With Christmas right around the corner I thought I would re-publish this easy peasy How to make scented pine cones tutorial in case you missed it last year.
I can always tell winter is coming when I start to see the scented pine cones popping up the the stores. They look so festive, and smell amazing, that it’s hard to resist not purchasing them. Here in my neck of the woods though, paying for pine cones is like paying for air–they are everywhere and it just doesn’t make sense to pay for them. Making them scented is also pretty simple, so I thought I would make some to satisfy my winter nostalgia.
You’ll Need:
Pine Cones
Essential Oil {I used Edens Garden Essential Oils}
Gallon Ziploc Bags
Directions:
Wash the pine cones in warm water to get ride of any debris, dirt, insects, etc. Then, on a foil lined baking sheet, heat them at 250 degrees for 20 minutes. Allow them to cool completely before moving on to the next step.
Put pine cones into the zip baggie and put several drops of essential oil {I’m using cinnamon} into the bag. Zip the bag and then gently toss around the pine cones and oil to mix thoroughly. Leave the bag closed for 1 week to allow the scent to infuse the pine cones.
After a week, pop them open and place them in a bowl. I think they make a really cool winter decoration and they smell amazing every time you walk passed them. When they run out of scent, just repeat the process.
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Deborah Warner says
I love this idea!
Deanna Allen says
I dip small cones in paraffin wax with oils. They smell good too. You can color the wax. They make great fire starters ! Place them in a small basket with a ribbon for a festive gift.
Eve from Westerville, OH says
This is awesome. I already gathered pine cones from our yard, but did not know what to do next. Sounds silly, but the instructions on washing then drying them in the oven is very helpful. Thanks!
Mark Roberts says
We overflow with big pine cones and want to join the market in selling them scented and perhaps otherwise decorated. Can anyone tell me how to package them appealingly for market? Where to get reasonable bags (don’t think a ziplock style will add any impulse-buying appeal), whether a kind of plastic or net? Best way to create appealing labeling to adhere to the bag? And what kinds of local stores have you found to buy/take on consignment units for sale? (I don’t think we have time to work through corporate buyers for this holiday season–duh!).
Thank you for any suggestions.
Mark on behalf of a budding family enterprise
Deanna says
A bit late in the season but I use to grab cheap baskets at the thrift stores, paint, ribbon, glitter them up. Then just put them in a paper bag when they sold that way there was reduced wrapping waste. Good luck
Carol says
Thanks for this! Certainly sounds easy enough. The scented ones in the stores are so strong you can smell them from the parking lot. I like the idea of making my own so I can control that as well as the choice of fragrance. I might try sandalwood.
I enjoy your blog – Always makes me smile.
Mimi says
Love this thanks for sharing
Nancy J Cooley says
Thanks. love your site!
Janeen says
I’m making the second batch right now. I noticed that mine closed up in the oven after rinsing them and baking them. The first batch opened slightly after letting them cool completely, but never re-opened back like they were when we found them. The second batch that I just took out of the oven are all completely closed up. Any one else have this problem? Will they re-open all the way?
Pheas says
Mine were still damp after 20 minutes, and even after baking an hour I didn’t feel confident they were dry all the way through. When cooled, I put a few in a bag, but they steamed it up, so I left them in a bowl to cool and dry further for a few days. The top batch is now in a bag with the oils, but the rest grew mold, so I returned them to the back yard. I’m in Florida, so I’m thinking longer baking at a higher temp is probably what’s needed in this low-altitude, high-humidity climate. I don’t know if this is related to your problem, but perhaps yours were still damp and that’s why they didn’t open much. I didn’t notice any change in mine after baking. Some started open and some started tight, and they seemed to end up as they started.
Susan says
Is there anything besides essential oils I can use to infuse the pincones with? Something that will do just as good?
Deborah B. Foster says
We have Pine Trees….I gathered Pine Cones this year with making tree Ornaments for family members…Personnal to them as decor goes…so they are picked up and on the couch in 2 grocery bags…thats as far as I got! So thanks for these ideas…I will try a few!!! Thanks from Stone county Mississippi….Very Piney Place,,Desoto national Forrest!!! D. B. Foster 🙂
Pauline Rieger says
I live in Ontario and collect pine cones for our market. What is a reasonable price to sell the cones?
Many thanks
betty says
I have always wanted to do something with pinecone and acorns to make my home looked cozy and and smell like Christmas this really helps I never thought of washing them and then drying them in oven thanks