Are you ready for the holiday season? We sure are excited about it. And what could be more festive than these vegan mince pie pops?
Bursting with spices and fruit, packed in festive shortbread crust that’s shaped like pops and decorated with little stars, this seasonal treat is such an eye-catcher. They truly are the very essence of Christmas!
We’ll use store-bought vegan mincemeat and store-bought vegan shortcrust pastry — however, you’ll find tips and recipes for making these from scratch in the article.
What is mincemeat?
The main ingredient of these vegan mince pie pops is mincemeat. For those who are unfamiliar and perhaps a little confused, mincemeat doesn’t usually consist of meat!
Originating in England, it is a combination of chopped dried fruits, spices, sugar, nuts, distilled spirits, and fat. However, it sometimes also contains meat — so always check the label. Here’s an easy homemade recipe!
Why you’ll love them
- Great gift idea
- Totally holiday-approved
- So much fun to make
- Perfect with your favorite hot beverage
- Bite-sized and delicious
Ingredients needed
- Shortbread crust (any vegan-friendly store-bought one will work)
- Mincemeat (made from fruit and spices, not meat)
- Dark chocolate chips (optional, but recommended)
- Aquafaba (to replace egg wash)
- Icing sugar (for a festive finish)
How to make vegan mince pie pops
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F (180 °C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle a clean work surface with flour and roll out the pastry.
- Make the base circles for your mince pie pops by cutting them with circular cutters (around 2-inch diameter.) Transfer them onto your prepared baking sheet.
- Place the cake pop sticks into the center of the circles, about halfway into them.
- Combine mincemeat and chocolate chips in a small bowl with a spoon.
- Pile some of that sweet mixture into the center of the circles, on top of the sticks. Set aside.
- Cut out the top circles for your pops, using your circular cutter again. Leave half of them plain and cut a star out of the other ones.
- Place the top circles on top of the mincemeat and press down the sides. Create a little pattern with a fork if wanted.
- Use the cutout stars as a decoration for the plain tops! Press them down gently.
- Brush all vegan mince pie pop tops with aquafaba, then place them into your preheated oven.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until brown and crispy. Remove from the oven, let them cool slightly, then dust with icing sugar before serving.
Tips & adjustments
- If you can’t find store-bought vegan shortcrust pastry, make your own! Here is a great recipe by VegSpace.
- Feel free to create your own shapes for the pops!
- The chocolate chips can be omitted.
- This recipe can also be used to create a vegan mince pie!
More recipes
Did you like this recipe? Share your thoughts in the comments below and leave a rating!
Equipment
- Cake pop sticks
- Circular cutters
- Star cookie cutters
Ingredients
- 8 oz shortcrust pastry at room temperature
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1.5 cups vegan fruit mincemeat
- 1 oz dark chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp aquafaba
- 1-2 tbsp icing sugar for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F (180 °C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle a clean work surface with flour and roll out the pastry.
- Use circular cutters to cut the base circles and transfer them onto your prepared baking sheet. Place cake pop sticks into the center, about halfway into the cut circle.
- In a small bowl, combine mincemeat with chocolate chips.
- Pile some of that mixture into the center of your circles, then set aside.
- Create the rest of your top circles with your cutter. Then, using a star cutter, cut a star out of the center of half the circles you have made for the top!
- Place the top circles onto the mince and press down the sides.
- Put the cutout stars onto the plain tops and press them down gently. Use a fork to create a little pattern if wanted.
- Brush the tops of your mince pie pops with aquafaba, then place them in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.
- Once they are brown and crispy, remove them from the oven and dust them with icing sugar before serving or gifting them to your friends.
Notes
- If you can’t find store-bought vegan shortcrust pastry, make your own!
- Chocolate chips are recommended but can be omitted.
- Aquafaba is the liquid from a chickpea can.
