• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe

Jo's Kitchen Larder

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • Γ—

    Home Β» Recipes Β» Cakes

    Published: Nov 15, 2018 Β· Modified: Dec 6, 2022 by joskitchenlarder Β· 50 Comments. Β· This post may contain affiliate links Β·

    Almond Pastry Mince Pies (Melt In Your Mouth)

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Bookmark Bookmarked!
    Mince pies on a cooling rack.

    These Almond Pastry Mince Pies are just what they say on the tin - melt in your mouth delicious! Almond shortcrust pastry makes them simply irresistible and even more festive! They are so easy to make too!

    Mince pies in a tray, sieve and mincemeat jar.

    Almond Pastry Mince Pies - it's all in the pastry!

    I simply can't imagine December without mince pie or two (or more like a dozen)!

    They are my guilty treats responsible for a roll or two added to my midriff by the time the New Year is here full of dietary resolutions.

    As much as I love regular mince pies, this time I decided to tinker with the pastry to see whether there is room for improvement and that resulted in my Almond Pastry Mince Pies!

    For somebody like myself who cannot stand Christmas Cake or Pudding, the love for mince pies might seem rather odd.

    It is and it isn't... It's all about the pastry you see. I'm a huge pastry fiend and the crumblier and more buttery the better.

    I also love almonds and use them in baking a lot so combining my love for all things pastry and almond resulted in the best almond shortcrust pastry ever!

    Try my almond pastry mince pies with delicious glass of vegan eggnog for super Christmassy festive treat! And if you fancy a mince pie but are short on time these puff pastry mince pies will make a great alternative.

    Mince pies on a cooling rack.

    Sweet mincemeat!

    Make sure you use the best possible sweet mincemeat in your pies! I like Robertson's Classic Mincemeat which is not overpowering, really delicious and vegan too.

    If you've got your own tried and tested recipe you've used for years - that's even better!

    They really are a doddle to make but the little effort you put in will be rewarded by most crumbly, buttery, slightly almondy parcels of joy you could image!

    Would love to hear what you think!

    Vegan version of Almond Pastry Mince Pies

    Since we started on our plant based journey I have adapted this recipe to make it vegan friendly.

    Simply substitute regular unsalted butter with vegan block butter (I use Stork or Flora Plant) and leave out an egg yolk.

    If you like to brush your mince pies with milk before baking, substitute regular dairy milk with your favourite plant or nut milk (I like oat milk the most for its neutral flavour).

    Mince pies in a tin.

    Few tips for Almond Pastry Mince Pies success!

    Almond shortcrust pastry in this recipe is very short and rich which makes it quite crumbly but manageable.

    To ensure that your mince pies don't fall apart simply:

    1. Make sure you butter your tin really well.
    2. Don't roll out your dough too thinly.
    3. Once out of the oven, let the mince pies rest for a few minutes in the tin before transferring them onto the cooling rack.

    In case you're still worried simply reduce the amount of butter used 150g.

    Making almond pastry mince pies ahead and freezing advice

    My almond pastry mince pies are perfect Christmas treats to make ahead.

    You can freeze them unbaked in their tray and covered tightly with baking paper (I no longer use clingfilm) and some aluminium foil.

    Bake from frozen as per recipe below, allowing additional 5 minutes baking time.

    You can also freeze baked pies (without icing sugar).

    Simply put them in a plastic container with a lid. If your container is quite tall, pop your mince pies in layers separated with some baking paper.

    When you are ready to eat simply defrost them on the counter top and warm them up in the oven heated up to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 for 5 minutes.

    Whichever way you choose, your mince pies can be frozen for up to 3 months.

    Empty buttered shallow tart tray.
    Unbaked mince pie without pastry top on.
    Unbaked mince pies in baking tray, with and without pastry tops.
    Tray of unbaked mince pies.
    Close up of unbaked mince pie with pastry top on.
    Mince pies sprinkled with icing sugar on a cooling rack.

    Have you tried my Almond Pastry Mince Pies?
    Please consider giving it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in recipe card below and share your views or tips in the comments.

    Some more festive, pastry & almond recipes you might be interested in:

    Puff Pastry Mince Pie Swirls

    Dark Chocolate Cranberry Chestnut Cookies

    Best Buttery Apple Pie with a Twist

    Italian Plum & Almond Cake with Amaretti Crunch

    Gluten-Free Orange and Almond Cake

    Easy Chocolate Gingerbread Biscuits

    Gingerbread Brownies

    Gingerbread Cake (Traybake) - Vegan 

    Subscribe to our newsletter!

