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These mini mincemeat pies are the perfect classic Christmas dessert! It is filled with warm winter spices and lots of dried fruit. You’ll love these fun little pies!
Growing up, mincemeat pie was not a typical Christmas dessert in our house.
However, there was a Christmas, and I could not stop talking about what I thought mincemeat pie would taste like. So, my dad’s friend brought me a slice.
I was so excited to try it and finally know once and for all what mincemeat tastes like. My verdict? I liked it!
Was it my favorite pie I had ever had? No. But was it delicious? Yes!
Now that I’m an adult, I have an even deeper appreciation of mince pie. It’s sweet, filled with warm winter spices, and tastes like classic Christmas. It’s packed with fresh apples, dried fruits, cinnamon, allspice, and a touch of brandy.
If you’re looking for the perfect classic Christmas dessert, you’ll adore these mini mincemeat pies!
Ingredients to make these mini mincemeat pies
- Apple cider – this helps bring sweetness and moisture to the mincemeat mixture.
- Apples – fresh apples bring sweetness and moisture to the mixture.
- Dried figs – you can find these in most health food stores or online. They add a hint of sweetness and nuttiness from the seeds of the figs.
- Prunes – I LOVE prunes and they add a hint of sweetness to the pie.
- Dried apricots – I prefer unsulphured variets but any kind you find the store will work here.
- Raisin or currants – In the US raisins are likely more easy to find that currants but you can sometimes find them both avaialble. Sunmaid is the most popular brand for both items.
- Dried cranberries – I usually buy the Ocean Spray brand so they are lightly sweetened.
- Candied orange peel – While you can make your own candied orange peel I usually just buy it from Amazon.
- Orange juice – I used fresh squeezed but you can use whatever you have on hand.
- Lemon juice – Just a touch to add brightness to the dried fruit.
- Orange and lemon zest – I use a microplane to make zesting easy.
- Cinnamon – If you don’t have cinnamon on hand try a blended mix like apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice.
- Allspice – Brings a depth of flavor to the pie. Use 1/8 teaspoon cloves in place if you don’t have any allspice.
- Nutmeg – Use fresh ground!
- Kosher salt – All baked goods need kosher salt!
- Rum or brandy – Use either one as I have used both and they both work well!
Does mincemeat contain meat?
Traditionally speaking, yes. Nowadays, typically no.
Mincemeat has existed since the 14th century and was initially made from game meats such as mutton, venison, and even rabbits. The pie was sweet and savory but leaned heavily on the savory side.
Over time, suet was used in place of meat, and the pie went from savory to sweet.
Most store-bought mincemeat pies include no actual meat or meat products. These mini mincemeat pies contain no meat—just lots of apples, dried fruit, and spices.
FAQ’s
How do you store leftover mince pies?
They will keep for up to one month in the fridge in an airtight container. If you want to make and freeze mini mincemeat pies, you can freeze them for up to three months for optimal flavor.
After you defrost them, gently warm them in the oven, toaster oven, or microwave before serving.
More holiday dessert recipes
Mini Mincemeat Pies
Ingredients
For filling:
- 1¼ cups apple cider, divided
- 2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
- ½ cup dried figs, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup prunes, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup dried apricots, finely chopped
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup currants, or raisins
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup candied orange peel
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons brandy, or dark rum
For dough:
- 2⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup cold butter, diced
- ½ cup sour cream, plus more if needed
- 1 large egg, beaten for egg wash
- Sanding sugar
Instructions
For filling:
- In a large pot add 1 cup apple cider, apples, dried figs, prunes, dried apricots, brown sugar, unsalted butter, currants, dried cranberries, candied orange peel, orange juice, lemon juice, orange zest, lemon zest, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and kosher salt. Stir to combine.
- Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates.
- Add the rest of the cider and brandy, and cook for another 5-8 minutes until you get a jam-like mixture.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
For dough:
- In a large mixing bowl add flour, granulated sugar, and kosher salt.
- Add the cold butter to your flour mixture and using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until you get a crumbly mixture.
- Add the sour cream and mix with a fork until the flour is moist. If you find the pastry too dry you can add more sour cream but try not to add more than an extra tablespoon.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead several times and shape the dough into a ball. The dough will have the texture of a play-doh.
- Divide into two parts, press each part into a disc about 1 inch thick, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
For assembly and baking:
- Remove the dough from the plastic wrap and place it on a floured work surface.
- Flour the top of the dough and roll it out to a thickness of about 1/8 inch. If the edges crack, attach it with your fingers and continue rolling.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Prepare muffin tin.
- With a round cookie cutter (which is larger than the muffin tin is), cut out the circles.
- Re-roll any scraps of dough and cut more circles. You should have about 18 circles.
- From the rest of the dough, cut out stars or smaller circles to cover the pies.
- Press each round of dough lightly into the muffin tin.
- Fill the pastry-lined tins 2/3 full with mincemeat and cover with stars or smaller circles.
- Brush each pie with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Allow to cool slightly, remove from the mold and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love classic mince pies! These look perfect!