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This recipe was originally published on November 22, 2017.

Aren’t mincemeat tarts just one of the best Christmas pastries?  I love the rich, spiced mincemeat, gloriously flaky pastry, and the dusting of icing sugar on top.  Let’s learn some history behind these delectable treats, plus how to make them.

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What are mincemeat tarts?

Mincemeat tarts are individual pies that are filled with mincemeat, a mixture of dried fruit, spices, and a little bit of brandy.  Each pie consists of flaky shortcrust pastry filled with mincemeat and typically topped with a pastry and dusted with sugar.

What do mincemeat tarts taste like?

The mincemeat filling is typically aged to give it a rich, deep flavor from the sweet dried fruit, aromatic spices, and brandy.  Mince pies are not overly sweet, but have a wonderful fruity taste.

What is mincemeat made from?

Mincemeat is made from dried fruit, spices, brandy, and occasionally suet.  Traditional mincemeat also would have contained minced meat, but that is no longer common.

Were mince pies illegal?

Mince pies never were actually illegal, although back in the 1600s, Oliver Cromwell did ban many festive foods to put an end to gluttony.  Don’t worry; you definitely won’t get arrested for eating a mince pie!

Are mincemeat tarts vegetarian?

Most modern mincemeat is vegetarian, although some brands of mincemeat do contain meat.  For example, the American brand None Such still contains beef.  If you want to make vegetarian mince pies, make sure that you use vegetarian mincemeat or make your own – it’s really easy.

Are mincemeat tarts British?

Yes, mincemeat tarts are British.  They have been enjoyed in the UK for hundreds of years, and are now popular throughout the world during the Christmas season.

What is in mincemeat?

Mincemeat is made up of four main components: dried fruit, candied peel, spices, and liquids.  You can make your own with the following ingredients if you want a customized mincemeat.  You can use it right away, or if time permits, let it age for a few days or up to one week.

• Dried Fruit: any combination of dark and golden raisins, currants, prunes, or dates will be delicious.
• Candied Peel: orange and lemon peel are the most popular.  You can also add a bit of citron peel.
• Spices: nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves are good choices.
• Liquids: a little bit of lemon or orange juice adds flavor, while 1/4 cup of brandy preserves the mixture.  For an alcohol-free version, use apple cider and vanilla extract, then store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Are mincemeat tarts good for you?

Of course, mincemeat tarts are a Christmas dessert, so they’re not the healthiest treat out there.  One homemade mince pie according to my recipe contains 366 calories, 8.5g of fat, 71.4g of carbs, and 51.9g of sugars.  For more nutrition facts, scroll to the end of the recipe card below.

Why do you eat mincemeat tarts at Christmas?

Mincemeat tarts have their origins in medieval times, when the Crusaders brought back the concept of mixing fruit, meat, and aromatic spices together.  The English started serving mincemeat in large oblong pies to mark the Christmas season.  Over the years, the pies have changed to round, individual-sized pies, and the filling rarely contains meat.

Can I eat mincemeat tarts when pregnant?

Yes, you can eat mincemeat tarts when you’re pregnant.  Most mincemeat does contain alcohol, but it is just a small amount and is cooked off when the tarts are baked at 400F.  If you feel better making your own alcohol-free mincemeat, substitute the 1/4 cup of brandy for apple cider.

How long do mincemeat tarts keep?

Mincemeat tarts keep sealed in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.  Alternatively, you can freeze them for up to 3 months.

How to Freeze Mincemeat Tarts

Seal the mincemeat tarts inside of a zip-top freezer bag and press out the extra air.  Freeze for up to 3 months.  To defrost, place the tarts at room temperature or microwave individual tarts for 30 seconds apiece.

How to Make Mincemeat Tarts

You’ll need a large jar of store-bought mincemeat or some homemade mincemeat.  If you’re using store-bought, I recommend adding some fresh diced apples, diced clementine oranges, diced dried apricots, lemon and orange zest, and some freshly grated nutmeg for additional flavor.  Adding extra fruit also stretches the mincemeat, giving you more tarts.

Place all the fresh fruit, zest, nutmeg, and mincemeat in a bowl.

Stir gently until well combined, then set aside as you roll out the pastry.

Roll out the pastry thinly on a floured surface.  Use a 3 1/2-inch cutter to cut out circles of pastry, then place them in a 12-hole muffin pan.

