Air Fryer Mince Pies (Easy Mincemeat Pies in 12 Minutes)

Air fryer mince pies are the fastest way I know to get a tray of warm, flaky, spiced pies on the table during the holidays. They use a box of refrigerated pie crust and a jar of mincemeat, and they cook in about 12 minutes, so you can make a batch while the oven is busy with everything else.

I started making these when my oven was tied up with a roast and I still wanted mince pies for dessert. The air fryer turned out to be better for them than the oven: the fan crisps the pastry all the way around, so you get a crunchy base instead of the soft bottom you sometimes get on a baking sheet. One tip before you start: chill the assembled pies for 15 minutes before they go in. Cold pastry holds its shape and the edges stay sealed.

If you like small pies you can eat out of hand, these belong next to my air fryer apple hand pies and air fryer pecan pie hand pies. Same pastry, same method, different filling.

What is mincemeat? (And is there meat in it?)

There’s no meat in modern mincemeat. It’s a sweet, boozy mix of dried fruit (raisins, currants, sultanas), candied citrus peel, apple, brown sugar, warm spices and either beef suet or butter, usually with a splash of brandy or rum. Centuries ago it did contain minced meat, which is where the name comes from, but the jarred mincemeat you’ll find in the baking aisle today is fruit only. Most brands use beef suet, so check the label if you need a vegetarian version; several make one with vegetable suet or butter.

Mince pies are the small, two-crust pies the British bake with it every Christmas. In the US you’ll sometimes see the same thing called mincemeat pies or mini mincemeat pies. Same pie, same filling.

Ingredients for air fryer mince pies

• Refrigerated pie crust – one 14-ounce box (2 sheets) makes about 10 pies. Shortcrust pastry (500 g) works the same way if you’re in the UK. If you’d rather make your own, my air fryer pie crust recipe rolls out well for small pies.
• Mincemeat – one jar, about 14 ounces (400 g). Look for a brand that lists brandy or rum in the ingredients; it tastes noticeably better. You’ll use about 1 heaping tablespoon per pie.
• Egg – one, beaten with 1 tablespoon of water for the egg wash. This is what gives the pies their deep golden color in the air fryer.
• Powdered sugar – for dusting after they cool. Optional, but it’s how they’re served in the UK.
• Flour – a little, for rolling.

You’ll also need a 3-inch (7.5 cm) round cutter for the bases and a 2.5-inch (6.5 cm) cutter or a small star cutter for the lids. A drinking glass works if you don’t have cutters.

How to make mince pies in the air fryer

Step 1: Roll and cut the pastry. Unroll the pie crust on a lightly floured counter and roll it slightly thinner, to about ⅛ inch (3 mm). Cut out as many 3-inch rounds as you can, then cut the same number of smaller rounds or stars for the lids. Re-roll the scraps once.

Step 2: Fill. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of mincemeat into the center of each large round. Keep a ½-inch border clear; overfilled pies leak.

Step 3: Seal. Brush the border with egg wash, set a lid on top and press the edges together with your fingertips or the tines of a fork. If you used a full round lid, cut a small slit in the top so steam can escape. Star lids don’t need one.

Step 4: Chill. Put the pies on a plate in the fridge for 15 minutes while the air fryer preheats. This step is what keeps the edges sealed.

Step 5: Egg wash and air fry. Preheat the air fryer to 320°F (160°C). Line the basket with parchment (or an air fryer liner) and arrange the pies in a single layer with space between them. Brush the tops with egg wash. Air fry for 8 minutes, flip, then cook another 3 to 4 minutes until the tops are deep golden and the filling is bubbling at the slits.

Step 6: Cool and dust. Let the pies sit in the basket for 2 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar once they’re warm rather than hot, or the sugar melts into the pastry.

How long to cook mince pies in an air fryer

At 320°F (160°C), small mince pies take 11 to 12 minutes total: 8 minutes on the first side, a flip, then 3 to 4 minutes more. Air fryers vary a lot, so start checking at the 10-minute mark. The pies are done when the pastry is golden all the way to the edges and you can see the mincemeat bubbling.

