Homemade mince pies
Crumbly, buttery sweet shortcrust filled with fruity mincemeat. Make a batch and freeze for the festive season.
- Prep
- 40 mins
- Cook
- 20 mins
- Total
- 1 hr
- Serves
- 18
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Cost
- Moderate
Recipe: Homemade mince pies
Homemade mince pies
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 225g cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 100g golden caster sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tbsp cold water, roughly
For the filling
- 400g mincemeat, 1 jar; check the label – many contain beef suet
To finish
- 1 egg, beaten, or milk
- icing sugar, for dusting
Kitchen kit
- 12-hole bun or jam tart tin (x2 or bake in batches) Search Amazon for 12 hole bun tin
- 7.5cm and 6cm round or star cutters Search Amazon for pastry cutter set
- Rolling pin Search Amazon for rolling pin
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon links go to search results for the kit, never food.
Method
-
Step 1: Make the pastry
Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs (or pulse in a food processor). Stir in the sugar, then add the egg yolk and enough cold water to bring it together into a smooth dough. Flatten into a disc, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
-
Step 2: Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / gas 6.
-
Step 3: Line the tins
Roll out the pastry to about 3mm thick. Cut 18 rounds with a 7.5cm cutter and press into the holes of a bun tin. Fill each with a heaped teaspoon of mincemeat – don't overfill.
-
Step 4: Add the lids
Re-roll the trimmings and cut 18 smaller rounds or stars for lids. Press them on (for full lids, brush the edges with water to seal and cut a small steam hole). Brush with beaten egg.
-
Step 5: Bake
Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then ease out onto a rack. Dust with icing sugar to serve.
Tips
- Keep everything cold – cold butter and chilled dough make crumbly, short pastry.
- Stir a little orange zest or a spoonful of brandy into shop-bought mincemeat to lift it.
Storing & reheating
Keep in an airtight tin for up to 4 days. Warm through in a low oven before serving.
Freezing
Freeze baked pies for up to 1 month, or unbaked in the tin and bake from frozen, adding 5 minutes.
Variations
- Frangipane: top the mincemeat with a spoonful of almond sponge mixture instead of a lid.
- Vegetarian: choose a mincemeat made with vegetable suet.
Allergies: Always check the labels of the ingredients you buy for allergens — our dietary tags are a guide, not a guarantee.
From feeed.co.uk/recipes/mince-pies/ · Checked 17 October 2026
Questions people ask
Are mince pies vegetarian?
Only if the mincemeat uses vegetable suet. Traditional mincemeat contains beef suet, so check the jar.
Why did my mincemeat bubble out?
They were overfilled or the lids weren't sealed. Use a heaped teaspoon at most.
Sources & inspiration
Checked 17 October 2026. Written in our own words; we checked proportions, technique and food safety against:
- BBC Good Food: Mince pies (quantities, oven temperature and timings compared) (bbcgoodfood.com)
- FSA: food allergy and intolerance (food.gov.uk)
See other recipes that use the same kit on our kitchen kit pages.
