The Best Orange & Amaretto Mince Pies (Gluten Free, Vegan)

These orange and amaretto mince pies are a crowd pleaser and definitely add a boozy kick to a festive favourite. They are gluten free and vegan but I promise you cannot tell! I have been making this orange and amaretto mincemeat filling for a few years now but have only just cracked my sweet shortcrust pastry.

I have noted that this makes 6 to 10 pies, I realise this is a little vague but it all depends on the size of the cutters that you use. I usually use one 8cm in diameter and get eight mince pies. 

The dough can be quite sticky even when chilled so you will need to be generous with the amount of flour you use on the countertops and rolling pin. I  find it useful to sprinkle flour onto the dough itself to prevent it from sticking to anything. It can be a litle bit fiddly placing the pastry bases into the trays as they have a tendency to rip if you are not gentle. Do not worry if this is the case, just press a small piece of pastry over the tear to patch it up.

I have noted the time taken to make these to be 105 minutes but this includes the time taken to make and chill the pastry. The mincemeat will need to be made in advance and should be left in a cool, dry place for at least one week before using. A lot of mincemeat can be left for over a year before eating, however, as the jars are not waxed and sealed it should be eaten within one month. I use a sterilised 454g jar for this amount of mincemeat and it was a perfect fit.

If preferred, you can make this recipe using shop bought mincemeat instead. Just skip ahead to step three!

Make sure you use block butter for these otherwise they will just turn into an oily mess when you bake them. I have noted the bake time to be 25 minutes, (fan oven), but this may vary depending on your oven so keep an eye on them!

Once baked, allow the mince pies to completely cool before sliding a tablespoon underneath each one and gently popping it out. I like to add a sprinkle of caster sugar before and immediately after baking but this is completely optional.

These mince pies are best eaten the same or following day but will last for up to four days in an airtight container. Keep in mind this pastry will dry out quickly so on day four they might need to be warm topped with plant based double cream.

For other Mince Pie flavoured desserts, why not try my Mince Pie Freezer Fudge recipe here or my Mince Pie Brownies which you can find here. Alternatively, for another dessert with amaretto why not give my Coconut & Amaretto Truffles.

For other Christmas desserts head over to my Gluten Free & Vegan Christmas Recipe Guide to explore other recipes to make over the festive season.

If you like this recipe and want to show some support please leave a comment below or visit my Ko-Fi account to donate! x