Recipes Using Mincemeat

Recipes using Mincemeat is a collection of recipes that includes not only traditional Christmas mince pies but also a whole range of delicious cakes, desserts, cookies, bread and tarts made with mincemeat.

Why make recipes using mincemeat?

If you haven’t tried mincemeat or mince pies then you are in for a treat. I’m a big fan of dried fruit but there’s more to mincemeat than just the fruit, you also have the warming spices and the tang of candied peel. Mincemeat has the texture of jam or maybe fruit pie filling, soft and sweet, it makes a great ingredient in so many recipes.

Mincemeat is a very British tradition and although it is usually served as individual shortcrust pastry mince pies there are lots of other bakes you can make. Did you know that over 300 million mince pies are eaten over Christmas.? I usually start eating them in November so I guess that’s not so surprising!

What is mincemeat?

Mincemeat is a rich mixture of dried fruits, spices, apples, citrus zest and juice, alcohol and suet or butter. You can make your own or you can buy it ready-made. It is a type of preserve and can be made early and stored in sterilised jars until you need to use it. I have found jars of mincemeat that were two years old in the back of my larder and they were still good to eat.

Is there meat in mincemeat?

Originally, there was meat in mincemeat and the mince pies would have been meat pies with added fruit and spices. Although it sounds a bit strange, it’s no different to putting dried dates or apricots in a Middle Eastern tagine recipe.  

Over time the pies became more fruit and less meat, then the meat was replaced with beef suet. Now there is no meat in mincemeat and most is made with vegetable suet or butter.

Can I make my own mincemeat?

Make your own mincemeat for the best flavour. You can customise the recipe to suit your own tastes too. I have several different recipes that you can try:

• Slow Cooker Mincemeat is so simple to make, all the ingredients go into the slow cooker and it cooks itself.
• Dark Chocolate Mincemeat combines the rich fruity flavours of traditional mincemeat with dark chocolate for a decadent sweet treat.
• Instant Mincemeat is a quick and easy recipe that you can make and use immediately. It has a fresh light flavour but still packs a fruity punch.

Where can I buy mincemeat?

You can buy jars of mincemeat in groceries and supermarkets, in the UK. In other countries, you may have to look in specialist shops or buy online.

Like most things, homemade is much nicer. However, you can improve bought mincemeat by adding a tablespoon of brandy and a grated apple to the mixture before including in your recipe.

Mince Pie Recipes

I couldn’t create a collection of recipes without including mince pies, so here are some classics and some alternative mince pie recipes with a twist.

Christmas Mini Mince Pies

Christmas Mini Mince Pies are small buttery pastry pies filled with a delicious mixture of dried fruit, warming spices. Enjoy these bite-sized versions of the traditional British mince pies as a holiday treat.

Check out this recipe

Cheat’s Mince Pies with a Secret Twist

Cheat’s Mince Pies with a Secret Twist – use bought shortcrust pastry, a jar or mincemeat to which you add almonds & brandy plus a dollop of cottage cheese!

Check out this recipe

You’ll rock Chanukah with these easy kiddush wine mince pies!

The quick, easy filling for these festive mince pies is fruity, sweet, spicy & delicious, enhanced with kiddush wine and rum! Happy Chanukah!

Check out this recipe

Almond Pastry Mince Pies

Almond Pastry Mince Pies are just what they say on the tin – melt in your mouth delicious. Almond shortcrust pastry makes them simply irresistible. They are so easy to make and vegan too!

Check out this recipe

Frangipane Mince Pies

Easy frangipane mince pies with homemade almond frangipane and hand mixed crumbly pastry. All prepared in 1 hour and baked in just 20 minutes

Check out this recipe

What else can I make using mincemeat?

Although mince pies are a very delicious treat this collection is more about all alternatives to mince pies. So I’ve gathered together a collection of some of the best alternative mincemeat recipes:

Mincemeat Cakes and Muffins

Use mincemeat as a ready-made ingredient to add that seasonal fruit and spice flavour to your cakes and muffins.

Apple and Mincemeat Streusel Muffins

You'll love Apple and Mincemeat Streusel Muffins, full of festive spicy flavours with a crisp Streusel topping, ideal for breakfast or anytime.

Check out this recipe

Mince Pie Cupcakes with Brandy Buttercream

Mince Pie Cupcakes – Almond cupcakes with a festive mincemeat centre and topped with brandy buttercream.

Check out this recipe

Mince Pie Cake

Mince Pie Cake is made up of three layers of spiced sponge, a luxurious brandy infused buttercream, mince pie filling and mini mince pies on top! Calling all mince pie lovers – this is the cake for you!

Check out this recipe

Mary Berty’s Mincemeat Loaf Cake

Mary Berry’s Mincemeat Loaf Cake is a perfect easy, one bowl bake – and it’s a perfect recipe for using up that half empty jar of mincemeat.

Check out this recipe

Mincemeat Brownies and Slices

Everyone loves brownies, and traybake slices are so easy to make. Make your favourites with added mincemeat and they are perfect to serve to visitors over the holiday season.

