Do you love the smell of coffee in the morning? Or throughout the day, even at night? Coffee aroma is both comforting and energizing, which is why so many people crave the smell, even if drinking coffee isn’t great for them at the moment. Well, good news! You don’t have to have the coffee pot on all day when you make this easy homemade coffee smell air freshener!

coffee smell air freshener in pot with coffee beans and cinnamon sticks

Why We Love Coffee Aroma

I have to admit. I love the smell of coffee. But I don’t necessarily enjoy the taste.

Plus, I’ve realized that I’m extremely sensitive to caffeine. So even drinking decaffeinated coffee makes me feel weird. (Don’t judge, I don’t know why.)

So I do enjoy when I can smell the coffee aroma but not have to be fixing a pot of coffee.

Why is that?

whole coffee beans on a silver spoon above a simmering pot

Well, coffee aroma actually has 800 different aromatic compounds. In fact, that is more aromatic compounds than any other beverage! Including wine, which only has around 200-300 aromatic compounds.

Around 11% of those compounds smell like chocolate. (Which can explain why we love coffee aroma so much!)

When we smell coffee aroma, it’s like a symphony of scents for your brain! Full of a variety of different scents at varying strengths based on how the coffee beans were roasted or ground. And whether or not it’s a dark or light roast.

coffee beans cinnamon sticks and molasses on white background

And just smelling these aromatic compounds – without even tasting them – can improve your mood just as much as drinking a cup of coffee.

Coffee is also great for your skin, too! Check out our Coffee Sugar Scrub Recipe.

With more and more people using single serve coffee pods (these zero waste coffee pods are way better for the environment, by the way!), the smell of coffee drifting through the house isn’t as common as it used to be. Which makes this coffee smell air freshener so good to use!

Easy Coffee Smell Air Freshener

When you want to add a coffee smell to your home or office, without actually brewing a cup of java, then this DIY coffee smell air freshener recipe is for you!

spoon with molasses dripping into coffee beans in pot with cinnamon sticks

This simple air freshener uses wholesome ingredients. Not artificial chemicals. Which means you don’t have to worry about breathing in the smell.

It’s a great way to reuse coffee grounds, too! (Along with my recipe for exfoliating coffee soap using a melt and pour soap base, as well as this way to use coffee grounds to get rid of cellulite.)

Plus, this coffee smell air freshener actually combines some other subtle smells, too. It’s more like a coffee cake aroma. Just think of waking up to the smell of coffee brewing and a cake baking and this is what the air freshener smells like!

When would this coffee smell air freshener be perfect to use? Consider these ideas:

Book club
Bible study class
Girls gathering
Comforting air freshener when selling a home during an open house
Brunch
Christmas morning
Office meetings
Remove an odor in the kitchen from cooking
Energizing aroma first thing in the morning

Not only does this coffee smell air freshener have an amazing aroma, it also looks beautiful simmering on the stovetop, too.

coffee smell air freshener simmering in pot with whole coffee beans

Homemade Coffee Smell Air Freshener

Yield: 1 pot

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Active Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Estimated Cost: $4

A yummy coffee smell air freshener that reminds you of coffee cake baking in the oven.

Materials

⅔ cup of whole coffee beans, leftover coffee grinds or fresh ground coffee
2 tablespoons of molasses
2-3 cinnamon sticks
6 cups of filtered water

Tools

Large pot

Instructions

Fill the pot with the water.
Add all of the other ingredients and stir for a moment to help the molasses dissolve.
Bring the pot to a simmer (not boiling, but just lightly bubbling).
Let the pot simmer for one to two hours, checking occasionally to ensure there is enough water in the pot. If the water is getting low, you can add more. Make sure all ingredients are always covered with water.
When done simmering the pot, let the pot cool completely. Instead of throwing the water down the drain or the contents into the trash, considering adding them to your compost pile.

coffee beans in pot with cinnamon sticks and molasses

So be sure to Pin this recipe to save for later, or print it out now with the recipe card below.

More DIY Air Fresheners

Of course, coffee aroma isn’t the only smell that can make you happy!

There are lots of ways to boost your mood or relax through the power of aromatherapy. Try out these homemade air freshener recipes, too!