Yes, there’s a knitting pattern for mince pies. I’m filing this one away for later. (Ravelry link)

This is the second year Bob and I have made homemade mince pies. I make the filling and he makes the crust. This year I’d forgotten how I made the mincemeat last year. I recreated it, but even better! I’m posting the recipe for next year when I forget again.

This is only the recipe for the filling since Bob’s gluten-free pie crust recipe is top secret.

For the mincemeat:

2 Granny Smith apples, chopped
1 cup dried, sour cherries
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup dried sultanas
3/4 cup dried currants
3/4 cup dried figs, chopped
1/3 cup crystallized ginger, chopped fine
1/4 cup orange rind, chopped fine
1 cup raw sunflower seeds, hulled
1 cup raw pepitas

Mix the above ingredients in a large bowl. Add and fold in:

3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons Bob’s pumpkin pie spice (Ceylon cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, cardamom, and allspice)
1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 cups apple cider

Mix until ingredients are evenly distributed.

In a separate bowl, grate 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter. Add 4 tablespoons of gluten free flour. Mix with hands or pastry cutter until crumbly.

Add the butter and flour mixture to the mincemeat mixture. Stir well.

Turn into a buttered casserole dish and cover with foil. Bake in a 250 degree Fahrenheit oven for 90 minutes.

Cool mixture. When ready, fill pie shells. Top with lattice or cut outs.

Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes for small pies, 40-45 minutes for a big one.

We filled enough pies for one of Bob’s gluten-free double pie crust recipe, and still had enough mincemeat to fill a one quart jar.