5 Fun Ways to Use Essential Oils for Thanksgiving

For me, Thanksgiving can be described in 3 words: food, fun, and family. Whether it’s having the whole crew over for delicious turkey and sage scented stuffing or having a crispy morning walk before all of the cooking, Thanksgiving is a time to really be conscious of what we’re grateful for. 

I love to spoil my family with a cozy home and fun food and drinks. One of my favorite ways to do that is to harness the versatility of essential oils. In this article, you’ll discover 5 fun ways to use essential oils this Thanksgiving.

5 Ways to Use Essential Oils for Thanksgiving 

Diffuser Recipes 

Thanksgiving is the single worst day of the year for household fires. Minimize that risk by cutting down on the plethora of autumn spice candles with these diffuser recipes. You’ll still get all the warm and cozy feels—just without the risk (; 

These thanksgiving essential oil recipes below include spicy, warming, and sweet aromas perfect for the holiday season. 

Give Thanks 

• 2 drops sandalwood 
• 2 drops white fir 
• 4 drops cypress 

Autumn Breeze 

• 3 drops orange 
• 2 drops patchouli 
• 1 drop frankincense 

Autumn Spice 

• 3 drops orange 
• 2 drops cinnamon 
• 3 drops ginger 

For more thanksgiving and fall diffuser recipes like sweater weather and crunchy leaves check out this article! 

Room Sprays 

Are you having both you and your partner’s extended families over this year? Make their stay extra welcoming with these DIY thanksgiving room sprays. Not only will they make the room inviting and special, but they will also help purify and cleanse. Get creative and give the bottles a nice design of some sort. Leave the bottle in their room for their use. But be warned…they’ll probably take it home with them. 

Note: With COVID, Thanksgiving is going to look a lot different for all of us this year. If you’re just sticking to zoom and FaceTime to see family this year, you can still send some love with these recipes via mail! It will make a cute little surprise.

Materials

• 1 pinch salt (sea sat, epsom salt, or Himalayan salt will work) 
• Distilled water 
• 2 oz amber colored spray bottle 
• Small funnel 
• Fall essential oils 

Instructions 

• Add salt with funnel into bottle 
• Drop essential oil combo of your choice and shake bottle to combine 
• Fill the bottle with distilled warm or room temperature water and shake to combine
• Add label if you desire!
• Shake before use 

Fall Breeze 

• 18 drops Frankincense
• 12 drops Sandalwood
• 18 drops Bergamot

Cozy Flannel 

• 20 drops Orange
• 15 drops Cinnamon
• 10 drops Clove

Crisp Fall Morning

• 18 drops Patchouli
• 9 drops Lavender
• 18 drops Frankincense
• 7 drops Rosemary

Desserts

A true Thanksgiving celebration is not complete without pumpkin pie. While I am a sweet potato pie girl at heart, this healthy pumpkin pie recipe with essential oils by doTerra is to die for. 

It includes healing essential oils like cinnamon, clove, and ginger for that wonderful fall flavor.

Ingredients 

• 15 oz can pumpkin puree 
• 13.5 oz can full-fat coconut milk 
• ¼ cup rolled oats 
• 2 tablespoons ground flax  
• ½ cup brown sugar 
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 2 drops clove essential oil 
• 1 drop cinnamon essential oil 
• 2 drops ginger essential oil
• ½ teaspoon salt 
• 1 egg 
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 
• 1 par baked pie crust 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 
2. Blend all ingredients until smooth and pour into par baked pie crust in 10 inch round pan 
3. Bake for 27 minutes 
4. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours uncovered so pie thickens and sets 

Fall Drinks 

Whatever your drink at Thanksgiving whether it be a cocktail, mocktail, or pumpkin spice latte, jazz it up with essential oils. 

Pumpkin Spice Latte with fall essential oils 

Makes 2 servings 

Materials

• Blender 

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp pumpkin puree 
• 1 ½ tbsp coconut sugar, maple syrup, or raw honey 
• ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice 
• 1 tbsp vanilla extra 
• ½ cup coffee or espresso 
• 2 cups of heated dairy free milk of choice (we like almond or cashew for this!) 
• 1 drop of cinnamon essential oil 

Directions 

• Add all ingredients in blender and blend until frothy 

Warming Digestive Tea 

Makes 1 serving 

Ok let’s be real. Everyone can use a little post-thanksgiving dinner digestive help. This tea will be perfect for easing digestion. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup hot water 
• 1-2 drops ginger essential oil 
• 1 tsp of raw honey 
• 1 lemon squeeze 

Instructions

• Mix ginger essential oil with raw honey before adding it to water. Squeeze lemon and enjoy. Note: if ginger oil is too spicy for you, try peppermint for a refreshing stomach ease. 

Apple Cider Hot Toddy 

Makes 2 servings 

Materials 

• Small saucepan 

Ingredients 

• 1.5 cup apple cider 
• 2 whole star anise 
• 2 drops of cinnamon essential oil 
• 1 zested lemon into stripes and for juice 
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup 
• 3 oz bourbon 

Instructions 

• Combine apple cider and star anise in a small saucepan. Put on high heat and bring to a bowl. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice 
• Mix 2 drops of cinnamon essential oil with maple syrup and pour 1 tablespoon of the mixture each into each cup. Pour half of the hot cider into both cups and stir to combine 

Inspired by Our Salty Kitchen 

Pumpkin Hand Soap 

Whether your cooking, eating, or both, you’re going to need some thanksgiving essential oil hand soap to clean up. This recipe is especially fun to make, even if we just use it for the week. 

This foaming pumpkin hand soap uses clove and cinnamon for their incredible antibacterial benefits. Then it harnesses the antiseptic properties of ginger and nutmeg. So if Thanksgiving is the first time you’re going to see your family since corona, make them feel safe with this natural hand soap. This killer combo of essential oils will help kill bacteria and inhibit the growth of bacteria. Win win. 

• Clove and cinnamon have incredible antibacterial properties 
• Ginger and nutmeg are known for their antiseptic properties 
• A killer combo of these oils will help kill bacteria and inhibit the growth of bacteria (; 

Ingredients 

• Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap 
• 5 drops of nutmeg, Ginger root, Cinnamon bark, and clove bud essential oils 
• Vegetable glycerin 
• Foaming soap bottle (preferably a dark colored bottle, but not necessary)
• Water 

Directions

• Fill soap bottle with ¼ cup of castile soap 
• Add essential oils 
• Fill the rest with water 

Essential oils eat away at the plastic so it’s much better to opt for a glass foaming soap bottle. I found one here that is super cute for the season. Because light affects essential oils these amber colored soap dispensers would work if you’re planning on leaving it out for the whole season rather than the short thanksgiving weekend. 

And there you have it: 5 fun ways to use essential oils for Thanksgiving! Let me know your favorite Thanksgiving traditions in the comments below.