Mince Pies: Everything You Need to Know

Mince pies are everywhere from November onwards. They’re in offices, at Christmas parties, in your nan’s biscuit tin, and mysteriously appearing in your kitchen despite nobody remembering buying them.

These little pastry cases filled with spiced dried fruit are as British as tea and apologising unnecessarily. But have you ever wondered why they’re called “mince” pies when there’s no meat? (Spoiler: there used to be.) And what makes a good one vs a disappointing one?

This is your complete guide to mince pies—from medieval meat pies to the modern supermarket versions, plus whether you should bother making your own.

What’s In a Mince Pie?

The pastry: Sweet shortcrust, sometimes with a full lid, sometimes with a star on top, occasionally crumble topping.

The filling (mincemeat): Despite the name, contains no meat (usually). It’s a mixture of:

• Dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, currants)
• Candied peel
• Suet (beef fat, traditionally, often vegetable now)
• Sugar
• Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger)
• Apple
• Citrus zest and juice
• Alcohol (brandy, rum, or sherry)

Size: Individual portions, usually about 5-7cm diameter. Two bites for most people, one ambitious bite for optimists.

Why Are They Called Mince Pies?

Because they originally contained minced (ground) meat.

The Meaty History

Medieval mince pies (1300s-1600s):

• Contained actual meat (mutton, beef, or venison)
• Mixed with dried fruit and spices
• Spices were expensive—showed off wealth
• Often made in oval shapes representing Jesus’s crib
• Much larger than modern versions

Why meat and fruit together? Medieval cooks loved mixing sweet and savoury. Spices were used to preserve meat. Dried fruit added sweetness and bulk.

Puritan ban (1650s): Cromwell’s Puritans banned mince pies as too indulgent and Catholic. When the monarchy returned, so did mince pies (one in the eye for Cromwell).

Victorian evolution: By the 1800s, meat was gradually phased out. Suet (animal fat) remained, but the meat itself disappeared. The sweet, spiced fruit mixture we know today became standard.

Why “mincemeat” stuck: The name remained even after the meat was left. Now it just means the spiced fruit filling.

Traditional Homemade Mincemeat Recipe

Making your own mincemeat is surprisingly easy and tastes miles better than jar stuff.

Ingredients:

• 200g raisins
• 200g sultanas
• 200g currants
• 100g mixed candied peel
• 100g dried cranberries (modern addition, optional)
• 200g dark brown sugar
• 200g vegetable or beef suet (grated)
• 2 cooking apples, peeled and finely chopped
• Zest and juice of 2 oranges and 2 lemons
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 150ml brandy or rum

Method:

1. Mix everything except alcohol in a large bowl
2. Cover and leave overnight
3. Add alcohol and stir well
4. Pack into sterilised jars
5. Store for at least 2 weeks before using (up to a year is fine)
6. “Feed” monthly with a tablespoon more brandy

This makes: About 4-5 jars worth

Why make your own:

• Control quality and flavour
• Less sweet than shop versions
• More boozy if you want
• Makes brilliant gifts
• Smells incredible

Traditional Mince Pie Recipe

Once you’ve got mincemeat (homemade or jar), making pies is straightforward.

Ingredients:

• 500g shortcrust pastry (homemade or shop-bought)
• 300g mincemeat
• 1 egg, beaten (for brushing)
• Icing sugar for dusting

Method:

1. Roll pastry to 3-4mm thick
2. Cut circles for bases (use a pastry cutter or a glass)
3. Press into greased muffin tins
4. Fill each with a spoonful of mincemeat (don’t overfill!)
5. Cut smaller circles for lids (or stars for decoration)
6. Brush edges with egg, press lids on
7. Brush tops with egg, make a small slit for steam
8. Bake at 200°C for 15-20 minutes until golden
9. Cool slightly, dust with icing sugar

Makes: About 12-18 depending on size

Top tips:

• Don’t overfill or they’ll leak everywhere
• Make sure pastry isn’t too thick or they’ll be stodgy
• Eat warm for best results

Best Shop-Bought Mince Pies 2025

Let’s be real: most people buy them ready-made. Here’s the definitive ranking:

Budget Tier (Under £1)

Tesco Finest/Asda Extra Special/Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference:

• £1-2 per pack
• Surprisingly decent
• Good pastry-to-filling ratio
• Perfectly acceptable

Verdict: If you’re serving lots, these do the job.

Mid-Range (£2-4)

M&S Mince Pies:

• £3-4 per pack
• Consistently good
• Proper buttery pastry
• Not too sweet
• Reliable choice

Waitrose/Morrisons The Best:

• £2.50-3.50
• Good quality
• Often have interesting variations
• Worth the small upgrade

Verdict: This is the sweet spot for quality vs price.

Premium (£4-8)

M&S Collection:

• £5-6
• Frangipane layer, extra fancy
• Beautiful presentation
• Special occasion worthy

Waitrose Heston Range:

• £5-7
• Unusual flavours (mandarin and clementine, etc.)
• Hit or miss depending on taste
• Conversation starters

Co-op Irresistible:

• £4-5
• Underrated
• Often better than expected
• Look out for these

Verdict: For Christmas Day or impressing guests.

Luxury (£8+)

Fortnum & Mason:

• £12-15
• Ridiculous but delicious
• Actual luxury ingredients
• Only if you’ve got money to burn

Harrods:

• £15+
• Mostly paying for the name
• Nice but not £15 nice

Verdict: Unless you’re very rich or it’s a gift, give these a miss.

