Mince Pies
Crisp, buttery pastry and a spoonful of spiced mincemeat: make a batch now, freeze them, and bake fresh all December.
AI assistance: the introduction, ingredient list, method, tips and FAQ on this page were drafted with an AI writing tool, working from long-established traditional methods. Named editor who reviewed it: owner to supply How we work
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 1 hr 30 min
- Makes
- 12 mince pies
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Course
- Cake
- Cuisine
- English
Nothing says Christmas in Britain like a warm mince pie. Homemade ones are worlds apart from the shop: short, buttery pastry and plenty of filling, with a dusting of icing sugar.
The best trick is to make and freeze them unbaked now, then bake a few at a time straight from the freezer.
Ingredients
Pastry
- 225 g plain flour
- 115 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 25 g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tbsp cold water, roughly
Filling
- 400 g mincemeat, homemade or a good jar
- 1 egg or a little milk, to glaze
Equipment
Shop links are affiliate links (disclosure).
Method
- 1
Rub the butter into the flour and icing sugar, add the yolk and enough cold water to bring it together. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
- 2
Heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / gas 6 and lightly butter a 12-hole bun tin.
- 3
Roll the pastry out thinly (about 3 mm). Cut 12 rounds with a 7–7.5 cm fluted cutter and press them into the tin. Re-roll the trimmings and cut 12 smaller rounds or stars for the lids.
- 4
Fill each case with a heaped teaspoon of mincemeat. Do not overfill, or it will bubble out.
Photo: Beck via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped - 5
Top with the lids, pressing the edges to seal, cut a small hole in round lids and brush with egg or milk.
- 6
Bake for 15–20 minutes, until golden. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then lift onto a rack and dust with icing sugar.
Tips
Make your own homemade mincemeat. A shallow bun tin gives the classic shape, and star biscuit cutters make pretty lids.
If it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Filling bubbles over | Too much mincemeat | Use a heaped teaspoon and leave a gap below the rim |
| Soggy bases | Pastry too thick or oven too cool | Roll thinly and bake on the middle shelf of a properly hot oven |
| Pies stuck in the tin | Mincemeat leaked and caramelised | Butter the tin and lift pies out while still warm |
Frequently asked questions
Can I freeze mince pies?
Yes. Freeze them unbaked in the tin, then pop them out into a bag. Bake from frozen, adding 5 minutes.
How long do mince pies keep?
About 4–5 days in an airtight tin. Warm them in a low oven for a few minutes before serving.
Why is it called mincemeat if there is no meat?
Mincemeat once contained minced meat as well as fruit and spices. Today only the suet remains, and vegetable suet is common.
Guides for this recipe
Some of these guides contain shop links, which are affiliate links (disclosure).
More English Food recipes
Recipe · 3 hr 30 min
Beef and Ale Pie
Tender beef braised in dark ale under a golden puff pastry lid: a proper pub classic at home.
Recipe · 2 hr 45 min
Cornish Pasty
Beef skirt, potato, swede and onion, baked raw inside a crimped pastry case: the traditional way.
Recipe · 3 hr 20 min
Homemade Mincemeat
Make it this week and it will be mellow and ready for your first mince pies: spiced fruit, apple, suet and a splash of brandy.
Card photos: A wooden rolling pin with handles, Peter Kammer via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; Stacked cream-coloured ceramic mixing bowls, RLiverpool2021 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A natural-bristle pastry brush, Karon Elliott Edleson from La Quinta, CA, USA via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped; A steak and ale pie served with gravy, broccoli and carrot, Andy Li via Wikimedia Commons, CC0; A golden, crimped Cornish pasty on a plate, David Johnson [1] via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; Homemade mincemeat being stirred with a wooden spoon, Stuart Caie via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped. All credits: image credits.