Homemade Mince Pies Recipe
Rich, fruity homemade mincemeat baked into golden shortcrust pies — a proper English Christmas classic.
Why Make Your Own Mince Pies Abroad?
For me, Christmas isn’t complete without a few mince pies. But here’s the catch: mincemeat is nowhere to be found here. It’s an English tradition that simply doesn’t exist where I live, so if I want mince pies, I have to make my own mincemeat and pastry.
Living abroad has its perks, but when December rolls around, I find myself longing for the comforts of home, especially those little festive treats that define an English Christmas. For me, nothing says Christmas quite like a warm mince pie, fresh from the oven, with that sweet, spiced filling and buttery pastry.
What You’ll Learn in This Recipe
We’ll make rich homemade mincemeat, prepare classic shortcrust pastry, and finally assemble and bake traditional English mince pies, all from scratch. Perfect for bringing a taste of home to your Christmas table.
Christmas Mince Pie Recipe
Step 1: Make Homemade Mincemeat
The first step is to make the mincemeat. This will keep for a long time, so you can make it several months in advance. The longer the mincemeat is left, the better the flavour. This mincemeat will easily keep for 1 year.
You can vary the ingredients to suit what you can source locally. I substituted Granny Smith apples for Bramleys. You can also vary the dried fruit as I have.
This recipe is adapted from Delia Smith's Home-made Christmas Mincemeat, with a few changes to suit the ingredients I can get locally.
Equipment Needed
- Large mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Foil for covering
- Ovenproof dish or bowl
- Preserving jars (6 × 350 ml) with lids
- Baking tray (for sterilising jars)
Each 350ml jar will make 12 mince pies. Tip: Halve the quantities if you don’t need the full batch.
How to Sterilise Jars: Wash jars and lids in warm, soapy water, rinse well, and dry with a clean tea towel. Place the jars on a baking tray and heat in a medium oven (180°C / 350°F / Gas 4) for 5 minutes and boil the lids in water for 10 minutes.
Ingredients
For the mincemeat
- 400g Bramley apples, peeled, cored & chopped
- 45g whole almonds or walnuts, chopped
- 3½ tsp mixed ground spice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 8 tbsp brandy or whiskey
- 200g shredded suet (vegetarian suet works)
- 310g raisins
- 200g sultanas
- 200g currants
- 200g other dried fruit (apricots, cranberries, blueberries)
- 310g soft dark brown sugar
- Grated zest and juice of 2 oranges
- Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
For the pastry
- 300g plain flour
- 30g icing sugar
- 150g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 1 large egg
- 1–3 tsp cold water
- To assemble: Homemade mincemeat
- Optional: pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg in pastry
Method
Step 1: Make Homemade Mincemeat
- 01
Combine everything except the brandy in a large bowl. Stir well until thoroughly mixed.
- 02
Cover and leave in a cool place for at least 12 hours or overnight to let the flavours blend.
- 03
Preheat oven to 120°C (250°F / Gas ¼). Loosely cover the bowl with foil and slow-bake for 3 hours; the mixture will look like it is swimming in fat — that is correct.
- 04
Stir occasionally as it cools so the fat coats the fruit.
- 05
Once completely cold, stir in the brandy. Spoon into sterilised jars, fill to the top, and store in a cool, dark cupboard. Best enjoyed within a year, but can last up to 3 years.
Step 2: Make Classic Shortcrust Pastry
- 06
Sift flour and icing sugar into a bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- 07
Add the egg and stir with a knife until clumps form. Add cold water a teaspoon at a time until it comes together, then wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Assemble & Bake Mince Pies
- 08
Roll pastry to 3mm on a lightly floured surface. Cut 12 × 8cm circles for bases and 12 × 6cm for lids.
- 09
Grease a 12-cup muffin tray. Press bases into the cups and fill with mincemeat to the pastry edges.
- 10
Top with lids (or star cut-outs), press to seal, and chill the tray for 20 minutes.
- 11
Bake at 180°C (350°F / Gas 4) for 20–25 minutes until golden.
- 12
Cool on a wire rack, dust with icing sugar and serve.
This is a rich, buttery, melt-in-the-mouth pastry that complements sweet mincemeat perfectly.
Tips & Variations
- Vegetarian? Use vegetarian suet in the mincemeat.
- Make Ahead: Both mincemeat and pastry freeze beautifully.
- Extra Festive: Serve with brandy butter for a luxurious touch.
A Little History of Mince Pies
Mince pies have a long and storied history. They date back to the Middle Ages when they were originally filled with meat, fruit, and spices. Over time, the meat disappeared, leaving behind the rich, fruity mixture we know today, packed with dried fruits, spices, and a splash of brandy. It’s a tradition that has endured for centuries in England, but sadly hasn’t made its way to my corner of the world.
So, after searching high and low and finding nothing, I decided to recreate this classic myself, starting with homemade mincemeat and finishing with golden, flaky pastry. It’s a labour of love, but the result? Pure Christmas magic.
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