Do you ever have an annoying bit of mincemeat left in the bottom of the jar at Christmas? These leftover mincemeat buns provide a solution. They’re quick and easy to make and are really tasty too. In fact, many will argue they are nicer than mince pies.
Looking around my kitchen the other day (well more like the other week), two items caught my eye. An opened jar containing some chocolate mincemeat leftover from the mincemeat slices I’d made a few days earlier and one lost languishing banana which was about to expire. It was obvious there was no time to spare, I needed to use them quickly.
Leftover Mincemeat Buns
What could I do, but make some leftover banana and mincemeat buns. I based my recipe on some mincemeat buns I created a couple of years ago in order to thank our lovely neighbours who take in our parcels with monotonous regularity and never complain.
The banana is entirely optional. I’ve made it both with and without. Both are good. The deciding factor is if I have a banana lying around that needs using up. It may well be the same for you.
I also have a recipe for fig and mincemeat buns, but they were more to do with leftover cake mixture rather than leftover mincemeat.
The buns rise well and have a fabulous crumb structure. And more to the point, they’re very tasty. Even CT likes these and he is not a mincemeat fan.
If you want to pretty them up or make them look festive, sprinkle a little icing sugar over the top once they’ve cooled.
Vegan Mincemeat Buns
If you fancy vegan mincemeat buns, I have a recipe for that too. Only I’ve called that one vegan mincemeat muffins, because they’re made in a rather different way. What I’m trying to say is they are muffins, not buns, but also exceedingly good.
What’s The Difference Between A Bun And A Muffin?
A bun in UK parlance can be one of two things. It’s a small British cake made by creaming butter and sugar together. You then beat in some eggs, add flour and whatever additions you fancy. Dried fruit is quite common.
The other type of bun is a sweet yeasted one such as these Chelsea buns or these hot cross buns.
Muffins also refer to two different types of bakes here in the UK. There’s the American muffins which is a type of cake made by mixing wet ingredients into dry ingredients. They’re usually made with oil rather than butter and traditionally weren’t as sweet as buns. These days they tend to be sweeter.
English muffins, on the other hand are a type of soft bread roll. We like to enjoy them toasted and spread with butter and jam.
Other Bun Recipes You Might Like
- Apricot and vanilla buns
- Blueberry muffins (vegan)
- Henk’s chocolate nut cakes
- Stollen cakes
- Triple chocolate buns
- Wensleydale and cranberry chocolate muffins
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make my leftover mincemeat buns, with or without the banana, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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If you’d like other ideas for mincemeat recipes, take a look at my mincemeat tag. I have quite a few. I also have a post on all the mincemeat recipes you will ever need, which includes recipes from other food bloggers.
Choclette x
Leftover Mincemeat Buns. PIN IT.
Leftover Mincemeat Buns – The Recipe
Leftover Mincemeat Buns with Optional Banana
Ingredients
- 125 g unsalted butter softened
- 125 g golden caster sugar (I used cardamom sugar)
- 2 large eggs (I used duck eggs)
- 1 banana (optional) – mashed
- 125 g flour (half wholemeal, half plain)
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 4 tbsp mincemeat (I used chocolate mincemeat)
Instructions
- Cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.125 g unsalted butter, 125 g golden caster sugar
- Break in the eggs, one by one, beating well between each egg.2 large eggs
- Beat in the mashed banana, if using, until well combined.1 banana
- Sift in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, discarding any particularly large pieces of bran left in the sieve.125 g flour, ¾ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- Stir in the mincemeat.4 tbsp mincemeat
- Spoon into 10 muffin cases, unless you add the banana. In which case spoon into 12 muffin cases.
- Bake at 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4) for 15 minutes until risen and golden.
- Place on a wire rack to cool. Sprinkle with a little icing sugar once cooled, if liked.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
Using up leftovers and homemade leftovers at that, as well as rescuing a banana from the compost heap gives these simple buns the necessary kudos to be entered into Credit Crunch Munch with Camilla of FabFood4All.
This month’s Family Foodies is all about getting something prepared fast – fast as in under 30 minutes. Well I reckon as long as your butter is soft and your ingredients handy, you could get these leftover mincemeat muffins prepared in ten minutes allowing them twenty minutes to bake. I’ve also managed to get a healthy banana in there as well as lots of dried fruit and dark chocolate. Hosted alternately by Bangers & Mash and Eat Your Veg.
Camilla Hawkins says
Banana, chocolate and dried fruits – a perfect comination, it’s so good to get odd bits of food used up which might otherwise have been wasted. Thank you for entering Credit Crunch Munch with such a yummy recipe:-)
Jane Sarchet says
Ooooh, nice combo of flavours choccy. They sound scrummy 🙂
Janie x
Lou, Eat Your Veg says
I still have half a jar of homemade mincemeat that stares at me every time I open the fridge! Must use SOON, with banana in buns sounds like a very good idea.
Pam Francis Gregory says
Another great use for mincemeat!
Kate@whatkatebaked says
I love that you felt there was no time to spare, I’m imagining you downing tools and putting into practice a “Cake State of Emergency” to urgently bake these lovely little muffins!
Sylvia F. says
What a creative way to use mince meat! Sounds super tasty!
bangermashchat says
Never thought of combining mincemeat with chocolate, but since I have a jar left over from Christmas and we always have chocolate and ripe bananas in the house, I’ve simply got to give these a go. They look absolutely scrummy. And a great entry for this month’s Family Foodies challenge. Thanks for sharing!
fiona maclean says
As always they sound great! yum!
Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry says
I am a cardamom addict so I am always excited to see some cardamom in goodies like these.
Alida says
Another interesting combination. I think it could definitely gorge on these!!
Alison says
Chocolate mincemeat? Who knew. These looks gorgeous.
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
I am not a fan of mincemeat, but my husband is, so I know he will love these.
Tina Chawla says
Its good to see more uses for mincemeat. Would never have thought to combine them with banana, now intrigued. They look moist and incredibly moreish.
Deena Kakaya says
Oof, these sound like wonderful mouthfuls of celebration, gorgeous and succulent x
Karen S Booth says
LOVE these buns Choclette and especially as I am a BIG fan of mincemeat in baking, in cakes and bakes as well as the usual tarts! Karen
riseofthesourdoughpreacher says
Oh lord this must be heaven!
Never considered pairing mincemeat and banana but it mst be gorgeous!
I have some leftovers from Christmas and will definitely try this one out asap.
Thank you for this lovela recipe 🙂
Have a nice day
Lou
Johanna GGG says
Sounds like an excellent use of the mincemeat – I had mine leftover til last christmas last year and refused to make any this past christmas but I do look longingly at your recipe and thing maybe some leftovers wasn’t such a bad thing
belleau kitchen says
I mean I think you really rescued those ingredients from a fate worse than death… You’re a good woman! Beautiful buns.
vohnmcg.com says
Ooh – I’m liking the idea of mincemeat & bananas. I have mincemeat left too but it ain’t chocolate – I think I’ll throw in some chocolate chips! Vohn x
Kate Glutenfreealchemist says
What a lovely combination of ingredients. And they look so moist and delicious! I have never made or used cardamom sugar. Is it easy to make?
Choclette says
Thanks Kate. Cardamom sugar is super easy to make. Just throw a handful of cardamom seeds in a jar of caster sugar and keep topping up after use. I dive the sugar and put the seeds back in the jar.