Christmas Mince Pies with Homemade Mincemeat & Shortcrust Pastry

These classic Christmas mince pies are filled with sticky, spiced homemade mincemeat and wrapped in your choice of pastry. Choose my flaky shortcrust for a proper crunch, or the traditional sweet shortbread pastry for a melt-in-the-mouth texture. Make them regular-sized or as mini bites - the ultimate festive treat!

Recipe Details:

• Prep Time: 45 minutes (plus 30 minutes chilling)
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
• Makes: 12-16 regular mince pies (or 24-30 mini)
• Difficulty: Medium
• Special Equipment: Muffin tin or mini muffin tin, round pastry cutters, rolling pin

Nothing says Christmas quite like homemade mince pies. These festive treats combine sticky, spiced mincemeat packed with dried fruits, warm spices, and a generous splash of brandy, all wrapped in your choice of pastry. I'm giving you the complete guide here: my recipe for traditional Christmas mincemeat that you can make weeks ahead and let mature beautifully, plus two pastry options. Choose my classic flaky shortcrust pastry for a proper crunch and buttery layers, or use the traditional sweet shortbread pastry for a more delicate, melt-in-the-mouth, biscuit-like texture. You can make standard-sized mince pies or adorable mini versions perfect for festive parties. The beauty of making everything from scratch is that you control the flavors, adjust the spices, and create something that tastes so much better than anything store-bought. These mince pies freeze beautifully too, so you can make them ahead and just warm through when guests arrive.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Complete from scratch: Make everything yourself - the mincemeat and the pastry - for authentic, superior flavor
• Two pastry options: Choose between flaky shortcrust for proper crunch and buttery layers, or traditional sweet shortbread for a delicate, melt-in-the-mouth texture
• Make-ahead friendly: The mincemeat keeps for 6 weeks and the pies freeze perfectly for up to 3 months
• Customizable: Adjust the fruits, spices, and alcohol to suit your taste
• Traditional and impressive: These are the real deal - proper Christmas mince pies that everyone will love

PART 1: Homemade Christmas Mincemeat

Make this first - it needs to cool before filling your pies, and ideally should mature for at least a week.

Ingredients for Mincemeat:

• 100g dates, chopped
• 360g raisins, currants, or sultanas (or a mix of all three)
• 100g glacé cherries or mixed peel (or a combination)
• 100g shredded suet (vegetarian suet works perfectly)
• 170g soft brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• Zest of 1 orange
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 orange
• 1 cooking apple (like Granny Smith), grated
• 50g chopped nuts (optional - almonds, pecans, or walnuts)
• 5 tablespoons brandy (or more if you fancy - some people use up to 8 tbsp!)

Instructions for Mincemeat:

1. Combine all ingredients: Add the chopped dates, dried fruit, glacé cherries or mixed peel, suet, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, orange and lemon zest, orange juice, grated apple, nuts (if using), and brandy to a medium saucepan. Stir everything together to combine.

2. Dissolve the sugar: Place the pan over medium-low heat and stir occasionally until the sugar has completely dissolved into the mixture, about 5 minutes.

3. Simmer until sticky and glossy: Continue cooking gently for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is plump, sticky, and coated in a rich, glossy syrup. The mixture should thicken and darken slightly. The apple will break down and help bind everything together.

4. Jar while hot: While the mincemeat is still hot, carefully spoon it into a clean, sterilized jar. Press it down firmly to remove air pockets. If you have greased baking paper, press a small circle onto the surface of the mincemeat to help preserve it, but don't worry if you don't have any - it's not essential.

5. Cool and store: Seal the jar immediately and allow to cool completely at room temperature. Store in a cool, dark cupboard for up to 6 weeks before using. The longer it sits, the deeper and more developed the flavors become. The alcohol acts as a preservative.

PART 2: Pastry - Choose Your Style

Option 1: Classic Shortcrust Pastry (My Favorite - Proper Crunch!)

This is my go-to for mince pies. It gives you a beautiful crisp, buttery pastry that holds its shape perfectly and delivers that proper flaky texture.

