Homemade Vegan Mince Pies: Boozy Mincemeat & Flaky Coconut Oil Pastry for a Perfect Christmas
Discover the ultimate vegan mince pies, featuring a luscious, boozy homemade mincemeat filling cradled in an exquisitely crisp coconut oil pastry. This dairy-free and eggless recipe ensures a delightful festive treat for everyone.
As the festive season approaches, certain aromas and flavors immediately transport us to cherished holiday memories. For many, the humble mince pie stands out as the quintessential Christmas treat. Its rich, spiced fruit filling and buttery pastry evoke warmth and celebration. If you’re anything like me, your love for mince pies knows no bounds, and you find yourself enjoying countless numbers throughout the holiday period without ever growing tired of them!
While an increasing number of vegan-friendly mince pie varieties are becoming available in supermarkets, there’s an undeniable magic and superior taste to those made from scratch at home. This recipe brings you a delightful vegan version that not only rivals but often surpasses its traditional counterparts, proving that plant-based festive baking can be just as, if not more, indulgent and satisfying.
These exquisite vegan mince pies feature a generously boozy, deeply flavourful homemade mincemeat, perfectly complemented by a light, crisp, and wonderfully flaky coconut oil pastry. They are designed to be utterly festive and incredibly more-ish, guaranteed to become a highlight of your holiday baking tradition. Whether you’re a seasoned vegan baker or simply looking to expand your Christmas recipe repertoire, this guide will walk you through creating truly unforgettable mince pies that are entirely dairy-free and eggless.
Why Choose Homemade Vegan Mince Pies?
Opting to make your mince pies at home offers numerous advantages, especially when embracing a vegan lifestyle. Firstly, you have complete control over the ingredients, ensuring everything aligns with your dietary preferences and ethical choices. Many store-bought mincemeats, while often accidentally vegan (made with vegetable suet), can contain preservatives or excessive sugars. Crafting your own allows for customization of spices, fruit combinations, and, crucially, the perfect amount of festive cheer from your chosen alcohol.
Secondly, the flavour profile of homemade mincemeat is unparalleled. The slow simmering and maturing process allows the spices and fruits to meld beautifully, creating a depth that commercial versions often lack. Paired with a freshly baked, crisp pastry, the result is a mince pie that tastes genuinely special and artisan. The aroma of baking mince pies filling your home is a festive experience in itself, adding to the joy of the season. Moreover, it’s a wonderfully rewarding baking project that can be shared with loved ones, making it a perfect activity for holiday preparations.
Crafting Your Own Vegan Mincemeat: A Festive Tradition
While many commercial mincemeats are indeed suitable for vegans (as they typically use vegetable suet instead of animal-derived beef suet), preparing your own at home elevates the experience entirely. It’s a surprisingly simple process that yields a far superior taste and allows for personalized touches that will make your mince pies truly stand out.
The Art of Mincemeat Preparation
The secret to exceptional mincemeat lies in giving it time. Ideally, you should prepare your mincemeat at least a day in advance, or even several weeks. This crucial resting period allows the flavors to deepen and meld, resulting in a richer, more complex taste. It also ensures the mincemeat cools and sets properly, making it easier to work with when filling your pies. However, if time is of the essence, making it the day before baking will still result in a truly delicious filling.
My go-to mincemeat recipe has evolved over the years, and adapting it for a vegan diet was straightforward: simply replace traditional butter with coconut oil. This simple swap maintains the desired richness and texture without compromising on flavor.
Ingredient Harmony and Flavor Customization
To make this luscious mincemeat, you’ll combine a medley of mixed dried fruits, brown sugar, coconut oil, aromatic spices, grated Bramley apple (or another cooking apple), almonds, and the vibrant zest and juice of an orange. These ingredients are gently simmered in a saucepan for about ten minutes, allowing them to soften and for their flavors to infuse. Once slightly cooled, a generous pour of your favorite alcoholic spirit is stirred in – this is where the “boozy” magic happens!
When it comes to alcohol, the choice is yours, and experimentation is encouraged! I personally find port to be an excellent choice, adding a beautiful depth, but rum, whisky, or brandy are equally fantastic options. Don’t be afraid to mix and match; I’ve even used a combination of bottle dregs like rum, JD, and ginger wine, and the results were still utterly delicious. The alcohol not only adds flavor but also acts as a natural preservative, contributing to the mincemeat’s long shelf life.
