These homemade Vegan Mince Pies hold the very essence of Christmas in their delicious pastry crusts. Nothing can beat one warm from the oven!
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Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without Vegan Mince Pies so get that Vegan Mincemeat ready and let's get baking! Be sure to make my Festive Mincemeat Tart and Christmas Shortbread if you have any mincemeat leftovers, and if you're a lover of British Christmas desserts check out my Vegan Christmas Pudding recipe and my Vegan Christmas Cake too!
Ingredients & equipment
To make this recipe you will need to make some vegan pastry dough. You can use my vegan pie crust recipe for this or for an oil-free or gluten-free option use my healthy pie crust recipe. You will also need to make or buy some vegan mincemeat.
To bake them you will need a shallow mince pie pan or muffin pans. If you use muffin pans your mince pies will be deeper and you won't get so many out of this recipe so feel free to double it if need be.
How To Make Vegan Mince Pies
Making my Vegan Mince Pies is a breeze. The pastry crust uses my staple vegan pie crust recipe which comes together in a food processor in minutes.
Here's how it's done:
- Make the pastry dough.
- Cut rounds with a cookie cutter and line the wells of a shallow mince pie pan/bun tin or muffin pan.
- Fill with festive, rich, and fruity mincemeat
- Top with a lid (star shapes cut with a cookie cutter add some cute factor ♡), then bake until golden and bubbling.
While they bake, your house will fill with the warmly spiced, festive scent of Christmas!
Serving Suggestions
Vegan Mince Pies are great served warm straight from the oven. Eat them as they are or top them with a generous dollop of melting vegan brandy butter, vanilla ice cream, vegan custard, or vegan whipped cream.
How to Store, Freeze & Reheat
Baked Vegan Mince Pies will keep in an air-tight container for up to a week. They can easily be reheated in the oven to bring them back to their fresh-from-the-oven status. Just place them on a baking tray and bake for about 10 minutes at 350 °F.
Mince Pies can also be frozen before or after baking. Make them up to the point of baking, then stop and freeze them in their trays. When you decide it's mince pie time, pull them out of the freezer and bake straight from frozen. They will take about 5 minutes longer than the time stated. If they were already baked when you froze them place them in the oven at 350 °F for about 15 minutes to reheat.
Recipe
Vegan Mince Pies
Author:Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 grams) all purpose flour , (plain flour in the UK)
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon (120 grams) vegan butter or refined coconut oil , it must be cold and hard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup (80 grams) sugar
- 7-10 tablespoons ice cold water
- 1¼ cups (280 grams) vegan mincemeat
- a few drops plant-based milk , or aquafaba for brushing the pastry
- a handful of granulated sugar or natural powdered sugar , for dusting
Oil-free or gluten-free option
- healthy pie crust , use this recipe for the pastry dough instead
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Put a shallow mince pie/bun pan or muffin pan in the fridge to chill. The number of pies you will get will vary depending on the size of the wells in the pan you use. Aim for 12 then you can bake a few after with the leftovers if needed. If you use a muffin pan the mince pies will be deeper and you will only get 6 to 8 pies from this recipe.
- Make the pastry for the pie crusts. Add the flour, salt, coconut oil/butter and sugar to a food processor and pulse until it looks like breadcrumbs.
- Add the water one tablespoon at a time until it just start to ball up as the blade goes round. As soon as it starts, stop the food processor. Over working it will make the pastry tough.
- Test that you can squeeze it together into a pliable dough. Add a tiny bit more water and process again if it's too dry, or if it's ok then remove the blade, bring the dough together and turn out onto a floured surface.
- Cut off about ⅓ of the pastry and set aside to make the tops, then roll out the remainder to 2-3mm thick and even all over.
- Use a cookie cutter, mason jar lid or the top of a mug or glass to cut rounds big enough to go in each hole and come up the sides.
- Place them in gently then crimp the edges if you want to or just leave them. Ball up the remaining pastry and roll it out again to cut more as needed.
- Add a generous amount of mincemeat to each once. It should come right up almost level with the top.
- Roll out the ⅓ of pastry you set aside to 2 - 3 mm thick then cut out the tops. You can make them full round ones or cut them into star shapes.
- If you make full lids brush around the top of each pie with a little plant-based milk or aquafaba before adding the lid then press down all around to seal. If you are using stars then place them on the top of each pie and press down gently to make them as flat and even as you can .
- Brush the top of each pie with plant-based milk and if you want to, sprinkle the top of each one with some granulated sugar. It makes them look pretty once baked.
- Refrigerate the pies and preheat the oven to 425 °F (218 °C). Leave them in the fridge while it preheats.
- Once the oven is to temperature remove the pies from the fridge and place in the hot oven.
