If you know me, you know that I love European Christmas traditions. Mince pies aren’t something we traditionally make at Christmas time here in the US but in England, they’re a staple! I don’t know why we don’t make them because they are delicious! So, if you want something a little different, a little traditional, at Christmas this year, I got you! They are super easy to make and I’ll walk you through it. Let’s go!
First of all, there are lots of different types of mincemeat out there. You’re probably wondering what mincemeat even is aren’t you? Traditionally, it’s a mixture of fruits, some type of meat (usually beef) and a splash of spirits. I’m actually pretty sure including beef wouldn’t be half bad but we aren’t going to do that today. My recipe is a fruit mince so, as the name suggests, no actual meat. My fruit mince includes, apple, raisins, cranberries (or tart cherries if you prefer) a splash of apple juice, spices and vanilla. Combine everything in a large pot and let it simmer under a gentle heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Enjoy the smell of Christmas wafting through your kitchen!
Remove your fruit mince from the heat and if you’d like, stir in a splash of apple brandy. While your fruit mince is cooking, you will want to work on your pies. If you’re overly ambitious, you can make your own pie crust but, if you’re lazy like me, you can just buy the refrigerated kind. Once your dough is made, roll it out nice and flat and use the rim of a glass or a cookie cutter to cut out your pie bases. You will want your glass/cookie cutter to be about the same size as the cup of a muffin tin.
Once all of your pies are cut out and pressed into your greased muffin tin, you can then begin filling your pies with your fruit mince. Use your leftover pie crust scraps to cut out little stars to place on top of your pies. If you are using premade pie crust, reference the packaging for baking instructions. Remember, you are making a bunch of tiny pies instead of one large one so they likely won’t need to be in the oven for as long as the directions say. I baked mine for 12-15 minute at 350. Once your pies are slightly golden brown, remove from the oven and let them cool a bit. Dust on a bit of powdered sugar and enjoy with a glass of mulled wine!
Recipe makes approximately 12-15 mini pies.
Ingredients:
- 1 Large Apple (choose a crisp/firm variety so it doesn’t completely turn to mush)
- 1/2 Cup of Raisins
- 1/2 Cup of Cranberries or Tart Cherries
- 1/4 tsp each of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Ginger (or 3/4 tsp of Allspice)
- 1/2 tsp of Vanilla Extract
- 1 Cup of Apple Juice
- Zest from an Orange
- Apple Brandy *optional
- Premade, Refrigerated Pie Crust
Directions:
- Core and dice your apple into small pieces. Leave the skin on.
- Combine diced apple, raisins, cranberries/cherries, spices, vanilla, apple juice, and orange zest into a large pot. Mix well.
- Simmer fruit mince over gentle heat for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make your homemade pie crust or get your premade one out of the fridge. Roll out the dough and cut out circles with either a glass or a circle cookie cutter. Circles should be approximately the size of the cups of a muffin tin. Place circles in greased muffin cups.
- Remove fruit mince from heat and add a splash of brandy if you’d like.
- Fill muffin cups with fruit mince.
- Cut out stars from pie scraps and place one on top of each cup.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350, until golden brown.
Enjoy and Merry Christmas!