance.
Awesome idea! I have bags of different size pine cones that I use during the year. I’m off to get some bags and start my process of giving life to my pinecones. Thanks so much, Debbie
Hi Debbie, you are so welcome. You will love how your home smells.