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These Mince Pies swap pastry for a no bake nut base: walnuts, almonds and pecans blitzed with dates, chia, cinnamon and maple syrup, pressed into cases and filled with mincemeat. They take 15 minutes plus an hour in the fridge and make 12. Put them on a platter with my Vegan Chocolate Truffles, and find more festive bakes in my 18 Gluten Free Christmas Desserts.

No bake mince pies with a nut base, topped with mincemeat
James Wythe

No Bake Mince Pies at a Glance

James's tipUse a deep cupcake tray and press the base up the sides firmly with your thumb. Thick, even walls hold the mincemeat without cracking.

What can I cook?

Got walnuts? See what else you can cook.

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15 minsPrep
1 hrChill
1 hr 15 minsTotal
12Makes
Christmas treatNo bakeMake ahead basesFreezer friendly

Key ingredients

  • Walnuts, almonds and pecans
  • Dates and maple syrup
  • Cinnamon and nutmeg
  • Mincemeat

Why you'll love it

  • No pastry and no oven
  • Bases keep for 2 days in the fridge
  • About 319 kcal a pie

Quick summary

Nuts and dates are blitzed with chia, spices, maple syrup and water, pressed into 12 cupcake cases, filled with mincemeat and chilled for an hour to set. Makes 12 at about 319 kcal each.

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Why this recipe works

Mince pies are the classic British Christmas treat. This version swaps the pastry for a crumbly, nutty base that needs no oven at all.

The base is sweetened with dates and a little maple syrup, holds its shape once chilled, and you can decorate the tops however you like.

Best of all, you can make the bases up to 2 days ahead, keep them covered in the fridge and add the mincemeat just before serving. It is the same chill and set trick as my Peanut Butter Cups.

They were inspired by my No Bake Pumpkin Pie.

Ingredients to make No Bake Mince Pies

Mince pie ingredients: walnuts, almonds, pecans, dates, chia seeds, spices, maple syrup and a jar of mincemeat
  1. Walnuts: Give the base a rich, buttery crunch. Spare walnuts? Make my Vegan Sausage Rolls.
  2. Almonds: Bulk out the base and go well with the spiced fruit.
  3. Pecans: Add a sweet, buttery flavour. Spare pecans? Make my Candied Pecans.
  4. Pitted Dates: Sweeten the base and help it stick together. Spare dates go into my Chocolate Pot.
  5. Chia Seeds: Help bind the base.
  6. Cinnamon and Nutmeg: The warm Christmas spices.
  7. Maple Syrup: A little extra sweetness.
  8. Cold Water: Helps the mix come together.
  9. Mincemeat: A jar of ready made mincemeat for the filling. Some jars use beef suet, and vegetable suet can be coated in wheat flour, so check the label says gluten free and vegetarian or vegan.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions

  • Nuts: Change the amounts and types to suit what you have. Hazelnuts, cashews or a mixed bag of baking nuts all work.
  • Maple Syrup: Agave or date syrup. Leftover maple syrup is lovely on my Gluten Free Pancakes.
  • Mincemeat: Make your own if you like, with dried fruit, grated apple, orange zest and mixed spice.

Variations

  • Deluxe: Top with a dab of dairy free cream or a dusting of icing sugar.
  • Chocolate: Drizzle melted dark chocolate over the tops, like my Chocolate Coconut Balls.
  • Bites: Roll the base into balls and press a little mincemeat into the middle, like my Peanut Butter Balls.
  • Warm: Warm the mincemeat before spooning it in.
  • Kid Friendly: Serve with a scoop of dairy free ice cream.

For another Christmas treat, try my Chocolatey Fig & Pecan Brownies.

How to make No Bake Mince Pies

Nuts and dates blitzed in a food processor for the mince pie base

Step 1: Add the walnuts, almonds, pecans and dates to a food processor and blitz to a fine crumb.

Sticky nut mixture for the mince pie base in a blender

Step 2: Add the chia seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, maple syrup and cold water and blend again until the mix is sticky and holds together when pinched.

Nut base pressed into 12 cupcake cases for the mince pies

Step 3: Put 12 cupcake cases in a deep cupcake tray. Roll the mix into 12 balls, put one in each case and press it into a cup shape with your thumb.

