Homemade Christmas Mincemeat 101

Name: Homemade Christmas Mincemeat 101
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 350 gm Mixed fruit; 10 pcs Dates (pitted and chopped); 1 Green apple (grated); 30 gm Ginger/stem ginger; 45 gm Nuts; 15 gm Butter; 5 gm Corn flour; 10 gm Mixed spice; 5 gm Cinnamon powder; Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg; 15 gm Vanilla; 5 gm Almond extract; 15 gm Brown sugar; 120 ml Alcohol; 30 ml Orange juice

A traditional homemade mincemeat recipe filled with dried fruits, fresh fruit, spices and maple syrup. This is a simple but delicious filling, soaked with brandy and orange juice that is perfect for Christmas.

This recipe is a tradition for us at home. I started making it 10 years ago and the first time I made it was not sure what I am going to do with it apart from making mince pies. Little did I know that there are so many recipe options with a jar of this sitting in the fridge during this time of the year. I was a little confused about mincemeat back then as I always associated it with raw mince meat. Like ground beef or lamb. Boy oh boy was I wrong. So, let us understand a little about mincemeat and its origin.

There are many ways to make this English sweet treat and I have figured out the best version. You can buy them in jars from store but honestly, nothing beats a good homemade mixture. It doesn’t take more than 10 minutes to cook and 10 minutes to prepare. It does need to cool down before storing but you don’t need to watch that happen.

Why is mincemeat called mincemeat?

In the early days, mincemeat filling/mincemeat pie was a mixture made of dried fruits, spices, sugar, nuts, fat and sometimes it did include ground meat. However the term mincemeat came from the concept of mince/ground meat as it is finely chopped or minced. All the filling ingredients are finely chopped as well.

What is mincemeat filling made of?

Traditional mincemeat filling includes dried fruit, fresh fruit, spices, vanilla, fruit juice, nuts, sugar and most often than not it is thickened with corn flour or almond meal as well.

Why is mincemeat associated with Christmas?

There are many traditions to this tale, it is considered to be good luck as it was a pie eaten for the first 12 days of December which brought goodness for the next 12 months. This was popular in the middle ages and somehow carried through. Ive also read, as the filling was rich and fruit filled it was considered a celebration and luxury to indulge in the treat as not everyone could afford it. However, whatever the reason the most common reason it is associate with Christmas is the guarantee of joy for the coming year ahead.

How long does mincemeat last?

The beauty about this mixture is that it can be stored well for upto 1 year in the fridge. As long as it is stored in a cool and dark spot you are good. If you are sealing the jar, it could be stored much longer than 1 year. I have mincemeat filling from last year in a glass jar in my fridge and it is perfect.

What ingredients do you need to make mincemeat?

Mixed fruit –

I have used my soaked dried mixed fruit, you can find the recipe here. It is combination of dry fruit soaked in brandy. You can use soaked dried fruit to make this even more delicious but if you don’t have soaked dry fruit you can use regular dry fruit soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, drain out the water and use the plump fruit. I love the addition of dates and apricots here as well.

Fresh fruit –

I have used a grated green apple to make this mincemeat filling. You can use grated pear, plums or even mashed bananas. The addition of fresh fruit adds freshness but also deliciousness to the mixture.

Nuts –

I have used a combination of cashew nuts and almonds that are chopped. You can sue pecans, walnuts or any nuts you prefer. These add texture to the mixture but also a layer of flavor the mincemeat.

Liquid –

I add brandy and prance juice to keep the mixture moist and saucy. To keep alcohol free you can use orange juice all the way or any fruit juice you prefer. You must make sure it a zero added sugar fruit juice or else the mixture will get too sweet.

Spices –

I have used a combination of all spice, cinnamon powder, nutmeg, ginger (grated), vanilla, almond extract and orange zest. A little salt goes a long way. I also like adding brown sugar and maple syrup as the sweetener here, even though they add more flavor than just mere sweetness. If you have access to stem ginger you can use that.

Flour –

I have used corn flour to make the filling, you can use flour or almond meal as well. You could also use gluten free all purpose flour, cup for cup measure to keep the filling gluten free.

What equipment do you need to make mincemeat?

To make the filling we need a sauté pan and rubber spatula. The mixture can be store in a glass jar once it is cooled. I like to chop it up a little to make sure the dried fruits and nuts are uniform in size.

How to make mincemeat?

Start by adding butter into a sauce pot, let it melt and brown a little. Add the nuts, and let them sauté in the butter for a few seconds. Add the mixed fruit, dates, stem ginger, maple syrup and stir. Add the sugar, vanilla, almond extract, fresh fruit increase the heat and stir. Add the corn flour, mixed spiced and cook over medium heat until dry. Add the alcohol and the orange juice, reduce the heat and stir. Once thicker remove from the heat and let it cool down before using and storing.

How to serve & use mincemeat?

Serve this with ice cream, over toast or even with warm custard. You can use the mincemeat mixture to make mince pies – a recipe I will be sharing soon. You can also use it in your brownie batter to make mincemeat brownies, spoon it into your shortbread cookie mixture and enjoy. I would recommend using it in your Christmas cake/pudding as well.

Here are some recipes to use it in:

Apple Crumble Cake With Brown Butter Frosting
Masala Chai Cake
Bourbon Ice Cream Sandwiches
Chocolate Tahini Halva Brownies
Croissant Bread Pudding
Apple Cinnamon Buns

How to store mincemeat?

Once it is cooled down, transfer the mixture to a glass jar and store it in the fridge for up to 1 year. I have stored it longer as well. Make sure to use a clean spoon to portion out the mixture when using, it shouldn’t be wet or else the mixture could go bad if storing for longer.

Pro Tips for making the BEST Mincemeat filling:

Ideally use soaked fruit, if you don’t have any soak your fruit in warm water for 10 minutes until they are plump before making the mincemeat.
To make this alcohol free, use a zero sugar fruit juice to make this recipe – I prefer using fresh orange juice or a dark fruit juice like pomegranate.
Allow the butter to toast the nuts before adding the remaining ingredients as the nutty flavor is delicious and we don’t want to miss it.
Do not leave the stove as it cooks really fast, we don’t want the sugars to caramelize and burn.

Now that we have covered how to make this Homemade Christmas Mincemeat 101, you can have a look at the recipe video on my socials but let’s get to it.

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.