Family tradition says my mom got this mincemeat cookie recipe in the 1950s when Dad was a training officer at Fort Benning, Georgia. I like to imagine it was passed along at an officer's wives' coffee, somewhere between discussions of Christmas plans, misbehaving children, and whose husband was getting transferred next. I don't know who that original baker was, but her cookies have outlasted most of the gossip, several generations of Christmas decorations, and probably a few marriages.
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🥰 Is this mincemeat cookie recipe for you?
- You love old-fashioned Christmas cookies that have been passed down for generations.
- You believe coffee glaze is a perfectly acceptable way to improve just about anything.
- You want something a little different for your holiday cookie trays.
- You appreciate a good vintage recipe that doesn't require an entire afternoon in the kitchen.
If you're planning your Christmas baking, take a peek at my collection of best Christmas cookie recipes. There are enough family favorites in there to keep your cookie tins full and your kitchen looking like a flour bomb went off.
🧾 Ingredients
There's nothing fancy or hard to find here, just a handful of old-fashioned baking staples and a couple of things that make these cookies special. Here's what you'll need, along with a few tips before you get started.
- All-purpose flour: If we're making cookies it's kind of essential.
- Baking soda: Gives the cookies a little lift without getting carried away.
- Salt: Keeps the sweetness from running around unsupervised.
- Vegetable shortening: A 1950s baking staple. Grandma used it, and she wasn't taking questions. It helps keep the cookies from spreading too much.
- Sugar: Plain white granulated sugar. No need to summon anything exotic.
- Eggs: Large eggs, preferably from chickens with a good attitude.
- Mincemeat: The fruity stuff in a jar. Some versions contain suet, so check the label if you're avoiding animal products. The name has been confusing innocent Christmas bakers for generations.
- Powdered sugar: Because apparently cookies need frosting to get dressed up for Christmas.
- Butter: Real butter. Margarine can go sit in the corner and think about its choices.
- Coffee: Strong brewed coffee. One splash for the glaze, one cup for surviving the relatives.
- Vanilla: Just enough to make the coffee glaze mellow out like a 1970s folk musician.
- Parchment paper sheets: The sheets are convenient and keep clean up at a minimum plus cookies are less likely to spread.
By the way? The coffee glaze is exceptionally good on these brown butter icebox cookies, too.
📖 Recipe
Old-Fashioned Mincemeat Cookies with Coffee Glaze
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Mincemeat cookies
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegetable shortening, I used plain Crisco
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1⅓ cups Robertson's mincemeat, or your favorite. 1 ⅓ cups = 14.5 ounces.
Coffee glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon strong brewed coffee, cooled
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Additional brewed coffee, as needed
Instructions
Make the cookies
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the shortening and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing on low speed just until combined.
- Stir the mincemeat thoroughly in its jar, then measure 1⅓ cups. Fold it into the cookie dough until evenly distributed.
- Chill for 30 minutes.
- Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the edges are lightly golden.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2 to 3 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
Make the coffee glaze
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, cooled coffee, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add additional coffee, a few drops at a time, until the glaze is thin enough to drizzle but still coats the back of a spoon.
- Drizzle the glaze lightly over the completely cooled cookies.
- Allow the glaze to set before serving or storing.
Notes
- Don't overmix: Once the flour has been added, mix only until combined to keep the cookies tender.
- Coffee: Use strong brewed coffee for the best flavor without adding too much liquid to the glaze.
- Glaze consistency: For a thin coating, add coffee a few drops at a time. Too much liquid will prevent the glaze from setting properly.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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🔪 How to make mincemeat drop cookies
No complicated techniques, no special equipment, and no need to summon the ghost of Christmas Past for assistance. Just follow along and you'll have a batch of delicious cookies in no time.
- Beat the shortening, sugar, and eggs together, then add the flour, baking soda, and salt. You've done this a million times.
- Mix until everything is well combined and you've got a soft cookie dough. See? Easy.
- Give the mincemeat a good stir in the jar, then spoon it into the dough. We're getting to the good stuff now.
- Fold the mincemeat into the dough until it's evenly distributed. Chill the dough, then bake as directed in the recipe card. Try not to eat all the cookies before they cool. I make no promises.
😱 What can go wrong (and how to fix it)
☕ Cookies spread or turn out too soft: Some brands of jarred mincemeat are juicier than others. I used Robertson's which is quite thick. If yours has a lot of excess liquid, drain a little off before adding it to the dough. You want all that lovely fruit, not a swimming pool of syrup.
☕ Cookies turn out dry: Too much flour or too much time in the oven. Spoon and level your flour, and pull the cookies out when the edges are set. They'll finish firming up as they cool.
☕ Cookies are falling apart: Let them rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them. Hot cookies are delicate little creatures with absolutely no backbone.
☕ Coffee glaze is too runny: Add powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until it thickens. We're glazing cookies, not baptizing them.
☕ Coffee glaze is too thick: Stir in brewed coffee a few drops at a time. A little goes a long way, so don't get enthusiastic.
☕ Glaze slides right off: Your cookies are still warm. Let them cool completely before glazing, unless you're going for the melted snowman look.
👩🏻🍳 FAQs
That's a legitimate question, especially for younger readers who didn't grow up with mincemeat at Christmas. Traditionally, mincemeat contained meat, but most modern prepared versions are made with dried fruit, spices, and sometimes suet. Check the label to make sure if you need a vegetarian or vegan version.
Yes, as long as it's a similar consistency to prepared mincemeat.
🍽 More vintage Christmas cookies recipes
🏡 This is the first year I've made these cookies since my dad passed in 2001. He and I shared a love for mincemeat that the rest of the family didn't and there just never seemed to be a reason to make a batch of cookies just for myself.
This year I decided that maybe making something for myself was just as important as making something for someone else. Sure, I'll be spending a lot of time at the gym over the next few weeks but these cookies? Totally worth it.
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