Countdown to Christmas:
Mincemeat Scones for the Christmas Tea Time Table
Now don’t get me wrong, I DO love a warm mince pie or four, and they are always on my Christmas baking menu every year – in fact, I am already thinking of baking them in November, such is my love or should I say lust for a crumbly, buttery, booze-laden mincer, as we call them “up North”…..but, it’s nice now and then to have a wee change, and thus today’s recipe was created for something new…….call it Avant Garde, but why not have mincemeat in scones?
So, with a jingle of festive bells and a jangle of elfin whistles, I bring to you my latest Churchill China recipe for the season…..Mincemeat Scones. These were an utter triumph when I made them on the First Sunday in Advent, 30th November, and they were polished off in rapid quick time as soon as they hit my pretty Penzance patterned plate. All that was needed to scoff these fruity little numbers was a generous spreading of butter and we were all in scone and mincemeat heaven.
These would make a WONDERFUL alternative to mince pies for those of you who are not big pastry lovers and I have already made another dozen for the freezer. There is one rule for making this recipe, and that is PLEASE use a high quality mincemeat and a fat-free one is also best. I have a fabulous recipe for Traditional Boozy Mincemeat with Apples on Lavender and Lovage that would be perfect for this recipe.
This time last year saw me making puddings with some of my beautiful Penzance china…….namely a fabulously easy to make Quick and Easy Microwave Mincemeat Christmas Pudding Recipe. As Churchill China’s UK Blogger and Ambassador, I am lucky enough to have most of their range, including the rather iconic pudding basin and other baking apparel. So, for this year’s festive recipe, I thought I would feature their gorgeous rolling pin, sugar/flour sifter and butter dish, as well as some of the side plates.
As well as this super pud and today’s mincemeat scones recipes, I also have some other lovely recipes for the season such as Sugar Frosted Orange & Brandy Mince Pies.…..
…….Little Spiced Chocolate Christmas Tree Cakes.…….
……as well as some Spiced Mincemeat Meringue Pies too!
But, back to today’s recipe, these scones would be spot on for any Christmas Tea Time Table menu, or why not slip a couple into a lunchbox for school or the office? Mini versions would also be perfect for the canapé buffet table, as well as for a winter picnic. Make them now and freeze them before shopping, school nativity plays, carol concerts and office parties take over your life…….and let me know what you think of you make them! Have a wonderful rest of the week……see you soon with more recipes and a new giveaway, Karen
Disclaimer: I received a Churchill china Penzance dinnerware service for free, in order to share and showcase the china with my readers as part of my sponsored collaboration with Churchill China. With thanks to Churchill China for sending me some further items from the Penzance range to use and review. I was not asked to write a positive review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Karen S Burns-Booth
Mincemeat Scones
Print recipe
| Serves | 10 to 12 Scones |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 15 minutes |
| Total time | 30 minutes |
| Allergy | Egg, Milk, Wheat |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Breakfast, Dessert, Snack |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Freezable, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold, Serve Hot |
| Occasion | Christmas |
| Region | British |
| By author | Karen S Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 225g self raising flour
- pinch of salt
- 50g butter
- 50g caster sugar
- 1 large free-range egg beaten with 50mls milk (add more milk if too dry)
- 150g mincemeat (about 5 heaped tablespoons)
Note
Ring the changes with these delectable mincemeat scones this Christmas instead of the usual mince pies. These are easy to make and taste amazing when served warm with butter. Try to use a high quality mincemeat and a fat free one is also best.
Directions
| Step 1 | Pre-heat oven to 225C/450F/Gas mark 8 and grease and/or line a large baking sheet/tray with baking paper. |
| Step 2 | Mix the salt with the flour in a roomy mixing bowl and then rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. |
| Step 3 | Add the caster sugar, mix well before adding most of the egg and milk mixture (leaving a little back to glaze). Mix lightly with a wooden spoon until it is all incorporated. |
| Step 4 | Add the mincemeat and mix again - you should have a wet dough - do not over mix. |
| Step 5 | Tip the scone dough out onto a well floured board and gently roll it out with a floured rolling pin, adding more flour as you roll; you want a large circle of scone dough that is about 1" (2.5cms) thick. |
| Step 6 | Dip a scone/biscuit cutter into flour and stamp out 10 to 12 scones, placing them onto the prepared baking sheet/tray straight away. |
| Step 7 | Brush the tops of the scones with remainder of egg and milk mixture and bake them in the pre-heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until well risen and golden brown. |
| Step 8 | Allow to cool on a wire rack before serving warm, split and spread with butter and jam. These scones freeze very well too. |
an absolutely adorable way to use mincemeat and makes the summer scone go a little further!… love it!