If your air fryer runs hot and the tops brown before the base is crisp, drop the temperature to 300°F (150°C) and add 2 minutes. Cook in batches of 5 or 6 in a standard basket; crowding stops the air circulating and gives you pale, soft pastry on the sides.

Tips for crisp, leak-free pastry

• Chill before cooking. Warm pastry slumps and the seams open. Fifteen minutes in the fridge solves it.
• Don’t overfill. One heaping tablespoon is plenty for a 3-inch base. Mincemeat expands as it heats.
• Flip once. Mince pies are small enough to turn with a spatula, and flipping is what gets the base as crisp as the top.
• Use parchment, not foil. Foil traps steam under the pies. Parchment or a perforated liner lets the air through.
• Egg wash twice if you want shine. Once before cooking, once after the flip.
• Watch the stars. Thin star lids brown faster than full lids. Pull them a minute early if the points are darkening.

Air fryer mince pies with puff pastry

Puff pastry makes a lighter, flakier pie that’s closer to a turnover. Use one thawed sheet, cut it the same way and skip the rolling. Keep the temperature at 320°F (160°C) but check at 9 minutes; puff pastry colors faster than pie crust. The result is more like my air fryer copycat McDonald’s apple pie, with shattering layers rather than a crumbly shortcrust.

Make ahead, freezing and cooking from frozen

Make ahead: Assemble the pies up to 24 hours before you need them. Cover the plate and keep them in the fridge, then egg wash and cook as directed.

Freeze unbaked: Freeze the assembled pies flat on a tray until firm, then bag them. They keep for 3 months.

Cook from frozen: No thawing. Air fry at 320°F (160°C) for 13 to 15 minutes, flipping at 9 minutes. The pastry browns the same; the filling just needs a little longer to heat through.

Freeze baked: Cooled, baked pies freeze well too. Reheat straight from the freezer at 320°F (160°C) for 5 to 6 minutes.

Storing and reheating

Store cooled pies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for 5. To reheat, air fry at 320°F (160°C) for 3 to 4 minutes; they come back as crisp as when they were fresh. Skip the microwave, which softens the pastry.

Mince pies are usually served slightly warm with brandy butter, a spoonful of thick cream, or vanilla ice cream. If you’re putting together a holiday cookie tray, they sit well next to 3-ingredient air fryer shortbread cookies or air fryer cranberry pistachio shortbread, which use the same low air fryer temperature.

Air fryer mince pies FAQ

Does mincemeat have meat in it? Not anymore. Modern mincemeat is dried fruit, candied peel, sugar, spice and suet or butter, often with brandy. The name is historical.

Are mince pies vegetarian? Only if the mincemeat uses vegetable suet or butter instead of beef suet. Check the jar; many supermarket brands offer a vegetarian version.

Can I use puff pastry instead of pie crust? Yes. Keep the temperature the same and start checking at 9 minutes. See the puff pastry section above.

Do I need to flip them? Flipping gives you a crisp base. If you’d rather not, add 2 minutes and expect a softer bottom.

Why did my mince pies leak? Three usual causes: too much filling, pastry that wasn’t chilled, or edges that weren’t brushed with egg wash before sealing.

Can I cook mince pies from frozen in the air fryer? Yes, with no thawing. Use 320°F (160°C) for 13 to 15 minutes, flipping at 9 minutes.

How many fit in the basket? Five or six in a standard 5- to 6-quart basket. Cook in batches and keep the first batch warm on a rack.

Can I use homemade pastry? Yes. A butter shortcrust or my air fryer pie crust both work; roll it to ⅛ inch.

Can I make a savory version? Mincemeat is sweet, so no, but the same pastry-and-basket method makes air fryer meat pies with a beef and pork filling.

More Easy Air Fryer Recipes

• Air Fryer Blueberry Hand Pies
• Air Fryer Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts
• Air Fryer Bagel Breakfast Sliders
• Air Fryer Honey Bun Cake
• Air Fryer Fruity Pebbles Treats

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