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This year I decided to make mincemeat with dried fruit and nuts (minus the traditional meat), and it turned out so good that it has earned a place in my Old World Christmas Recipes. With it, I made these Homemade Mincemeat Tarts, which were fabulous. Sweet and tart with a simple buttery pastry. So yummy!
(Post modified on 12/3/23.)
Of course, not everyone may agree. But if you like fruitcake, dried fruits, English walnuts, holiday spices, and spiced rum, then I encourage you to give this recipe a try! I’m not sure why I waited so long to make this delicious and easy holiday treat.
While I have used traditional mincemeat fruits in this recipe, feel free to use more or less of each, or another dried fruit of your choosing, such as dried cherries or pineapple. The main thing to keep in mind is the total prepared dried fruits should measure 3 2/3 cups.
The mincemeat portion of this recipe will make enough for this recipe and much more. Add it to a pie, or put it in muffins, scones, cakes, or cookie bars. I made a Mincemeat Bakewell Tart last December and it was fantastic. Watch for this recipe soon!
More Old World Holiday Recipes
- Orange-Glazed Cranberry Fruitcake
- English Shortbread with Pecans
- Christmas Stollen with Marzipan
- German Springerle Christmas Cookies
Ingredients for Homemade Mincemeat Tarts
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
Fruit and Nut Mincemeat (See Recipe Here.)
- butter
- Honey Crisp apples (cored, peeled, and diced)
- dark brown sugar
- orange juice
- lemon juice
- orange zest
- lemon zest
- English walnuts, chopped
- candied cherries
- raisins
- dried cranberries
- golden raisins
- dried figs
- dried apricots
- dates
- dried currants
- ground cinnamon
- ginger
- freshly ground nutmeg
- cloves
- kosher salt
- spiced rum
Tart Pastry
- all-purpose flour
- salt
- butter
- water
- mincemeat (approximately 3 1/2 cups)
- egg wash
- sparkling decorating sugar
Instructions for Making Homemade Mincemeat Tarts
Make the Mincemeat
For simplicity sake, please see the full recipe for making Fruit and Nut Mincemeat Here. For best results, you will need make the mincemeat at least 25 hours before preparing this tart recipe.
Once your mincemeat has chilled for at least 24 hours in the refrigerator, it’s time to start using it. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Equipment Needed
For this tart recipe, you’ll need 2 tart pans or mini muffin tin with 24 wells. Alternately, you could use a regular muffin pan to make 12 tarts. You’ll also need a rolling pin and a biscuit cutter that is 2 1/2 inches in diameter, plus a cookie cutter that is approximately 1 – inch in diameter to top the tarts.
Prepare the Pastry
In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and salt. Whisk to incorporate.
Using a blending fork or your fingers, cut in small pieces of cold butter into the flour until it resembles small crumbs.
Add cold water to the flour mixture in two or three parts, and stir until a nice soft dough forms.
Divide the dough in half and form into an oval ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Assemble the Tarts
Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 400F degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll one of the balls into a large oval about 10 or 12 inches and 1/8 – inch thickness.
Cut 24 rounds with a biscuit cutter that is about 2 1/2 inches wide, reusing the dough as necessary. Place rounds into a mini tart or muffin pan and form to the pan.
I like to use a tart tamper when forming the dough to the pan. Or your fingers. Try to form the dough to the top of the pan, being careful not to make the dough too thin. Feel free to use excess dough to fill thin spots, lightly pressing it with your fingertip to adhere.
Repeat the second ball of dough, rolling out on a lightly floured surface until it is 1/8 – inch thick. Cut 24 cutouts for the tops of the tarts.
Star cutouts are considered traditional for these holiday tarts, but you may use whatever cutouts you want. Here I used little flower cutouts as that is what I own. You could also cut out small circles, if you don’t have a cutout that is small enough.
Next, fill the tart shells with 1 tablespoon of mincemeat, enough to come to the top of the dough. Press the mincemeat down with a spoon or finger to fill in any air gaps.
For this recipe you will need approximately 3 1/2 cups of prepared mincemeat.
Place dough tops on the center of each tart, lightly pressing into the mincemeat. Reuse any excess dough to make extra tarts, as desired. I had enough to make 42 tarts in total.
Prepare an egg wash by whisking together 1 egg with 2 tablespoons water. Brush egg wash onto the tops of each tart. Sprinkle with sparkling decorator sugar.
Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the pastry crust is lightly browned. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing tarts from pan.
Cool tarts on a wire rack. Once cooled, store tarts in a tightly covered container until ready to use. You may store tarts for 2-3 days this way, or for up to a week in the refrigerator. Or you may freeze tarts for up to a month in a tightly covered container or freezer bag.
Serve tarts in a pretty dish either warm or at room temperature. I love these tarts with hot tea. If desired, serve the tarts with whipped topping.
This recipe will make 42 tarts and will serve 20-40 people.
See more Pies and Tarts Here. Browse Desserts Here. View more Holiday Baking Ideas Here.
Homemade Mincemeat Tarts
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter cold
- 1/2 cup ice water
- 3 1/2 cups mincemeat
- 1 large egg + 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup sparkling decorating sugar
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the Pastry
- In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and salt. Whisk to incorporate.
- Using a pastry fork or your fingers, cut in small pieces of cold butter into the flour until it resembles small crumbs.
- Add cold water to the flour mixture in two or three parts, and stir until a nice soft dough forms.
- Divide the dough in half and form into an oval ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Assemble the Tarts
- Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 400F degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll one of the balls into a large oval about 10 or 12 inches and 1/8 - inch thickness.
- Cut 24 rounds with a biscuit cutter that is about 2 1/2 inches wide, reusing the dough as necessary. Place rounds into a mini tart or muffin pan and form to the pan.
- I like to use a tart tamper when forming the dough to the pan. Or your fingers. Try to form the dough to the top of the pan, being careful not to make the dough too thin. Feel free to use excess dough to fill thin spots, lightly pressing it with your fingertip to adhere.
- Repeat the second ball of dough, rolling out on a lightly floured surface until it is 1/8 - inch thick. Cut 24 cutouts for the tops of the tarts.
- Star cutouts are considered traditional for these holiday tarts, but you may use whatever cutouts you want. Here I used little flower cutouts as that is what I own. You could also cut out small circles, if you don't have a cutout that is small enough.
- Next, fill the tart shells with 1 rounded tablespoon of mincemeat, enough to come to the top of the dough. Press the mincemeat down with a spoon or finger to fill in any air gaps.
- Place dough tops on the center of each tart, lightly pressing into the mincemeat. Reuse any excess dough to make extra tarts, as desired. (I had enough to make 42 mini tarts.)
- Prepare an egg wash by whisking together 1 egg with 2 tablespoons water. Brush egg wash onto the tops of each tart. Sprinkle with sparkling decorator sugar.
Bake the Tarts
- Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the crust is lightly browned. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing tarts from pan.
- Cool tarts on a wire rack. Once cooled, store tarts in a tightly covered container until ready to use. You may store tarts for 2-3 days this way, or for up to a week in the refrigerator. Or you may freeze tarts for up to a month in a tightly covered container or freezer bag.
- Serve tarts warm or at room temperature. I love these tarts with hot tea or cider. If desired, serve the tarts with whipped topping. Makes 40-42 mini tarts.
Notes
