Mincemeat muffins

Name: Mincemeat muffins
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 100 g (¼ cup) butter/baking margarine; 150 g (2/3 cup) soft brown sugar; 250 g (2 cups) self raising flour*; 1 tea spoon baking powder; 2 eggs; 250 ml (1 cup) milk; 200 g mincemeat; 50 g sultanas (optional)

Mincemeat muffins are a delicious festive treat, and a wonderful alternative to the traditional mince pie.

Mincemeat muffins are a delicious Christmas treat. I love mince pies – they’re an essential part of the festive season in our house and these muffins are a lovely alternative (or addition). If you’ve made some mince pies and have left over mincemeat, these are the perfect way of using that up.

The mincemeat muffins are light and fruity with a scrumptious festive flavour. They’ll also fill your house with all those nice Christmas aromas while they bake. What’s not to love!?

How can kids help to make these mincemeat muffins?

Cupcakes/muffins are really easy recipes so are perfect for kids and these mincemeat muffins are no exception. Your kids can help to measure and mix all the ingredients together. There’s also a few chances for kids to practice their egg cracking skills.

My kids always enjoy filling up the the muffin cases. We use an ice-cream scoop which makes this job really easy and a lot less messy.

What is mincemeat?

Mincemeat is the traditional filling used in mince pies. It usually contains dried and candied fruit, some festive spices and some suet (or a vegetable shortening), all soaked in brandy or another spirit. In the past mincemeat did contain meat, but it hasn’t (with the exception of the suet) for a few Centuries.

We tend to use a jar of mincemeat which you can easily find in the supermarket, but you can make your own in advance entirely from scratch. If you want to try making your own, try this recipe from BBC Good Food.

How long do they keep?

These muffins will keep for a few days in an air tight container at room temperature. If you want to keep them for longer you can freeze them for a few months. Simply wrap them individually in cling film then pop them in a freezer bag.

When you want to enjoy them, defrost them fully overnight at room temperature. You could also warm them in the oven again for 10 minutes or so at 180C before you serve them.

What can I use if I don’t have self raising flour?

If you don’t have any self raising flour, you can swap it for an equal amount of plain or all-purpose flour and add an extra 2 teaspoons of baking powder.

Other festive recipes with mincemeat

If you liked this recipe and have more mincemeat to use up, you’ll love these other recipes:

Easy homemade mince pies
Puff pastry mince pies
Mincemeat palmiers
Mincemeat loaf cake
Mince pie cookies
Mincemeat flapjacks
Mincemeat pinwheels

Useful equipment

You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make these mincemeat muffins:

Digital scales
Freestanding mixer
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Spatula
Wooden spoons
Muffin tin
Cupcake cases
Wire rack

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Ingredients

100g (¼ cup) butter/baking margarine
150g (2/3 cup) soft brown sugar
250g (2 cups) self raising flour*
1 tea spoon baking powder
2 eggs
250ml (1 cup) milk
200g mincemeat
50g sultanas (optional)

* If you don’t have self raising flour use the same amount of plain or all-purpose flour and add an extra 2 tsp of baking powder

How to make mincemeat muffins

Preheat your oven to 180C / 170C Fan / 350F and line a 12 hole muffin tray with muffin cases.

Cream the butter and sugar together

Get your kids to measure out the butter and sugar and add them to a large mixing bowl or free-standing mixer. If the butter isn’t soft, cut it up then pop it in the microwave for a few seconds just to soften it, not melt it.

Using the k-paddle of your free-standing mixer, a hand held mixer or some wooden spoons, cream the butter and sugar together until they are light and fluffy.

Add the flour and baking powder

Measure out the flour and baking powder and add them to your mixing bowl. Make sure your kids use their finger to level the teaspoon so you add just the right amount.

Mix it all together until it is well combined.

Add the eggs and milk

Get your kids to crack the eggs into a small bowl first, then add them to your mixing bowl. We always crack them into a separate bowl first just in case any shell goes in. If it does, simply fish it out with a larger piece of shell. It will stick to that much more easily than it will your finger.

Mix them together until it has come together in a nice smooth batter.

mix in the mincemeat and sultanas

Finally, get your kids to add in the mincemeat and extra sultanas if you’re using them (we like our muffins with lots of fruit). Mix them in with a spatula or wooden spoon, until they are well mixed through.

Bake the mincemeat muffins

Divide the muffin mixture among your muffin cases. We find using an ice cream scoop makes this job really easy. It seems to add a good amount of muffin batter with a lot less mess.

Bake the mincemeat muffins for about 18-20 minutes. They’re ready when they’ve risen, turned a nice golden colour and a toothpick or sharp knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Remove them from the oven and leave them to cool in the tin for a few minutes, before removing them and popping them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve and enjoy.