- Cook for around 20 - 23 minutes. The pastry should be turning golden brown and the mincemeat filling bubbling. If you baked them in a muffin pan they might take 1 or 2 minutes longer.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before prising out gently. I found using a little silicone spatula the easiest way to loosen up around the edge if necessary and pop them out.
- Place on a cooling rack. Once cool you can dust them with a little optional powdered sugar.
- If you have any leftover pastry and mincemeat, wash up your pan and make a few more to use it up, or wrap the pastry well and store it in the fridge or freezer for another day.
NOTES
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Lauren says
This recipe looks wonderful, just what I've been looking for, but I don't have a food processor.. is it possible to make the pastry without? Thanks!
Melanie McDonald says
Definitely. I'd like to add the instructions to do it by hand but this recipe ranks Number 1 in Google so unfortunately I can't touch it or I risk it dropping in search results.
To make by hand just add the flour, salt, sugar to a bowl and mix. Then add the vegan butter or oil cut into small chunks. Cut it into the flour with a pastry cutter or rub it in gently with your finger tips until it looks like very coarse breadcrumbs and you can still visibly see little tiny bits of butter/oil. Just be sure to be quick. They key to good pastry is keeping it nice and cool. Hope that helps!
Eleonora Giusta says
Thank you for the clarification Melanie, much appreciated and thank you for this amazing recipe!
Rachel Benn says
Mostly good recipe apart from the fact that it says to use cold, hard vegan butter or coconut oil. If you do this, it makes it impossible to work this into the flour, sugar and baking soda. Instead, I'd use room temperature stuff. I unfortunately ended up having to melt the coconut oil in the microwave and this made a very runny mixture until I added 100g more flour into it. Overall good however this needs to be edited. Also, it doesn't specify what type of sugar to use, so, I just guessed caster sugar.
Melanie McDonald says
The recipe is correct as written. When making pastry the fat needs to be cold and hard. That's what makes it light, crisp and flaky. That's why you cut it in (or pulse in a food processor) and not mix it in. If you melted the coconut oil and added more flour then you aren't going to be having the best results with your mince pie shells.
Also there is no baking soda in the recipe and the type of sugar in the recipe doesn't really matter which is why a particular variety isn't specified.
My recipes are all tested very thoroughly and if followed precisely will give excellent results.
margaret robinson says
Made these yesterday and they are delicious. The best mince pies I've ever made. Thanks
Margaret says
Best mince pies ever. Thanks
Lianne says
These look so good! If I make with the healthy pie crust would I need to blind bake them or would I just make them as you do with the normal pie crust in this recipe?
Melanie McDonald says
There is no need to blind-bake it for mince pies. Just use it as per the instructions for the regular pastry crusts. Hope you enjoy them!
Mabel says
Instead of making individual mini pies, can you use your mincemeat recipe in a whole pie?
A Virtual Vegan says
Yes you can make it whatever size you like. Obviously, the bake time will vary depending on the size. My Mum always used to make a big one with a pastry lattice laid across the top. It looks really pretty! I've got a recipe for this mincemeat tart that you might like too: https://avirtualvegan.com/festive-mincemeat-tart/
Kirsty says
Could I make this with coconut flour instead of all purpose ?
A Virtual Vegan says
Definitely not, sorry. It wouldn't work. Coconut flour has totally different properties to all-purpose flour and is never a direct swap.
Eleonora says
I’ve never been a big fan of mince pies until I tried these.
I made them for my husband and he truly loved them. There is no comparison to any shop bought ones. I’ve received loads of compliments on the flavour from anyone who’s tried them. Even my 6 year old son says “they are so yummy!”
I wish I could make them look as pretty as yours...that’s work in progress. I followed the recipe to a T- perfect balance for me. Thank you so much.
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Eleonara! I'm really pleased you all enjoyed them. The good thing about these is they look great a little rustic! ;O)
Ruth says
I made these for a family member who is vegan and English. He has not had mince pies for a while and he was very touched that someone took the time to made these. The recipe is great - for the mince filling and the coconut pie shell - both were great, with just a little variations.
Glanville Bentley says
Many thanks for this recipe for mincemeat, not a vegan but in search of a fat free mincemeat for health reasons.
Not only easy but delicious and I have long enjoyed mincemeats and pies in particular.
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you are enjoying the recipe. Thank you!
Sarah says
Hi. Can you freeze these mince pies? Thanks. Sarah
A Virtual Vegan says
Yes they freeze really well. I like to prepare them, get them made up in the pan, then freeze them while raw. I put a bag over the entire pan and pop it all in the freezer.Then when you want them, bake straight from the freezer. You just need to add on about another 5 minutes to the cook time. Or once they are frozen solid you can pop them out with the help of a knife and freeze them in bags or containers so you get your pan back. That means you can just cook as many as you need when you want them. You just need to take them out of the freezer and pop them back into the pan before cooking.
