Mince Pie (Mincemeat Pies) for a Traditional British Christmas Treat
Mince pie is a traditional British Christmas treat that you simply must try in order to understand why they’re all the rage in the UK. In fact, a very big star says they are his very favorite choice of holiday dessert!
Back in March I showed you how to make your own mincemeat. Now, I’m going to show you how to use it to make delicious mince pie!
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Did you know that a mince pie is Outlander star Sam Heughan’s favorite holiday dessert!
He claims he can, and I quote, “…literally eat them all day!”
If you did make some mincemeat, you would be able to make your own, truly homemade mince pies (same thing as mincemeat pies) in December. Somehow, mince pies aren’t a big thing in the US as they are in the UK and Australia. However, like anything else, if you use this mince pie recipe and then taste a really good mince pie, you’ll be hooked, just like Sam! 🤩
What are Mince Pies?
Mince pies are traditional British pastries that are made at Christmastime. If you’ve checked out my mincemeat recipe (link above), you’ll see that the mince pie filling is made with lots of dried fruit.
It’s very rich, which is why these little tartlets are the perfect serving size, although some mince pie lovers may disagree! This version is made with Grand Marnier and doesn’t have any candied peel, which are two good things in my book. (I do like the candied peel I make myself, but not in mincemeat.)
What about a Christmas pudding for Christmas day, too?
Does Mincemeat Pie Have Meat?
Today, mince pies do NOT contain meat. Mincemeat used to have meat as one of the ingredients (therefore, the name). However, nowadays, the most extreme recipe will use a little suet, which I did in mine. Note: butter alone, may be used. Allrecipes infamously posted a recipe for apple pie with mince (ground beef) because they clearly don’t pay attention to the quality of the recipes they share. You’ll be safe with my recipes, though!
Although it’s rather late to make mincemeat in December as it needs to be pre-made months ahead of time, you can always plan for next year. Put this recipe on your calendar for this coming February or March.
You may also enjoy this recipe for Bakewell tart with icing which is made in a 9″ tart dish.
It’s delicious, but then, so are mince pies!
However, it’s now December–so let’s get to the mince pie making! And whether it’s for you or as a gift, this Mason Cash bowl is a great purchase (the old English brand used by Mrs. Patmore and Daisy in Downton Abbey).
How to Make Traditional Mince Pie
(Mincemeat Pies)
Recipe by Christina Conte Makes 24 pies (tartlets)
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- mincemeat (I made a batch of homemade mincemeat last March)
For the pastry~
- flour
- butter
- salt
- sugar
Step-by-Step Directions to Make Mince Pie
Preheat oven to 375˚ F (190˚ C)
You can follow the directions for this pie pastry tutorial. In a large bowl, cut the butter into the flour with two knives or a pastry cutter, then add the sugar and enough ice water, just so the pastry comes together without falling apart.
If you add too much water, the dough will be tough. If you are a more accomplished cook, you could add an egg yolk instead of the water, which yields an even tastier pastry.
Roll out the dough to about 1/4″ and cut into rounds to place into cupcake tins or small tartlet tins.
Put the mincemeat filling into a medium sized bowl.
Next, fill the pastry cases with some mincemeat. Top with a star or cover entirely with another piece of pastry (make a hole in the top).
Place the mince pies on a baking tray into preheated oven. Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes until the pastry becomes a golden brown color. Finally, sprinkle with a little sugar, immediately after being removed from the oven.
Store in an airtight tin. You may be tempted to serve these with ice cream, but I suggest trying them on their own as they are marvelous with a cup of tea!
A mince pie with a cup of tea is a perfect holiday treat! Just ask Sam Hueghan who proclaimed that mince pies are his favourite treat! 🤩
These are great as hostess gifts and many other holiday occasions. Just make sure you make enough for you to keep a stash of mince pies for yourself, too!
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Mince Pies (Mincemeat) Pies for a Traditional British Christmas Treat
Ingredients
- 1 c mincemeat
Pastry:
- 2 cups + 2 Tbsp flour
- 1 ¼ sticks (150 g) unsalted butter (good quality or 50% butter/ 50% lard)
- ½ tsp sea salt (omit if using salted butter)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- ice water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375˚ F (190˚ C).
- Follow instructions for homemade pie pastry.Or cut the butter into the flour with two knives or a pastry cutter, then add the sugar and enough ice water, just so the pastry comes together without falling apart. If you add too much water, the dough will be tough.
- Roll out the dough to about ¼" and cut into rounds to place into cupcake tins or small tartlet tins.
- Next, fill the pastry cases with some mincemeat. Top with a star or cover entirely with another piece of pastry (make a hole in the top).
- Place the mince pies on a baking tray into preheated oven. Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes until the pastry becomes a golden brown color.
- Finally, sprinkle with a little sugar, immediately after being removed from the oven. Store in an airtight tin.
Nutrition
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Dear Christina! Thank you for the recipe of the pies and mincemeat filling for them. It`s a nice balance between unsweetened pastry and delicious filling. Everyone I treated liked the mincemeat pies. (Sorry for my English, I am a foreinger.)
I added the recipe for my Christmas preparation..
Love to hear it, enjoy Nancy!