Chip Shop-Style Individual Cheese and Onion Pies

Buttery shortcrust pastry filled with a gooey cheese, potato and onion mixture. These individual cheese and onion pies are packed with flavour—comforting, meat-free and reminiscent of the classic chip shop pie.

“These cheese pies are the best thank you for sharing the recipe”

– Wimpie

Nicky’s Notes

As a Northern lass, pies matter to me. Since moving to Devon I’ve missed the cheese and onion pie from the chippy, so I made my own version packed with rich, cheesy comfort.

Nicky’s Notes
📋 Ingredients for Cheese & Onion Pies
🧑‍🍳 Abbreviated recipe
Pro Tip
🍽️ What to serve them with
📺 Watch how to make it
Individual Cheese and Onion Pies Recipe
🍲 More recipes with pastry

📋 Ingredients for Cheese & Onion Pies

Ingredients for individual cheese and onion pies on a wooden table

Pastry – shortcrust pastry, shop-bought or homemade.
Cheese – choose a mature, strong cheddar for maximum flavour.

🧑‍🍳 Abbreviated recipe

Full recipe with detailed steps is in the recipe card below.

Line four individual pie dishes with shortcrust pastry, prick the base, then blind-bake with parchment and baking beans for 10 minutes.
Boil a diced medium potato until very tender. Meanwhile soften a sliced large onion in butter in a pan.
Add flour to the softened onion, then gradually stir in milk and cream to make a sauce. Stir in grated strong cheddar, mustard powder, salt, pepper and the cooked potato.
Remove beans and parchment, spoon the cheesy filling into the cases, trim the bases, top with pastry lids, crimp the edges, brush with egg and bake for 20–25 minutes until golden.

6 image collage showing initial process steps for making individual cheese and onion pies.

Pro Tip

Use the back of a fork to crimp the pastry for a classic edge.

Serve the pies warm from the oven.

Overhead image of 4 cheese and onion pies on a cooling rack on a blue surface.

🍽️ What to serve them with

Crispy chips — potato with potato is perfectly acceptable!
Mushy peas — a classic British pairing.
Mashed potatoes — for a true East End tradition.

4 individual cheese and onion pies on a blue surface. Piece taken out of the pie at the front of the image.

Or serve them on their own — they’re filling enough without sides.

📺 Watch how to make it

Square image of a small cheese and onion pie on a plate with a piece taken out.

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Individual Cheese and Onion Pies

By Nicky Corbishley

Buttery shortcrust pastry filled with a gooey cheese, potato and onion mixture. A comforting, meat-free dinner.

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:45 mins

Total Time:1 hr 5 mins

Servings: 4 pies

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: British

Ingredients

2 x 320 g (2 x 11 oz) packs ready-rolled shortcrust pastry
1 medium potato (about 200 g), peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large onion, peeled and finely sliced
2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
180 ml (3/4 cup) whole (full-fat) milk
50 ml (2 tbsp + 1 tsp) double (heavy) cream
150 g (1 1/2 packed cups) mature/strong cheddar, grated
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, lightly whisked (for egg wash)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F (fan).
Unroll one pastry sheet and cut into four squares. Line four individual pie dishes (about 11 cm diameter x 3.5 cm deep) so pastry covers base and sides; use leftover pastry to fill any gaps.
Prick the base with a fork, cover with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Place on a tray and blind-bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven, cool for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the parchment and baking beans.
Meanwhile, add the diced potato to a pan, cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10–12 minutes until very tender. Drain and set aside.
Melt the butter in a second pan and add the sliced onion. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until softened. Sprinkle over the flour, stir to coat and cook for a minute.
Gradually add the milk, stirring until fully incorporated, then add the cream. Stir in the grated cheddar, mustard powder, salt, pepper and the cooked potato.
Stir until the cheese melts and the potatoes start to break down. The filling should be thick and just pourable; add a splash more milk if needed.
Divide the filling between the four pastry cases. Trim any overhanging pastry around the base.
Brush the edges with a little egg wash. Cut four squares from the second pastry sheet and place one on top of each pie. Trim excess pastry, crimp the edges with a fork, brush the tops with egg and pierce two small vents in each lid.
Bake on a tray for 20–25 minutes until the pies are golden brown. Serve warm.

Video

Notes

Can I make them ahead?
Yes—make the pies, cool, place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat, uncovered, at 180C/375F for 20–25 minutes until piping hot.

Can I freeze them?
Yes—cool and freeze in an airtight container. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat at 180C/375F for 20–25 minutes until heated through.

Nutritional information is per pie.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is approximate and should be used as a guide.

Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!

This cheese and onion pie recipe was first posted in March 2021 and has been updated with improvements.

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