Mincemeat tarts-

When I was young  my Mother would make  shortbread cookies shaped like candy canes, thumb print cookies filled with jam, sugar cookies sprinkled with color sugar and the popular English mincemeat tarts too. In England  we call cookies biscuits, and pies are tarts. I’ve shared several Christmas cookie recipes with you in the past and last year’s  cookie exchange was fun. Should we do it again? When you think of Christmas do mincemeat tarts make it on your list? I hope you will give these mincemeat tarts a try.

This version of mincemeat is a mixture of chopped dried fruit, brandy and spices. There is no “meat” in these tarts! Originally, mincemeat always contained meat

What you Need

Pree-made mincemeat filling (available on Amazon) click HERE
2 Pillsbury pre-made pie dough ( I use Pillsbury) of course you can use your own recipe for the dough.
1/4 Cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp. Nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Ground cloves
½ Cup raisins or currents
4 Tbsp. melted butter ( divided)
1/4 Cup brandy
Corn starch
Muffin tins 12 count or mini 24 count (you will need to adjust the dough accordingly)
Large bowl
Saucepan
Rolling pin and flour for rolling
Drinking Glass or circle cookie cutter (similarly sized to fit into muffin tin cups)
Nonstick cooking spray
Basting brush

Before you start– Preheat oven to 400 °. Spray muffin tin cups bottom and sides with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Follow directions for premade pie dough.
Let’s make it! In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter, add ¼ cup of brandy and bring to a boil, add brown sugar and raisins and stir well. Remove from heat when it looks “syrupy” if it appears to be too thin stir in a pinch of corn scratch. Set aside to cool (about 20 minutes).
Lightly flour a clean work surface and the rolling pin. Layout pie doughs and roll to about 1/4 inch thick. Using a round cookie cutter or the rim of a drinking glass, cut 12 circles of dough about a 4-inch in diameter. Gently press each dough circle into the bottom of each muffin tin cup and up the sides leaving about 1/8 inch peeking out of the top of each muffin tin cup. Don’t stretch them. Then cut 3 inch circles of dough for the tops. In a bowl combine 1 ½ cup mincemeat filling, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and melted and cooled sugar mixture. Stir well.
Spoon about 2-3 Tbsp. of filling into each dough lined muffin tin cup. Using a basting brush and remaining melted butter brush top edge of dough, add dough circle top. Using a fork, lightly crimp edges this will “glue” the top to the dough peeking out of the top of the cups to the dough circle top. Bake on center rack for about 25-35 minutes or until golden. Then let cool for about 15 minutes and remove them and transfer to a cooling rack ( or plate)
Katies Tid Bits* Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Will you give these Mincemeat Tarts a try?

I hope to see you and your friends back here tomorrow night at 7 pm (MST) for the Thursday Link Party.

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