My slow cooker mincemeat pudding is simple to make, can be made at the last minute if you missed Stir Up Sunday, and is full of festive flavours!
Following hot on the heels on from my slow cooker turkey crown this is yet another Christmas recipe!
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An alternative to Christmas pudding
This slow cooker mincemeat pudding is ideal if you aren’t a fan of the traditional Christmas pudding with its deep rich flavours and dried fruit. It makes a great alternative.
This lightly spiced pudding with added mincemeat is great for mince pie lovers and still has that Christmassy vibe.
My children don’t like Christmas pudding at all so we tend not to have it, and this is a much lighter version which is easy to make.
No 8 hours steaming in a pan like normal Christmas pudding needed here! It takes the same time to make a normal slow cooker dessert, 2 hours.
Much easier to fit that in when you are busy fitting in all the Christmas preparations!
An everyday winter dessert
It also works well as a winter dessert for everyday, and can be enjoyed with custard midweek or with your Sunday roast too.
Whatever the day, this steamed pudding will have you dreaming of snow covered hills, opening presents and Santa leaving footprints on the roof!
What is mincemeat?
If you aren’t from Great Britain or a place where you traditionally eat mince pies at Christmas then you might be wondering what mincemeat is.
There is no meat in here, mincemeat is a mixture of dried fruit, candied peel, apple, sugar, spices, suet and sometimes alcohol.
Originally (two hundred years ago!) mincemeat did contain meat, usually beef. It still contains suet fat now but often this is vegetarian suet instead of beef suet.
We have it in mince pies at Christmas in the United Kingdom (it is also popular in other Commonwealth countries like Australia and Canada I believe too). You can buy mincemeat that is made with amaretto, gin or brandy too.
You can also make your own mincemeat, I like this boozy gin mincemeat from Claire from Foodie Quine, and this slow cooker mincemeat with ginger from Janice at Farmersgirl Kitchen.
Step by step instructions
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this slow cooker mincemeat pudding recipe perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step 1. Make up the spiced sponge pudding mixture, butter a pudding basin and spoon half of the mixture into the basin.
Step 2. Add three tablespoons of mincemeat on top of the sponge mixture.
Step 3. Marble the mincemeat into the pudding using a knife, skewer or toothpick. By doing this it makes the mincemeat distribute more evenly in the pudding.
Step 4. Put the remaining sponge pudding mixture on top.
Step 5. Add three more tablespoons of mixture on top of the sponge mixture.
Step 6. Marble in the mincemeat again using a knife, skewer or toothpick.
Step 7. Cover the pudding basin with foil, pour some boiling water into the base of the slow cooker pot and put the pudding basin into the pot. Put on the lid of the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours.
Step 8. Check the pudding is cooked through in the centre using a toothpick, skewer or knife. Remove the pudding basin from the slow cooker and serve hot with custard, brandy butter or cream.
More steamed puddings
- Syrup sponge
- Cranberry and vanilla steamed pudding
- Gingerbread pudding
- Cloutie dumpling in the slow cooker from Farmersgirl Kitchen
- Blood orange and ginger steamed pudding from Domestic Gothess
- Apple and blackberry steamed pudding from Fuss Free Flavours
More Christmas recipes for your slow cooker
Make sure you check out my Christmas slow cooker post full of edible gifts, sweet treats, Christmas dinner recipes and more, all made in your slow cooker!
Recipe
Slow Cooker Mincemeat Pudding
Ingredients
- 175 g (¾ cup) butter at room temperature
- 175 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 175 g (1 cup + 1 tbsp) self-raising flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 0.25 tsp (¼ tsp) ground cloves
- 0.25 tsp (¼ tsp) ground nutmeg
- 6 tbsp mincemeat either from a jar or homemade
Instructions
- Place the softened butter, caster sugar, flour, eggs and spices in a bowl and beat well until smooth.175 g butter, 175 g caster sugar (superfine sugar), 175 g self-raising flour, 3 eggs, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp mixed spice, 0.25 tsp ground cloves, 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
- Grease a pudding bowl with butter, then place half of the pudding mixture in the bowl.
- Spoon on three tablespoons of mincemeat and then marble it in with a knife skewer or toothpick.6 tbsp mincemeat
- Place the rest of the pudding mixture on top.
- Top again with three tablespoons of mincemeat and marble it in again.
- Cover the top of the pudding basin with foil.
- Get your slow cooker ready. Note: I used my large 5.7 litre Crockpot for this recipe, as I can get a pudding bowl in there.Boil a kettle and pour the boiling water into the slow cooker ceramic pot.
- Place the pudding basin, covered with foil, into the water.
- Place the lid back on the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 to 2.5 hours, until the pudding has risen in the bowl and the top centre of it looks firm.
- Allow to cool, then remove the pudding basin from the slow cooker using oven gloves.
- Invert the pudding onto a plate. If there is mincemeat in the base of the pot, spoon it over the top of the pudding. Serve warm with custard, brandy butter or cream.
Holly says
Sounds so good. will this work with the ‘store bought jar of mincemeat’? I have one of those ‘fluted old tins’ do I just put that in my crockpot? I am from America and don’t understand the measurements. Is there a place I can go to see what I need in cups, teaspoons etc.
bakingqueen74 says
Yes, I use store bought mincemeat. not sure what tin you mean, sorry, I use a ceramic pudding bowl. For US measurements please click the blue underlined text under the ingredients that says US Measurements.
Jo R says
Help! My slow cooker doesn’t have a high setting. Is there an alternative way of cooking this amazing looking dessert?
bakingqueen74 says
Hi Jo. I have only made it in the slow cooker but I am sure it would work just as well in a pudding basin in a saucepan! Sorry I don’t know the timings though. So would watch it carefully
Jo R says
Thanks, I’ll experiment and let you know!!!
Lucille Rosser says
I am American. What is 0.9 cup? Is that like tablespoons or teaspoons.
bakingqueen74 says
It is 9 tenths of a cup so just under a cup. You would most likely use 3/4 of a cup plus 2 tablespoons for this. I hope that helps!
Mandy says
This looks gorgeous Lucy and what a lovely alternative to a classic Christmas pudding. Bet it tastes awesome.
Mayuri Patel says
Now I know why it was called mincemeat when there is no meat in it. I love mincemeat (veggie version) and this light version pudding is irresistible.
Bev says
Being in the US, I’ve never had Christmas Pudding or Mincemeat. I love hearing about people’s Christmas traditions from all over. Will have to try this recipe this year!
Lucy Parissi says
Such a great idea – much simpler than making a Christmas pudding if time is tight.
Cat | Curly's Cooking says
I love mincemeat and like finding new ways to use it. This looks so delicious and the perfect pudding for Christmas day.
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Cat, it certainly was a yummy way to use mincemeat!