Best Overall Winners

Best Budget: Aldi Specially Selected (70p, genuinely good) Best Value: M&S Classic (£3, perfect quality-to-price ratio) Best Fancy: M&S Collection with Frangipane (£6, worth the treat)

Mince Pie Variations

Traditional is lovely, but variations exist:

Frangipane topped: Layer of almond frangipane under the lid. Posh and delicious.

Crumble topped: Crumble topping instead of pastry lid. Different texture.

Lattice design: Pastry strips across the top. Pretty but fiddly.

All-butter pastry: Instead of shortcrust. Richer, more luxurious.

Flavoured pastry: Orange zest, cinnamon, or ginger in the pastry itself.

Gluten-free: Most supermarkets now stock these. Some are actually decent.

Vegan: Vegeta

ble suet mincemeat, vegan pastry. Widely available now.

Chocolate mince pies: Controversial. Some love them, purists hate them.

How to Serve Mince Pies

Temperature:

Warm: Best way. 10-15 seconds in microwave or 5 mins in low oven.

Room temperature: Absolutely fine, this is how most get eaten.

Cold from fridge: Acceptable, but the pastry can be a bit hard.

Accompaniments:

Just as they are: Most common

Dusted with icing sugar: Traditional and pretty

With brandy butter: Decadent, melts into a warm pie

With cream: Whipped or clotted, very indulgent

With custard: Some people do this. They’re wrong, but they exist.

With ice cream: Warm pie, cold ice cream. Actually brilliant.

With cheese: Wensleydale with mince pies is a thing in Yorkshire. Try it before judging.

When to Eat Mince Pies

The correct answer: any time from 1st December onwards.

Breakfast: Acceptable with coffee
Mid-morning: Classic office scenario
After lunch: Why not?
Afternoon tea: Traditional
After Christmas dinner: Part of dessert options
Evening snack: With a cup of tea
Midnight: No judgment here

Daily limit: However many you want. It’s Christmas. Life is short.

Storing and Freezing

Shop-bought (unopened): Check best-before date, usually weeks

Shop-bought (opened): 3-4 days in an airtight container

Homemade: 3-4 days in an airtight container, or freeze for up to 3 months

Freezing:

• Freeze cooked pies in container
• Defrost thoroughly
• Reheat in oven for best results
• Or freeze uncooked, bake from frozen (add 5 mins)

Making Mince Pies with Kids

Mince pies are perfect for getting kids involved:

They can:

• Roll out pastry (supervised)
• Use cutters for shapes
• Fill the cases
• Put lids on
• Brush with egg
• Dust with icing sugar

Benefits:

• Easy activity
• Minimal skill needed
• Eats the results
• Christmas memories made
• Kitchen becomes a disaster zone (embrace it)

Tips:

• Use shop-bought pastry (easier)
• Let them make weird shapes (who cares?)
• Expect messy pies (they’ll taste fine)
• Don’t stress about perfection

Common Mince Pie Problems

Soggy Bottom

Cause: Too much filling or undercooked base

Fix:

• Use less filling
• Blind bake bases for 5 mins before filling
• Make sure oven’s hot enough

Filling Leaks Out

Cause: Overfilled or lid not sealed properly

Fix:

• Use less filling (less is more)
• Egg wash edges before pressing lid on
• Make sure there’s a steam hole

Pastry Too Thick

Cause: Not rolled thin enough

Fix:

• Roll to 3-4mm maximum
• Thinner pastry = better ratio

Pastry Too Crumbly

Cause: Too much butter or not enough liquid

Fix: Add tiny bit more water next time, or buy ready-made pastry (no shame)

The Great Mince Pie Debates

Star on Top vs Full Lid?

Star camp: Prettier, sees the filling, traditional

Full lid camp: Keeps filling moist, easier, cleaner

Winner: Personal preference. Both are correct.

Warm or Cold?

Warm camp: Pastry softer, filling gooier, smell amazing

Cold camp: Easier, less faff, still delicious

Winner: Warm is objectively better but cold is fine.

Homemade vs Shop-Bought?

Homemade camp: Tastes better, satisfying, traditional

Shop-bought camp: Easier, consistent, cheap

Winner: Depends on time and enthusiasm. Both are valid.

Mince Pie Etiquette

At parties:

• Take one, eat it, then take another if you want
• Don’t hoard six on your plate
• Brush crumbs off yourself

At work:

• Don’t eat all of them before lunchtime
• Replace them if you finish the box
• Save some for night shift

Offering to guests:

• Always offer warm
• Have cream/butter available
• Don’t be offended if refused (some people genuinely don’t like them)

The Bottom Line

Mince pies are a brilliant British tradition. They’re sweet, spiced, festive, and perfect with a cup of tea. Whether you make your own mincemeat from scratch, buy fancy M&S ones, or grab the Aldi budget version, they’re all adding to the Christmas spirit.

And if anyone asks why they’re called mince pies when there’s no meat, you can now bore them with the full medieval history. You’re welcome.

Now go stick the kettle on and have another one. It’s basically your duty as a British person.

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Related Guides:

• Back to Complete Christmas Food Guide
• Christmas Pudding: History & Recipes
• Best Christmas Biscuits to Bake

What’s your mince pie preference? Homemade or shop-bought? Warm or cold? With or without cream? Share your mince pie opinions in the comments!