Food-scented candles while baking? Yes, please!
My love for scented luxury candles is no secret, but I tend to stay away from pairing scented candles and food – no one wants a floral fragrance when they’re trying to enjoy Grandma’s mac & cheese. Thankfully, there’s more leeway when pairing sweet baked items with scented candles. Enter food-scented candles – accessories no baker should be without.
I love baking and I do it often, but I especially love baking during this time of year. I mean, is it even the holidays if there’s no baking going on? There’s nothing quite like that festive aroma of sweet baked treats fresh out of the oven. And when you have delicious food-scented candles to complement that baking aroma, why wouldn’t you burn them?!
Food-Scented Candles: What to Bake and What to Burn
Usually, candles come first but this time around, it was all about the baking. I recently came across a recipe for Swedish Cinnamon Buns from Gayathri’s Cook Spot. It’s obviously all about cinnamon, which I love. While I was baking, it reminded me of typical fall fragrances like cinnamon, cardamom, and other spicy aromas.
Then, I had a light bulb moment! As far as food-scented candles go, pumpkin would be perfect. Specifically, Pumpkin Macchiato by Archipelago. This collection of candles has an amazing blend of crushed pumpkin seeds, cardamom spice, and creamy coconut milk. So decadent. Try not to eat the candle!
I love this recipe – I’ve probably made it half a dozen times already. It’s super easy and the ingredients aren’t complicated at all. They include:
For The Dough:
- 1 ½ cups Maida / All Purpose Flour
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- ½ tsp Cardamom Powder
- 1 ¼ tsp Instant Yeast
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ cup Warm Milk
- 2 tbsp Butter
For The Filling:
- 1 ½ tbsp Butter
- ¼ cup Sugar
- ½ tbsp Cinnamon
I’m all for uncomplicated recipes and this one is super simple. Now that you’ve seen the type of ingredients I was dealing with, this leads me to a few equally simple tips on candle pairing.
Tips for Choosing Food-Scented Candles
1. Opt for Similar Notes
Baking – sweet items especially – is already a very fragrant activity. When choosing food-scented candles, choose scents that naturally pair well with what you’re baking. In this case, cinnamon and pumpkin is a match made in heaven, which is why Pumpkin Macchiato by Archipelago worked perfectly. Similar seasonal notes are also a great way to go – spicy candle scents would have worked just as well for fall or winter. Also consider fruit-based food-scented candles when baking. Apple would have been another fantastic option here. See where I’m going with this?
2. That Lingering Effect
When I was baking the Swedish cinnamon buns my home was filled with this warm, cinnamon, spicy aroma. It was amazing and definitely brought some happy memories to mind. That fragrance doesn’t last very long on its own, though. Burning food-scented candles has the added benefit of creating a lingering aroma long after you’ve finished baking. I could literally smell it as much as I was tasting it. If you can, choose food-scented candles with a long burn time; not only will the aroma last longer but you can hide the smell of any burned baked items, ahem!
Food-Scented Candles: A Baker’s Best Friend
Think about it like this: if you would put cinnamon in your apple pie, then you can be pretty confident that burning a cinnamon-scented candle would only heighten your baking efforts (and bring on the compliments). If you really want to fill your home with fond memories and warm aromas this festive season, food-scented candles are definitely a must-have. Let me know if you try it!