    Never miss another recipe by subscribing to our newsletter today.

    Mince pie on a plate.
    Mince pies in a tray, sieve and mincemeat jar.
    Print Pin
    4.78 from 18 votes

    Almond Pastry Mince Pies (Melt In Your Mouth)

    These Almond Pastry Mince Pies are just what they say on the tin - melt in your mouth delicious! Almond shortcrust pastry makes them simply irresistible and even more festive! They are so easy to make too!
    Course Cakes, Christmas Bake, Dessert, Treats
    Cuisine British
    Keyword almond pastry, christmas baking, mince pies, vegan mince pies

    Equipment

    • Food Processor*
    • Rolling Pin*
    • 12 cups shallow tart tray*
    • Round/Fluted Scone/BIscuit/Cookie Cutter Set*
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes
    PLUS Dough Chilling Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 40 minutes
    Servings 12
    Calories 254kcal
    Author Jo Allison

    Ingredients

    Metric - US Customary
    • 225 g plain (all-purpose) flour
    • pinch of salt
    • 50 g ground almonds
    • 200 g unsalted butter or vegan block butter chilled and cubed, see notes
    • 70 g caster sugar
    • 1 egg yolk optional, leave out if vegan
    • Quality mince meat of your choice I use Robertson's Classic Mincemeat
    • milk (plant/nut milk) for brushing optional
    • icing sugar to serve

    shallow tart tray and plain round cutter approx 68mm

      Instructions

      • Put flour, sugar, salt and ground almonds in your food processor and press pulse button few times to combine.
      • Add cubes of chilled butter and mix until texture starts resembling breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk (if using) and keep mixing until the dough comes together almost in a ball. Leave the egg yolk out in vegan version.
      • Take it out onto the kitchen counter and flatten into a disc, cover in baking paper or beeswax wrap and chill for about 10-15 minutes.
      • If you don't have food processor simply mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, add chilled, cubed butter and rub with your fingers until you get to crumbs like consistency. Add egg yolk if using (leave out in vegan version) and keep on mixing with your hands until dough starts coming together. Flatten it into a disc, cover in cling film and chill as above.
      • Butter shallow tart tray and preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
      • Roll out your pastry on a floured surface and cut out 12 rounds which you then press into each hole in your tart tray. Make sure you press gently on the sides of each pastry round to get rid of any air bubbles. Cut out another 12 rounds that will serve as lids.
      • Put approx 1 heaped teaspoon of mince meat in the centre of each pastry case and cover these with the remaining pastry rounds pressing gently on the edges to seal.
      • Brush gently with some milk (plant/nut milk) and using sharp knife make two tiny vents on the top of each pie.
      • Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.
      • Let the pies cool in a tray for a few minutes which will make them easier to remove. Pop them onto a wire rack to cool completely. Serve dusted with icing sugar or however your heart desires!
      • Enjoy!

      Notes

      • Nutritional information is approximate, per mince pie and should be treated as a guideline only.
      • Store in airtight container for up to a week. Otherwise freeze as per advice below.Β 
      Tips
      To ensure that your mince pies don’t fall apart simply:
      1. Make sure you butter your tin really well.
      2. Don’t roll out your dough too thinly.
      3. Once out of the oven, let the mince pies rest for a few minutes in the tin before transferring them onto the cooling rack.
      If you'd like your pastry to be less short and less crumbly simply lower the amount of butter to 150g.
      Making ahead / Freezing
      You can freeze mince pies unbaked in their tray and covered tightly with baking paper and some aluminium foil. Bake from frozen as per recipe below, allowing additional 5 minutes baking time.
      You can also freeze baked pies (without icing sugar). Simply put them in a plastic container with a lid. If your container is quite tall, pop your mince pies in layers separated with some baking paper.
      When you are ready to eat simply defrost them on the counter top and warm them up in the oven heated up to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 for 5 minutes.
      Whichever way you choose, your mince pies can be frozen for up to 3 months.

      Nutrition

      Nutrition Facts
      Almond Pastry Mince Pies (Melt In Your Mouth)
      Amount Per Serving (0 g)
      Calories 254 Calories from Fat 144
      % Daily Value*
      Fat 16g25%
      Saturated Fat 3g15%
      Cholesterol 16mg5%
      Sodium 138mg6%
      Potassium 23mg1%
      Carbohydrates 25g8%
      Fiber 1g4%
      Sugar 9g10%
      Protein 3g6%
      Vitamin A 22IU0%
      Calcium 13mg1%
      Iron 1mg6%
      * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
      Tried this recipe?Tag me @Joskitchenlarder or use hashtag #joskitchenlarder!

