Some may argue that the festive season hasn’t truly begun until you’ve chomped down on your first mince pie.
The pastry has become so synonymous with the time of year that biting into the crisp crust and rich, spiced filling doesn’t hit right at any other time of the year. Sacriliege comparable only to leaving up your decorations past January 6 or playing Mariah Carey before November 1.
Mince pies have had an interesting history and while it is now typically a sweet post-dessert or afternoon tea accompaniment, the original, as the name suggests was filled with mutton, beef, rabbit, pork or game. Not quite the tastebud-tickling treat that we love and cherish today.
Their origins date back to the Middle Ages. Way back in 1413, it was mince pies that were served at King Henry V’s coronation. Their ties to the festive season is thought to be linked the spices - nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon - representing the gifts of the three wise men at the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and in the shape of an oval to mimic the manger.
In modern variations, meat has thankfully been left out of the equation. Instead recipes favour currants, sultanas, apples and candied peels and so when the crust comes without dairy, vegans and vegetarians need not miss out on the festive action.
Each year supermarkets, independent bakers and specialist artisans compete to produce the best mince pie recipes - so who takes the crown for 2022? The ES Best team put the offering to the test.
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Konditor Mince Pie
There is a reason that Konditor features at the top of our best mince pie round-ups each year, the city-based bakery produces a top quality option that is sweet but not too sweet with the perfect ratio of pastry to filling. The mince pie is a great size too, perfect for snacking and is flavoursome in all the right ways. The buttery casing is also available in a vegan alternative.
Price for a box of 12.
Buy now £20.00, Konditor
GAIL’s Mince Pies 4 pack
The sugar-coated treats from GAIL’s is a solid mince pie that is very filling. These are designed to be shared or will be a dessert in its own right, paired beautifully with custard or ice cream. There’s a good level of pastry to give it a welcomed crisp, something only further by the sugary crunch.
Buy now £6.99, Ocado
PAUL Mince Pie Pastel De Nata x12
Combining two of our favourite pastries in one, PAUL’s is leaning on the classic Portuguese treat in its redesign of this Christmassy dessert. The custard tart is adorned with mincemeat flavouring created with all the fruits and spices that you would expect but as the casing is crafted from puff pastry instead of the typical thick layer, it feels much lighter. Try and have just one.
Buy now £19.95, PAUL
Tesco Mince Pies
Tesco takes a crumbly approach to its mince pies offering, whether you go for the Crumble Topped Salted Caramel Mince Pies or the Chocolate Orange Crumble Topped Mince Pies. This pastry top is a nice addition and when paired with the salted caramel sauce hits the nail on the head.
The same was not true for the chocolate orange variety where the ES team felt like the supermarket was doing too much. Compared to a rice crispy treat with a layer of marmalade, this may appeal to the Jaffa Cake enthusiasts rather than the Terry’s Chocolate Orange.
Buy now £2.25, Tesco
Waitrose Mince Pie
The selection of mince pies at Waitrose extends far beyond just the classic All Butter Mince Pies, although these are not to be sniffed at either. For something with a more luxury feel if you’re impressing the in-laws, the Brown Butter Mince Pies with Cognac look as sleek as they taste with the addition of apricots, Amarena cherries and of course, cognac in the centre.
Not your ordinary mince pies, we were intrigued by the Pear & Fig Mince Pies from the Heston Blumenthal collection. The exterior resembled a sausage roll over a mince pie with its puffed aesthetic and this was the predominant taste, although was not hugely cheesey. The interior was barely distinguisable with just a subtle hint of fig. The supermarket suggests setting on your festive cheeseboard and it would work well for this but not in the place of a mince pie.
Buy now £1.68, Waitrose
by Amazon Our Selection 6 Deep Filled Mince Pies
Amazon is offering a classic mince pie that does the job and does it well. The crumbly pastry packs in a traditional festive spiced filling that is enhanced by the combination of French brandy and ruby port. This is one best paired with a cuppa as the biscuit texture is very dry.
Buy now £2.04, Amazon
Selfridges Mince Pie Caramels
While the luxury department store has the classic mince pie, we were intrigued by the idea of these caramels for something a little different than the usual. They are very lightly spiced and so not really mince pie flavoured unless you’re already aware that this is the case and as such don’t have that Christmassy feel. What the chocolates lack in mince pie taste, it makes up for in the packaging where the attractive cracker exterior will sit beautifully as a tablescape for your seasonal feast.
Buy now £4.99, Selfridges
Walker's Mince Pies
As you may expect from the legendary shortbread brand, these mince pies are crafted with the brand’s signature biscuit as the exterior. This is the predominant taste but is not overly dense. The ratio of shortbread to filling is skewed in favour of the former to keep you going back for more. The attractive snowflake design makes them all the more appealing.
Buy now, Amazon
Patisserie Valerie Mince Pie Box of 6
Cue squeals of delight at the Patisserie Valerie mince pies that are a fully fledged dessert in their own right. These are sizeable pastries that are beautifully adorned with a star design. The crisp exterior reveals a smooth filling that is not chunky like you’d expect - whether that’s a pro or con is totally up to you.
Buy now £12.95, Patisserie Valerie
Blondie’s Kitchen Mince Pie Cookie Cup
On first impressions, this mince pies looks more like a muffin than the classic compact pastry but one bite and you’ll be hooked. The exterior is made from a sweet cake-like exterior that still has the crunch that you’re hoping for. It’s covered in powdered sugar that’s the cherry on top of the cake.
Buy now £19.99, Blondie’s Kitchen
M&S Mince Pie
The M&S selection of mince pies is extensive, from the beautifully decorated Lattice Topped Mince Pies that are best served warm to the Mini Mince Pies that are adorable to be paired alongside coffee and teas post-festive meal. The Cookie Cup Mince Pies are the most unusual in the offering and it enhances the traditional combination with a chewy cookie dough layer that adds a moist and sweet twist to the spicy treat to counteract dryness.
Buy now £3.00, Ocado
