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Incense making is a very conscious and beautiful creative art form.
It's a lot of fun to make and a blessing to use.
Incense can take the form of:
- loose ingredients to burn on an outdoor fire or indoors in a charcoal tray
- cones, cylinders, or hand-shaped sticks
All types of incense - except loose incense - consist of four basic ingredients: a flammable base, an aromatic substance, a binder and a liquid to hold it all together.
The beauty of making incense at home...you set the intention with the incense...you choose the ingredients.
I created this incense for you to enjoy in the weeks leading up to the Winter Solstice. The aromatics used in the recipe I share with you include herbs + oils strongly associated with the season. Basically… it smells like a Christmas tree exploding in my kitchen right now!
*The aromatics/herbs used for incense are best collected from the wild. The next best option is to buy wild or organic herbs.
- pine needles... I picked them from a tree near my house. We use pine needles in incense to clear a room of negativity, for protection + purification and to ward off illness.
- red cedar edges...these Ibuy online here. Medicinally, cedar wood is a plant protector. We burn cedar wood to bring peace... to clean our homes and protect against unwanted influences.
- juniper... buy juniper online here orwhether. Burn juniper berries to clean and purify indoor air. Juniper berries are also used for protection and disease prevention.
I've already made many of these cones - enough for my personal use...
…and put a lot of curing/drying.
They will be very important gifts to give my friends + family for the holidays.
So are you ready to have some fun!?!
Let's make incense!
To know more ::Incense: Creating and Using Magical Scents
Winter Solstice Incense Cones
Dividend ::6-8 cones
components
- 2 teaspoonsred sandalwood powder
- 1/2 teaspoon powdered cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon guar gum
- 1 tablespoon of liquid (use water, herbal decoction orhydrolyzedand don't forget to add a little at a time... add more or less until you get the desired consistency)
- 1 1/2 tsp mixed herbs (equal parts pine needles, juniper berries,red cedar edges),ground/powder
optional extras
- 3-4 dropsessences(any combination of pine, cedar or juniper),optional
Method
- Measure the herbs (equal parts pine needles, juniper berries,red cedar edges) found meelectric grinderomortar + pestle.
- Grind the herbs until cooked.
- Transfer the powdered herbs to a glass bowl and addsandalwoodpowder, ground cloves and guar gum - use a small wire or wooden stick (a chopstick is perfect) to mix until well combined.
- Very slowly add the liquid, a little at a time. Gently stir the liquid and stir with a wooden stick for a few minutes.Observe ::The mixture may seem too dry at first, but keep mixing. When mixing, use your fingers to press the mixture together to help it come together completely.
- After a few minutes, gather the incense “dough” in your hands and start kneading. If the incense is too dry and doesn't form a ball of dough, add a few more drops of water. You want a smooth, crack-free dough.
- Add essential oils if using. Knead the dough for another 30 seconds until it forms a dough.
- Scoop out 1/4 teaspoon of batter. Use the thumb and forefinger of both hands to form a tall, thin cone.
- Repeat until all the dough is used. This recipe should yield 6 to 8 cones.
- Allow the incense to cure/dry on a clean, flat surface for 5-7 days. Be sure to keep the incense away from drafts, direct sunlight and heat.Observe ::What we're looking for here is a long, slow drying process. Drying incense too quickly will cause cracking and burning problems.
- Store the incense in a glass container in a cool, dark place.
Burn
- Put a layer of sand in a refractory.Observation:That's itsandyI use this toobrass censerI have it in my house.
- Light the tip of the incense cone and burn as you would make commercially prepared incense cones.
- Enjoy the smelliest house on the block!
See more information :: follow my"Sacramental Smoke" Pinterest board.for continued inspiration on your incense making journey!
What kind of incense are you currently making and enjoying?
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Linda they say I have never made incense, but I do many other crafts. I don't make candles because they smell fake. Does this have a natural smell? Should pine needles be dried before use? I want to try it, but I don't want to have to buy a pound each. I live in the Northeast and I'm surrounded by pine trees. What else can you recommend or where can I buy smaller quantities of these things? Joann's lobby or hobby? We have both here and an AC Moore half an hour away. TIA and blessings.
- Andreia they say
Hey beautiful! This recipe is 100% natural and smells good :) If you click on the links I put in the post... you will find that most ingredients have the option of being purchased in smaller 4 oz quantities instead of per pound. I haven't found a source of pine needles, and like you, I have plenty of pine available. In fact, it's preferable to use all wild herbs if possible (unfortunately, but not for me). I hope you enjoy making this incense!!!
- Vicky they say
Oh, this is so cool! I didn't know it was so easy to make incense cones! I love the smell of cedar, pine and sandalwood, so this scent would fit perfectly in my home. Thanks so much for the recipe and inspiration! Have a great week, Andrea!
- Andreia they say
CORRECTLY!!! They are so easy to make and so much fun! Let me say...the aroma - both when you make them and especially when they burn - is intoxicating!
- Melissa they say
What does sandalwood smell like? I'm not familiar with that. I would love to try it, I have lots of foraged pine and juniper berries!
- Andreia they say
Sandalwood has a woody, earthy scent. Produces a very traditional "you have incense" aroma :)
- Process they say
What hydrosols have you used that smell good with this combination?
- Andreia they say
I had a juniper hydrolyzate that I bought locally. But honestly, if you just use water and essential oils, you're good to go :)
- debit they say
Good morning Linda, have you tried soy candles... I didn't like the smell of regular candles, nor did I start making and burning soy candles. Now I'm making my own.
Good morning to you man, I can't wait to make my own cones now, thanks for sharing- Andreia they say
Good morning Deb :) I hope you give it a try!
- Claudia Udy they say
Dear Linda ~
I made simple beeswax candles that the kids molded in wet sand.
Very easy.
Delicious and smells great!
Claudia ~
- Elaine Pollard they say
Looks like it smells really good. As someone asked, do you dry the pine needles or can you use them fresh?
- Andreia they say
Dry will give the best results when baking.
- Claudia Udy they say
One question ~ How long does incense need to dry to burn?
No ~ Claudia - Heidi they say
Do I have gum arabic that can be used in cones?
- Andreia they say
Sim Madame:)
- Paulo they say
Thank you for posting this. My cones have been dry for a week and I can't burn them. Any tips on how to diagnose and/or fix the problem?