Ingredients:

• 350g plain flour
• 170g unsalted butter, fridge-cold and cut into very small cubes
• Good pinch of salt
• 4-6 tablespoons ice-cold water

Instructions:

1. Mix the base: Add the small cubes of fridge-cold butter to the flour in a large bowl, along with a good pinch of salt.

2. Rub in the butter: Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour as quickly as possible until you have a sand-like texture. Some small visible bits of butter are fine - this creates those lovely flaky layers. Keep everything cold!

3. Add the water: Start with 4 tablespoons of ice-cold water. Mix gently with a knife or your hands until the dough just comes together. If it feels dry, add another tablespoon of water. Don't overwork it.

4. Bring it together: Work the dough into a ball with minimal kneading. The less you handle it, the lighter and flakier your pastry will be.

5. Chill: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and rest it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight). This relaxes the gluten and makes it easier to roll.

6. Roll and cut: Roll out the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 3mm thick. Cut circles for bases and tops using round cutters (about 7-8cm for bases, 6cm for tops for standard mince pies, or smaller for mini versions).

Option 2: Sweet Shortbread Pastry (More Traditional, Melt-in-the-Mouth)

This sweeter, more delicate pastry is the traditional choice for mince pies. It has a crumbly, biscuit-like texture that melts on the tongue.

Ingredients:

• 188g plain flour
• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 62g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 3 tablespoons cold water

Instructions:

1. Make the pastry: In a large bowl, rub the softened butter into the flour and sugar using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

2. Add the water: Add the cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing with a knife until the dough just comes together. You may not need all the water. Bring it together with your hands into a ball.

3. Chill: Wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes. This rest time makes it easier to roll and helps prevent shrinkage during baking.

4. Roll and cut: Roll out the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 3mm thick. Cut circles for bases and tops using round cutters.

PART 3: Assembling & Baking the Mince Pies

You'll Need:

• 1 batch of your chosen pastry (shortcrust or shortbread)
• Your homemade mincemeat (cooled)
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• Icing sugar for dusting
• Optional: milk instead of egg wash, or leave plain

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan/400°F). Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tin or mini muffin tin.

2. Roll out the pastry: On a lightly floured surface, roll out your chilled pastry to about 3mm thickness. Don't roll it too thin or it will be fragile.

3. Cut the bases: Using a round cutter (about 7-8cm for regular muffin tins, 5-6cm for mini), cut out circles for the bases. You'll need 12-16 circles depending on your tin size. Gently press each circle into the muffin holes.

4. Fill with mincemeat: Spoon about 1-2 teaspoons of mincemeat into each pastry case. Don't overfill - the mincemeat will bubble and can overflow. Fill to about three-quarters full.

5. Cut the tops: Re-roll any pastry scraps and cut out slightly smaller circles (about 6cm for regular, 4-5cm for mini) for the lids. Alternatively, cut out festive shapes like stars or trees to place on top.

6. Seal the pies: Place the pastry lids on top of each pie. Press the edges gently to seal. Use a small knife to cut a tiny slit or cross in the top of each pie to let steam escape during baking.

7. Brush with egg wash: Beat the egg and brush it lightly over the top of each pie. This gives them a beautiful golden shine. Alternatively, you can brush with milk or leave them plain.

8. Bake: Place in the preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes (15-18 minutes for mini pies) until the pastry is golden brown and crisp. The mincemeat may bubble up slightly through the vents, which is normal and looks delicious.

9. Cool slightly: Remove from the oven and let the pies cool in the tin for 5 minutes. They'll be very fragile when hot. Then carefully transfer to a wire rack using a small offset spatula or butter knife.

10. Dust with sugar: Once completely cool (or while still slightly warm if you prefer), dust generously with icing sugar through a fine sieve.

11. Serve: Serve warm or at room temperature. They're delicious plain, with a dollop of brandy butter, clotted cream, or vanilla ice cream.

Chef's Tips

For the best mincemeat: Make your mincemeat at least a week before you plan to bake, or even better, make it when you make your Christmas cake (a month ahead). The flavors mature and develop beautifully over time.

