Vegan Mince Pies (Dairy-Free)
Eggless mince pies for Christmas. Homemade dairy-free shortcrust pastry pies with a fruity mincemeat filling.
Ingredients
For the mince pie filling:
- 50 g Vegan margarine (3 tablespoons)
- 330 g Mixed dried fruit, roughly chopped (2+⅓ cups) I used a mixture of raisins, sultanas, cranberries and glace cherries
- 50 g Blanched almonds, finely chopped (⅓ cup)
- 50 g Mixed candied peel (3 tablespoons)
- 1 Small Bramley apple, peeled cored and finely chopped sub for any other green apple
- 100 g Soft light brown sugar (½ cup)
- ½ Teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon All spice
- Juice and zest ½ Lemon
- 150 ml Dark rum (½ cup + 2 tablespoons) sub for sherry or brandy, or use fruit juice for alcohol-free
For the eggless shortcrust pastry:
- 285 g Plain flour (2 cups + 2 tablespoons)
- 180 g Cold vegan margarine (¾ cup) the spreadable kind, not the blocky kind
- 20 g Icing sugar (3 tablespoons)
- 20 ml Cold water (4 teaspoons)*
Instructions
Mince pie filling:
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Add all of the mincemeat ingredients to a large pan. Heat on low until the margarine has melted.
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Turn the heat up to medium-low, cover with a lid and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Stir every so often.
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When the 10 minutes are up, remove the pan from the heat and leave it to cool. If preparing in advance, store the cooled mincemeat in an airtight container or a jar in the fridge- it'll keep well for up to 1 month.
For the eggless shortcrust pastry:
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Add the flour to a large bowl then rub in the cold margarine until you have a mixture that resembles breadcrumbs.
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Stir in the icing sugar.
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Add the water and stir until the dough starts to stick together. Use your hands to press it into a ball of dough. It will seem crumbly at first but will come together.
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Cover the dough and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill. This will help the pastry hold its shape when it's baking. **Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (or 160°C/325°F for fan or convection ovens).**
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After the 30 minutes are up, gently press the dough in your hands to get rid of any cracks or crumbly bits. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to 3mm thick (⅛ of an inch). Turn and add more flour often to prevent it sticking.
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Cut out 12 circles using a fluted cookie cutter that is slightly larger than the holes of a cupcake tin, re-rolling as needed. I used a 3.5-inch cutter and the holes in my tin were 3-inches wide.
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Using the leftover dough, cut out 12 stars using a star-shaped cookie cutter. These will be the tops of your mince pies.
Assembly:
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Place a circle of dough into each hole in your cupcake tin and gently press into place.
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Fill each one with some of the mincemeat, then place one of the stars on top. Make sure to get a small amount of the mincemeat liquid in each pie so you don't end up with a dry filling.
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Bake for 25 minutes. The filling should be bubbling.
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Let the mince pies cool completely in the tin before removing.
Recipe Notes
- I recommend making the mincemeat at least a day in advance if you can. It's not essential, but the extra time will give the liquid a chance to thicken and become syrupy, and will also enhance the flavour.
- Cup measurements are an estimate and have not been tested with this recipe. Use a scale for best results.
- *Use measuring spoons if you can. If you use too much or too little water, it will alter the end result.
- Mincemeat recipe adapted from Mary Berry's special mincemeat.