      Update Notes: This post was originally published in November 2018 and updated in November 2019 & 2020 with more useful info including vegan option, updated recipe card and better layout to improve reader's experience.

      Linkies:

      Cook Blog Share with Recipes Made Easy, Cook Once Eat Twice, Bake of the Week with CasaCostello and  MummyMishaps ,Baking Crumbs with Apply To Face Blog

      More Cake Recipes

      • Puff Pastry Mince Pies (Air Fryer + Oven)
      • Strawberry Yogurt Cake (Vegan)
      • Easy Rhubarb Cake (Vegan)
      • Vegan Chocolate Orange Cake
      1640 shares

      Reader Interactions

      Comments

        Please leave a comment & rating if you've made my recipe! Feel free to ask questions too, I reply to all! Cancel reply

        Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

        Recipe Rating




        This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

      1. Isobel Watson says

        December 13, 2022 at 8:13 am

        5 stars
        I did the option with 150g butter as the larger amount seemed too much. I also added a tablespoon of water with the egg yolk - it was taking too long for me to bring it all into a ball without it!. It was still very very buttery. The mince pies held together beautifully yet were so crumbly when you bit into them. And absolutely delicious. Best home made mince pies I've ever tasted.

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          December 13, 2022 at 11:55 am

          So pleased you like them Isobel! πŸ™‚

          Reply
      2. Richard says

        December 01, 2022 at 12:18 pm

        The best mince pies ever, went went round all the shop bought ones and this recipe makes better ones. Thank you.

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          December 01, 2022 at 2:06 pm

          That's fantastic Richard, great to hear!

          Reply
      3. Elizabeth says

        September 29, 2022 at 6:43 pm

        5 stars
        Never was able to make pastry until this recipe. Thank you very much!
        The grandkids love the pastry flavour so much that a make a batch for them to just cut out into biscuits with icing sugar over the top. X

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          September 30, 2022 at 7:12 am

          That's fantastic Elizabeth, I'm so pleased you love the pastry and the biscuit idea is great too! πŸ™‚ x

          Reply
      4. Phil says

        January 04, 2022 at 4:43 pm

        5 stars
        These mince pies are absolutely delicious and are a great success with my family, by far the nicest I’ve made

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          January 04, 2022 at 5:14 pm

          So great to hear! πŸ™‚ Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know!

          Reply
      5. Den Dew says

        November 20, 2021 at 4:43 pm

        5 stars
        I made mince pies with your almond pastry today. Absolutely gorgeous. I anticipated a possible relutance for getting them out of the tins, so I set them to rest for 15 mins on our cold stone staircase. It worked a treat, every pie popped out perfectly. Unfortunately several dissapeared, before making it to the freezer, and my husband swears ignorance ! Thank you for a great recipe

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          November 21, 2021 at 9:43 am

          Hi Den, I'm over the moon about the pies turning out so well! Thank you so much for letting me know! Great tip about putting them on a really cool surface before removing from the tin, it might help all those who struggled even after letting them rest at a room temperature. As for disappearance of the pies, you're not alone, it happens all the time in our house too lol.

          Reply
      6. Pam says

        December 20, 2020 at 5:11 pm

        Best pastry I have ever made! And I’m no spring chicken and have been baking for years .well done Jo

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          December 20, 2020 at 8:02 pm

          Oh Pam you really made my day! Thank you so much for your kind words! πŸ™‚

          Reply
      7. Janice Pattie says

        December 19, 2019 at 11:43 am

        5 stars
        I’ve just made your awesome almond pastry, oh my goodness it is so good. This will be my sweet shortcrust recipe from now on!

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          December 19, 2019 at 1:56 pm

          Thank you so much for letting me know Janice! I'm so pleased you love the pastry and its melt in the mouth crumbliness πŸ™‚

          Reply
      8. Natalie says

        December 10, 2019 at 1:52 pm

        3 stars
        I made these today, absolutely gorgeous. Although I had a problem getting them from the tin without them breaking. The pastry is too crumbly, just fell apart. I left them to cool and my pastry wasnt too thin. Do you think adding another egg yolk or white would help bind it better? They taste fabulous though

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          December 10, 2019 at 2:46 pm

          Hi Natalie, Thank you for your feedback. My almond pastry is very rich and very short hence it will be crumblier although I've never had issues with pies breaking on me if handled gently. I don't think adding another yolk is the way to go here and the only thing I can think of would be to reduce the amount of butter. As I've mentioned before, these are fragile and delicate but you get that wonderful melt in the mouth crumbly texture. I'm glad you liked the taste though. πŸ™‚

          Reply
      9. Claire says

        December 08, 2019 at 5:32 pm

        5 stars
        I’ve made these today with amaretto mincemeat. Absolutely delicious. Thank you for the recipe. I made double the amount of pastry so I can freeze the rest and make another big batch closer to Christmas. I made 24 today.