Beyond the booze, feel free to get creative with your dried fruits. As long as you maintain the overall quantity, you can easily swap out some of the standard currants, raisins, and sultanas for dried cherries, chopped apricots, or figs to add different textures and flavor nuances. Each variation offers a unique twist on this classic filling.
Storage and Batch Size
This mincemeat recipe yields a generous amount, typically more than you’ll need for a single batch of vegan mince pies. However, this is a distinct advantage! Stored in properly sterilized jars, your homemade mincemeat will keep beautifully at room temperature for many weeks, or even months. This means you can whip up a batch well in advance, saving time during the busy holiday season, and have it ready for subsequent rounds of baking. If you prefer a smaller quantity, simply halve the recipe. The ability to prepare this component ahead of time makes the overall mince pie baking process much more manageable and enjoyable.
Perfecting Your Coconut Oil Pastry: Crisp, Flaky, and Vegan
The pastry is just as important as the filling in a perfect mince pie, and this coconut oil pastry delivers a wonderfully crisp, light, and delicious crust that is entirely plant-based. Working with coconut oil pastry can be a bit different from traditional butter or margarine-based pastry, but with a few tips, you’ll achieve fantastic results.
Handling Coconut Oil Pastry
Coconut oil solidifies at cooler temperatures, which can make the pastry incredibly hard and crumbly if it’s too cold. The trick is to find the right balance. I find it most effective to make the pastry and roll it out immediately while it’s still pliable. Once rolled and shaped, a thorough chilling period before baking is essential to help it hold its shape and achieve that desired crispness.
If you prefer to prepare the pastry in advance, you certainly can. Wrap it tightly in cling film and store it in the refrigerator. However, remember to allow it to come to room temperature for at least an hour before you attempt to roll it out. If it’s still too firm, a gentle squeeze with your hands can help soften it just enough to become workable without melting the coconut oil entirely.
The Magic of a Food Processor and a Secret Ingredient
Making this pastry in a food processor is highly recommended. Cold coconut oil can be quite tough to rub into the flour by hand, making the process lengthy and potentially warming the ingredients too much. A food processor makes quick work of incorporating the fat into the flour, ensuring a fine, crumbly mixture without lumps of coconut oil.
Now, for my not-so-secret ingredient to achieve a perfectly crisp and flaky pastry: vodka! Adding too much liquid to pastry is a common pitfall that can lead to a tough, chewy crust because it overdevelops the gluten in the flour. Alcohol, unlike water, does not contribute to gluten formation. Even better, it evaporates very quickly in the oven, leaving behind an incredibly tender, crisp, and delicate pastry. Don’t worry, you won’t taste the vodka at all in the finished product! If vodka isn’t available, gin, whisky, rum, or brandy will work just as effectively.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Delightful Vegan Mince Pies
(For a detailed list of ingredients and precise measurements, please refer to the comprehensive recipe card provided below.)
Baking these vegan mince pies is a rewarding experience, especially with a little planning. The key is to prepare your homemade mincemeat a day in advance to allow its rich flavors to fully develop.
Part 1: Preparing Your Boozy Mincemeat
Begin by combining all your dried fruits, soft brown sugar, coconut oil, grated Bramley apple, aromatic spices (mixed spice, cinnamon, ginger, cloves), and the finely grated zest and juice of one large orange in a large saucepan. Place the pan over a gentle heat and bring the mixture to a slow simmer, stirring frequently to prevent sticking and ensure the coconut oil melts and incorporates evenly. Continue to cook for approximately 10 minutes, allowing the fruits to plump up and the spices to release their festive aromas. Once simmered, remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly. This is when you’ll stir in your chosen alcohol – port, rum, whisky, or brandy – adding that signature boozy depth. Ladle the warm mincemeat into two large or four regular-sized sterilized jars. Set these aside at room temperature until the mincemeat is completely cold and set, ideally overnight. This resting period is crucial for optimal flavor and texture. Once cooled, it can be stored for several months. Remember to give it a good stir before using it to fill your pies.
