These Streusel Mince Pies are a delicious alternative to traditional mince pies. They have a quick and easy-to-make crumble-style topping made with flour, butter, sugar, chopped nuts and orange zest, giving them a wonderful festive flavour and are ideal if you fancy a mince pie or mince tart without a pastry top.
Use any leftover Mincemeat to make these Apple and Mincemeat squares. And why not make a large batch of freezer friendly, ready to use Crunchy Oat and Nut Streusel Topping
In the 15th Century and beyond, Mincemeat would contain actual meat, along with dried fruits, candied peel, nuts and spices. In today's modern jars of our favourite Christmas mince pie filling, no meat will be found. Except for suet, but these days vegetarian and vegan versions can be bought.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This is an overview of the ingredients I used to make this recipe, with possible alternatives and why I may have used them. A complete list of ingredients and full instructions can be found in the Recipe Card below. Or click the 'Jump to Recipe' button at the top of this post. Tip: Always read through a recipe before you start, to ensure you have all the ingredients and understand the method.
- Butter - This is used to make the pastry and the Streusel Topping and must be fridge cold.
- Vegetable shortening - When combined with butter, it makes a lovely short textured pastry. If you don't want to use shortening, use all butter instead.
- Wholemeal Flour - For this recipe, spelt wholemeal flour was used to make the pastry, but you can use any wholemeal flour. Or a mix of Plain White and wholemeal flour. Tip: If using all white flour to make the pastry, you will need a little less water to bring the dough together.
- Plain Flour - For this recipe, plain white Spelt flour was used to make the streusel topping. You can use any plain/all-purpose white flour.
- Caster Sugar - Granulated sugar is fine to use, although the granules are larger than caster sugar. Icing sugar/confectioners sugar is a good substitute if you can't get hold of normal sugar.
- Mixed Nuts - You can use any nuts or a combination of chopped mixed nuts. If using whole nuts, chop them finely.
- Orange Zest - The zest of the orange works best for this recipe, but a Lemon is a good alternative. Take care not to grate into the bitter pith just under the orange skin.
- Sweet Mincemeat - Use the best quality Mincemeat that you can. Even better if you make your own.
Step By Step Instructions for Making Streusel Mince Pies
Equipment
- 12-holed shallow bun tin.
- Baking parchment - This is used to roll out the pastry between 2 sheets
- Food Processor (Optional)
- Large Mixing bowl
Step 1: Place the flour, butter and vegetable shortening into a food processor. Blitz until you have a fine breadcrumb consistency. Or use the rub-in method using your fingertips.
Step 2: Gradually add enough cold water and, using your hands or the food processor, bring the mixture together to a smooth, firm dough. TIP: You may not need all the water, so don’t add it all at once.
Flatten the pastry a little and wrap it in baking parchment or clingfilm. Place it in the fridge for at least 1 hour to allow the pastry to rest and firm up. Tip: At this stage, you can leave the pastry well-wrapped overnight in the fridge if you want to bake the next day. Or place in the freezer for up to a month to use later.
Have ready a 12 holed bun tin, lightly greased if needed.
Step 3: When ready to make the Streusel Topped Mince Pies, start to roll the pastry out between two large sheets of baking parchment or a very lightly dusted surface. The thickness of the pastry should be no more than 3mm or the thickness of a £1 coin.
Use a pastry cutter about 3.5 inches/9 cm or slightly larger than the size of the individual tart tins you are using. Re-roll and cut enough rounds of pastry to make 12 individual mince pies.
Step 4: Carefully place each round of pastry into each hollow, taking care not to break the pastry or the mincemeat will ooze out during baking.
Place the tray in the fridge to allow the pastry to rest again while you make the Streusel topping.
Preheat the oven to Moderate Hot - 170C (Fan Assisted). 190C/375F conventional.
Make the Streusel Filling and Topping
Step 5: Place the flour and butter into the food processor and blitz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Or use the rub-in method with your fingertips.
Step 6: Add the Orange zest, sugar and chopped mixed nuts.
Step 7: Give the Streusel ingredients a good mix.
Step 8: Remove the tray of pastry tart cases from the fridge and fill them with sweet mincemeat. To avoid overfilling, leave enough room for the Streusel topping.
Step 9: Fill each pie with the Streusel mixture. About two teaspoons should be enough, but you may not need it all. Gently press the filling down a little on each pie. Save any leftover mixture to use as a topping the next time you make a fruit crumble.
