This easy homemade Christmas mincemeat recipe is richly spiced, full of fruit, laced with brandy, and made without meat. It’s the perfect vegetarian mincemeat filling for making into festive Christmas mince pies and tarts.
Add the chopped apple, raisins, golden raisins, dried cranberries, orange juice, lemon juice, apple cider, brown sugar, almonds, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, salt, and butter to a medium-large pot over medium heat.
Once boiling, cover the pot, turn the heat down to a simmer, and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. After that, remove the lid and continue cooking uncovered until the mixture has turned dark and is thickened, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
Remove from the heat and stir in the orange zest, lemon zest, and brandy.
You can eat it now, but it’s even better after the flavors have blended for a couple days!
Notes
Candied Citrus Peel: If desired, add up to ¼ cup finely chopped candied citrus peel (orange or lemon, or a mixture of both), and omit the fresh zest.
Recipe Yield: This recipe makes about 1 quart (4 cups) of mincemeat filling, which is enough for 1 (9-inch) mince pie or 16 mince tarts made in a regular-sized muffin pan.
Nutrition Information: If you’re eating the mincemeat on its own (and not making it into pie), ¼ cup is the serving size.
How to Store Mincemeat
In the fridge: Once it’s made, cool to room temperature and then store covered in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
In the freezer: Once it’s made, cool to room temperature and then transfer to freezer-safe containers or bags. Freeze for up to 6 months.