Part 2: Crafting the Flaky Coconut Oil Pastry
To make the pastry, combine the plain (all-purpose) flour, icing (powdered) sugar, salt, and the finely grated zest of one orange in a food processor. Pulse a few times to ensure these dry ingredients are well mixed. Next, add the cold coconut oil, which you should have cut into small pieces. Pulse the mixture again until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. It’s important to ensure there are no visible lumps of coconut oil; if your food processor is on the smaller side, you might need to process the pastry in two batches to achieve this consistent crumbly texture.
Now, add the cold vodka and two tablespoons of cold water to the food processor. Pulse once more until the pastry begins to come together in a shaggy mass. If it appears too dry, add an additional drop of cold water, one teaspoon at a time, until the dough just starts to form. Transfer the pastry to a clean surface and gently bring it together with your hands, forming a smooth ball. Avoid overworking the dough, as this can lead to a tough pastry.
Part 3: Assembling and Baking Your Vegan Mince Pies
Lightly flour your work surface and roll out a quarter of the pastry at a time to a thin, even thickness. Using a 10-11cm round cutter (or the base of a small tart tin for guidance), cut out rounds for the base of your pies. If the pastry becomes too soft to handle, briefly chill it in the fridge for about 15 minutes, but be careful not to let it get too cold, or it will become difficult to roll. Prepare a 12-cup muffin tray by lining each cavity with strips of baking parchment; this ingenious trick makes lifting the baked mince pies out of the tin incredibly easy.
Gently press the pastry rounds into the prepared muffin tin cavities. Fill each pastry case with a generous, heaped spoonful of your homemade mincemeat. Be liberal, but remember not to fill them right to the brim, as the mincemeat will bubble up slightly during baking. Gather the pastry trimmings, re-roll them, and use a cutter (the same size as your muffin tin cavities or a slightly smaller one for tops) to cut out six more rounds. For a festive touch, use a star-shaped cutter to cut a star from the center of each of these rounds.
Top each mince pie with either a full pastry round or a decorative star. If using a full round, lightly brush the edge of the bottom pastry with water and firmly press the top pastry down around the edges to create a good seal. Place the entire muffin tray of assembled mince pies into the freezer for 20 minutes while your oven preheats to 190°C (375°F / Gas Mark 5).
Once chilled and the oven is hot, brush the tops of the mince pies with a little non-dairy milk to encourage a golden finish. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is beautifully golden brown and the mincemeat filling is gently bubbling. Using the baking parchment strips, carefully lift the hot mince pies out of the tin and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. It’s crucial not to leave them to cool in the tin, as any delicious mincemeat that might have bubbled over could “cement” them in place, making them difficult to remove.
Top Tips for Perfect Vegan Mince Pies
- **Mincemeat Magic:** Plan ahead by making your mincemeat at least one day before baking. This resting period significantly enhances its flavor. It can be prepared weeks or even months in advance and stored in sterilized jars, making it a fantastic make-ahead component for busy festive periods.
- **Pastry Perfection:** For the best results with coconut oil pastry, aim to make it and roll it out shortly before assembly. It works best at room temperature, but remember to chill the shaped pies thoroughly before baking.
- **Coconut Oil Alternatives:** If coconut oil isn’t your preferred fat for the pastry, you can substitute it with a vegan block butter or margarine. It’s crucial to use a solid block variety (like Naturli vegan block, which is excellent) rather than the spreadable kind from a tub, as the latter contains too much water and won’t yield a flaky pastry.
- **Alternative Pastry Recipe:** For a non-coconut oil pastry option, consider using a 1.5 times batch of the pastry recipe from this vegan blueberry frangipane tart recipe. It’s another reliable plant-based pastry that works beautifully for mince pies.
- **Prevent Sticking:** Always remove your freshly baked mince pies from the tin while they are still hot. This prevents any spilled mincemeat from cooling and solidifying, which can firmly glue the pies to the tin.
- **Serving Suggestions:** These vegan mince pies are delicious served warm, perhaps with a dollop of vegan brandy butter, a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream, or a pour of vegan custard. They are equally delightful enjoyed cold, dusted with a generous amount of icing sugar.
- **Freezing for Later:** Unbaked mince pies can be frozen on the tray until solid, then transferred to an airtight container or freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding about 5-10 minutes to the baking time. Baked mince pies can also be frozen and reheated gently in the oven.
