Updated: by Corina Blum · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 28 Comments
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This easy mince pie recipe really will convince you there's no need to buy mince pies again! They're made with a simple shortbread pie crust that makes them deliciously buttery and crumbly. They're simple, tasty and your kids can help make them too! Perfect for some Christmas baking.
So, it's only November but I am already posting my second Christmas recipe. Until trying these I would have said I wasn't really that keen on mince pies. I would eat a few every Christmas but I wouldn't look forward to them and I wouldn't miss them if they weren't there. I wouldn't buy them and until now, I wouldn't have made them either.
Mince pies are a great recipe to make with kids!
So, what's changed? Well, Little Miss Spice loves play dough and she loves to make star shapes with it. As I hadn't done any baking with her, I decided that letting her cut out the tops of the mince pies would be the perfect way to introduce her to some real baking.
Now, if you're going to get a one year old to help with baking then you need an easy recipe! I promise you, these mince pies are not just easy, they are possibly the tastiest ever mince pie recipe!
The mince pie pastry is like a shortbread biscuit!
The shortbread dough is very forgiving and can be thrown around a lot and still makes great biscuity pastry case. That's what you want, isn't it? Some bought mince pies can be a bit like cardboard but these are so delightfully crumbly. They're like shortbread.
Admittedly, maybe a less shortbready dough would have been easier. The dough takes a lot of work to actually come together and form a dough. When I first made these I didn't think it wasn't going to work as it kept just crumbling apart but eventually it did and it was definitely worth it.
The pastry is sweet and buttery and tastes like shortbread. I even made little biscuits with the leftover dough and they were lovely eaten just as they were.
A really fuss free pastry technique
This mince pie recipe is easy but you do need a little patience. What makes it a really fuss free pastry recipe is that you can just press the dough into the muffin tin so don't worry too much if it keeps crumbling up.
I promise you, these shortbread mince pies are incredibly delicious. So delicious that I will be making a few more batches and putting them in the freezer for over Christmas, which means there's still no need to go out and buy any mince pies.
If you wanted these to look a little bit more special for guests you could dust them with icing sugar. However, I don't always bother. I think they are perfect just like this. They are sweet and rich with crumbly buttery pastry.
Sometimes though, if I want a real treat on Christmas day evening, I enjoy one topped with leftover rum sauce!
Can you adapt this mince pie recipe?
Of course you can! What if it's not Christmas or you don't like mince meat? Go ahead and add a different filling. They're delicious with stewed fruit too
What about if you're really struggling with that crumbly pastry? Why not just crumble it onto the top of the mince meat and you'll have crumble topped mince pies?
Make them look a bit prettier by dusting with icing sugar. Or brush them with egg and scatter on some flaked almonds before baking.
I don't think they need chocolate but I have even seen mince pies drizzled with chocolate! Be creative if you want. Go on have fun with some Christmas baking!
How long can you keep these shortbread mince pies?
These easy mince pies will keep for about a week in an airtight container. If you want them to last longer then freeze some of them. They'll freeze for up to three months. Just defrost at room temperature before eating .
More Christmas baking recipes
I love experimenting in the kitchen at this time of year. I've discovered that my children love spicy biscuits and cookies so I've made lebkuchen, gingerbread biscuits and buttery chocolate chip biscuits for them.
We also love puff pastry and these almond rolls are always a hit too!
Recipe
Mince Pies
Corina Blum
This easy mince pie recipe really will convince you there's no need to buy mince pies again! They're simple, tasty and your kids can help make them too!
4.49 from 37 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine British
Servings 18
Calories 240 kcal
Ingredients
- 350 g plain flour
- 225 g butter at room temperature
- 100 g sugar
- Pinch salt
- 350 g mincemeat
Instructions
Chop the butter up and then rub it into the flour with your fingertips. Add the salt and sugar and mix together.
Using your hands, press, knead and combine the pastry into a ball without adding any extra liquid. Although it will keep crumbling up at first it will form a dough after a few minutes. Just don't give up.
Wrap the dough in cling film and put it in the fridge to rest until you need it or go straight to step 4.
Pull off lumps of the dough and place them in the muffin tin. Just use your thumb and fingers to press the dough down and line the tins.
Add a couple of teaspoons of mincemeat to each pie.
Roll or press the remaining pastry down and use pastry cutters to make the tops of the pies. If you have any extra pastry left, just cut out shapes with the pastry cutters to make little shortbread biscuits.
Bake in the oven at 180C for 20 minutes. If you have any extra biscuits they will cook in about 8 - 12 minutes, depending on how thick they are.
Notes
Nutritional information is approximate and a guideline only.
Nutrition
Calories: 240kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 2gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 198mgPotassium: 23mgSugar: 18gVitamin A: 310IUCalcium: 6mgIron: 0.9mg
Keyword easy mince pies
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Do let me know if you make these easy mince pies or any of my other recipes.
