How to Make Traditional British Mince Pie for Christmas (2024)

British Mains
Beef Mains
European Food
British Food
Christmas Mains

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

Elaine Lemm

Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.

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Updated on 02/9/24

Tested by

Carrie Parente

Tested byCarrie Parente

Carrie is a freelance food stylist and culinary producer who loves having a table full of guests.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Chill Time: 30 mins

Total: 80 mins

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 usessuet,which is an animal fat. If you don't eat meat, look for a vegetarian version or makeyour own mincemeatusing 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 withbrandy 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.

How to Make Traditional British Mince Pie for Christmas (3)

what you'll need to make this mince pies recipe

A Good Muffin Tin

A Handy Pastry Blender

A Rolling Pin

"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

How to Make Traditional British Mince Pie for Christmas (7)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

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 andcubed
1 pinch salt
See Also
The History of Mince Pies
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

Gather the ingredients.
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.
Rub the butter quickly into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles rough sand.
Stir 1 beaten egg into the mixture using a cold knife.
Add the cold water, a teaspoon at a time, and stir until the mixture binds but is not sticky.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.

Assemble the Pies

Gather the ingredients.
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.)
Dust a work surface lightly with a little flour and roll out 2/3 of the pastry to 1/8 inchthick. Cut circles to line the cups of your tin; don't worry if the pastry doesn't come to the very top.
Fill the pastry-lined tins 2/3 full with mincemeat.
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.
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.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes (15 minutes if making canapé-sized ones), or until golden brown.
Let cool and sprinkle with the confectioners' sugar.
Serve and enjoy.

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.

Christmas Recipes

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
292	Calories
15g	Fat
36g	Carbs
4g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12to 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.)

Recipe Tags:

pie
dessert
british
christmas

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