Step 10: Bake in a preheated, moderately hot oven (see step 4) for 20 minutes or until baked. This will depend on the thickness of the pastry and filling. Leave in the tin to cool a little before serving.
Enjoy your Mince Pies with a Streusel Topping. They are delicious with fresh cream and yoghurt. Being extravagant add a dash of brandy butter to the pies while they are still warm.
Storage
Room Temperature - Once baked, store the Streusel Mince Pies in an air tight container.
Fridge - You can make the pastry ahead of time and make the pies the next day. Make sure the wholemeal pastry is well wrapped to avoid it drying out.
Freeze - You can freeze the well wrapped pastry for up to a month. Allow the pastry to come to room temperature before rolling out. You can also freeze uncooked Streusel Mince pies. Freeze them in the bun tin before wrapping them in clingfilm and storing them in the freezer. Allow a few extra minutes of baking time.
Streusel Mince Pies
Equipment
- 12-holed shallow bun tin.
- Baking parchment
- Food Processor (Optional)
- Large Mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 200 g Spelt Wholemeal Flour. Or any wholemeal flour
- 50 g butter fridge cold
- 50 g vegetable shortening such as Trex fridge cold
- 50 ml very cold water. You may not need it all
For the filling and Streusel Topping.
- 100 g Spelt White Flour or any plain white flour/all-purpose flour
- 50 g butter fridge cold
- 40 g caster sugar
- 60 g finely chopped mixed nuts
- zest of 1 orange
- 350 g sweet mincemeat
Instructions
Make the Pastry
- Step 1: Place the flour, butter and vegetable shortening into a food processor. Blitz until you have a fine breadcrumb consistency. Or use the rub-in method using your fingertips.200 g Spelt Wholemeal Flour. Or any wholemeal flour, 50 g butter, 50 g vegetable shortening such as Trex
- Step 2: Gradually add enough cold water and, using your hands or the food processor, bring the mixture together to a smooth, firm dough. TIP: You may not need all the water, so don’t add it all at once.50 ml very cold water. You may not need it all
- Flatten the pastry a little and wrap it in baking parchment or cling film. Place it in the fridge for at least 1 hour to allow the pastry to rest and firm up. Tip: At this stage, you can leave the pastry well-wrapped overnight in the fridge if you want to bake the next day. Or place in the freezer for up to a month to use later.
- Have ready a 12 holed bun tin, lightly greased if needed.
- Step 3: When ready to make the Streusel Topped Mince Pies, start to roll the pastry out between two large sheets of baking parchment or a very lightly dusted surface. The thickness of the pastry should be no more than 3mm or the thickness of a £1 coin.
- Use a pastry cutter about 3.5 inches/9 cm or slightly larger than the size of the individual tart tins you are using. Re-roll and cut enough rounds of pastry to make 12 individual mince pies.
- Step 4: Carefully place each round of pastry into each hollow, taking care not to break the pastry or the mincemeat will ooze out during baking.
- Place the tray in the fridge to allow the pastry to rest again while you make the Streusel topping.
- Preheat the oven to Moderate Hot - 170C (Fan Assisted). 190C/375F conventional.
Make the Filling and Topping
- Step 5: Place the flour and butter into the food processor and blitz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Or use the rub-in method with your fingertips.100 g Spelt White Flour or any plain white flour/all-purpose flour, 50 g butter fridge cold
- Step 6: Add the Orange zest, sugar and chopped mixed nuts.40 g caster sugar, zest of 1 orange, 60 g finely chopped mixed nuts
- Step 7: Give the Streusel ingredients a good mix.
- Step 8: Remove the tray of pastry tart cases from the fridge and fill them with sweet mincemeat. To avoid overfilling, leave enough room for the Streusel topping.350 g sweet mincemeat
- Step 9: Fill each pie with the Streusel mixture. About two teaspoons should be enough, but you may not need it all. Gently press the filling down a little on each pie. Save any leftover mixture to use as a topping the next time you make a fruit crumble.
- Step 10: Bake in a preheated, moderately hot oven (see step 4) for 20 minutes or until baked. This will depend on the thickness of the pastry and filling. Leave in the tin to cool a little before serving.
Notes
- TIP: When bringing the pastry dough together, you may not need all the water, so don’t add it all at once.
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