        They are fairly crumbly but rich pastry usually is. Very sweet too but mince pies are so small I think we deserve a small sweet treat. That said my OH just ate four. So not such a small sweet treat for him!

        I’m taking a dozen into work tomorrow I hope they like them as much as we did.

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          December 08, 2019 at 8:50 pm

          Hi Claire, I'm absolutely delighted that you've enjoyed the pies and liked the pastry (and so has your hubby lol). Thank you so much for stopping by and letting me know! Amaretto mincemeat sounds amazing by the way. I have learnt with these now that they really don't last long at all and making more pastry is the way to go! I think you'll have very happy bunch of peeps at work tomorrow too! Little treat to brighten up beginning of the week. πŸ™‚ x

          Reply
      10. Frances says

        November 23, 2019 at 12:33 pm

        3 stars
        I've just made these. They smelled delicious, they looked wonderful, but I couldn't get them out of the tin without them falling apart at the slightest touch!! I buttered the tin really well and the pies had not stuck to the tin, it was just that the pastry was so fragile and crumbly. I now have lots of topless pies and a bowl of pastry crumbs. It's delicious pastry, but oh what a disappointment! We will eat them of course, but where did I go wrong?

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          November 23, 2019 at 1:50 pm

          Hi Frances, I'm really sorry to hear that! I have made these mince pies numerous times without any problems. It is a very short pastry so it will be slightly crumbly but not to the point of just falling apart in your hands. One thing I can think of is perhaps you rolled out your dough a little too thin? It's also quite important to let these rest a bit in a tin before removing onto cooling rack. I hope that helps and that you might give these another go as it really is tried and tested recipe and pastry is delicious. Best wishes. Jo

          Reply
      11. Jenny Walters says

        November 17, 2019 at 9:03 pm

        5 stars
        These look lovely Jo! I always mean to bake mince pies every year but I never blinking do! I am the only one that likes them in my house! This year......Thank you soooo much for cohosting with me. Will miss you freaking loads xxx

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          November 18, 2019 at 9:15 pm

          Thanks Jenny! πŸ™‚ It's only me and my youngest in our house who devour these and we never complain lol, the more the better. I will miss being an official part of crumbs too but I promise to keep linking up loads! Will miss you! xxx

          Reply
      12. Choclette says

        November 12, 2019 at 4:08 pm

        5 stars
        Love your almond pastry Jo. I've made orange pastry for mince pies before, but I think I like your idea even better. I always think I shouldn't start on mince pies until December, but now I really really want one.

        Reply
      13. Kat (The Baking Explorer) says

        November 25, 2018 at 4:36 pm

        5 stars
        The pastry look perfect and I can just imagine them melting in my mouth!

        Reply
      14. Jacqueline Meldrum says

        November 22, 2018 at 5:22 pm

        5 stars
        Those look really good. *heads into the kitchen for a mince pie and it's all your fault* : )

        Shared

        Reply
      15. Julia Frey says

        November 21, 2018 at 4:41 pm

        5 stars
        I can never resist a pastry made with almonds! These look absolutely scrumptious. Worth gaining a couple of pounds for!

        Reply
      16. anna says

        November 20, 2018 at 9:33 pm

        5 stars
        oh this sounds so lovely!! love the idea that you added almonds to the pastry

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          November 21, 2018 at 9:53 am

          Thank you Anna! πŸ™‚ I love the pastry with added almonds!

          Reply
      17. Mandy says

        November 20, 2018 at 3:48 pm

        5 stars
        I am SO ready for my first mince pie of the season and I love the idea of adding almonds to the pastry.

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          November 21, 2018 at 9:41 am

          Ha ha, I've already had, let's say "a couple" lol πŸ˜‰ Mince pies season has officially begun in our house! πŸ™‚

          Reply
      18. Cat | Curly’s Cooking says

        November 20, 2018 at 12:11 pm

        5 stars
        I absolutely love mince pies and although I technically make my own, I cheat and use shop bought pastry! These look so delicious and I love the addition of the almond to the pastry.

