Where You Can Find The Best Vegan Mince Pies 2021

With the snow starting to fall today in many parts of the UK due to storm Arwen, it really started to feel like Christmas. The white covering on the ground outside, with the street lights dancing on the flakes as they fell. The fire flickering in the hearth and the wafts of freshly baked bread around the house made it feel so warm and cozy inside. Just needed a mince pie to top it off! One of those days where you just want to hunker down and enjoy the coziness with a pyjama day.

We often have a day just like this a few days before Christmas. Baking Christmas presents for friends and family members, with a Christmas film on in the background. The fire roaring away and the Christmas tree twinkling in the corner. Today felt just like that, without the tree…and the mince pies!

Going Vegan

Last Christmas i was a vegetarian, i hadn’t quite made the jump to being vegan so i was able to have most of the mince pies on offer in supermarkets. However, this year is a whole other story. When it comes to vegan mince pies, there actually aren’t that many around, so it took some looking under rocks to find the best ones.

Last Christmas we had a box of mince pies on the go every day throughout December, and probably January as well. Taste testing every mince pie that was on offer. It’s only really been the last few years that i’ve come to love mince pies. I never understood what the hype was about, however last year i became slightly addicted! You can’t beat a delicious, warm mince pie with some cool cream cascading over it.

So, incase you love vegan mince pie recipes as much as i do, here is where you can find the best ones this Christmas. Incase you don’t plan to make your mince pie recipe from scratch yourself. Here are our top picks…

The Best Vegan Mince Pies

ASDA

Back in 2017, ASDA made waves in the vegan community by producing the first vegan mince pies in the UK. You’ll be glad to hear that this year looks to be no different with these tasty delights retuning to the shelves. The plant based Christmas treats are returning once again!

ASDA mince pies – £1.55

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Waitrose

Waitrose has a great vegan mince pie this Christmas. They’re filled with brandy, cranberries and cherries, wrapped in a shortcrust pastry and are delicious!

Waitrose mince pies – £2.50

Thoughts…

These Waitrose mince pies aren’t too sweet and feel very light to eat. The pastry is in between soft and crumbly so they’re great to eat either hot or cold. The filing is more fruit like than mince pie tasting so if you want a mince pie that isn’t too mince pie-like, then get these!

Score – 7/10

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Sainsbury’s

This year Sainsbury’s has three different vegan mince pie options, ranging from £1.50 – £2.50. There is the Sainsbury’s own range in a pack of four for £1.50. Then you have the Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference pack of nine for £2.50. Finally they have the Plant Pioneers pack of six for £1.50.

So, depending on your budget and whether you’re looking for normal size mince pies, or more smaller ones, you should be able to find something to suit you.

Sainsbury’s mince pies – £1.50

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Greggs

Greggs, vegan friendly mince pies are made from a crumbly shortcrust pastry, and filled with Bramley apple , candied orange peel and lightly dusted with icing sugar.

The mince pies are available in store, and to purchase through their website.

Greggs’ mince pies

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Tesco

This year Tesco have brought out their Planet Chef range of vegan mince pies at such an affordable price. These mince pies are 100% plant based, filled with mincemeat and surrounded by a shortcrust pastry.

Tesco Plant Chef Mince Pies – £1.25

Thoughts…

The Tesco plant chef mince pies are the best ones this year. They are the perfect combination of flavour and texture. The filing is rich and luxurious, and the pastry is super soft and just melts in your mouth. If you like the soft pastry texture on a mince pie, definitely try these! You’d never know these weren’t the real deal mince pies, filled with butter. Yum!

Score – 9/10

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Aldi

Sugar dusted vegan mince pies with a sweet, crisp pastry. Filed with rich mince meat – gluten free, wheat free and dairy free.

Aldi Free From Mince Pies – £1.35

Thoughts…

Easily the worst of the bunch this year! The pastry is so hard it’s more like a biscuit. This also makes eating them very difficult as the whole thing will fall apart in your hands. They’re better if you have them hot as the pastry softens slightly. Then of course there’s the filing which is as dry as a bone and the sweetest thing i have ever tasted!

Score – 1/10

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M&S

This years M&S Plant Kitchen vegan mince pies come in a pack of four. They are filled with the classic mince meat and covered in a shortcrust pastry. They are said to have the perfect mix of crumbly pastry and sweet fruity filling.

M&S Plant Kitchen Mince Pies – £2.50

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So, Which Are The Best Tasting Mince Pies?

Personally, it was a close call, but i thought the best tasting ones this year were the Tesco plant chef mince pies. The pastry was soft and melted in your mouth. You’d never know these were vegan mince pies. Plus, they were among the cheapest as well, making them even better! Proof it’s not always about the price.

Hopefully you’ll now be able to find all the vegan mince pies you could possibly eat this festive period.

You could even try our mince pie cookie recipe as well if you love mince pies that much. The same kind of taste in a very different texture combination.