Easy Mincemeat Butter Thumbprint Christmas Cookies

It’s that time of year when we pull out all the stops with our Christmas baking! These easy Mincemeat Butter Thumbprint Christmas Cookies are so popular that I’m already planning to make a second batch. This twist on the Christmas thumbprint cookies swaps traditional jam for flavorful mincemeat. Whether you use store-bought or homemade mincemeat, these cookies will be a hit for Christmas cookie exchanges and party trays.

The basic cookie dough recipe comes together in minutes—no chilling required—and the addition of real salted butter gives them a rich, flaky texture. With just the right amount of mincemeat filling, these classic thumbprint cookies are perfect for those who aren’t big fans of traditional mincemeat tarts or pies. My family couldn’t stop eating them and kept asking for more—they’re that good!

If you love traditional Christmas flavors in cookie form, then why not try my soft-baked wassail fruit cookies with spiced icing? They are fragrant and a delightful change from the usual fare.

Why You Will Love These Mincemeat Butter Thumbprint Cookies 

The Convenience of jarred mincemeat. Using a premade filling speeds up the process and ensures you have plenty left over to make more!

Rich Butter flavor. Salted butter in the cookie dough brings a depth of butter flavor that makes these tasty cookies irresistible even by mincemeat haters. 

Spiced Filling. Mincemeat has a rich spice that balances out the butter base of the cookies, making for the perfect pairing. 

The History of Mincemeat: A Timeless Holiday Tradition

​Mincemeat, often associated with Christmas time, particularly in pies and cookies, has a rich and fascinating history that dates back centuries. Its evolution reflects changing tastes, food preservation methods, and cultural influences. Originally, mincemeat was not the sweet, fruity mixture we know today but a savory blend of meat, spices, and dried fruits.

The concept of mincemeat can be traced back to medieval England. It is a hearty mixture of minced meat (usually beef or lamb), suet, fruits, spices, and alcohol, often made to preserve food for the winter months. This combination of ingredients was popular among English cooks and had practical purposes, especially in preserving meat and providing necessary nutrition during colder months.

Over time, the recipe began to evolve. During the 16th century, adding sugar and dried fruits such as raisins, currants, and apples helped sweeten the dish, making it more palatable and festive. The infusion of warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg gave it a signature winter flavor. It was in the 18th century that the use of alcohol, such as brandy or rum, became a staple in mincemeat recipes, acting as both a preservative and a flavor enhancer.

By the Victorian era, mincemeat had become synonymous with Christmas, often found in mince pies served at holiday feasts. The sweetened, spiced filling paired perfectly with the buttery, flaky crust, making it a beloved treat. However, as tastes and food preservation methods changed, the traditional mincemeat recipe eventually lost its meaty component. By the early 20th century, most recipes for mincemeat no longer called for actual meat, instead relying on the fruits, spices, and sometimes a bit of vegetable suet.

Today, mincemeat is primarily a sweet, spiced mixture, often featuring ingredients like apples, raisins, currants, sultanas, and various spices. While it no longer carries its original savory nature, mincemeat remains a beloved part of holiday traditions, whether used in pies, tarts, or, as in the case of these Mincemeat Butter Thumbprint Cookies, in delectable cookie forms.

In essence, mincemeat represents a beautiful evolution of food over time—transforming from a practical preservation solution into a sweet, spiced treat that captures the warmth and spirit of the holiday season.

Let’s Make These Easy Christmas Mincemeat Cookies

​Start by preheating your oven. These cookies bake at a lower temperature of 325F

You will be making the cookie dough in a mixing bowl. The odd thing about this dough is that it tends to seem impossible to mix because the butter needs to be worked to such a point that it begins to melt, bringing the mixture together into a cohesive dough ball. 

You will start by adding the butter and sugar to the mixing bowl and creaming them together well. You can use a hand or stand mixer to do this if you wish. When it’s creamed well, it’s time to crack the eggs, which we are separating. We will only be using the yolks in the cookie dough, and you may discard the whites or save them for later use. 

Mix the egg yolk into the butter mixture well before adding the dry ingredients to the bowl. You can measure all the flour and salt into the bowl and mix the cookie dough. That’s it. Wow, this is a simple shortbread cookie base with an additional egg. So you know it’s going to melt in your mouth later. Using your hands, work the cookie dough until it no longer is a floury mess and comes together in a nice dough ball. This takes some doing, so persevere. The butter will warm with the work from your hands, which aids in incorporating it with the other ingredients. 

Now that you have the cookie dough mixed together, it’s a simple matter of making small dough balls, which you can do by rolling the dough between your hands. About one tablespoon of dough will make a nice two-inch round ball. Space these on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, leaving enough room for slight expansion. 

