This recipe for Mincemeat Cookies with a Lemon Drizzle is a lovely alternative to Mince Pies. Spice them up with Lebkuchen or your favourite spices and you have a lovely treat at Christmas. Use any leftover Mincemeat to make these Mincemeat Muffins.
I adapted this recipe using my basic recipe for Melting Moments (Butter Biscuits), both recipes are ideal for children to make.
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Why You Will Like This Recipe.
- Uses any leftover mincemeat.
- A nice recipe for children to make for friends and family
- A great alternative to Mince Pies.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why I may have used them. See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
- Butter - Unsalted. There is no need for the butter to be softened as it will be melted.
- Lemon - Just use half a lemon. The zest is used in the cookie dough and the juice will make the Lemon Icing Drizzle. Using an Orange instead of a lemon is fine.
- Icing Sugar - Confectioners sugar is fine. To avoid any lumps and for easier mixing, sieve it first.
- Mincemeat - This is the sweet jarred mincemeat used in mince pies.
- Spices - I used Lebkuchen, but you can use any spice that you wish. Ground mixed spice, Speculaas or Nutmeg is a lovely alternative.
- Flour - Use plain flour or white spelt flour if you have any. There is no need for any raising agent in this recipe.
How to Make Mincemeat Cookies Step by Step
Preheat the oven to 160deg fan assisted. Have ready a baking tray lined with baking parchment.
Step 1: Cream the butter, and the sieved icing sugar together until smooth and well combined.
Step 2: Add the flour, mixed spice, and Lemon or Orange Zest.
Step 3: Mix until well combined. Depending on your mixer, and how cold your kitchen is, you may develop a crumb texture. This is not a problem.
Step 4: Using the warmth of your hands, bring the whole mixture together until you have a smooth firm dough. This could take a couple of minutes.
Step 5: Shape the dough into walnut sized pieces. Make a hollow in the centre of each ball of cookie dough.
Step 6: Place each one onto the prepared baking sheet with a little space between each one to allow them to spread a little.
Step 7: Fill each one with about half a teaspoon of sweet jarred Mincemeat. Do not overfill.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 15 - 20 mins. Or until baked with a slight golden colour. They will spread a little. Once baked, leave them to cool completely.
Step 8: While the cookies are in the oven, make the Lemon Drizzle icing. Mix the icing sugar with about 1 - 2 teaspoons of lemon juice until you have a thick runny consistency. Place the icing in a piping back and when the cookies have cooled completely, pipe across each biscuit in a zig zag fashion.
Once the Lemon Icing is set, the Cookies are ready to eat. They make a delicious edible gift at any time of year.
Storage
Room Temperature - These easy Mincemeat cookies will keep for several days in an airtight container.
Fridge: You could make the dough ahead of time and keep it well wrapped in the fridge for a couple of days until you are ready to bake.
Freezer: The cookie dough will freeze well, in portions if you can, in a suitable airtight container. Allow an extra couple of minute baking time.
Baker's Tips
- Tip 1 - Using this Mincemeat Cookie Recipe I managed to make 15 cookies, feel free to make larger ones if you wish, remembering to add a minute or two extra baking time.
- Tip 2 - Don't overfill the cookies with mincemeat, it will run over and become a little messy.
- Tip 3 - If you’re particular about making each Mincemeat Cookie the same size, weigh the whole dough then divide it into equal portions.
Frequently Asked Questions
You will often find, fresh and dried fruits such as apples, currants, sultanas and Raisins in jars of Mincemeat. Including Spices such as Ginger, Cinnamon, All Spice and Nutmeg. Brown sugar and Orange and Lemon Candied peel will also be included in the mixture.
There is no actual meat in a jar of modern day sweet mincemeat. Although history does show that in the 18th century, with more sugar arriving from the West Indies, Mince pies began to get sweeter with less meat.
More Easy Recipes You May Like To Try
After making this recipe please let me know how you got on by leaving a comment below. Especially if you used alternative ingredients.
Recipe
Mincemeat Cookies
Equipment
- 1 x baking tray
- Baking Parchment
Ingredients
- 75 grams icing sugar sieved
- 150 grams unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon ground Lebkuchen spice
- 225 grams plain flour sieved
- zest of half a Lemon or half and orange
- 75 g Mincemeat Sweet Jarred Mincemeat
Water icing drizzle
- 50 g icing sugar sieved
- 1 - 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160deg fan assisted. Have ready a baking tray lined with baking parchment.
- Cream the butter, and sieved icing sugar together until smooth and well combined.75 grams icing sugar, 150 grams unsalted butter
- Add the flour, Lebkutchen spice and Lemon or Orange Zest.½ teaspoon ground Lebkuchen spice, 225 grams plain flour, zest of half a Lemon
- Mix until well combined. Depending on your mixer, and how cold your kitchen is, you may develop a crumb texture. This is not a problem.
- Using the warmth of your hands, bring the whole mixture together until you have a smooth firm dough. This could take a couple of minutes.
- Shape the dough into walnut sized pieces. Make a hollow in the centre of each ball of cookie dough.
- Place each one onto the prepared baking sheet with a little space between each one to allow them to spread a little. Fill each one with about half a teaspoon of sweet jarred Mincemeat. Do not overfill.75 g Mincemeat
- Press down each ball of dough a little. Make a thumbprint or hollow in the centre and fill with sweet jarred Mincemeat. Do not over fill.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 15 - 20 mins. Or until baked with a slight golden colour. They will spread a little. Once baked, leave them to cool completely.
- While the cookies are in the oven, make the Lemon Drizzle icing. Mix the icing sugar with about 1 - 2 teaspoons of lemon juice until you have a thick runny consistency. Place the icing in a piping back and when the cookies have cooled completely, pipe across each biscuit in a zig zag fashion.50 g icing sugar, 1 - 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Once the lemon icing is set, the cookies are ready to eat.
Notes
Nutrition
Note: Recipes are tested using Metric only. The provided nutrition information is an estimate for the entire recipe, the calorie accuracy nutritional facts, unit and portion conversion are calculated by a third party app. and are not guaranteed.
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