You can also freeze them once cooked and cooled. I would suggest popping them out, laying them out on a lined baking tray and freezing until solid, then transferring to bags or containers. You can pop them in the oven again from frozen. When they are pre-cooked, I usually just sit them on a baking tray. They don't take long. About 350°F for about 10 mins, or until very hot and the mincemeat is starting to bubble a bit.
Hope that helps!
Laura says
Thank you for an excellent recipe. These mince pies turned out beautifully. I made them with the star shaped lid and was very impressed by how crisp and tasty the pastry was.
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed them Laura!
Bev Attfield says
Thanks for a fabulous recipe - I’ve been looking for a pastry recipe and this one is the best I’ve attempted! I made the mince recipe too but subbed 1/3 cup brandy instead of the port. Worked perfectly! Do you think the pastry recipe would translate to a large pie crust? And have you tried making the recipe gluten free? Thanks!
A Virtual Vegan says
Hi Bev. I'm glad you enjoyed it. The pastry recipe definitely works for a large pie crust too. I have not tried it gluten-free though.
Jane says
I love mince pie. With an Italian mother and an Irish father and 5 kids, there was always room for creativity when my mother cooked and baked. Although Italian, she cooked and baked all types of things and I'm grateful for that. Mincemeat pies were a Christmas special in my home as a kid and I carried on the tradition every Christmas. Since we've all become vegan, I have been looking for a good recipe and this one looks very good. I'm using it today. I like the idea of using the muffin tins too. These look so appetizing! Thanks for the recipe. I can't wait to taste them. I've given 5 stars because the clarity of the recipe, the great pictures, and the tasty ingredients. I can't lose with these!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you so much Jane. I hope you are pleased with them. Merry Christmas!
Julie Mansius says
Shhhh, don’t tell my mum, but the pastry for these mince pies is much better than hers! I’m English and have been making the family mince pie recipe for over 30 years. This is the new standard. The only changes I made was to replace 1/4 cup of the plain flour with whole-wheat and omit the sugar as I find the sweetness of the mincemeat compliments the unsweetened pastry. Thank you so much!
A Virtual Vegan says
Ha ha! I'm so pleased you think so. Mum will never know! ;O)
Jen says
This might be a bit of a random question, but do you think I could make these in my air fryer? I don't have an oven!
A Virtual Vegan says
I doubt you would fit a muffin/mince pie pan in an airfryer, but maybe you could make them in those single disposable aluminum mini pie cases? I don't have any experience with airfryers but just did a quick Google and it looks like it is possible to cook pies and pastries in them. I have no idea how good they would turn out though. It would be a case of experimenting I think. Let me know what happens if you do it!
jgBoston says
Made in silicone muffin cups - easy to remove and perfect. Crust wasn't as flakey as my regular crust, but that may be because of the kitchen of the rental had few tools and the crust got somewhat warm when we were working with it (and cutting out the tops) and the oven was less than reliable. Still awesome and I am super grateful for this hit of our holidays! Huge success and I will make it again!!!
A Virtual Vegan says
That's great! The pastry getting too warm might have affected the texture a little, especially if it was handled a little too much, and also silicone muffin cups aren't great for pastry either. It needs to be cooked in metal to get the best texture. But you had to work with what you had and I'm so glad you enjoyed them regardless! Next Christmas they will be even better!
Lucy says
These mince pies are DELICIOUS! They went down really well with my vegan sister as well as my non-vegan family members. I used coconut sugar, which made the pastry a nice caramel colour. I also used apple juice in the mincemeat, which was yum! Next year I will definitely get a star-shaped cookie cutter, because I want my mince pies to look pretty like the ones in the pictures :)
A Virtual Vegan says
That's great Lucy. So glad you enjoyed them!
Helen says
I've just made my first batch of mince pies using your recipe. I didn't have any port so I used molasses instead. The end result looks amazing!
A Virtual Vegan says
Awesome! I hope you enjoyed them!
Steph Maguire says
Just made these thus evening (in UK) and am thoroughly impressed , love them! Thanks Steph
A Virtual Vegan says
That's awesome Steph. I'm so pleased. Thank you for letting me know!
Liz says
Has anyone tried making these without the sugar? Thanks
Melanie McDonald says
The pastry will be fine without the sugar but it is very necessary in the mincemeat.
Amber says
Ooh you're so good for actually making the pies! I want to try one year, maybe I'll start with Christmas cookies this year though... I just bought the vegan mince pies from sainsburys and they are amazing!
A Virtual Vegan says
It's so great that Sainsbury's are introducing so many vegan products! I actually used to work there many moons ago and they weren't so vegan friendly then. It shows how times are changing. Enjoy your mince pies and hope the cookie baking goes well!