Amaretto Mincemeat Recipe (2024)

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!

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. [1, 2]

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!

Pair your mincemeat with Spiced Almond Pastry and whip up a batch of festive Mince Pies! They’re a delicious Christmas treat.

Why You’ll Love Amaretto Mincemeat

• 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 to make: This recipe is easy, even if you’ve never made mincemeat before.
• It’s incredibly 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!!

Recipe Ingredients

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 real food version of mincemeat in less than thirty minutes. Here’s what you need:

Ingredient Notes

• 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, allspice, coriander, cloves, mace, nutmeg, and ginger. 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

This Amaretto Mincemeat Recipe is incredibly easy to make. Here’s how in three illustrated steps:

Find the recipe card with exact ingredients and full recipe instructions at the bottom of this page. ⇩

Recipe Tips

• Allow 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.
• Don’t let all the liquid evaporate: Make sure to retain an ample amount of liquid while stewing, as the fruit will continue to absorb it during resting. This will help prevent the mincemeat from drying out.

How to Make Mince Pies with Amaretto Mincemeat

This Amaretto Mincemeat is perfect for making homemade Mince Pies. And throw in this Spicy Almond Pastry, and you’ve got the ultimate festive real food treat. Get the complete mince pie collection here:

• Spiced Almond Pastry
• Mince Pies

More Festive Recipes

Need more delicious and nutritious festive recipes to fill your Thanksgiving and Christmas tables? You’re in the right place. I’ve got a selection of insanely delicious dishes you and your family are going to love.

• Eggnog (No Raw Eggs)
• Dry Brined Turkey
• Nut Roast Recipe
• Sage And Onion Stuffing
• Sausages Wrapped In Bacon
• Braised Red Cabbage
• The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes
• Easy Candied Walnuts

Thinking of making this Recipe? Please drop me a note in the comment section and provide a star rating! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I ALWAYS LOVE hearing from you.

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Printable Recipe Card

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References:

1. https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Mince-Pies/
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mince_pie