Make a divot in each using a finger when all the dough has been used. The divot can be made almost all the way through the cookie to the cookie sheet. That’s where you will be adding the mincemeat filling. I used jarred mincemeat filling from Robertsons. Which doesn’t contain suet. In years past, actual suet was easy to find at the bulk store, but because it’s an animal product, it’s been harder to source. Robertsons was a close second to homemade mincemeat with a mix of apple, sultana raisins, mixed citrus peel, and spices. 

I used just a wee bit from a teaspoon to fill each, which had enough spice and fruit to make the center of the cookies flavorful but not overpowering. If you have ever had a mincemeat pie (one of my dad’s favorites), you know it can be very overpowering with a mixture of sugars and spices. 

​Once you have all the cookies filled, slide the baking sheet into the oven on the center rack. Bake for  25 minutes or until they are just turning golden. The bottom edge of the cookie should be a slight reddish brown when baked. 

Take the baked cookies from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack before storing them in an airtight container to enjoy throughout the festive season. 

Ingredients:

Salted Butter: Provides a rich, tender texture and helps the cookies melt in your mouth.

​White Sugar: Adds sweetness to the butter cookie base and helps the cookies spread and brown.

​Egg Yolk: Adds richness and helps bind the ingredients together.

All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure and gives the cookies their shape.

​Salt: Brings out the other ingredients’ tastes.

​Jarred Mincemeat: Adds flavor with its mix of fruit, spices, and sweetness.

Substitutions And Add-Ins For The Mincemeat Butter Thumbprint Christmas Cookies

Salted Butter: Unsalted butter or even firm margarine for this cookie recipe. Growing up, we only used margarine for all our holiday baking, and it was equally delicious.

White Sugar: -Remains-

Egg Yolk: -Remains-

All-purpose Flour: A gluten-free flour blend will still have a similar texture. 

Salt: Omitting salt is okay if you are on a salt-restricted diet. 

Jarred Mincemeat: If you have the time and inclination, you can use your own mincemeat. I recommend this recipe from Spruce Eats, as it looks closest to the versions I have made in years past. 

Other great alternative fillings for these Christmas butter thumbprint cookies are literally any type of jam. I love apricot jam in them. You can also cut candied cherries in half for the center of each. Another way to use the same cookie base in another cookie is to save the egg whites. Roll cookie dough balls in the egg whites and then in crushed nuts to bake. You can also flatten the nut-covered balls before baking. 

Uses for leftover mincemeat filling aside from baking more of these tasty cookies. Use the mincemeat filling in a premade tart shell from the grocery store. Tasty mincemeat tarts are great to celebrate New Year’s Day! Use some filling to make a mincemeat crumble bar with a shortbread crust. Or try adding mincemeat into a batch of scones for Christmas or New Year’s brunch. Before long, your jar of mincemeat will be gone, and you’ll need another!

Expert Tips, Serving And Storing Suggestions For These Christmas Cookies

Tip #1: Work the Dough Until It Comes Together. The dough may seem challenging to mix at first but be patient. The key is to work the butter into the dry ingredients using your hands. As you mix, the warmth from your hands will soften the butter and help the dough come together into a smooth, cohesive ball. This step is crucial for achieving the melt-in-your-mouth texture of these cookies, so persevere and keep working the dough until it forms a soft ball.

Tip #2: Use the Right Amount of Mincemeat Filling. When adding mincemeat filling, less is more. Too much filling can overwhelm the flavor balance, so aim for just enough to add a flavorful burst without dominating the cookie’s taste.

Tip #3: Don’t Rush the Baking Time. These cookies bake at a lower temperature (325°F), so give them 25 minutes to achieve that perfect golden color. The bottom of the cookies should have a slight reddish-brown hue, indicating they are perfectly baked. Be patient, as underbaking can result in a doughy texture while overbaking may dry them out.

These Mincemeat Butter Thumbprint Cookies are a perfect treat for Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. Their festive flavor, a blend of sweet mincemeat and buttery shortbread, adds a delightful touch to any holiday spread, making them a wonderful choice for gifting or enjoying with family and friends during the season.

Place your Mincemeat Butter Thumbprint Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. For prolonged storage, you can freeze the cookies. Start by arranging the cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, freezing them until solid, and then transferring them to a freezer-safe container or bag. Freezing the Mincemeat Butter Thumbprint Cookies separately on a baking sheet before transferring them to a container prevents them from sticking together. This method ensures that the cookies stay intact and maintain their shape when frozen, allowing you to easily grab just a few at a time without them clumping together. Once the cookies have frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag for more convenient long-term storage. Frozen cookies can be kept for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw at room temperature for a few hours.

These Mincemeat Butter Thumbprint Cookies are perfect for spreading holiday cheer! Rate the recipe and leave a comment – I’d love to hear from you. Happy baking and happy holidays!