Vegetarian Christmas Mincemeat filled Cookies

This is an original recipe. I wanted to create a mincemeat filled Cookie for Christmas.
I shop at a British Shop in our town and I discovered Vegetarian Mincemeat.
For Non - Vegetarians, you can certainly use traditional mincemeat for the filling.
At the end of this recipe is my Hippy recipe for homemade Vegetarian Mincemeat.

Dough:
2 C sugar
1 C butter
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
6 C flour
1 C whole milk
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla

Filling:
1 (14oz) jar of Norfolk Manor English Traditional Mincemeat, Suitable for Vegetarians.

Dough Preparation:
In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment:
Cream  sugar and butter  on low until light and fluffy
Add:
salt
eggs
flour
milk
Mix until well combined
Add:
baking powder
baking soda
vanilla
Combine well
Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes - 1 hour)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Line 3 baking sheet pans with parchment paper.
Roll out 1/3 of the dough at a time on a floured surface to 1/8" thick.
Use quite a bit of flour, the dough will be soft and sticky.

Use a 2 3/4" round cookie cutter
Place rounds on the sheet pan and spoon 1- 2 tsp of filling on the center of the circle.
Top with another circle of dough
Do not seal them, this will happen when they bake.
Prepare all of the circles for 1 sheet pan then repeat for the other 2.

Bake for 15 minutes
Allow to cool on the pan for 10 minutes.
Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.

Store in an airtight container up to 5 days at room temperature.


If you don't have access to Vegetarian Mincemeat, here's Homemade Hippy Vegetarian Mincemeat.

1/2 stick (4TBS) butter
2/3 C brown sugar
1 C unsweetened apple juice
2 large apples, your choice, I use Jonagold, peeled, cored and grated.
1/2 C dark raisins
1/2 C golden raisins
1.2 C dried cranberries
1/2 C dried currents
1/2 C dried figs, chopped
3/4 C candied mixed  fruit peel
1/2 C candied cherries
zest of 1 orange
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 C chopped walnuts
1/3 C the best dark rum you can afford
1/3 C Cognac + additional
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt

Melt butter in a large stockpot.
Add brown sugar and apple juice, stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Remove from heat.
Add all remaining ingredients and combine well. Return to heat.
Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring often.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often.

Remove from heat.
Add 4 additional TBS of cognac, stir well
Cool completely.
Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate 24 hours.
 If you're planning to refrigerate it longer than a month, every week add 4 additional TBS of cognac.

Use the Mincemeat in your favorite recipe for tarts, pies, or cookies.

A Vintage Recipe from Aunt Faye's collection!

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!