Zesty Spelt Mince Pies

Ring in the Christmas season with my delicious homemade mince pies. The spelt flour pastry is enriched with fresh orange, giving each bite a bright and zesty wow factor that works beautifully with the warming spices in the mincemeat.

My homemade mincemeat is naturally sweetened with dried fruits and citrus with no added cane sugar. The cinnamon and mixed spice help with digestion and blood sugar balancing.

You can find the dairy-free and gluten-free ways to bake these mince pies in the cook’s tips below.

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Zesty Spelt Mince Pies

Mincemeat:

1 Apples ((Finely chopped))
75 g Sultanas
75 g Raisins
75 g Cranberries ((dried))
75 g Mixed Peel
75 g Apricots ((dried))
2 Oranges ((Juice and zest) )
1 tsp Mixed Spice
1 tsp Cinnamon ((ground))

Spelt pastry:

350 g Spelt Flour
150 g Butter ((Unsalted, cold))
2 Eggs ((medium sized eggs – yolk only))
1 Oranges ((Zest only))
25 g Honey
1 tbsp Water ((cold))

Glaze:

1 Eggs ((optional))

Peel and finely chop the apple. Put the chopped apple into a saucepan with the sultanas, raisins, dried cranberries and mixed peel. Chop the dried apricots and add to the pan. Add the zest of the oranges and the juice, the mixed spice and cinnamon.
Bring the mixture up to a gentle simmer and cook for around 30 minutes, stirring frequently so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Set aside to cool for at least 1 hour.
Meanwhile, begin making the pastry. Put the flour into a mixing bowl. Cut the cold butter into small cubes and add to the flour. Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips, until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
Add the egg, honey, orange zest and cold water, and use a knife to mix until the pastry dough comes together. If needed, use your hands to bring the pastry together more easily. Cover the dough and set aside in a cool place to rest for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 220°C conventional (200°C fan). Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tin and dust with flour.
Put the pastry dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out until it is approximately 3mm thick. Cut 12 circles using a 11cm diameter round pastry cutter. Press each circle into the holes of the muffin tin.
Divide the mincemeat between the pastry cases, approximately one heaped teaspoon in each.
Re-roll the remaining pastry and cut out 12 snowflakes/stars. Place a star on the top of each pie. Glaze the top of each pie with the beaten egg and bake in the pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.
Leave to cool in the baking tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool.

If you are dairy-free you can use vegan butter alternatives with this recipe

For a brilliant gluten-free version, use the pastry recipe below.

60g butter (unsalted, chilled and grated)
75g ground almonds
50g rice flour
50g gram flour (chickpea flour)
1 tsp honey
Splash of ice cold water (if needed)

Put all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and bring together, adding a little cold water only if needed — the almonds will provide natural moisture.
Dust the work surface lightly, as this dough can be sticky. Cut out your bases and press into a cupcake tin using slightly damp hands. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cut out your topping shapes.
Once chilled, fill each case with a teaspoon of mincemeat, top with a star or heart, and bake in an oven at 220°C conventional heat (200°C fan) for around 20 minutes until evenly browned.

Make-ahead tip: the mincemeat will keep in a sterilised jar for up to six weeks, so you can easily get ahead by preparing it in advance.

These mince pies freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature and warm gently in the oven if you prefer them served warm.

Baking, Lunch Boxes & Picnics, Snacks & Treats

Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Vegetarian

NB. This is a new improved update to my recipe from 2019.