Once upon a time, traditional mincemeat was made with–you guessed it!–minced meat (sort of like hamburger), eked out with fruit and spices. Later, bits of suet were used instead of meat and the dish became a holiday favorite. Now we have this vegan version, super-low in cholesterol and totally sublime. It’s also ridiculously easy and surprisingly fast to make–just 15 minutes on the stove and then a little baking time.

Holiday Mince Pie is a healthful new take on a grand old holiday classic. We think the Ghost of Christmas Past would approve.

INGREDIENTS

One unbaked pie crust of choice, enough dough for a bottom and a top
4 apples, cored and diced
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup apple juice
1 orange, scrubbed, juiced, and the peel grated (you will use both the juice and the grated peel)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Place all ingredients (except pie crust!) in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes until apples begin to soften.

2. Pour filling into unbaked pie crust shell. Roll second piece of dough out and cut into strips 1/2” wide. Weave strips over top of pie to make a lattice crust. (You could omit this step and cut out decorative shapes from the dough instead, placing them around the top of the pie.)

3. Bake for 40 minutes, covering lightly with aluminum foil if crust starts to burn.

Serves 8.