Fill each tart with two or three spoonfuls of mincemeat.

Top each tart with a pastry star, pressing it down on the edges to seal, and a sprinkle of caster sugar.

Bake the tarts at 400 F for about 20 minutes, until the mincemeat is gently bubbling and the pastry is a light golden brown.  Let the tarts cool on a wire rack, then enjoy.

Pro Tips

• Add fresh fruit to store-bought mincemeat to improve the flavor and texture or make your own from scratch.
• Use homemade pastry for the best taste.
• Roll the pastry a little less than 1/8 inch thick.  If the pastry is too thin, the tarts will fall apart; if it is too thick, the tarts will be dry and unappetizing.
• Be careful not to overfill the tarts, or the mincemeat will bubble over in the oven.  Fill each tart 3/4 full of mincemeat.
• Top tarts with pastry stars for an extra festive touch.
• If your mince pies have pastry tops, sprinkle them with caster sugar before baking and with icing sugar after they’ve cooled.  This makes them look pretty and adds an extra touch of sweetness. 
• Want less calories?  Don’t put pastry on top of the mincemeat tarts.
• Have extra mince pies?  Seal them inside of a freezer zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Our Go-To Kitchen Tools

• Crosse & Blackwell Mincemeat: this vegetarian mincemeat is my favorite brand, with a beautifully rich flavor.
• Star Cookie Cutters: these cutters come in different sizes so you can always have the right star for your mince pies.
• Wilton Muffin Pan: this nonstick, 12-hole muffin pan is releases the baked mince pies easily.
• Set of 4 Sieves: effortlessly dust your mince pies with sugar using these stainless steel strainers.

Satisfy your sweet tooth with these other traditional Christmas bakes.

• Rich Christmas Fruitcake: this moist cake is full of dried fruit and topped with marzipan and royal icing.
• Plum Pudding: this indulgent steamed pudding is the traditional finale to Christmas dinner.
• British Brandy Butter: this sweet, buttery topping makes mincemeat tarts and plum pudding extra tasty.

The pleasure of a 5-star review for these mincemeat tarts would be greatly appreciated.

British Mincemeat Tarts

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Emma
• Prep Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
• Yield: 30 tarts 1x

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Description

This easy recipe for traditional mincemeat tarts will have you coming back for a second one!  Add fruit to store bought mincemeat to make these Christmas treats even tastier.

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 2 2/3 cups store-bought mincemeat (822g)
• 1 tablespoon clementine zest
• 1 1/2 cups clementines, diced (235g)
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, diced (100g)
• 1 1/2 cups Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced (190g)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 pound 14 ounces flaky shortcrust pastry (850g)
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar (25g)
• 2 tablespoons icing sugar, sifted (15g)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Pour the store-bought mincemeat into a large mixing bowl.  Add the diced apple, dried apricot, diced orange segments, lemon and orange zest, and the nutmeg.  Gently stir until well mixed.
3. Roll the pastry out thinly on a lightly floured surface, then use a circular 3 1/2-inch cutter to cut out pastry circles.  Line two muffin pans with the pastry, making sure to get it into the corners of the pan.
4. Re-roll the scraps and cut out 15 stars with a cookie cutter to act as a lid for half of the tarts.  Leave the other half plain, if desired.
5. Fill each tart 3/4 full of mincemeat.  Top each one with a pastry star, pressing down its corners to seal it to the tart.  Sprinkle the stars with caster sugar.
6. Bake the tarts for about 20 minutes at 400 F.  The filling should be bubbling, and the pastry should be a pale golden brown around the edges.  If you’re re-using a muffin pan to bake more tarts, let it cool before putting the next batch of pastry in the pan.
7. Let the tarts cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then run a knife around the edges of each tart and carefully pop them out of the pan.
8. Dust the star tarts with icing sugar, then serve.

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Notes

• Make this recipe perfectly the first time.  Check out the step-by-step photos and pro tips before the recipe card.
• The pleasure of a 5-star review for this mincemeat tart recipe would be greatly appreciated.
• 👩🏻‍🍳 Want to see our latest recipes?  Subscribe to our email newsletter to get our latest recipes, fun food facts, food puns, and behind the scenes news about our blog.

• Category: Pie
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: English

Keywords: english mincemeat tarts, mince pies, Christmas mince pie recipe

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