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          November 21, 2018 at 9:39 am

          Thanks Cat! Ground almonds really make all the difference here and make the pies feel that bit more luxurious too! πŸ™‚

          Reply
      19. Anna | Once Upon A Food Blog says

        November 17, 2018 at 11:24 am

        I totally agree, it is about the pastry in mince pies! Adding almonds to it looks lovely, almost like frangipane, and that can't be a bad thing!

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          November 17, 2018 at 7:28 pm

          Thank you Anna! πŸ™‚ I absolutely love the flavour ground almonds give to the pastry and like you say it does have almost frangipane like look and definitely taste!

          Reply
      20. Cat says

        December 17, 2017 at 7:46 pm

        These sound delicious, I love almonds with mincemeat x

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          November 17, 2018 at 7:29 pm

          Thanks Cat! πŸ™‚ Flavours marry together really well! x

          Reply
      21. Angela / Only Crumbs Remain says

        December 17, 2017 at 10:03 am

        Ooh I love the sound of these - melt in the mouth mince pies! Yes please! I'm a huge fan of mince pies too and I completely agree pastry has to be lovely and buttery and crumbly! Delicious! Thank you so much for linking up with #BakingCrumbs Jo :=D
        Angela x

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          November 17, 2018 at 7:31 pm

          Thanks Angela! πŸ™‚ I thought this sort of title is not only very accurate but also very enticing πŸ™‚ I think I was right! lol πŸ˜‰ x

          Reply
      22. Jacqui says

        December 16, 2017 at 2:50 pm

        Oh how lovely almond pastry is so delicious

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          November 17, 2018 at 7:30 pm

          Thanks Jacqui! πŸ™‚

          Reply
      23. Karen, the next best thing to mummy says

        December 14, 2017 at 11:47 am

        I will definitely be trying these #[email protected]_karendennis

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          November 17, 2018 at 7:32 pm

          Thank you Karen! I hope you enjoy them! πŸ™‚

          Reply
      24. becca farrelly says

        December 14, 2017 at 10:34 am

        Ooh these look lovely and I love the almond twist to them! I have never made mince pies myself but we make Christmas cake, stollen and a gingerbread house every year. I would love to give these a go! πŸ™‚

        #brillblogposts

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          November 17, 2018 at 7:34 pm

          Oh wow Becca, that's a lot of lovely Christmas bakes! I think you would enjoy these, ground almonds really make the pastry here and go so well together with mince meat!

          Reply
      25. Corina Blum says

        December 14, 2017 at 6:30 am

        I love buttery crumbly pastry and these sound perfect! In our house we all like mince pies and so would love these. Thanks so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice x

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          November 17, 2018 at 7:36 pm

          Thank you Corina! πŸ™‚ It's two for and two against in our house, but hey at least there is less competition when it comes to eating them lol x

          Reply
      26. Jenny Paulin says

        December 13, 2017 at 8:31 pm

        ooooh these sound very nice indeed! I adore mince pies too ad have often eaten them for breakfast over the festive period (even with clotted cream on Christmas morning!).Yours look so melt in the mouth too -perfect.
        thank you for linking to #Bakeoftheweek x

        Reply
        • joskitchenlarder says

          November 17, 2018 at 7:39 pm

          Thank you Jenny! πŸ™‚ Oh yes, I'm not a stranger to eating these for breakfast myself. The closer it gets to Christmas the more inclined I am to eat these at any point during the day and night! lol x

          Reply
        • Pam Clarke says

          August 25, 2021 at 2:29 pm

          Could i use this recipe for a large tart... ie lemon merongue or the South African milk tart. If so would i bake blind with pie weights or without pie weights. Thank you.

          Reply
          • joskitchenlarder says

            August 26, 2021 at 2:34 pm

            Hi Pam, I don't see the reason why this pastry wouldn't work for larger bake. I would definitely pre-bake it for that with the pie weights in to avoid soggy bottom. Hope that helps.

            Reply

      Primary Sidebar

      Hi! I’m Jo and this blog is where I share lots of simple, family friendly and mostly plant based recipes we enjoy eating and now you can easily recreate at home.

      More about me β†’

      Trending

      • Irish Soda Bread with Yogurt
      • Easy Wholemeal Bread Recipe (No Knead)
      • Vegetarian Sausage Rolls Recipe
      • Healthy Banana Flapjacks

      Footer

      ^ back to top

      About

      • Privacy Policy & Disclosures

      Newsletter

      • Sign Up! for emails and updates

      Contact

      • Contact

      As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

      Copyright Β© 2017- 2022 Jo's Kitchen Larder | All Rights Reserved