Easy Christmas Mince Pie Shortbread Recipe

Every year I love incorporating mince pie filling into a bake and this year I have added it to shortbread. Here is my Easy Christmas mince pie shortbread recipe. It’s spiced, has a buttery crumb and is festive. 

Based on the 321 Shortbread recipe, I have reduced the sugar to balance the sweetness from the added mince pie filling , added a touch of almond extract for depth and some orange zest for some festive citrus lift. 

What is Mince Pie Filling 

It is also known as a mincemeat which is confusing cause it is not meat! Far from it. It is Fruit Mince.

Traditional Mincemeat for Christmas is made by slowly cooking a rich, spiced mixture of dried fruits, spirits, sugar, and suet.

I have never made it at home. My money saving hack is to buy the luxury reduced one every year to use for the following year. 

The 321 Easy Shortbread recipe 

The 3 ingredients shortbread recipe is foolproof and follows the 3 parts flour : 2 parts butter : 1 part sugar ratio. 

Eg 150 plain flour: 100 softened butter : 50 icing sugar.

I use icing sugar for a finer crumb. Caster sugar works well too. 

The key is to beat the sugar and softened butter together, then add in the flour and combine just until there are no dry bits of flour. 

You can add in flavours to this shortbread, reduce the sugar like I have in my recipe if you are adding another sugary ingredient and make different shapes. It is versatile. 

Here I made Diwali cookies with 3 ingredients. These can be made into Festive cookies too with different colours and toppings. These Easy 3 Ingredient cookies are so versatile.

3 Ingredient Biscuit (Easy Diwali Cookies Recipe)

Ingredients for 10 Easy Christmas Mince Pie Shortbread

• 30 grams icing sugar
• 100 grams softened salted butter
• 150 grams flour ( 100 grams plain flour and 50 grams custard powder or corn flour)
• 100 grams mince pie filling
• 1/4 tsp almond essence
• Zest of 1/2 orange 
• Cinnamon sugar for sprinkling 

Step-by-Step Mince Pie Shortbread cookies recipe

1. Prepare the Dough

• Beat sugar and butter together.
• Add plain flour, custard powder, and almond essence. Combine
• Add mince pie filling and beat just until combined.

2. Combine and Chill

• Zest half an orange directly onto a baking sheet.
• Pour the rugged dough onto the zest.
• Use your hands to combine and shape into a log (avoid overworking).
• Wrap the dough in the baking paper, Chill the log for at least 1 hour until firm.

3. Baking

• Preheat oven to 160°C.
• Place the chilled dough log on a baking tray.
• Slice into 1 cm pieces.
• Bake for 20–30 minutes (slow and low).
• Cookies are ready when they start to brown.

4. Finishing Touch

• Immediately sprinkle cinnamon sugar over hot cookies.
• Leave to cool completely before serving

Tips on making the best shortbread cookies

It’s easy to make these festive shortbread cookies. Here are my tips for the best shortbread cookie:

• Don’t overwork the dough. You don’t want the gluten from the flour to break down too much. Stop mixing as soon as it comes together 
• Chill the dough before baking: This ensures the butter doesn’t spread the cookie while baking. 
• Use custard powder for soft cookies. Custard powder adds a creaminess to cookies and makes soft cookies. If you don’t have custard powder or corn flour, you can use plain flour. The cookies will still be delicious. 
• Slow and low: The key to perfectly baked shortbread cookies. 160 degrees Celsius in an oven for 20-30 minutes depending on cookie thickness
• Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on the cookies as soon as they come out the oven. It’s Christmas and the cinnamon adds a lovely layer on these cookies.

Love mincemeat aka mince pie filling? Here is a Mince Pie Martini Recipe

The best Holiday Cocktails

Other sweet festive recipes include these cute mini gingerbread houses, which are always a winner in my home

Mini Gingerbread Houses Recipe

Neha