Mince Pie Crumble Bars

Three words: Press. In. Crust.

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Mince pies are a quintessential holiday treat, but you don’t have to futz with pie dough and a muffin tin to enjoy them this Christmas. Jammy spiced fruit filling is spread over press-in almond cookie base, dotted with almond cookie crumbles and baked in a straightforward square pan for a simplified spin on this Christmas classic.

If you’ve never heard of mincemeat, it’s actually a mix of chopped dried fruit, brown sugar and butter flavored with citrus, holiday spices, and often a kick of booze. No meat in sight. While specific recipes vary, most include sultanas, currants, raisins, and candied orange peel. I chose to add apricots as well, since they pair well with the orange and almonds in the crust. That said, there are no hard-and-fast rules, so feel free to customize the mix of dried fruits according to your preferences. Mincemeat is traditionally stirred together and left to sit overnight before baking it off in the mini pie shells, but I took a cue from Mary Berry’s mincemeat streusel recipe and chose to cook it slightly before adding it to these bars.

Press-in crusts are the middle child of the pastry world: straddling the world of pie and cookie dough, they seek to bring everything together in perfect harmony, while remaining blessedly low-maintenance. This one incorporates a little almond flour for an extra soft, buttery texture and also serves as the crumbs for the crumble topping. If your butter is truly softened, a bowl and a sturdy rubber spatula are the only equipment you’ll need to stir this together.

Between the tender almond crust, the jammy fruit, and those crisp crumbs on top, these mince pie bars are on their way to being a new holiday classic in my home. Even if you’ve never had a mince pie before—or you just flat-out don’t think you like them—I encourage you to give them a try. You might just discover they’re a new holiday favorite in yours, too.

Enjoy!

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Mince Pie Crumble Bars

(Serves 16)

For the mincemeat filling:

¼ c. (50 g.) light brown sugar

2 tbsp. (28 g.) unsalted butter

Zest of 1 lemon, plus 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tbsp. fresh orange juice

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

1 small apple, grated

1/3 cup (50 g.) currants

1/3 cup (50 g.) raisins

1/3 cup (50 g.) sultanas or golden raisins

¼ cup (50 g.) dried apricots, finely chopped

3 tbsp. (25 g.) finely chopped candied orange peel

2 tbsp. brandy, optional

For the crumble bars:

10 tbsp. (140 g.) unsalted butter, softened

2/3 c. (133 g.) light brown sugar

½ tsp. kosher salt

1 large egg

1 ¾ c. (210 g.) all-purpose flour

½ c. (45 g.) almond flour

¼ cup sliced almonds, divided

Orange peel, for topping (optional)

Method

For the mincemeat filling:

In a small pot, combine brown sugar, butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, orange juice, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute.

Add apple, currants, raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, and candied orange peel, and continue to cook, stirring, until thickened and jammy, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in brandy if using. Let cool.

For the crumble bars:

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8” x 8” pan with nonstick spray; line with parchment paper, allowing the ends of the paper to extend over the sides of the pan, creating handles for easy removal.

In a medium bowl with sturdy spoon or spatula, stir together butter, brown sugar, and salt until creamy and combined. Add egg and stir until fully incorporated, then fold in both flours until a smooth dough forms.

Press about two-thirds of this mixture into the prepared pan, patting down with the back of the hand to ensure an even thickness. Spread cooled mincemeat over the top in an even layer.

Stir about 3 tablespoons sliced almonds into remaining dough. Pinch off pieces of dough and scatter over mincemeat layer, making sure to use a mix of larger and smaller pieces. Press remaining tablespoon of sliced almonds into the tops of the scatter dough.

Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden brown on top. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove entire bar from pan using the parchment paper handles. Let cool completely before cutting into squares and serving.

Originally posted December 3, 2023.