Traditional British Mince Pies

It wouldn't be Christmas without these sweet, warmly spiced mini fruit pies

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Chill Time: 30 mins
Total: 80 mins
Servings: 12 to 18 servings

If you are British, Christmas without mince pies is unimaginable. Why? Mince pies have been eaten as part of a traditional British Christmas since at least the 16th century. Then they were made of a spiced, sweet minced meat mixture (often lamb), but they are now commonly made with sweet mincemeat, a mixture of dried fruits, sugar, spices, and brandy. Once you try this recipe for a rich, sticky, sweet filling wrapped in pastry, you'll see why they've remained are so popular. 

All About Mincemeat: The Fabulous Filling for Mince Pies

If you are wondering what the difference is between a mince pie and a mincemeat pie, wonder no more—they are the same thing. Mince pies—or mincemeat pies—are filled with a finely chopped mixture that, as explained above, once contained actual meat such as minced lamb. These days, mincemeat is made with a mixture of dried fruit, such as raisins and currants, candied fruit peels, lemon and orange zest, finely chopped apple, brandy, warming spices, and the rendered animal fat suet (or a vegetarian substitute).

Is It Really Illegal to Eat Mince Pies on Christmas Day?

A popular legend that it's technically illegal to eat mince pies on Christmas Day in England stems from bans on festive Christmas celebrations during Oliver Cromwell's rule in the 1650s. However, the rules didn't last past his reign, according to the BBC and other sources, so it's perfectly legal to enjoy your mince pies and any other Christmas treats even if you are in England.

Tips for the Tastiest Mince Pies

  • Decide on a size for your mince pies before you start—Choose from a standard 12-cup muffin tin down to small canapé size. The number of pies will depend on the size of the tin you use.
  • Grab a favorite brand of mincemeat or make your own–Our recipe calls for using a jar of store-bought mincemeat, but we've also linked to a recipe for making your own. Brands such as Robertson's, Tiptree, Thursday Cottage, and Mrs. Darlington's can be found in well-stocked grocery stores, in British specialty stores, and online from sources like Amazon, The British Food Depot, and Myers of Keswick.
  • Skip the suet for vegetarians—The filling for mince pies typically uses suet, which is an animal fat. If you don't eat meat, look for a vegetarian version or make your own mincemeat using an alternative fat such as cold butter or shortening.
  • Use a puff pastry crust for extra-fast mince pies—Shortcrust pastry (used in this recipe) is a traditional mince pie case, but you can make quick, flaky mince pies by substituting thawed, frozen puff pastry.


How to Serve Mince Pies

Mince pies are delicious served hot or cold, on their own or with brandy butter, or with cream or even a good vanilla ice cream. They're wonderful with a hot cup of tea, as well as with sherry, Madeira, and port.

British mince pies on a red towel

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"This is a simple pastry dough that results in a light and very flaky crust. Perfect for mincemeat or your favorite filling. The most time-consuming part is rubbing the butter into the flour. But your hard work will be paid off with lots of buttery flaky layers." —Carrie Parente

Traditional British mince pies with filling on a spoon
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Ingredients

For the Pastry:

  • 350 grams (2 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting the work surface

  • 225 grams (1 cup) unsalted butter (or an equal mix of butter and lard), cold and cubed

  • 1 pinch salt

  • 1 egg, beaten

  • Water, cold, as needed

For the Pie:

  • 1 (776-gram/27-ounce) jar mincemeat (store-bought or homemade)

  • 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Steps to Make It

Make the Pastry

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for mince pie pastry recipe gathered

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  2. Place 350 grams (2 3/4 cups) flour, 225 grams (1 cup) cold and cubed unsalted butter (or an equal mix of butter and lard), and 1 pinch salt into a large clean bowl.

    Flour, butter, and salt in a large bowl

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  3. Rub the butter quickly into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles rough sand.

    Butter and flour mixed together in a bowl

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  4. Stir 1 beaten egg into the mixture using a cold knife.

    Egg added to the pastry mixture

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  5. Add the cold water, a teaspoon at a time, and stir until the mixture binds but is not sticky.

    Pastry dough mixed in a bowl with a knife

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  6. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.

    Mince pie dough rolled into a ball and wrapped in plastic

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Assemble the Pies

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Mince pie filling ingredients gathered

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  2. Preheat the oven to 400 F / 200 C / Gas Mark 6. Choose a muffin or bun tin for the size of the tart you want. (We used a standard 12-cup tin.)

    12-cup muffin pan

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  3. Dust a work surface lightly with a little flour and roll out 2/3 of the pastry to 1/8 inch thick. Cut circles to line the cups of your tin; don't worry if the pastry doesn't come to the very top.

    Muffin tin lined with dough

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  4. Fill the pastry-lined tins 2/3 full with mincemeat.

    Mincemeat filling being added from a jar to the pastry in the muffin pan

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  5. Roll out the remaining pastry to the same thickness and cut smaller circles to fit as lids on the tarts or, to be decorative, cut stars or other fancy shapes.

    Mince pie pastry cut into decorative shapes

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  6. Dampen the edges of the tart bases with a little cold water and press the lids on. Make a small hole in the surface of each pie with a small sharp knife to allow the steam to escape.

    Unbaked mince pies in a muffin tin

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  7. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes (15 minutes if making canapé-sized ones), or until golden brown.

    Baked mince pies in the muffin pan

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  8. Let cool and sprinkle with the confectioners' sugar.

    Mince pies sprinkled with confectioners' sugar

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  9. Serve and enjoy.

    Mince pies ready to serve on top of a red towel on a wooden cutting board

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How to Store Mince Pies

Mince pies will keep well if placed in an airtight tin for up to seven days. Sometimes they benefit from a gentle warming in the oven before serving.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
292 Calories
15g Fat
36g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 18
Amount per serving
Calories 292
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 20%
Saturated Fat 8g 38%
Cholesterol 37mg 12%
Sodium 123mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 36g 13%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 3mg 13%
Calcium 17mg 1%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 115mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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