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About Corina Blum
Corina Blum loves easy healthy recipes that taste great and often involve spices. She's a big fan of air frying and loves developping recipes inspired by global flavours. As well as a food content creator shes also a busy mum of two children.
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Comments
Roz
Hi, can the mince pies or pastry be frozen then baked when needed.
Thanks RozReply
Corina Blum
Hi Roz
Yes, the pastry can be frozen and then defrosted and made into mince pies. Ideally defrost in the fridge but you can defrost in the kitchen at room temperature too.
Because of the way I pressed the pastry into the tin before filling then it is harder to fill them and then freeze them before baking as they would stick to the tin. Alternatively you can bake them and then freeze them once cooled. You could then bake them again to reheat when needed. They would probably need about 5 minutes in the oven from frozen if they were already cooked. Or if you have an air fryer, you could reheat them in the air fryer as well.Reply
Karen
THE BEST mince pies EVER!! Thank you for sharing, this recipe is definitely a keeper. Just deliciousReply
Corina Blum
Thank you so much Karen! I'm really pleased you like them - I need to make a batch for this year soon too!
Reply
Christine
These are the best mince pies ever. You have to follow the recipe exactly. No water, no egg and especially no rolling the pastry! You squash a ball of pastry into each section on the baking tin.
Reply
Corina Blum
I'm so pleased you like them! I also think they're the best mince pies ever!
Reply
jenny walters
Gosh these look incredible and the pastry sounds just divine. I LOVE pastry and I just love how thick yours is. Every now and then a recipe gets into my brain and I keep thinking about it. This is one of those! Your pics are so gorgeous I am going to have to make these. Thank you so much for sharing with #BakingCrumbsCorina Blum
I definitely love pastry too and probably for mince pies I love the pastry more than the filling! It does turn out quite thick on these because of the way you just push it into the baking tray!
Reply
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food
I never even knew what mince meat WAS for the longest time! I like it, but I'm alone in my family. So, I'll take your suggestion to use a different filling. I love the sound of the crumbly, shortbread-y crust!Reply
Corina Blum
I have to admit my children like the pastry more than they like the filling too! The crust is really good.
Reply
Jo Allison / Jo's Kitchen Larder
Christmas season simply wouldn't be the same without mince pies and these look fab Corina! The more buttery pastry is the better! I love how generous you are with your pastry too (for me it's always the best bit to be honest lol)! Thank you for sharing your festive bake with #BakingCrumbs 🙂 Hope you all have fantastic Christmas! xxReply
Corina Blum
I have to be generous with the pastry as that's the only bit Little Miss Spice eats. I have to eat her filling! Hope you have a great Christmas too x
Reply
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie
I love the idea of using shortbread pastry instead of the traditional shortcrust! They must be delicious 😀 I love making mince pies with my kids too. At 8 and 10 they are pretty much old enough to make them by themselves, with just a bit of guidance from me... but I remember the days when they were really little and just loved 'playing' with the dough. I've made mince pies with mine since they were tiny and it's o lovely to see their progress each year! Thanks for linking them up to #CookBlogShare. Wishing you and yours a fabulous Christmas! Eb xReply
Corina Blum
Thanks Eb! It is lovely to see their progress, isn't it? I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas x
Reply
Sonal
We were in London this thanksgiving. Loved tasting the minced pies there.. buttery and filled with goodness.
I am always confused on what actually is minced meat? Is it real meat? Or minced dry fruits?Reply
Corina Blum
It's dried fruit with spices, although I believe it did used to contain meat as well a long time ago!
Reply
Julia
Nowadays it’s just fruit and maybe alcohol and nuts etc but way back when they were first made it was with actual meat and a sweet filling!
Reply
Chris Collins
I'm always on the hunt for new mince pie recipes and this one looks like a real winner! Thanks for sharing!Reply
Corina Blum
I'm so pleased you like it Chris!
Reply
kim
This is delicious and so festive for the holidays!Reply
Corina Blum
Definitely! Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a mince pie or two!
Reply
Taylor W.
Love the stars on top! These look so yummy!Reply
Corina Blum
Thanks! I love my star cutters and so do the children!
Reply
Emily
I've always wanted to try a mince meat pie! I had no idea that is was both sweet and savory.Reply
Corina Blum
It's not savoury Emily! Mincemeat for mince pies is a sweet mixture of dried fruit and peel with spices. I think a long time ago it contained meat as well and it still usually contains suet.
Reply
Jac -Tinned Tomatoes (@tinnedtoms)
They look gorgeous! Now I am craving mince pies!
Thanks for entering it into Bookmarked recipes, the roundup is now up.
Reply
Laura
Mmmm, these sound good and you've made them look brill too. I've worked with a shortbread type pastry before and agree it was a bit frustrating at first but so worth it in the end. Thanks for sharing with the Biscuit Barrel challenge!
Reply
magnolia verandah
Love those stars - I bet they were so worth the effort. I can just about taste that lovely buttery pastry from here.
Reply
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