Cinnamon Spiced Mincemeat Muffins

These moist and fluffy mincemeat muffins are gently spiced with warming cinnamon and have a hidden layer of fruity mincemeat inside. Perfect for using up those half-used jars of mincemeat, and best of all they can be made in under 30 minutes!

I always seem to accumulate half-used jars of mincemeat thanks to making batches of mince pies, mincemeat blondies, and mincemeat slices at Christmas. These festive muffins are the perfect way to use up leftover mincemeat, and the great thing about these muffins is they can be enjoyed all year round!

Jump to:

• ✔️ Why should you try it?
• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🥄 Equipment
• 🔪 Instructions
• 💭 Top tips
• 🍴 Serving suggestions
• 📖 Variations
• 🥡 Storage
• 🧊 Suitable for freezing?
• ❓ FAQS
• 😋Related recipes
• Recipe

✔️ Why should you try it?

• Great for using up half-used jars of mincemeat
• Freezer friendly
• Uses my fail-safe basic muffin recipe

🥘 Ingredients

Mincemeat – I use a vegetarian mincemeat without traditional suet.

Cinnamon – Helps give the muffins a gentle warmth.

My basic muffin mix, which consists of;

• Plain Flour
• Bicarbonate of Soda
• Caster Sugar
• Natural Yogurt
• 2 Eggs
• Melted Butter

🥄 Equipment

To make this easy muffin recipe you will need a 12 hole hole muffin tin, muffin cases and a mixing bowl.

🔪 Instructions

One: Weigh out the dry ingredients (flour, bicarbonate of soda, caster sugar, cinnamon) in a bowl. Measure out the wet ingredients (yogurt, melted butter and eggs) in a jug.

Two: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Three: Gently mix until combined but be careful not to over-mix the muffin batter.

Four: Place 12 muffin cases in your muffin tin.

Five: Half fill each muffin case with the muffin batter.

Six: Place 1 tsp of mincemeat in each muffin case.

Seven: Top with the remaining muffin batter.

Eight: Bake for 16-18 minutes until golden.

💭 Top tips

• As with any muffin recipe, be careful not to over mix the muffin batter. Over mixing will result in tough muffins…and nobody likes a tough muffin!
• If you prefer, instead of placing teaspoons of mincemeat inside the muffins, you can stir all of the mincemeat into the muffin batter so it is distributed throughout the muffin. I prefer that fruity hit of mincemeat when you take a bite though!
• The grated zest of 1 orange into the muffin batter gives it a lovely fruity hit.

🍴 Serving suggestions

I usually serve the mincemeat muffins as a festive treat, at bake sales, or as an easy after school snack.

Sometimes (if I’m feeling in the mood to make a pudding), I serve them up for dessert with creamy custard or no churn honeycomb ice cream on the side.

📖 Variations

Nearly all of the muffin recipes follow the same basic recipe, so if you don’t fancy mincemeat, why not try my lemon drizzle muffins (with a hidden layer of lemon curd), chocolate courgette muffins, raspberry and white muffins, or my blackberry and lemon muffins instead?

🥡 Storage

The muffins will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

🧊 Suitable for freezing?

These mincemeat muffins (as with all my muffin recipes) are suitable for freezing. Why not get ahead for Christmas and make a batch ahead of time? They can be frozen in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

❓ FAQS

What is mincemeat?

Mincemeat, the traditional filling for mince pies, is a spicy preserve comprising a mixture of dried fruit, apple, suet (although I make a vegetarian mincemeat without suet), and candied fruit and spices steeped in rum, whisky or brandy. It has been part of British cookery since the middle ages.

Why do they call it mincemeat?

The reason mincemeat is called mincemeat is because that’s exactly what it used to be! Most usually mutton (sheep), but also beef, rabbit, pork and game were used. Mince pies were first served in the early middle ages, filled with a mixture of finely minced meat, chopped up dried fruit, and a preserving liquid such as rum, brandy or whisky.

😋Related recipes

• Apple and mincemeat crumble – A simple and delicious pudding that everyone will love, especially with a dollop of clotted cream on top!
• Mincemeat crumble slices – A sweet crumble traybake using mincemeat. The mincemeat crumble slices make a great alternative to traditional mince pies.
• Cheats stollen croissants – If you love Stollen and you love croissants then these Cheat’s Stollen Croissants will really hit the mark.
• Festive mincemeat brownies – Festive brownies spiced up with mincemeat. Bite into a rich chocolate fudgy slice and be delighted with booze-soaked fruit and slivers of crunchy nuts.
• Puff pastry mince pies – A really easy and tasty alternative to traditional mince pies.
• Frangipane mince pie slices – Mince Pies but without all the fiddly pastry! These Frangipane Mince Pie Slices have all the flavours you’d associate with mince pies but in a tray bake instead of individual pies.
• Mincemeat loaf cakes – An easy, one bowl bake – and it’s a perfect recipe for using up that half empty jar of mincemeat.
• Mince pie twists – A perfect way to use up leftover mincemeat for that little reminder of Christmas and New Year celebrations before the festivities finally end. Less waste more taste
• Mince pie Christmas bundt cake – Filled with mince pie filling and spices it’s great Christmas bake.
• Mince pie cupcakes – Delicious spiced cupcakes filled with rich mincemeat, topped with a boozy brandy buttercream!
• Almond & mincemeat bars – Two layers of delicious crumbly biscuit sandwiched together with sweet mincemeat and topped with crunchy flaked almonds.
• Mince pie filo cigars – A lighter way to enjoy the flavours of mince pies. The mincemeat has chopped apples and pears and then it’s all rolled in filo pastry and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.
• Marzipan mincemeat palmiers – Take only 20 minutes to make and bake! Perfect for last minute guests.

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