The quick, easy filling for these Hanukkah mince pies is fruity, sweet, spicy and delicious, enhanced with kiddush wine and rum! Happy Chanukah!

Nothing heralds the start of the festive season more than a plate of homemade, fragrant, warm mince pies. Sweet, spicy, fruity and delicious, they are a staple of the British winter holiday season.

And since mince pies have no apparent religious significance, I can see no reason not to slot them in next to the latkes in the list of seasonal treats for Chanukah!

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Mincemeat pie filling – made in an instant!

Traditional mincemeat is made weeks in advance of using and ‘matured’ in jars before filling pies. I’m not that organised, sadly, so I’ve concocted this recipe for ‘instant mincemeat’ which you can whip together on the day you want to use it, and is 98% as good – close enough as far as I’m concerned.

Mincemeat usually has a good slug of alcohol in it, and I’ve used Palwin sweet red kiddush wine (plus a splash of rum), to give a really wonderful Chanukah flavour.

An oldie and a goodie

Palwin wines have a long tradition here in the UK. They first appeared in 1898, and Palwin is probably the oldest kosher wine brand still in existence. Palwin no. 10 is a sweet, red, dessert wine usually used for kiddush.

It is used throughout the year but seems particularly suited to Chanukah recipes as it is also called ‘Menorah’! Palwin no. 10 is made from freshly gathered wine grapes, without the addition of water or sugar – a rarity among kiddush wines – making it less sweet and more ‘winey’ than some others.

Its unique flavour is instantly recognisable to the majority of British Jews. I think its fruity richness goes brilliantly with the dried fruits, spices and nuts in these delicious Chanukah mince pies.

Palwin no. 10 (‘Menorah’) is available from the Kosher sections of major UK supermarkets, as well as independent kosher shops and wine merchants. Happy Chanukah!

Pastry for mince pies – Rich and buttery

The butter pastry for these Hanukkah mince pies, while simple, is utterly fabulous. If you have no reason to make them parve, I urge you to eschew the margarine. Make these pies with butter instead – you won’t regret it. And since they’re already milchig you might as well serve them with a dollop of cream…

Chanukah mince pies – ingredients

To whip up a delicious tray-ful of mince pies yourself, you will simply need:

For the kiddush wine mincemeat:

An apple
Dark brown sugar
Butter or margarine
Mixed spice – this sweet spice blend is popular in British recipes, but you can substitute any sweet spice mixture, for instance apple pie spice or pumpkin spice
Ground allspice – sometimes called pimento
Raisins, sultanas, or a mixture
Dried cranberries
Chopped candied peel
Palwin no. 10 sweet red kiddush wine – or use your favourite kiddush wine
Tangerine (satsuma) – zest and juice
Chopped nuts – optional
A good splash of rum!

Ingredients used in making mincemeat - raisins/sultanas and dried cranberries, chopped mixed peel, brown sugar, mixed spices, chopped nuts, red wine, rum, apple and tangerine.

For the pastry:

Plain flour – also called all purpose flour
Butter or margarine (butter really does taste better)

Mince Pies – the shape of Chanukah

I cut out the tops of my Chanukah mince pies using the menorah, dreidel and magen david shapes from my Chanukah cutter set. They are the perfect size to top a mince pie! You can use them to cut out Chanukah cookies too, if that’s your thing. (I also recommend this fabulous rolling pin, for perfect evenly rolled out pastry every time.)

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📖 Recipe

Chanukah mince pies with kiddush wine mincemeat

The quick, easy filling for these festive mince pies is fruity, sweet, spicy and delicious, enhanced with kiddush wine and rum! Happy Chanukah!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 40

Cook Time 20

Chilling 30

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine British, Jewish

Servings mince pies

Calories 222 kcal

Ingredients

For the mincemeat

1 apple
2 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 tablespoon butter or margarine
1½ teaspoon mixed spice (or any sweet spice blend for instance pumpkin pie spice)
½ teaspoon ground allspice
100 g raisins, sultanas, or a mixture of both
65 g dried cranberries
1 tablespoon chopped candied peel
2 tablespoon Palwin no. 10 sweet red kiddush wine + a little extra
zest and juice of a tangerine
2 tablespoon chopped nuts
1 tablespoon rum

For the pastry

300 g plain flour
150 g cold butter or margarine
50-60 ml cold water
A little milk and sugar for the tops.

Instructions

To make the mincemeat pie filing

1 apple, 2 tbsp dark brown sugar, 2 tbsp butter or margarine, 1½ tsp mixed spice, ½ tsp ground allspice
Peel, core and grate the apple. Place in a saucepan with the brown sugar, butter (or margarine), mixed spice and allspice. Cook over a low heat for 3-4 minutes until bubbling and well mixed.
100 g (¾ cup) raisins, sultanas, or a mixture of both , 65 g (½ cup) dried cranberries, 1 tbsp chopped candied peel, 2 tbsp Palwin no. 10 sweet red kiddush wine, zest and juice of a tangerine
Add the raisins, cranberries, candied peel, kiddush wine, and tangerine zest and juice. Mix well, cover the pan, and leave to cool.
2 tbsp chopped nuts, 1 tbsp rum
Once cold, stir in the nuts (if using) and rum. If the mixture looks a little dry, add a splash more kiddush wine.

To make the pastry

300 g (2½ cups) plain flour, 150 g (⅔ cup) cold butter or margarine
Put the flour into the bowl of the food processor. Cut the cold butter (or margarine) into cubes and add to the bowl. Process just until a crumbly texture is formed.
50-60 ml (⅕ cups) cold water
With the motor running, slowly pour in the water – you may not need all of it. Stop as soon as the mixture forms into a ball.
Press the ball into a disc and wrap in clingfilm. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before using.

To make the pies

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
Roll out the pastry to 4mm (just under ¼ inch) thickness. Use a fluted cutter to cut circles and gently press them into the spaces in a tartlet/cupcake tin.
Add a generous tablespoon of filling to each pie.
Re-roll the pastry if necessary, and cut out Chanukah shapes – dreidels, menorahs and stars – and use them to top the pies.
A little milk and sugar for the tops.
Brush the tops with a little milk (or milk alternative) and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for around 20 minutes until lightly golden.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving. Delicious warm or cold!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Chanukah mince pies with kiddush wine mincemeat

Serving Size

1 pie

Amount per Serving

Calories

222

% Daily Value*

Fat

Saturated Fat

Trans Fat

Polyunsaturated Fat

Monounsaturated Fat

Cholesterol

Sodium

113

Potassium

117

Carbohydrates

Fiber

Sugar

Protein

Vitamin A

421

Vitamin C

Calcium

Iron

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword apple, fruit, nuts, pastry, raisins, spice

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More delicious mincemeat recipes

If you love mincemeat, why not try it in a mince pie doughnut, an apple and mincemeat shortcake slice, or these boozy mince pie hamantaschen.

More fabulous Chanukah recipes

For more Chanukah treats, take a look at

The quick & easy filling for these festive mince pies is fruity, sweet, spicy and delicious, enhanced with kiddush wine and rum! Make a batch today.

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Kedem Europe, distributors of Palwin wines. I was not required to write a positive review and any opinions expressed are my own.

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