This brownie recipe is not only a delicious Christmas bake but also the perfect way of using half a jar of sweet mincemeat. It's delicious and indulgent as you would expect with a brownie recipe that includes real chocolate in the mixture.
Chocolate Brownies. They're fudgy. They're rich. They're chocolatey. They're indulgent! I ask you, what's not to like?
Brownies are not only incredibly quick and easy to make, but they lend themselves nicely to having a few 'extras' added to the mixture. Often this popular chocolate traybake recipe include nuts of some sort - walnuts, almonds, macadamia for instance.
But have you ever tried then with mincemeat? Sweet mincemeat that is, the sort which flies off the supermarket shelves during the festive season for those essential mince pies!
Even though I'm a huge fan of mince pies, they can become slightly boring at times. Of course you can ring the changes to the classic bake by finishing them with a frangipane crust or shaping them into Rugelach.
They can even be pimped up with that 'love me or loath me' marzipan added to the fruity mincemeat itself and finish the pies with a lattice crust.
But if you're looking for other ways to use mincemeat I can wholeheartedly recommend adding it to a brownie mix. Not only are brownies super easy to make, but I'm sure I'm right in saying that everybody loves a brownie!
These Christmas brownies would be amazing made the day before guests arrive, which would allow that fudgy chocolate taste to become even more sensational.
Or why not share a slice with the carol singers when they exercise their vocal cords during the chilly evenings leading up to Christmas itself ... that's if you can bear to be parted from this
delicious bake!
This brownie recipe is not only the perfect bake to enjoy in the build up to the festivities, but also well into the New Year too when you stumble across that half empty jar of sweet mincemeat at the back of the fridge.
Even though the jar has no doubt been open for a few weeks, it'll be just fine added to a chocolate brownie batter. Not only does the fruit add extra interest to the chocolatey treat, but it also brings extra moisture too! Yum!
I sometimes find brownies a little too rich when made with dark chocolate. So, in this recipe, I've used a 50/50 mix of dark and milk. Of course, if you prefer a more indulgent and richer note from your chocolate brownie simply substitute the milk chocolate with more of the dark stuff.
What is Mincemeat?
If you're not familiar with mincemeat, or sweet mincemeat as I prefer to call it, it's a mixture of dried fruits, peel, spices and often alcohol. It's popular here in the UK during the Christmas period.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, dried fruit and spices were added to minced meat to improve the flavour of meat which was probably well past its best and therefore explains how this mixture originally got its name.
However over the years the recipe for mincemeat has evolved into what we know and love as mincemeat today and no longer contains any meat. Although some mincemeat is still made with beef suet many are now made wit vegetable suet or other fats and are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Mincemeat Recipes
You can take this recipe to the next level and make it with your won homemade mincemeat which is really easy to make You can find my recipe for Homemade Mincemeat on Recipes Made Easy.
So here's how to make Christmas Brownies with Mincemeat.
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Christmas Brownies with Mincemeat
Equipment
- 20cm square cake tin
- greaseproof paper or baking parchment
- balloon whisk
- spatula
Ingredients
- 225 g (8oz) butter cut into cubes
- 75 g (3oz) dark chocolate broken into pieces
- 75 g (3oz) milk chocolate broken into pieces
- 100 g (3½oz) golden caster sugar
- 75 g (3oz) light muscovado sugar
- 4 medium eggs
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 75 g (3oz) plain flour
- 25 g (1oz) cocoa powder
- 175 g (6oz) mincemeat
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan)/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease and fully line the cake tin
- Place the 225g (8oz) butter and 75g (3oz) each of dark and milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir until melted. Remove from the pan and allow to cool slightly.
- Place 100g (3½oz) caster sugar, 75g (3oz) light muscovado sugar in a mixing bowl with 4 eggs and beat together with a balloon whisk until just combined. Whisk in 1tsp orange extract.
- Pour the melted chocolate and butter mixture into the bowl stirring with the whisk to combine. Then sift 75g (3oz) plain flour and 25g (1oz) cocoa powder into the bowl and gently fold in with a spatula.