Thanks Dom, I thought these were a fabulous recipe too…….but they don’t seem popular given the lack of comments……still, we all love them here, at L and L! Karen
I so want to make these – maybe for Christmas carols in the park!
What a great idea Johanna and I hope you enjoy them if you make them for carols in the park, Karen
I really love this Christmassy twist you’ve given to the scone by adding mincemeat, I bet they taste great. A good alternative to mince pies that would be great for a festive afternoon tea.
Thanks Lucy – so pleased you like this recipe – I am making more today! Karen
They look heavenly Katen definately one recipe to be trying out over the hols
Thanks! I hope you like them! K xx
Sorry typed too fast mispelt t instead of r , I really think these would go down a treat with the family a really lovely alternative to mince pies as well
Hahaha! NOT a problem at all!
How festive! Glad I don’t live in your house – I would be ten sizes bigger!!!
Thanks Heidi – I have to watch what I eat over Christmas!
Love this idea Karen. I’ve not made anything with mincemeat yet, I haven’t even made any mincemeat this year. Luckily I still have a jar leftover from last year, so …..
Thanks Choclette – I was really pleased with the way these scones turned out, so festive and not as rich and heavy as mince pies.
I have just made these for unexpected visitors that came today – absolutely delicious!! Thank you!
That’s brilliant Claire – I am so pleased you liked them! Karen
I made mincemeat scones one year and it does work very well indeed. Must make some more, you have inspired me!
Thanks Janice – I have added a bit of mincemeat to scone mixture before, but this time I went for it and I have to say the result was delicious! Karen
This is a lovely idea, I bet they’re really delicious. Definitely one for the freezer for Christmas Eve tea. GG
Thanks GG – these are so Christmassy – they taste like mince pies and yet they are not as rich! Karen
Made these yesterday, and they went down a treat at teatime!
Lovely recipe, and very easy.
Thanks!
Emma
THANKS so much for letting me know Emma and I am so pleases you enjoyed them too! Karen
Karen, these look scrummy! Can’t think why I’ve never thought of putting mincemeat in scones!
I just found this, and I’m a first time mince pie baker! So I’d love to try these out (especially as I am an American)
Glad you like these, they are mincemeat scones thought, not pies, my pie recipes are here: Mince Pies and here: More Mince Pies
They’re delicious, but the mixture was far too wet – more like cake mixture and impossible to roll out. With a lot of extra flour, I managed to cut out scones, but inevitably they spread a lot in the oven and weren’t really thick enough. Next time (and there will be a next time!) I won’t add any milk till the egg and mincemeat are in there and I see what consistency the dough is.
Thank you for your valuable feedback Anne! You are the FIRST person to say this and I can see why now! The recipe should read 50mls milk mixed with the egg and NOT 150mls! So, yes, it will have been too wet and thanks for pointing that out, as I have amended the recipe now, Happy Christmas! Karen
That’s a relief! I wondered why I was the only person who seemed to have a problem! I knew I’d measured everything correctly. I was cross with myself, because I had thought that it seemed a lot of liquid, but went ahead and added it anyway! Not to worry – I’m about to enjoy one of my skinny scones with a cup of tea, and look forward to making them again. I was pleased to find the recipe. I don’t why, but I’d suddenly wondered if mincemeat scones were a thing, and was delighted to discover that they are!
I’ve just had a further inspiration – they’d be even more yummy with brandy cream or butter on them….
Hi karan,another winner,
Thank you Micky
Great idea! My wife made far too much mincemeat so I looked for ways to use it up. Two slight alterations: I used 200 gm of mincemeat and added baking powder (4 teaspoons) as I did not have SR flour. The scones became firmer after storing for a day and were excellent with mature cheddar!
I love any fruity bake with cheese Chris! Enjoy these scones 🙂 Karen
Simple, delicious way to use up leftover Christmas mincemeat. V good but mine needed more flour to make the dough manageable. Thanks for this excellent recipe idea.
You are welcome – some mincemeat is wetter than other mincemeats, so extra flour is fine.