Mincemeat cookies

Learn how to make mincemeat cookies with this easy recipe. These cookies are similar to classic chocolate chip cookies, but with mincemeat added to the raw cookie dough and dolloped onto the scoops before baking so that the cookies bake with a pool of mincemeat on top.

When I developed this cookie recipe, I had visions of a soft but chewy cookie that had a pool of mincemeat baked onto it. The reason for the pool is that mincemeat has a delicate flavour profile that can get lost when you mix it into a cookie dough.

The mincemeat is the star in these Christmas cookies adding so much flavour from the raisins, currants, candied citrus peel, and warm spices. They are a crossover between a thumbprint cookie and a classic chocolate chip cookie.

What you'll need to make these Christmas cookies

These mincemeat cookies are just like your standard chocolate chip cookie dough with mincemeat stirred in instead of chocolate chips. Here a rundown of the ingredients that you will need to make these:

• butter, preferably unsalted butter because you will add salt to the dough, but if you have salted, it will work. Just adjust the salt in the recipe accordingly, otherwise your cookies may be too salty
• granulated sugar and brown sugar (preferably dark brown sugar which has a stronger flavour but light brown will also work fine)
• large eggs, don't use smaller eggs because your cookie dough may be too dry and your cookies won't spread enough, but don't use extra large eggs because they could cause the cookie dough to puff too much as it bakes, leading to a more cake-y cookie
• vanilla extract is optional but helps add more flavour to the dough itself
• mincemeat or mince, which is the same filling you use to make mincemeat tarts (also called mince pies). I used homemade mincemeat but a jar of mincemeat from the grocery store will also do the trick as long as you like the taste of it!
• all-purpose flour is needed to bind all the ingredients together and give the cookies structure, contributing to the chewiness of the cookies as well. If you don't use enough flour, your cookies may spread too much as they bake and if you use too much, they will be hard and dry and won't spread enough when they bake
• baking soda is a base (alkaline) and helps the cookies brown and gives a little flavour too. You need baking soda for the cookies to spread properly. Do not use baking powder. Read up on baking soda vs baking powder if you are unsure
• salt is really important to balance out the sweet molasses flavour. Don't skip it. I like to use Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt, but table salt will work, though the cookies will be saltier and you may want to halve the salt in that case.

Special equipment

You don't need any special tools to make this recipe. I use a Kitchenaid stand mixer to make the dough, but you could use an electric hand mixer or even just a wooden spoon!

Like for all drop cookies, I prefer to scoop the cookie dough using a disher to make the scoops as even as possible. For this recipe, we are scooping 50 grams (approximately) using a 1-¾ ounce disher (size 24) (the disher with the red handle).

EQUIPMENT

It can be difficult to make cookie dough by hand in a bowl with a wooden spoon, so I prefer to use an electric hand mixer or even a stand mixer. Besides a mixer, you will need:

• a spatula for scraping down the bowl to ensure the butter and sugar are evenly incorporated with the rest of the ingredients and to avoid textural defects when the cookies bake
• a cookie scoop to help portion out the dough evenly
• a kitchen scale, not only for verifying that the scoops of dough are even, but also to measure out the ingredients
• aluminum sheet pans, at least two of them, and parchment paper for easy clean up
• a cooling rack to transfer freshly baked cookies to allow for air circulation as they cool.

Method

Like most drop cookies, you will use the creaming mixing method to make these. Make sure to take the time to properly mix the butter and sugars for several minutes to lighten the mixture and to create a homogenous mixture before incorporating the egg and vanilla. Otherwise, you may end up with streaks of sugar that crystallizes randomly on the cookie.

Before baking these cookies, I highly recommend you use your thumb (or the handle of a wooden spoon) to create an indentation in the top of each cookie. This allows you to stuff a teaspoon of mincemeat onto these cookies, creating a pool when the cookies spread and the mincemeat melts as they bake in the oven.

I was inspired by the look of the Marks & Spencers mince pie cookies when I made these. Though I've never tried them, I feel like this might be a pretty good copy cat version of the M&S mince pie cookies sold in the UK. If you like mincemeat tarts, you will love these cookies!