Pastry temperature matters: For shortcrust, keep everything ice-cold - the butter, water, even your hands. This creates those lovely flaky layers. For shortbread pastry, work with chilled but not frozen pastry when rolling. If either gets too warm and sticky, pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Don't overfill: It's tempting to pack in lots of mincemeat, but overfilled pies will burst and leak during baking. Three-quarters full is perfect.

 Freezing unbaked pies: You can assemble the pies completely, freeze them on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 5 extra minutes to the cooking time.

Warming for serving: If making ahead, warm the pies in a 160°C oven for 5-8 minutes before serving to bring back that just-baked warmth.

Leftover pastry: Use any scraps to make festive shapes to decorate the tops instead of full lids. Stars, trees, and holly leaves all look beautiful.

Substitutions & Variations

Alcohol-free mincemeat: Swap the brandy for fresh orange juice or apple juice. The mincemeat will still taste festive and keep well, though the shelf life may be slightly shorter as alcohol acts as a preservative.

Different dried fruits: Use whatever dried fruits you have - dried apricots, cranberries, figs, or prunes all work beautifully. Just maintain the same total weight.

Nut-free version: Simply omit the nuts from the mincemeat. The recipe works perfectly without them.

Lattice tops: Instead of full lids, cut the top pastry into strips and create a lattice pattern over each pie for a classic look.

Different spices: Add ground ginger, nutmeg, or even a tiny pinch of cardamom to the mincemeat for different flavor notes.

Storage & Reheating

Storage: Store cooled mince pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They're best eaten within 2-3 days for maximum freshness and crispness.

Freezer-Friendly: Yes! Mince pies freeze beautifully. Freeze baked and cooled pies in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 2 hours, then warm in a 160°C oven for 5-8 minutes. You can also freeze unbaked assembled pies and bake directly from frozen, adding 5 extra minutes to the baking time.

Reheating: Warm individual pies in a 160°C oven for 5-8 minutes to refresh the pastry. They're also lovely eaten at room temperature. Don't microwave as this makes the pastry soggy.

Mincemeat storage: Store your homemade mincemeat in a sterilized jar in a cool, dark cupboard for up to 6 weeks. Once opened, keep refrigerated and use within 2 weeks.

Meal Prep: Make the mincemeat up to 6 weeks ahead. Make and freeze the pies up to 3 months ahead. Bake the pies up to 2 days ahead and store in an airtight container.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use store-bought pastry or mincemeat? A: Absolutely! Use shop-bought shortcrust pastry and jarred mincemeat if you're short on time. These recipes are here for when you want to make everything from scratch for the best flavor.

Q: Why is my pastry tough and hard? A: This usually happens from overworking the dough or adding too much water. Handle the pastry as little as possible and add water gradually until it just comes together.

Q: Can I make mini mince pies? A: Yes! Use a mini muffin tin and smaller cutters. They'll need less baking time - check after 15 minutes. Mini mince pies are perfect for parties and look adorable.

Q: How do I prevent the pastry from shrinking? A: Make sure to chill the pastry before rolling and don't stretch it when pressing into the tin. Let it relax naturally into the shape. The resting time in the fridge is important.

Q: Can I make the pastry in advance? A: Yes, the pastry dough can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept wrapped in the fridge, or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen pastry overnight in the fridge before using.

You Might Also Like

The Ultimate Christmas Cake - Complete your festive baking with this traditional fruit cake that's made a month ahead and fed weekly with brandy.

Brandy Butter - The classic accompaniment to mince pies. This rich, boozy butter melts deliciously over warm pies.

Shortcrust Pastry Master Recipe - Perfect your pastry skills with my detailed guide to making the best shortcrust pastry every time.

Enjoy!

Del x

Looking for the perfect pastry? I love my flaky shortcrust for a proper crunch and buttery layers, but the traditional sweet shortbread pastry gives you that classic melt-in-the-mouth texture. Make them regular-sized or mini - either way, they're the ultimate festive treat!