These slow cooker mincemeat swirls are the ultimate easy Christmas treat – soft, fruity swirls baked gently while your house fills with festive spice and orange zest aromas.
Perfect for holiday mornings or as a sweet snack alongside coffee, they’re simple to mix up and pop straight into the slow cooker, with an optional boozy brandy glaze for extra indulgence.
Whether you’re using leftover store-bought mincemeat from making mince pies or your own homemade luxury mincemeat, this recipe delivers warm, Christmassy flavour with minimal fuss.
Whip up these slow cooker mincemeat swirls in minutes and bake them in your slow cooker on Christmas morning.
Once Christmas Day itself is here I might be eating turkey with all the trimmings for dinner using my slow cooker turkey crown recipe, but my slow cooker will be working away in the morning too for breakfast!
I’ve used a scone dough for this recipe which is so quick to make as it doesn’t need to prove or rest.
Just mix together the ingredients, rub in the butter and stir in the milk and you are almost there!
A quick and easy buttermilk glaze spiked with brandy if you fancy it (leave this out for kids!) finishes the swirls off nicely, leaving you with time for a coffee before the Christmas cookathon begins.
Ingredients
Here is what you will need for this recipe. Get the quantities in the recipe card further down.
- self-raising flour (self-rising flour)
- salt
- cinnamon
- orange zest – I use the zest from a festive clementine or whatever I have in the fruit bowl.
- butter – I prefer unsalted for baking
- caster sugar
- milk
- mincemeat – the sweet fruit mincemeat in jars used at Christmas.
- icing sugar
- buttermilk
- brandy – optional, for the glaze.
Instructions
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this slow cooker mincemeat swirl recipe perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step 1. Place the flour, salt, cinnamon and orange zest in a large bowl.
Step 2. Rub in the butter then stir in the sugar.
Step 3. Pour in the milk and combine using a spoon to make a soft dough.
Step 4. Dust your work surface with flour then form the dough into a small rectangle, about a centimetre thick.
Step 5. Spread the mincemeat thickly over the dough (leaving a border around the edges).
Step 6. Roll up along the long edge to make a roll.
Step 7. Cut the roll into 8 pieces about 2 centimetres thick.
Step 8. Arrange the mincemeat swirls in the base of the slow cooker on baking paper or on a cake case.
Cook on high for approx 1.5 to 2 hours or until firm and starting to go crispy around the edges.
Allow to cool a little then mix together the glaze ingredients and drizzle over, if using.
Storage
Best enjoyed fresh. Keep the swirls in an airtight container for 1-2 days maximum. They tend to dry out and harden a bit after this.
Can be frozen for up to 3 months. I tear apart the individual swirls and wrap them well in baking paper and foil before freezing.
Defrost at room temperature for an hour. Warm in a low oven for 5-10 minutes.
Variations
Make these vegan/dairy-free by switching the butter and milk to your preferred plant-based butter and milk.
Instead of mincemeat, fill these sweet rolls with Nutella, Biscoff or Pistachio spread.
More Christmas recipes
Make sure you check out my Christmas slow cooker collection full of edible gifts, sweet treats, Christmas dinner recipes and more, all made in your slow cooker!
Related
Recipe
Slow Cooker Mincemeat Swirls
Ingredients
- 225 g (1¼ cups + 2 tbsp) self-raising flour
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- zest of an orange or clementine
- 55 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter cubed
- 30 g (2 tbsp + 1 tsp) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 150 ml (½ cup + 2 tbsp) semi-skimmed milk
- 200 g (7 oz) mincemeat
For the glaze:
- 100 g (½ cups + 3 tbsp) icing sugar
- 3 heaped tsp (3 tsp) buttermilk
- 1-2 tsp brandy optional
Equipment
Instructions
- Place the flour, salt, cinnamon and clementine or orange zest in a large bowl.225 g self-raising flour, pinch of salt, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, zest of an orange
- Rub in the butter then stir in the sugar.55 g unsalted butter, 30 g caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- Pour in the milk and combine using a spoon to make a soft dough.150 ml semi-skimmed milk
- Dust your work surface with flour then form the dough into a small rectangle, about a centimetre thick.
- Spread the mincemeat thickly over the dough, then roll up along the long edge to make a roll.200 g mincemeat
- Cut the roll into 8 pieces about 2 centimetres thick.
- Arrange the mincemeat swirls in the base of the slow cooker on baking paper or on a cake case.
- Cook on high for approx 1.5 to 2 hours or until firm and starting to go crispy around the edges.
- Remove from the slow cooker and leave to cool slightly.
- Make the glaze by mixing the ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle over the swirls and enjoy immediately.100 g icing sugar, 3 heaped tsp buttermilk, 1-2 tsp brandy
Notes
- Place a tea towel or a double layer of kitchen roll under the lid of the slow cooker to catch drips.
- Use the edge of the baking paper to remove the mincemeat swirls from the slow cooker pot.
- Storage – Best enjoyed fresh. Keep the swirls in an airtight container for 1-2 days maximum. They tend to dry out and harden a bit after this,
- Freezing – Can be frozen for up to 3 months. I tear apart the individual swirls and wrap them well in baking paper and foil before freezing. Defrost at room temperature for an hour. Warm in a low oven for 5-10 minutes
- Variations
- Make these vegan/dairy-free by switching the butter and milk to your preferred plant-based butter and milk.
- Instead of mincemeat, fill these sweet rolls with Nutella, Biscoff or Pistachio spread.
Gina says
I realise this post is 8 years old, but this mincemeat swirl is my go-to Christmas day pudding. This year (2024) I remembered to put the orange zest in. Wow! What a difference. Utterly delicious.
bakingqueen74 says
that’s awesome Gina, thanks for leaving your comment and review!
Elizabeth says
What a super idea! I’d never have thought to make something like this in the slow cooker. I bet it tastes amazing! Thank you for sharing with the No Waste Food Challenge! 🙂
Gina Goddard-Bell says
Elizabeth: I’ve read about people doing puddings in the SC, but Lucy’s is the only one I’ve been brave enough to make. Try them, I’m sure you’ll love them – and I can guarantee they’ll be no waste once they get tasted!!
Gina Goddard-Bell says
Hi Lucy – I made the mincemeat rolls for after Boxing Day lunch. Even tho I forgot about them and left them in for 3 hours, they were DELICIOUS!!!!! I’m never making mince pies again, mincemeat swirls are the way to go! Thank you!
bakingqueen74 says
Brilliant Gina, thank you so much for letting me know you enjoyed them!
chef mimi says
What fun! I was wondering how yeast wasn’t in the recipe – but self-rising flour?!!! Brilliant!!!
bakingqueen74 says
Thank you! The dough is a scone recipe rather than a yeasted bread, great for a quick breakfast.