- Stir 175g (6oz) mincemeat to loosen then add to the bowl and mix until just combined.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared tinned spread evenly. Bake in the centre of the oven and bake for 40 - 50 minutes. The brownie is ready when a skewer inserted into the centre of the bake comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove the brownie from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin. serve cut into pieces.
Notes
- It's key to avoid over baking the brownie. Removing it too soon will result in it being too soft, though over baking it will create something more cake like. When ready it will no longer wobble in the centre, and a skewer inserted skewer will still hold some moist crumbs. Ours took 45 minutes to bake. Test after 40 minutes
- Brownies are best eaten the day after baking.
- Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 4 days.
No time to make it now - Pin for later
Carole says
So easy to make and tastes so good did not last long
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Not lasting long is always a good sign 🙂
helen says
oh my goodness they are so gooey & gorgeous looking! My kids would have those polished off in no time! what a fab bake that uses the mincemeat up without feeling too christmassy.
Thanks for linking to my chocolate mincemeat too.
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Aw thankyou Helen 🙂 Hubby took sme pieces of it into work for his colleagues and let's just say the box was soon empty!
Angela x
Choclette Blogger says
Oh I bet these are good Angela. I'm very partial to a brownie and would love to try one. What a fab idea to add mincemeat.
I've already taken your raspberry fudge recipe for We Should Cocoa and as it's only one entry per month, I can't really include this one too. Sorry.
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
They really were Choclette, brownies are always a winner 🙂
Ah!, Sorry, I didn't realise, that's OK,
Angela x
Jenny-Apply to Face blog says
Oh my days these look incredible!Fab pics again!What a fantastic recipe.I have only just seen these so too late for Xmas but will def do next year.Happy New Year!xx
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Thank you Jenny 🙂 They were very yummy, and satisfying to know that it made good use of some mincemeat I had lurking in the fridge.
Thanks for your lovely comments, and here's to a great New Year,
Angela x
Kat BakingExplorer says
I never thought of adding mincemeat to brownies, what a great idea! Thank you for linking up to Treat Petite.
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Thankyou Kat,
Angela x
Rebecca Beesley says
what a great twist to add mincemeat to chocolate brownies! We've tried mincemeat shortbread before but never would have thought to add to chocolate brownies!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Ooh now mincemeat in shortbread sounds very good, I'll have to give that a try. It's amazing how well the mincemeat works with the chocolate brownie Rebecca, and it's a great way of using up half jar if you become bored of mincepies 🙂
Thanks for your lovely comment,
Angela x
Corina says
I'd never thought of this combination before but I bet the mincemeat goes to well with the chocolatiness of the brownies and keeps them really moist and fudgy too! Thank you so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTWice x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
It really works a treat Corina, and yes I would imagine the mincemeat would make it even more moist. You're welcome, and thankyou back to you for hosting,
Angela x
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins says
Oooh chocolate and mincemeat, this is a must try! I am baking with mincemeat, I might have to add some chocolate. Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Ooh yes do Kirsty, it's such a lovely combination,
Thanks for your lovely comment,
Angela x
Charlotte Oates says
I've only recently discovered that chocolate and mincemeat go perfectly together, I can't believe it took me so long to realise. These brownies sound absolutely delicious.
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
It really is a lovely combination isn't it, it's something that I've only recently tried too.
Thanks for your lovely comment Charlotte,
Angela x
Eb Gargano says
Now this recipe is just pure genius. I love the idea of putting mincemeat in brownies, thus combining two of my favourite treats! Was lovely 'chatting' to you today, by the way. I probably shouldn't have as I am a bit behind now...but I just can't resist a good old natter 🙂 Eb x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Hahaha, I don't think it's genous, but I'll take it Eb 😉 It's just a great way of using up half a jar of it, which then brought a lovely few chunks of fruit to the brownies when eaten. Aw I'm sorry, I didn't appreciate you were still on a tight schedule, it really was a lovely 'chatting' with you too today - I love a good old natter too 🙂
Angela x