Mince-Meat Cookies

Two thin rounds of tender, sugar cookie-style dough pressed together around a spoonful of cooked mincemeat filling. These are old-fashioned filled cookies from an era when holiday baking was a serious production, and they’re worth reviving.

Cake flour instead of all-purpose is what gives these their delicate, melt-on-the-tongue texture. Cake flour has less protein, so the rolled dough stays tender even when handled multiple times during cutting and assembly. Regular flour would make them tough and crackery.

The two-hour chill is non-negotiable. This is a shortening-based dough that’s soft and sticky at room temperature. Cold dough rolls to a clean ⅛ inch thickness and cuts with sharp edges. Try to rush it and you’ll have a frustrating, floppy mess on your floured board.

The filling gets cooked down first: mincemeat simmered with sugar and water for 10 minutes to thicken it and concentrate the spiced fruit flavors. Cooling completely before filling is critical. Warm filling melts the chilled dough and makes the cookies impossible to seal properly.

Kitchen Tips

• Roll the dough in small batches, keeping the rest refrigerated. It warms up fast and goes from workable to sticky in minutes.
• Use a teaspoon of filling per cookie, not more. Overfilling causes the edges to pop open during the 10-minute bake.
• Press the edges together firmly with fork tines. This seals the cookies and adds a decorative border.
• Bake on the middle rack. The high temperature (425) browns the bottom quickly, so the middle position prevents scorching.

Variations

• Rum-spiked filling: Add a tablespoon of dark rum to the mincemeat mixture while simmering for a boozy holiday version.
• Cream cheese dough: Replace half the shortening with cream cheese for a tangier, flakier cookie shell.