Learn how to make orange clove pomander balls, a classic holiday tradition. They're easier than you think and will make your home smell amazing for the holidays!
Pomander balls are very simply those oranges decorated with cloves you probably made for your mom back when you were in the Brownies.
They are so easy to make, a fun holiday craft project to include the children in, and will fill your home with the scents of the season.
And make super festive Christmas decorations!
How To Make Orange Pomander Balls
Supplies Needed
- Whole Cloves
- Oranges (or other Citrus Fruit)
- Wooden Skewer or Toothpicks
- Paper Towels
Instructions:
All you need is a can of cloves (found in the spice aisle of the grocery store),
some oranges and a wooden skewer or toothpicks.
The paper towels are just to catch any juice that may leak out of the oranges when you're poking holes in them. This project can get your hands a little sticky.
Plan out a design for the oranges. Stripes, stars, circles, and swirled patterns are popular choices and easy to accomplish. Alternately, you can go with just covering the entire orange with cloves for a super simple design.
To make your pomanders, just simply poke holes in the orange with the skewer and then push in a clove.
It is really that easy!
Cloves are sharp and pointy by nature, so you wouldn't have to use a skewer to make a hole, it just saves you a little time to poke a hole first. And is also easier on your fingertips, since you'll be inserting a LOT of cloves into each orange.
Please note - if you are making these with children, make sure you supervise their use of the skewers or toothpicks.
The smell of the clove mixed with the juice of the orange is heavenly.
The cloves also help preserve the orange as it dries and acts as an anti-microbial. But it really is all about the scent!
Christmas pomander balls only take about five minutes each to make and the cost of three oranges and a can of cloves is around $5.00.
Those Brownies know something about making easy and classic crafts.
Additional Fruit Options For Pomanders
Oranges aren't the only fruit that can be made into pomanders, so if orange isn't your favorite scent try one of these:
- Lemons
- Grapefruit
- Limes
- Tangerines
- Kumquats
- Clementines
Basically, any citrus fruit will work.
A note about Clementines though, I made them for hostess gifts a few years ago (you can see the post here - Cloved Clementines Hostess Gift). They were aromatic and looked so cute stuffed into mason jars as a fun packaging idea, but they did not last a long time. I think the reason is the fruit was not firm enough. Clementines tend to have looser skins than oranges and limes.
How To Use Pomander Balls
- Give As A Hostess Gift - wrap in a cellophane bag with instructions printed out (or a history of the pomander).
- Hang On The Christmas Tree - all the better if you have a live tree, so you can get the pine scent mixed in with the orange and clove scents!
- Use As A Centerpiece - making a grouping of pomanders in the center of the holiday table for a festive look.
- Dress Up Holiday Decoration And Garland - tuck them into just about any place you have holiday greenery whether real or faux pine boughs.
- Use As A Sachet - hang one in your closet for the fresh aroma.
Drying Pomander Balls
If you want your pomander balls to last long after Christmas, you will want to dry them. They can actually last for years!
You can use a dehydrator set at a low heat (100° or so) until they have hardened.
Since I do not have a dehydrator and prefer to do it the old-fashioned way, I hang my pomanders and air dry them for roughly 6 weeks. Hanging your pomander balls will help them dry quicker than leaving them in a bowl. This will also help them avoid mold while drying.
I normally make two sets of pomanders, one I use for holiday decor and the other I make for drying for year-round sachets.
Check out the web story version of this article HERE.
Looking for more winter and Christmas ideas? Some of my favorite holiday ideas:
DIY Simmering Potpourri Gift Idea with Printable Gift Tag
Pamela
I wanna see your take on The Last Supper lol!!!
These look great. Too bad I quit Brownies or else I too would know how to make them!
I love your new banner Pam. I sure do miss my red cardinals. They don't have them here 🙁 !
Hope to do a post soon...if they ever let me out of work!
~Lavender Dreamer~
I can imagine the wonderful scent just looking at your photos! It's been years since I've seen that done but it's just about time to go to the orchards here in Florida for fresh oranges! ♥
marty (A Stroll Thru Life)
Oh I had forgotten about those, but they smell so good. I really need to make some. Yours look so pretty and are beautifully displayed. Thanks for reminding me. Thanks also for the comments about the old fashioned tree. I can't wait to see yours. I love to see all the wonderful vintage and collected ornaments everyone has. Hugs, Marty
Katie@LeBeauPaonVictorien
I love cloved oranges! We used to make one every year at Christmas time when I was growing up, but it's been years since we made one. We used to attach some ribbon loops to the top and make it kind of like a kissing ball, so it could hang. My mom would hang it in a doorway, with a little bit of greenery so you could smell it when you walked into the room.
MamaMonki
I need to go check Aldi's for oranges. I think I have some cloves already. Perfect Saturday project for WeeMan and I.
Heather
I haven't made one of those in years!! Ooh, they must smell so lovely.
Crystal Rose Cottage
When I was first married years ago and lived on base housing, I remember making some and sitting them in the bathroom to make the bathroom smell good. It worked! I love the smell of oranges and cloves together!~Hugs, Patti
Debbie refresh restyle
OK, I've never done this before, but I've always loved smelling and looking at them! Maybe this year I'll do it! Thanks for inspiring me! Where did you put the Last Supper one, I don't see it 😉
Debbie
JunqueMagnet
I remember my mom doing these one year at the holidays. Love that smell. Thinking a trip to Kroger is in order this afternoon! Enjoy.
Debby
I would make these with my mom. The funny thing is, I can't remember anything else that we made together. We would cover the orange and my fingers would hurt. Like your idea to poke them first. I can smell them through the computer.
Marigene
I haven't made any of the cloved oranges in years...sounds like this is the year to do them again!
Tricia
This is such a cute idea. I was just thinking about it yesterday, that's so funny that you posted this. I wonder if it would work with little clemintines?
Debra
Tangerines' skins are pretty thin and tear easily - the orange works better .
TARYTERRE
As a former Girl Scout, way back when... I admit to making this too. Thank you for reminding me that simple things can be more festive, than something you spend alot of money on. If I remember, the smell is heavenly. Take care.
ℳartina @ Northern Nesting
That looks sooooo pretty!!
Olive Cooper
You Brownies are clever girls. I remember the wonderful scent back when I was a dinosaur.
Loo xx from Jumbles and Pompoms
This is always an excellent craft activity for kids to do. My daughter made one two years ago and it's still going strong! There is a danger that they can turn mouldy and so the advice is, I believe, to pop the newly cloved orange into a paper bag and put it in a dry warm place for a few days to dry out and bob's yer uncle. xx
hron
Oh, Thank you for the tip on how to dry the cloved oranges! How fun! Going to make these with my grand girls.;)