Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links. I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links at no additional cost to you.
It’s that time of year again when boxes of mince pies are stacked a mile high on our supermarket shelves. But have you ever tried making your own? Nothing quite compares! All you need is some good quality ingredients and a little patience, and you’ll have homemade treats your family and friends will love.
Page Contents
What Are Mince Pies?
The history of mince pies stretches back to England in the 13th Century. Traditional recipes for mince pies, or Christmas pies, crib cakes, and shred pies, as they were known then, contained a mixture of fruits, minced or ‘shredded’ meat (hence the name shred pies), suet, and spices. Over the centuries, mince pies have become more sweet than savory. By the 19th Century, mince pies were similar in flavor and more like the round shape we know and love today.
Mince pies have always had a strong link to Christmas. The spices symbolize the gifts given to Baby Jesus by the three wise men. In the middle ages, mince pies were an oval shape with a pastry Baby Jesus on top to depict Jesus’s manger (hence the name crib cakes).
Mince pies also come with some superstitions. Just for fun…
- To avoid bad luck during the year ahead, stir your mincemeat in a clockwise direction.
- For good luck, each family member should eat one mince pie a day over the Twelve Days of Christmas.
Today’s mince pies have dropped the meat. Instead, they are a wonderful combination of dried fruits and spices encased in a gorgeous pastry. And one heart-warming tradition still remains. Kids still love leaving a mince pie by the fireplace for Father Christmas on Christmas eve.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Mincemeat: I am using my Amaretto Mincemeat Recipe. Homemade mincemeat will elevate your mince pies to a whole new level! But feel free to use whatever mincemeat you love.
- Pastry: My Spiced Almond Pastry really compliments these mince pies. It’s deliciously buttery and crumbly, and the spices pair beautifully with the mincemeat. It’s also incredibly easy to make (especially if you have a food processor), which is helpful when wholemeal pastry is so difficult to find in the UK. Alternatively, use your favorite brand of shortcrust pastry.
- Milk: I’m using milk on top of the mince pies. As wholemeal pastry is already dark in color, the milk will prevent them from going too dark in the oven too quickly.
How To Make Mince Pies ~ Step-By-Step
- Pastry
Take the pastry out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes before rolling it. This will make it easier to roll and prevent it from splitting as easily.
- Roll
Roll a little over half of the pastry out on a lightly floured surface. You want the pastry to be roughly 3mm thick.
Tip: Rolling the pastry between two sheets of parchment paper prevents you from having to use too much flour, making the pastry dry. The pastry will also lift off the surface much easier.
- Cut
Cut out 12 circles with a 3-inch round pastry cutter. These are your mince pie bases.
- Bases
Insert the bases into a greased 12-hole mince pie or tart tin.
- Fill
Fill the mince pie bases with a tablespoon of mincemeat.
- Lids
Roll out the remaining pastry and cut out 12 lids. Place on top. Then refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the mince pies to chill. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC/gas 4.
Tip: If you cut a lid that completely seals the mincemeat, crimp the edges to seal, then cut a small slit in each lid to allow the steam to escape. I am using little stars to make a delicious mince pie that looks extra Christmassy.
Tip: Chilling the mince pies at this stage prevents them from shrinking during baking.
- Brush
Brush the pastry with milk.
- Bake & Cool
Bake in the oven for 18-22 minutes until golden brown. Then, remove them from the tin and place them on a wire rack to cool slightly.
- Serve & Enjoy
Best served warm with clotted cream!
Full recipe and ingredients list in the recipe card below.
Why You’ll Love These Mince Pies
- Perfect For Holiday Entertaining: This mince pie recipe will surely become a holiday favorite.
- Perfectly Sweet & Savory: These homemade mince pies yield a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors.
- They’re Easy To Make: Mince pies are easy to put together, even if you’ve never made them before.
- They’re Delicious: A buttery, flaky pastry crust is the perfect complement to a perfectly rich mincemeat filling.
Tips For Making The Perfect Mince Pies
1Choose The Right Mincemeat
The first step to making perfect mince pies is to choose the right mincemeat. It’s all about flavor. Bland mincemeat is going to give you bland mince pies. You can use my delicious Amaretto mincemeat recipe, which you can easily whip up in 30 minutes. Amaretto is optional! It’s made using much less sugar and fat than most store-bought brands. But it’s still packed with flavor. Alternatively, you can use your favorite shop-bought mincemeat. It’s your call!
2Parchment Paper
Rolling the pastry between two sheets of parchment paper prevents you from using too much flour, making the pastry dry. Also, the pastry bases and lids will lift off the parchment paper surface much easier than a countertop.
