These homemade vegan mince pies are deliciously tempting. Made with almond pastry they're a wonderful Christmas treat, either as a gift or for yourself.
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I really love mince pies.
In fact I love them so much that I actually have to limit the amount that I make each December as otherwise I'll eat way too many of them.
Mince pies really do test my self control!
And these vegan mince pies made with fruit filled mincemeat and deliciously sweet almond pastry are some of the best ones that I've ever made.
I hope you love them too.
Mince pie filling
These mince pies can be made with either homemade or shop bought mincemeat.
Shop bought mincemeat is easy and inexpensive to buy at Christmas-time here in the UK.
Bear in mind that not all mincemeat is vegan. Some luxury brands are made with beef suet so do check the ingredients.
If you want to make your own mincemeat try my homemade vegan mincemeat.
But hang on, what on earth is mincemeat?
If you've got this far and you're wondering what I'm talking about, or perhaps you don't live in the UK, let me explain.
Mincemeat in the UK means two things.
Yes, it's the word for the minced meat that you might use in spaghetti bolognese.
But it's also a delicious sweet Christmassy fruity concoction that is used most commonly to make mince pies.
Back in the medieval times it was made with beef as well - hence the name.
Nowadays it's usually made with fruit, sugar and alcohol. It often contains suet too (which is an animal product) - so double check before buying it.
Can you make these with ready made pastry?
You can, of course, use ready made pastry to make these mince pies. Most ready made shortcrust pastry is suitable for vegans - although I always recommend checking the ingredients list to be sure.
However, it really is worth taking the trouble to make your own pastry for these homemade vegan mince pies.
The pastry I make contains ground almonds. This not only adds a delicious flavour but some valuable nutrients too.
With homemade pastry the mince pies taste so much more delicious. Plus making your own pastry isn't as hard as you might think.
More vegan Christmas recipes
Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? Check out my list of 15 of the best vegan cookbooks for inspiration.
Ingredients
For the almond pastry
You will need:
- plain flour
- ground almonds
- caster sugar
- pinch salt (optional)
- vegan butter
- cold water
For the mince pies
You will need:
- mincemeat (homemade or shop bought)
- icing sugar
- cold water
Equipment
You will need:
- digital scales*
- measuring spoons*
- food processor* (you can also make the pastry by hand in a mixing bowl)
- rolling pin*
- shallow bun tin* (or use muffin tin* to make larger mince pies)
- pastry brush*
- pastry cutters*
- star cutters*
- wire cooling rack*
How to make vegan mince pies
NB: This recipe makes 12 small mince pies. Double or even triple the recipe to make more.
Make the pastry
1. Place the flour, sugar, ground almonds and salt into a food processor.
2. Pulse until combined.
3. Add the butter.
4. Process until you have the consistency of breadcrumbs.
5. Add ½ tablespoon of cold water and continue processing. Add water, a little at a time, until it comes together into a dough. You may not need all the water.
6. Knead on a lightly floured surface for a few seconds then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for half an hour.
Make the mince pies
7. Grease a bun tin and set aside. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C(fan)/200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. On a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry and cut into rounds to fit your bun tin with a cutter.
8. Press them into the bun tins and prick with a fork.
9. Fill each pastry case with a spoonful of mincemeat.
10. Roll out any remaining pastry and cut into stars. Place on top of the mince pies.
11. Brush with dairy free milk.
12. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown on top.
13. Allow to cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar.
If you have made this recipe and loved it please consider leaving a comment and rating below.
Vegan mince pies with almond pastry
Ingredients
To make the pastry
- 45 g ground almonds
- 200 g plain flour
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar
- pinch salt
- 120 g vegan butter or dairy free spread chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons very cold water
To make the mince pies
- 400 g jar of vegan mincemeat
- Non-dairy milk for brushing
- Icing sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
To make the pastry
- Place 45g ground almonds, 200g plain flour, 1 tablespoon caster sugar and a pinch of salt into a food processor. Pulse briefly to mix.
- Add 120g vegan butter, chopped into pieces, and pulse until you have a mixture the consistency of breadcrumbs. If you don’t have a food processor you can do this with your hands - rub together with your fingertips.
- Add 1 tablespoon of cold water and mix until you have a dough. Only add the second tablespoon of water gradually if you need to.
- Knead with your hands for a few seconds until it comes together then wrap in cling film or put in an airtight container and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
To make the mince pies
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
- Grease a 12-hole bun tin (if using a muffin tin you’ll get less than 12 mince pies as the holes are deeper).
- Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the pastry with a rolling pin until it’s about 5mm thick. Cut out circles with a cookie cutter and press into the tin.
- Prick the pastry once or twice with a fork then add a spoonful of mincemeat to each one.
- Roll out any remaining pastry and use a star cookie cutter to cut out tops for the mince pies. Place the stars on top and gently brush with a little non-dairy milk.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown on top.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes before careful removing and cooling on a wire rack. Dust the tops with icing sugar if desired.
- Allow to cool completely then store in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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