Spooning mincemeat into the nut base mince pies

Step 4: Add a spoon of mincemeat to each one and chill for 1 hour so the base sets. For a festive dessert table, serve them with my Baked Pears.

Hint: If the mix is too crumbly to hold, add another teaspoon of water. If it is too sticky, add a few more chopped nuts.

Leftovers

Keep the bases and mincemeat separate until serving if you can. Once filled, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 2 days. They freeze for up to 3 months; defrost in the fridge. Leftover mincemeat is lovely stirred into my Baked Oats.

Recipe FAQs

What are mince pies?

A British Christmas treat: small pies filled with mincemeat, a spiced mix of dried fruit, apple and peel. Despite the name, there is no meat in the jars I use.

Can you make mince pies without pastry?

Yes. The base here is nuts and dates pressed into cases and set in the fridge, the same idea as the base of my Gluten free & Vegan Blueberry Cheesecake.

How many calories are in these mince pies?

About 319 kcal each, most of it from the nuts. They are rich and filling, so one goes a long way.

Can you eat mince pies cold?

Yes. They are best cold from the fridge, but you can warm the mincemeat before filling them. Enjoy one with a mug of my Christmas Hot Chocolate.

Is mincemeat gluten free and vegan?

Not always. Traditional mincemeat uses beef suet, and vegetable suet is often coated in wheat flour. Check the jar says gluten free, and vegetarian or vegan if you need it.

How long do no bake mince pies last?

Up to 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge once filled. The bases alone keep for 2 days covered in the fridge, and filled pies freeze for up to 3 months.

Nut base mince pies on a plate for Christmas

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Mince pies with nut base.
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5 from 2 votes

Healthy Mince Pies

By: James Wythe
No bake mince pies with a walnut, almond and pecan base instead of pastry, filled with mincemeat and set in the fridge. Makes 12.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12 pies

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 100 g walnuts, (1 cup)
  • 150 g almonds, (1 cup)
  • 125 g pecans, (1 cup)
  • 30 g pitted dates
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 3 tbsp cold water
  • 1 jar Mince Pie meat mix

What can I cook?

Got leftover walnuts? See what else you can cook with it.

Show me recipes

Instructions 

  • Add all the nuts and the dates to a food processor and blitz to a fine crumb.
  • Add the chia seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, maple syrup and cold water and blend again until the mix is sticky and holds together when pinched.
  • Put 12 cupcake cases in a deep cupcake baking tray. Roll the mix into 12 balls, put one in each case and press into a cup shape.
  • Add a spoon of mincemeat to the middle of each one and chill for 1 hour so the base sets.

Notes

Step-by-Step Photos: My blog post includes step-by-step photos to help guide you through making this recipe.
Substitutions and Variations: I have included a list of these in the post above.
Mincemeat: Check the jar says gluten free, and vegetarian or vegan if you need it. Some use beef suet, and vegetable suet can be coated in wheat flour.
To Store: Make the bases up to 2 days ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. Once filled, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 2 days.
To Freeze: Freeze the filled pies in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge.
Tip 1: A deep cupcake tray helps shape the cases.
Tip 2: Warm the mincemeat before spooning it in if you like them warm.
Tip 3: Too crumbly? Add another teaspoon of water. Too sticky? Add a few more chopped nuts.

Nutrition

Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 27g
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About James Wythe

Hey, I'm James! A fully qualified health coach, cookbook author, full time food blogger and new dad with over 1 million followers. I started this journey after a sudden illness left me bed bound for 2 years and housebound for 4 years! I’m here to help you make healthy and delicious food for you and your family in less time!

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Recipe Rating




5 Comments

  2. 5 stars
    I thought I’d try these for Christmas Day with my sister.
    I used a nut mix (peanuts, walnuts and almonds) for baking as I couldn’t get any peacans.
    I actually popped them in the oven for 10 minutes on fan 180C
    as the peanuts didn’t work that well taste wise.
    They came out lovely and I put a marzipan star on top.
    Thank you for another fab recipe James

    Reply