Festive, rich & fruity Christmas Vegan Mincemeat steeped in boozy deliciousness! If you're looking for a mincemeat without suet recipe, then I've got you covered! This is a Christmas staple that is really easy to make & can be used in all of your festive baking. It's also perfect for gifting.
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FEATURED COMMENT:
"Made this yesterday & followed your recipe exactly. WOW!!! The filling is so rich & delicious that it may not make it to the pie/tart phase :) Thank you for this great recipe!" - Lisa ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ More reviews →
As a Brit, I've grown up eating mincemeat in festive baked goods every Christmas, so I feel like it's about time I shared my Vegan Mincemeat recipe. Like most things, store-bought is nice, but nothing can beat homemade.
My vegan mincemeat recipe uses a combination of dried fruit, nuts, spices, grated apple, oranges, lemons and then as a little twist, some fresh rosemary. The rosemary flavour isn't too obvious, but it adds a little something something that makes it extra special.
Then, as if all that fruity, spicy deliciousness isn't enough, along comes a very generous glug of rich and festive port. If it didn't say "Christmas" before, it certainly does once that's added!
This vegan mincemeat recipe is perfect for making vegan mince pies, vegan Christmas shortbread, and my festive mincemeat tart!
Enjoy and Merry Christmas!
Mel x
What Is Mincemeat?
When I first published my Festive Mincemeat Tart, it became apparent that a lot of people weren't really sure what mincemeat is or how to use it, so here's the official explanation!
Mincemeat is a festive, sweet, spiced fruit mixture made from a combination of dried fruits, citrus fruits, nuts, spices, and alcohol. It is used to make festive baked goods such as pies and tarts at Christmas all over the UK. It's ridiculously popular and as much of a tradition as Christmas fruit cake, Christmas pudding, and brandy butter!
Historically, mincemeat contained meat, hence the name, and although modern-day versions don't contain meat anymore, they do usually contain suet, which is sometimes made with animal fat, so not vegan or vegetarian. Although you can buy vegetarian suet these days, I actually prefer not to use suet in my recipe as I don't like the oiliness it gives the mincemeat, and it detracts from the flavour of the fruit and alcohol. It's way better without!
Mincemeat Success Tip
Time really makes a difference, so make this recipe ahead if you can. It gets so much more flavourful if you stash it away in a dark place for a few months or years!
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Use apple juice instead, but be sure to read my recommendations for storage if you do.
Jars of vegan mincemeat make a great festive gift! I recommend sterilizing the jars as per my instructions above if you are gifting it so the recipient doesn't have to hurry to use it. Simply fill some mason jars, then buy some Christmas ribbon to tie around the top. Add a pretty tag and a printout of my vegan mince pies recipe to go along with it!
Mincemeat is a really versatile addition to your Christmas menu. My favourite ways to use it include:
- As a filling in Vegan Mince Pies and Festive Mincemeat Tart.
- Baked into my Vegan Christmas Shortbread or muffins.
- Use to stuff baked apples and serve with vegan custard or vanilla ice cream.
- As an alternative to jam in thumbprint cookies or add to apple pie or strudel filling.
- Add a layer to my Baked New York Cheesecake for a festive dessert.
On pancakes or waffles.
No. Mincemeat is made with dried fruit. The recipe will not work with fresh or frozen fruit.
Recipe
Vegan Mincemeat
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- 300grams (2 slightly heaped cups) raisins , (see recipe notes regarding substitutions for the dried fruits listed)
- 160grams (1 slightly heaped cup) currants
- 140grams (1 slightly heaped cup) dried cranberries
- 100grams (½ cup) dried blueberries
- 80grams (½ cup) dried cherries
- 80grams (½ cup) dried figs , chopped
- 140grams (1 cup) slivered almonds , or chopped walnuts/pecans (omit to make the recipe nut-free)
- 2 lemons zest and juice
- 2 oranges zest and juice
- 1 large apple , grated
- 225grams (1½ cups) dark brown sugar , or coconut sugar
- 3 teaspoons ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary chopped finely (optional but recommended)
- 375mls (1½ cups) port , or brandy, rum, sherry, or unsweetened apple juice.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Set oven to 200°F (93 °C).
- Put all of the ingredients except the port in a large ovenproof bowl or casserole and mix together well. Cover tightly with foil or a lid and place in the oven. Leave to gently warm in the oven for 90 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Add the port and stir really well.
- Transfer the mixture to clean, ideally sterilized, jars. The mincemeat will keep longer in sterilized jars. Sterilizing instructions are in the notes below.
- The flavours and texture of your mincemeat will improve significantly if you leave it to rest in the jars for at least a few days before using. It will give the fruit time to absorb the liquid and soften, and allow the flavours to meld.
NOTES
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David B says
I grew up with the meat version of this Mince Meat recipe…. Now plant based I’m amazed how good this PB version is!!! I made it last year and still have a jar so I just made some hand pies with your Healthy pie dough!
Thank you so much for sharing this and all of your recipes!!
Dave
Paula says
everything tastes delicious when i took it out of the oven after 90 minutes and before i added any alcohol. It is already quite runny and i don't know if i should remove the liquid that exists before adding the alcohol or should i bake it longer in the oven at the 200F as noted in the recipe.
Thanks so much
Melanie McDonald says
Don't drain it or you’ll lose all the flavour and sugar and ruin the mincemeat! It will be liquidy when you’ve first made it because you've just mixed it with lots of port. You need to give it time for the fruit to absorb most of the liquid and for the sugar to thicken things up. It will be perfectly moist and juicy once it’s had time to sit in the jars for a while. It needs to be very moist or when you bake it into something like mince pies it would be really dry and unpleasant. Hope that helps.
Treasa says
Make this yearly and love it. Tomorrow morning we add a spoonful to our festive porridge!
Melanie McDonald says
So pleased you're enjoying the recipe, Treasa!
Wendy Buttery says
love this recipe and make it every year.
Tracy says
I have now made this twice, with and without the alcohol. Very different end results, both fabulous! I love this super easy recipe!
Melanie McDonald says
Thank you, Tracy. I'm really pleased you're enjoying the recipe!
Janel Rakow says
Can you tell me please, should the jars be filled to the top?
Melanie McDonald says
I fill them to about 1/4 inch from the top. Hope that helps!
Pax Well says
Just made it - had different dried fruit & added mixed peel , only used half the alcohol (brandy) and its absolutely fabulous - thank you so much for a fat free version. It won't last 4 weeks though - will make more next next time as cautiously used half measures!
Susan says
Hello! I’ve just found your recipe and am excited to make it. Sounds delicious! I’m just wondering, would it work to boil the port/brandy etc. to eliminate the alcohol (adding enough to maintain the volume)? I realize the alcohol works as a preservative, but will be using the mincemeat right away, so don’t need to save it. I’m hoping to add the flavour of the port, without adding the alcohol. Thank you!
Melanie McDonald says
Mincemeat is usually cooked in whatever you use it in (mince pies for instance) so there's no need. That's why it isn't cooked in the mincemeat when you make it, otherwise it would be cooked twice and you'd lose the lovely flavors. Hope that helps!
Susan says
It does, thank you!
Lisa Andree says
Made this yesterday & followed your recipe exactly. WOW!!! The filling is so rich & delicious that it may not make to the pie/tart phase :) Thank you for this great recipe!
Melanie McDonald says
Love that Lisa! So pleased you're enjoying it!
Pauline says
Is the apple peeled before grating it?
I think yes but would like confirmation pls
Melanie McDonald says
No you don't need to peel it.