3Preheat The Oven
Be sure to preheat your oven before you start baking your pies. This will help to ensure that they bake evenly and come out of the oven looking beautiful.
4Chill Your Mince Pies Before Baking
Chilling your mince pies before baking will prevent the pastry from shrinking in the oven.
5Fill The Mince Pies Generously
When it comes to filling your pies, don’t be stingy! Be sure to fill them generously with mincemeat, so they’re nice and plump. But not too much that they start spilling over the sides!
Homemade Mincemeat & Pastry Recipes
If you are looking to make your mince pies with homemade pastry and homemade mincemeat, I’ve got just the recipes you’ll need. Get them here:
How To Make Mince Pies ~ Full Recipe
Print
Mince Pies Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 12 minutes
- Yield: 12
Description
It’s that time of year again when boxes of mince pies are stacked a mile high on our supermarket shelves. But have you ever tried making your own? Nothing quite compares! All you need is some good quality ingredients and a little patience, and you’ll have homemade treats your family and friends will love.
Ingredients
1 portion of spiced almond pastry (or shortcrust pastry of your choice)
1 tsp coconut oil or butter for greasing
300g amaretto mincemeat (or mincemeat of your choice)
1 tbsp whole milk (or a little beaten egg to make an egg wash)
Instructions
Prep: Get your ingredients ready. Take your spiced almond pastry out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes before rolling it. This will make it easier to roll and prevent it from splitting as easily. Also, grease a mince pie baking tin (or shallow cupcake tin) with coconut oil.
Roll: Roll a little over half of the pastry out on a lightly floured surface. You want the pastry to be roughly 3mm thick. Rolling the pastry between two sheets of parchment paper will prevent you from using too much flour, making the pastry dry. The pastry bases and lids will also lift off the surface much easier.
Bases: Cut out 12 circles with a 3-inch (7.5 cm) round pastry cutter and insert them into each 12-hole mince pie tin cavities.
Fill: Fill each of the mince pie bases with a tablespoon of mincemeat.
Lids: Roll out the remaining pastry and cut out 12 lids. You can use a 2.5-inch (6 cm) pastry cutter to create a sealed lid. Or, use a Christmas shape, like stars. Place the pastry lids on top. If you’re using a sealed lid, crimp the edges and cut a small slit in each lid to allow the steam to escape. Then, refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the mince pies to chill. Chilling the mince pies at this stage prevents them from shrinking in the tins.
Preheat Oven: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC/gas 4.
Brush: After 30 minutes in the fridge, brush the mince pies with milk.
Bake & Cool: Bake the mince pies in the oven for 18-22 minutes until golden brown. Once ready, remove the mince pies from the oven. Let them cool slightly, then lift them from the tin and place them on a wire rack to cool slightly. As these mince pies are made with wholemeal flour, they will appear naturally darker in color than mince pies made with refined white flour.
Serve & Enjoy: For extra indulgence, sprinkle over some icing sugar (optional). Best served warm with clotted cream or brandy butter.
Notes
Storage Instructions: Cooked mince pies will keep in an airtight container for between 4 and 5 days. They will not last as long as commercial brands loaded with preservatives.
Freezing Instructions: Cooked mince pies can be cooled and frozen for up to 3 months when stored in an airtight container. I like to wrap them individually in plastic wrap (cling film) to preserve their flavor. Thaw the mince pies on a wire rack for 1-2 hours at room temperature.
Adding Flavor To Store-Brought Mincemeat: If you’ve purchased a prepared jar of mincemeat that doesn’t have enough flavor, you can pour it into a small bowl and add one or two of the following flavor boosters: vanilla extract or apple juice. A little orange juice, orange zest, lemon juice, or lemon zest for extra festive citrus flavor. A splash of your favorite booze always works well. Brandy is the most traditional of alcoholic beverages to add to homemade mince pies. But I love a dash of port or Amaretto.
Alternatives To Icing Sugar: If you want to avoid adding icing sugar to your mince pies, you could consider a sprinkle of cinnamon. Or how about a sprinkle of coconut sugar as an alternative to brown sugar?
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chilling Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: Christmas, Christmas treats, Christmas baking, pies, sweet pies, tarts, baking
Thinking of making this Mince Pies Recipe? I’d love to know how it turns out. Get in touch via the comments section, and let me know!
For more real food ideas, check out the recipe page. Or, come say hi on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
You can also stay updated with new posts and healthy real food recipes by subscribing to The Real Food Geek mailing list below.
Thanks for stopping by!
Pin This Mince Pies Recipe For Later!
References