Chocolate Brownies with Mincemeat

This brownie recipe is not only a delicious Christmas bake but also the perfect way of using half a jar of sweet mincemeat. It's delicious and indulgent as you would expect with a brownie recipe that includes real chocolate in the mixture.

Check out this recipe

Frangipane Mince Pie Slices

Mince Pies but without all the fiddly pastry! These Frangipane Mince Pie Slices have all the flavours you’d associate with mince pies but in a tray bake instead of an individual little pie.

Check out this recipe

Chilli and Chocolate Mincemeat Slice

If you’renot keen on mince pies or just want a change, do try this chilli and chocolate mincemeat slice. It’s delicious. An oat and wholemeal base is covered with a layer of chocolate mincemeat which is itself topped with more of the oaty mixture.

Check out this recipe

Chocolate Mincemeat Tiffin with Cranberries

Chocolate mincemeat tiffin with cranberries is a great way of using up a jar of mincemeat leftover from making mincemeat pies at Christmas.

Check out this recipe

Filo Pastry Mincemeat Bakes

Filo or Phyllo pastry is made up of layers of thin pastry sheets.  It’s a lighter way to serve up pastry treats and has a lovely crunch.

Filo Pastry Mince Pie Rolls with Cranberry

These Filo Pastry Mince Pie Rolls are a delicious twist on the classic British festive treat. Extra crispy and spiked with cranberry sauce, they’re easy to make, easy to bake and easy to eat.

Check out this recipe

Filo Pastry Mince Pie Rolls

Filo Pastry Mince Pie Rolls are a fun and lighter way to enjoy the flavours of traditional British mince pies. The dried fruit mincemeat has chopped apples and pears and then it's all rolled in flaky filo pastry and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

Check out this recipe

Bread and Buns with Mincemeat

I love a sweet bread or bun filled with a delicious filling. Mincemeat is a really easy way of adding that sweet fruity festive flavour to your bakes.

Cheat’s Stollen Croissants

Combine ready made croissant dought with marzipan and mincemeat for these moreish Cheat's Stollen Croissants.

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Mincemeat Buns with Cardamom

An enriched slightly sweet dough flavoured with cardamom which is then rolled up with a mincemeat filling. Slice and bake, then just pull apart these aromatic and delicious yeasted mincemeat buns and tuck in.

Check out this recipe

Puff Pastry Mincemeat Treats

I always have a pack of ready-rolled puff pastry in the freezer.  I know that I can use it to make quick and easy savoury or sweet pies with whatever else I have in the fridge or larder.

Shortcrust pastry is traditional for mince pies, but you will see in the recipes below that you can make all kinds of different styles of pastry baked with puff pastry and mincemeat.

Easy Puff Pastry Mincemeat Rolls

Using ready-rolled puff pastry to make sweet mince pies in the style of savoury sausage rolls.

Check out this recipe

Puff Pastry Mince Pies

Puff Pastry Mince Pies are a flaky update on a British Christmas classic. Packed with traditional fruity mincemeat and topped with sugar crusted star shaped lids, my easy pie making method not only minimises waste but bakes up to look simply stunning.

Check out this recipe

Mincemeat Pinwheels

Mince pies but without all of the cutting and assembling. Mincemeat Pinwheels are really quick, very easy but still everything you want from a mince pie. 

Check out this recipe

Mincemeat and Marzipan Wreath

This Mincemeat and Marzipan Wreath is made with puff pastry, mincemeat and marzipan it looks so pretty but is really easy to make and is bound to impress your guests.

Check out this recipe

Mincemeat Tarts for sharing

Sometimes it’s nice to have a large pie or tart to share with your family and friends. Here are some different options, all using mincemeat, that you might like to try.

Air Fryer Mincemeat Tart

Air Fryer Mincemeat Tart combines crisp shortcrust pastry with a deep filling of delicious spicy mincemeat. It's like a great big Christmas mince pie and you can bake it in your air fryer!

Check out this recipe

Mincemeat and Apple Galette

This charmingly rustic galette (also known as a free-form pie) makes great use of left over sweet mincemeat.  The mixture is bulked out with apple which contains no additional sugar. 

Check out this recipe

Mary Berry’s Bakewell Tart with Mincemeat

A frestive twist on a classic British bake.

Check out this recipe

More delicious recipes using mincemeat

There were a few recipes I wanted to share that simply don’t fit into any of the other categories but they are too good to miss!

Air Fryer Mincemeat Scones Recipe

Air Fryer Mincemeat Scones are a delicious treat for Christmas and the holidays and a nice change from mince pies. Serve them split with butter or for total indulgence fill them with brandy butter!

Check out this recipe

Easy Christmas Cheesecake – no bake for the holidays!

This easy no-bake mincemenat cheesecake is kept light with yogurt. An excellent alternative Christmas dessert.

Check out this recipe

Slow Cooker Mincemeat Pudding

Slow cooker mincemeat pudding – a simple slow cooker steamed pudding with a spiced sponge with rich mincemeat, ideal as an alternative to Christmas pudding

Check out this recipe

Mincemeat and Apple Crumble

A comforting seasonal crumble using fruity Christmas mincemeat.

Check out this recipe