Mincemeat is one of our favourite holiday treats, and these one-bowl mincemeat cookies are a bit of a twist on how to use it! As much as we love a classic mincemeat pie, something it's good to change things up - and these are a great addition to any cookie box.
With dark chocolate chunks and extra cinnamon added to the cookie dough, these aren't overwhelmingly flavoured with mincemeat, but just enough for that classic Christmas taste. They're also on the smaller side, just right for packing up in tins.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Add-ins: add an equal amount of nuts (another half cup) to the cookies in addition to the chocolate, or sub nuts for chocolate. Walnuts are especially good.
- Mincemeat: we really recommend making homemade mincemeat if you can. You'll have enough for these cookies, and for mincemeat tarts! It's so much better than store-bought, and what better time than the holidays?
- Chocolate: chips, drops, and chunks are all good here, so use what you have. We like dark chocolate but milk can be used if you prefer something sweeter.
- Make it dairy-free: use a good vegan butter and non-dairy milk. We haven't tried making these without eggs.
Method
Step 1: cream the butter and sugars, then beat in the egg and cream.
Step 2: mix in the dry ingredients on low speed.
Step 3: fold in the chocolate and mincemeat to incorporate.
Step 4: spoon cookies onto a lined baking sheet.
Step 5: bake the cookies until the edges are lightly golden.
Step 6: cool fully before topping with icing sugar and storing.
Top Tips
- Cool fully: be sure to cool fully before topping with the icing sugar. If the cookies are still warm, the sugar will melt and form a kind of shell (sometimes great, but not what you want here).
- Use room temperature ingredients: make sure the butter and egg are at room temp for best results, and the cream if at all possible - just take it out of the fridge about an hour before starting.
- Make it fancy: for a deluxe mincemeat cookie, sandwich two with cream cheese frosting or buttercream.
Recipe Notes
Drop cookies like these mincemeat cookies are more soft and cakey than chewy by design. They're a delicious old-fashioned type of cookie, very popular with our mothers and grandmothers for good reason!
Drizzle the finished cookies with white chocolate for a fancier look. To keep things simple, sprinkle with icing sugar as pictured.
How to Store
Storage: transfer the cooled cookies to a sealed container and store for up to two weeks. Refrigerate if your home is very warm.
Freezing: place cooled cookies in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. Mincemeat cookies freeze very well, with no discernible difference from fresh.
FAQ
What are mincemeat cookies made of?
You'll need standard cookie ingredients - butter, sugar, flour, eggs - plus some cream, a good helping of mincemeat, and some chocolate.
Does mincemeat from a jar need to be cooked?
If it's made with suet, then yes, but if it only includes butter or vegetable fat, it's fine to use without cooking.
Why is mincemeat not meat?
Mincemeat used in include meat, in the middle ages, but it eventually went out of fashion to include in the mix. The spices and dried fruits remained, minus the mince.
If you make this Mincemeat Cookie recipe or any other cookie recipes on the Baked Collective, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more baking, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Mincemeat Cookies
Equipment
- baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowl
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons or a digital kitchen scale
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- â…“ cup sugar
- â…“ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons white all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 4 tablespoons mincemeat
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to a large mixing bowl. Using a standing or hand mixer, mix on high speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and mix again until fully incorporated.
- Add the flour and cinnamon, then mix on low speed until just combined.
- Mix in the milk on low speed.
- Fold in the chocolate and mincemeat with a spatula, mixing gently until evenly incorporated.
- Use a tablespoon to measure the cookie dough and drop spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave about 3cm (1 in.) space between to allow for spread.
- Bake for 10 minutes, turning the tray at the halfway mark to ensure even baking.
- Cool the cookies on the tray for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool fully.
- Once cool, top with icing sugar and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. These freeze well.