Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links. I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links at no additional cost to you.
Let’s get your kitchen smelling wonderful during the holiday season with this scrumptious Amaretto Mincemeat recipe! With a delightful mix of sweet, spicy, and tart flavors perfectly balanced with mellow almond notes from the addition of amaretto liquor, it’s sure to become a favorite. Serve mincemeat hot or cold, in pies, or as an ice cream topping – trust me when I say you won’t be able to get enough!
Page Contents
- What Is Mincemeat?
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How To Make Amaretto Mincemeat ~ Step-By-Step
- Why You’ll Love This Amaretto Mincemeat Recipe
- Tips For Making The Perfect Homemade Mincemeat
- Recipes You Need To Make The Best Mince Pies
- How To Make Amaretto Mincemeat ~ Full Recipe
- Pin This Amaretto Mincemeat Recipe For Later!
What Is Mincemeat?
Mincemeat has been enjoyed since the middle ages. Traditional mincemeat was a sweet and savory dish containing a mixture of meat and fruit. The meat of choice was usually veal, lamb, or ground beef (minced beef).
Somewhere during the late 19th century and early 20th century, the meat part was ditched, and mincemeat became more like what we know and love today—a mix of chopped dried fruit, spices, alcohol, and beef suet.
Today we enjoy mincemeat over Christmas and New Year, which is generously loaded into pies, pastries, and puddings. Especially by Santa, who has always been partial to a mincemeat pie or two from the fireplace on Christmas eve!
Ingredients You’ll Need
There’s nothing better than sitting in front of a fire with a delicious homemade mincemeat pie, a dollop of clotted cream, and a glass of eggnog. With some everyday pantry items and fresh fruits, you can make your own mincemeat in less than thirty minutes. Here’s what you’ll need…
- Unsweetened Dried Mixed Fruit: My favorite dried fruits for mincemeat are currants, sultanas, cranberries, and golden raisins. Look for big juicy ones that will soak up all the flavor we’re going to drench them in.
- Fresh Fruit: The fruits in this recipe are tart to balance the sweetness of the dried fruits and natural sugars. The recipe calls for a sharp Granny Smith Apple and a citrus kick from orange and lemon. The citrus fruits, in particular, double up as a healthier replacement for citrus peel, which is often loaded with sugar.
- Nuts: Almonds add a lovely texture to the mincemeat.
- Natural Sugars: Coconut sugar and maple syrup are used to sweeten the mincemeat. Coconut sugar is a great alternative to brown sugar and imparts a caramel flavor. And the maple syrup provides an amazing depth of flavor.
- Spices: I’m using ground mixed spice in this recipe as it’s a fabulous blend of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, coriander, and nutmeg. Don’t be put off by the coriander. The mix just works! You could also use a pumpkin spice mix.
- Healthy Fats: Mincemeat is traditionally made with suet, the hard fat from cows and other animals. While suet is considered a natural fat and gives mincemeat its characteristic rich flavor, it can be challenging to find. However, I am opting to use coconut oil. An alternative natural fat that makes this recipe suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
- Flavorings: I’m using two flavor boosters in this recipe—vanilla extract and Amaretto. Traditionally, mincemeat contains brandy. But I’m not a fan. It can overpower the mincemeat. Amaretto, however, is an almond liqueur that works alongside the ingredients perfectly. That said, alcohol is optional and can be replaced with water or natural fruit juice in a pinch.
How To Make Amaretto Mincemeat ~ Step-By-Step
- Load Saucepan
Place all the ingredients into a medium saucepan.
- Simmer
Bring to a boil and then simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring now and then until the fruit absorbs most of the liquid.
Tip: Don’t allow the mixture to absorb all the liquid, as it will continue to soak it up as it cools.
- Cool & Jar
Pour the mincemeat into containers, cool, and refrigerate.
Full recipe and ingredients list in the recipe card below.
Why You’ll Love This Amaretto Mincemeat Recipe
- It’s Made With Fresh Fruit: This mincemeat recipe is made with fresh fruit and dried fruit which punches above its weight in flavor. Fresh fruit also helps keep the mincemeat moist, so it doesn’t dry out.
- It’s Not Too Sweet: Many mincemeat recipes are overly sweet, but this one strikes the perfect balance.
- It’s Easy: This recipe is easy, even if you’ve never made mincemeat before.
- Versatile: This mincemeat can be used in pies, tarts, and pastries. I’ve even been known to serve it on a cheeseboard as a chutney… don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!!
Tips For Making The Perfect Homemade Mincemeat
1Allow The Flavors To Develop
Mincemeat gets better with age, so if you have the time, make it a couple of days ahead and allow it to develop. You’ll create more complex and flavorful mincemeat.
Recipes You Need To Make The Best Mince Pies
This mincemeat recipe is perfect for making my homemade mince pies. You’ll need a delicious pastry recipe and mince pies recipe. Get them here:
How To Make Amaretto Mincemeat ~ Full Recipe
Print
Amaretto Mincemeat Recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3 x 9oz (280ml) Jars
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Let’s have your kitchen smelling wonderful during the holiday season with this scrumptious Amaretto Mincemeat recipe! With its delightful mix of sweet, spicy, and tart flavors perfectly balanced with mellow almond notes from the addition of amaretto liquor, it’s sure to become a favorite.
Ingredients
2.5 cups (410 g) unsweetened dried mixed fruit (I’m using a mix of currants, golden raisins, sultanas & dried cranberries)
1 granny smith apple, peeled and grated
1 orange, juice & zest
1/2 lemon, juice & zest
1/2 cup (95 g) coconut sugar
1/3 cup (50 g) almond flakes (or slivered almonds)
1/4 cup (60 ml) maple syrup
1/4 cup (55 g) coconut oil
3 tbsp Amaretto
1.5 tsp ground mixed spice (or pumpkin spice mix)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Simmer: Place all the ingredients (dried fruit, apple, orange juice, orange zest, lemon juice, lemon zest, coconut sugar, almond flakes, maple syrup, coconut oil, Amaretto, ground mixed spice, and vanilla extract) into a medium saucepan. Simmer over medium-high heat for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the fruit absorbs most of the liquid. Don’t allow the mixture to absorb all the liquid, as it will continue to soak it up as it cools and rests.
Cool & Jar: Pour the mincemeat mixture into jars or containers, cool at room temperature, and refrigerate.
Notes
Make Ahead: For best results, prepare at least 48 hours in advance to allow the flavors to develop.
Storage: Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator, and consume within one week. This mincemeat recipe does not contain as much sugar and alcohol as traditional recipes that allow you to store the mincemeat for up to 6 months!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Simmer
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: mince pies, amaretto, snacks, desserts, mincemeat pie, mincemeat pie filling, Christmas
Thinking of making this Amaretto Mincemeat Recipe? I’d love to know how it turns out. Get in touch via the comments section, and let me know!
For more real food ideas, check out the recipe page. Or, come say hi on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
You can also stay updated with new posts and healthy real food recipes by subscribing to The Real Food Geek mailing list below.
Thanks for stopping by!
Pin This Amaretto Mincemeat Recipe For Later!
References
