Quick No-Suet Mincemeat (For Mince Pies and a Macaron Filling)

A quick vegetarian no-suet mincemeat recipe with a much shorter mature time compared with traditional mincemeat. Perfect for homemade mince pies, it's also a delicious filling for gluten-free mince pie macarons.

Embracing the Festive Spirit on Stir-Up Sunday

As Stir-up Sunday falls upon us at the end of November, it's a time to start thinking about being festive in the kitchen.

So what is Stir-up Sunday? It is the last Sunday before Advent, traditionally dedicated to making and stirring the Christmas pudding while making a wish.
However, this mincemeat recipe can be made even on the Sunday before Christmas without the need for extensive maturation.

At home in France, my Frenchman, Antoine is not a fan of British Christmas pudding, but he absolutely loves sticky toffee pudding with apple. To embrace a touch of British tradition, I make homemade mincemeat and use it as a French macaron filling.

No-Suet Vegetarian Mincemeat Recipe

Unlike Christmas pudding, which requires a longer maturation period, this mincemeat recipe needs only a few days and can be stored for up to a year (although it usually disappears quickly!). While traditional mincemeat contains beef suet, this vegetarian version uses butter as a perfect substitute, maintaining all the traditional flavours without the suet.

Why is it Called Mincemeat When there's no Meat in it?

Centuries ago, mince pies in Britain were savoury and actually included meat, ranging from mutton to beef. Over time, the meat disappeared, and the pies became sweeter, but the beef suet remained. Read more on mince pies' fascinating history.

To make mincemeat, all the ingredients are finely minced or chopped. However, in this recipe, there is no suet, so it's suitable for vegetarians.

Is there Alcohol in Mincemeat?

Typically, a generous splash of Cognac is added to the mincemeat, and I often enjoy the addition of Grand Marnier for its delightful orange flavour. However, if you want to avoid alcohol, you can use apple or orange juice instead.

No-Suet Mincemeat Macarons (Vegetarian & Gluten-Free)

Now that we have our homemade British-style mincemeat, let's give it a French twist with mincemeat macarons! 

Create a batch of dark coloured macarons, adding ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon to the shells, and fill them with this vegetarian mincemeat. If you close your eyes, you'll discover the taste is just like a mince pie without the pastry.

It's also reminiscent of a light gluten-free Christmas pudding, with fruity apples, an orange, pecan or walnuts.

As a Macaron Filling

When using the mincemeat filling for macarons, you have two options. Either blend the filling into a smooth paste for easy piping, or simply spoon it onto the macarons as shown in the photo.
Regardless of your choice, remember to mature your mince pie macarons in the fridge for at least 24 hours. Are the macarons patient, or are you?

This recipe, using butter instead of suet, is suitable for vegetarians and, like all macaron recipes in my books, is gluten free.

What Can I Make with No-Suet Mincemeat?

Besides using it as a macaron filling, this no-suet mincemeat makes the best homemade mince pie filling. Just follow this shortcrust pastry (pâte sucrée) recipe and press into 12 buttered muffin moulds.

Additionally, the mincemeat is perfect for creating deliciously quick and easy Mincemeat Pinwheels using ready-made puff pastry.

Sweet mincemeat offers countless other possibilities. Spoon over creamy French rice pudding or use as a base in this almond tart (le Saint-Germain). Alternatively, top on Palets Bretons (French butter biscuits) for a French style mince pie.

This post was originally published December 1st 2016 but is now republished to include new images and updated text.