More Festive Vegan Baking Ideas
Complement your vegan mince pies with these other delightful plant-based Christmas treats, perfect for holiday gatherings or cozy evenings:
- Vegan Christmas cake
- Vegan gingerbread cookies
- Vegan Christmas pudding
- Vegan mincemeat cake
- Vegan mulled wine brownies
- Vegan steamed chocolate pudding
- Chocolate gingerbread cookies
- Starry mince pie tart
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Vegan Mince Pies
Ingredients
Mincemeat:
- 175 g (6oz) currants
- 175 g (6oz) raisins
- 175 g (6oz) sultanas
- 175 g (6oz) dried cranberries
- 100 g (3.5oz) candied mixed peel
- 100 g (3.5oz) coconut oil
- 220 g (1 ¼ cups) light brown soft sugar
- 50 g (1.75oz) almonds chopped
- 1 large bramley apple (or other variety of cooking apple) peeled, cored and grated
- the finely grated zest and juice of 1 large orange
- 1 ½ tsp mixed spice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- 240 ml (1 cup) port, rum, whisky or brandy
Coconut Oil Pastry:
- 400 g (3 + ⅓ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 60 g (½ cup) icing (powdered) sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- finely grated zest of 1 orange
- 200 g (7oz) cold coconut oil (or vegan BLOCK butter/margarine) cut into small pieces
- 50 ml (3 Tbsp + 1 tsp) cold vodka
- 2 Tbsp cold water (plus extra as needed)
- non-dairy milk for brushing
Instructions
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You ideally need to prepare the mincemeat the day before you bake the vegan mince pies. Start by placing the currants, raisins, sultanas, cranberries, mixed peel, soft brown sugar, almonds, coconut oil, grated bramley apple, spices and orange zest and juice in a large saucepan.
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Heat gently, stirring, until the coconut oil has melted then simmer very gently, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
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Remove from the heat, allow to cool a little then stir in the booze of your choice. Ladle it into two large, or four regular sized sterilised jars and set aside until completely cold (overnight is best).
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To make the coconut oil pastry, place the flour, icing sugar, salt and orange zest in a food processor and pulse to combine.
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Add the cold, diced coconut oil and blend until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make sure that no lumps of coconut oil remain; you may need to blend it in two batches if your food processor isn’t very big.
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Add the cold vodka and 2 Tbsp water and blend again until the pastry starts to come together. You can add a drop more water if needed. Bring the pastry together with your hands.
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Roll the pastry out thinly on a lightly floured surface and use an approx 10-11cm cutter to cut out rounds (I cut round the base of a small tart tin with a sharp knife as I don’t have a cutter big enough). It may be easier to roll out a quarter of the pastry at a time rather than all of it in one go. (If the pastry is too soft then you can pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up a little but don’t let it get too cold or it will be hard to roll out.)
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Line a 12 cup muffin tray with strips of baking parchment – this makes it easy to get the baked vegan mince pies out of the tin. Gently press the pastry rounds into the prepared tin.
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Fill each one with a heaped spoonful of the mincemeat – be generous but don’t fill them right to the top as it will bubble up as it cooks.
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Re-roll the pastry trimmings and use a cutter the same size as the cavities in your muffin tin to cut out six rounds. Use a star cutter to cut a star out of the centre of each round.
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Top each of the mince pies with either a star or a round. If you are topping them with a round then brush the edge of the pastry with water and press the top down firmly around the edge to seal.
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Place the tray of mince pies in the freezer for 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5.
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Brush the tops of the mince pies with a little non-dairy milk then bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Use the strips of baking parchment to lift them out of the tin onto a wire rack and leave to cool before eating. Don’t leave them to cool in the tin as any mincemeat that bubbles over will cement them in!
Notes
- For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough for baking and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.
- Make the mincemeat at least the day before you want to bake the mince pies; but you can make it weeks or even months in advance if you like.
- It is best to make the coconut oil pastry shortly before assembling the pies as it needs to be at room temperature to roll it out.
- If you don’t want to use coconut oil in the pastry then you can swap it for vegan block butter instead (NOT the spreadable kind in a tub). I like Naturli vegan block best.
- You can also make a 1 and a ½ times batch of the pastry from this recipe instead if you want a non-coconut oil version.
- Remove the baked mince pies from the tin while they are still hot as otherwise any filling that bubbles over can make them stick.
