Maybe you, too, didn’t get around to making those mincemeat tarts at Christmas time. Maybe that jar of mincemeat sits on your pantry shelf, reminding you of its goodness every time you reach past it for a can of soup or a box of crackers. Maybe the craving for that resinous, spicy, fruity flavor gets a little stronger every day.

Maybe it’s time to make mincemeat cookies.

These cakey gems are tender and delicious and just a little homely. Easy to make from uncomplicated ingredients, they are the perfect antidote to a stressful day. The sharp taste of mincemeat mellows here in the presence of sugar, flour, and eggs, and the result is something you’d expect to fill some grandmother’s cookie jar back in the day – if Grandma was a kick-ass baker.

Mincemeat Cookies, recipe adapted long ago from a label on the back of a jar of mincemeat.

1 cup vegetable shortening

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs at room temperature

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 1/3 cups mincemeat (about half of a ready-to-use 27-ounce jar)

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, combine the shortening and sugar, and beat for several minutes until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl several times during this process.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. With the electric mixer on low speed, add spoonfuls of the flour mixture until all is incorporated. Add all of the mincemeat and continue to mix on low speed, just until it is completely blended. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl again to ensure even mixing.

Drop tablespoon-sized mounds of dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing the dough about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375°F. for about 10 minutes or until golden brown on the edges, with tops that spring back when lightly touched. Makes 4 dozen.