Mincemeat Muffins are soft, moist, and sweet. Filled with gorgeous festive flavours and sticky fruit chunks they made an ideal Christmas treat and a great change from mince pies.
I quite like mincemeat. I don’t really like mince pies that much. Weird I know, but there you go.
I just think that there’s so much more that you can do with jammy mincemeat and sticking it in a bit of pastry is not the best use. One mince pie in December is enough for me!
The fancy mince pies are good though to be fair. I had an amaretto one a few years ago that was really excellent.
Muffins are one of my favourites, and especially great if you’ve got any leftover mincemeat. I think when you’ve got a good muffin recipe that you love (whether that’s mine or someone else’s) there’s so much that you can do with it.
Like adding mincemeat!
For this mincemeat muffins recipe, I’ve stirred the mincemeat through the batter, instead of putting dollops in the middle as I do with lemon curd and Nutella.
This gives the batter a lovely festive flavour and means that your Christmas muffins are really moist and sweet.
I also use light brown sugar, instead of caster sugar, because I think the flavour works better.
Mincemeat Muffin Ingredients
This recipe for mincemeat muffins is super simple. I use:
Self-Raising Flour – If you haven’t got self-raising, use plain with 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
Bi Carbonate of Soda
Soft Light Brown Sugar
Eggs
Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk (I never do!) use the same amount of semi-skimmed or whole milk and stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Leave for a few minutes before using.
Oil – Any cooking oil is fine, I generally use vegetable.
Mincemeat – You can use dried fruit instead, but the jammy bit of mincemeat really gives these an incredible flavour.
How to Make Mincemeat Muffins
When I make muffins, I usually turn the oven up to around 200 degrees C for the first 10 minutes, before reducing it for the rest of the bake.
This gives you a lovely round dome, like a bakery-style muffin.
However, the mincemeat and brown sugar mean that these muffins are more likely to burn. So I sacrifice the dome a little for an even bake and a moist middle. Some will dome, but some are fairly flat-topped. Some even just dome on one side.
They taste fabulous!
When I make my mincemeat muffins I first stir together the flour and bi-carb in a large bowl.
Then I whisk together the buttermilk, sugar, eggs and oil.
Next, I pour these wet ingredients into the dry and whisk well, before finally whisking through the mincemeat until evenly spread through.
I use a muffin tin and cases, and make sure I fill them close to the top, instead of much lower for cupcakes.
For the first 5 minutes, I bake at 190 degrees, before reducing to 160 for 10-15 minutes, checking the centre with a skewer to make sure they are cooked.
Keep an eye on them though, they do burn quickly.
To make my muffins with mincemeat I use an electric whisk and a regular muffin tin with paper liners or silicon cases.
Can I Use Homemade Mincemeat in These Muffins?
Absolutely.
I use store-bought because it’s easy, but you can make muffins with homemade mincemeat if you have any.
How Long Do Muffins Keep?
These muffins will keep in a sealed tub or cake stand for 2-3. After that, they will start to dry out quickly but will still be ok to eat.
I recommend trying one when they are still warm (taking care not to burn yourself!) out of the oven. They are amazingly delicious warm!
Can You Freeze Mincemeat Muffins?
Yes, you can freeze mincemeat muffins. Place them in a sealed, airtight tub and freeze for up to two months, before defrosting slowly in the fridge.
If you want to be able to take them out individually, I recommend placing a bit of baking paper between any layers so that they don’t stick together.
Other Recipes Using Mincemeat
I love baking with mincemeat. It’s a great flavour and texture. Some of my favourite ways to use mincemeat include:
Other Christmas recipes you might like include:
- Stollen with Chocolate Orange
- Classic Stollen
- Chocolate Orange Loaf Cake
- After Eight Loaf Cake
- After Eight Brownies
- Chocolate Orange Brownies
- Bailey’s Loaf Cake
Mincemeat Muffins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 20 Muffins 1x
Description
Mincemeat Muffins are soft, moist, and sweet. Filled with gorgeous festive flavours and sticky fruit chunks they made an ideal Christmas treat and a great change from mince pies.
Ingredients
- 375g Self Raising Flour
- 2 Teaspoons Bicarbonate of Soda
- 150g Soft Light Brown Sugar
- 2 Medium Eggs
- 240ml Buttermilk
- 130g Vegetable Oil
- 200g Mincemeat
- 1 Tablespoon Icing Sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190 Degrees C (Fan-assisted) and line 2 muffin tins with cases.
- Mix the flour and bi-carb in a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk together the eggs, sugar, buttermilk, and oil.
- Pour these wet ingredients into the flour and bi-carb and whisk until smooth.
- Add the mincemeat and whisk until even.
- Spoon into the muffin cases, filling almost to the top.
- Place in the oven and bake for 5 minutes.
- Reduce the temperature to 160 Degrees C and bake for a further 10-15 minutes, checking with a skewer to make sure the centre is cooked.
- Remove from the oven and leave in the tin to cool.
- Dust with icing sugar if desired.
Notes
- If you don’t have buttermilk, use 240ml milk and stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, leave for a few minutes before using.
- These muffins burn easily, so keep an eye on them, and if you know your oven runs hot, reduce the temperature a little.
- I use vegetable oil, but other cooking oils are fine too.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Additional Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Muffin
- Calories: 165kcal
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 256mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 17mg
I’ve just made these and they taste soapy! Should it be baking powder as an ingredient rather than bicarbonate of soda?
Hi Nessa, so sorry they didn’t work out for you. I always use bicarb in my muffins and have never had a problem.
Thanks for your reply.
Happy Baking 😊
Thanks Nessa. Have a great day.
This happened to me once with some silicone muffin cases that had been in the dishwasher. The soap taste transferred. Nothing to do with bicarb. Just putting it out there!
I was a little concerned when the previous comment said they tasted ‘soapy’. However I am pleased to say they taste wonderful. I will be making them every year from now on.
Thanks Gertie. I had wondered if perhaps I just liked them a little soapy, so that’s good to know! Glad you liked them!