From plum pudding originally consisting of meats and vegetables packed into animal stomachs, to the fact that mince pies used to contain suet as a binder among other animal-derived fillings, it’s bizarre to think back to the distinctly meaty nature of some of the most beloved festive sweet treats.
Fear not, festive readers, for you won’t find any carnivorous additions to classic Christmas desserts in the 21st century; our palette is far more… well, sweet. However, we wouldn’t exactly class a humble mince pie as a full dessert. It’s more akin to a cheeky afternoon snack to be enjoyed with a cup of tea in the run-up to the festive season.
Though the exact origin of mince pies remains unclear, it is thought that European crusaders brought back recipes for spiced, fruity meat dishes from the Middle East in the 13th century. Others believe that they were first served at King Henry V’s coronation in 1413, but instead of fruity mince, they contained ingredients like game birds, boiled eggs and other various meats.
When exactly they became linked to the Christmas season is even more unclear, though traditional recipes from the 15th century dictated that mince pies were to be crafted with 13 ingredients to represent Jesus and his disciples.
The spices were included to represent the three wise men, while mincemeat was included as an ode to the shepherds. The Tudors also crafted their mince pies in the shape of a manger, with a pastry baby Jesus on top. The meaty filling was dropped by the Victorian period, though suet was still used in the pastry, and we have post-Reformation bakers to thank for the understated round shape.
Over time, sweet-toothed citizens adapted the snack to become a far more saccharine delight. While ‘traditional’ supermarket options are filled with candied fruits, currants and spices, other contemporary options feature even sweeter additions ranging from sticky toffee, apple and sprinklings of crumble to icing sugar and more.
We’ll be trying new flavours as they launch, right up until Christmas – so check back in for freshly baked reviews throughout the season. In the meantime, keep scrolling for our reviews of the pies that we’ve taste-tested so far.
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Biscuiteers x Humble Crumble Mince Pies
Rating: 4.5/5
If, to you, mince pies are merely a vessel for enjoying heaps of shortbread, this delectable collaboration between Biscuiteers and Humble Crumble is set to be your festive saviour. Surprisingly deep, there’s ample pastry and a decent amount of filling, but not so much as to overwhelm the wonderfully buttery crumble topping. Subtly fruity thanks to whole currants and oh-so-sweet, enjoy with a cup of tea, sit back, and relax.
Buy now £15.00, Biscuiteers
Tesco Finest 4 Rich Plum & Port Mince Pies
Rating: 4/5
If you’re a fan of our yearly mince pie roundups, you’ll know we always give extra points for a festive design – and we loved the fact that these mince pies have ‘Merry Christmas’ etched into the golden brown tops. Far from anaemic, the pastry had a perfect crisp and a sprinkling of crunchy sugar on top which paved the way for the smooth, spiced and perfectly sweet filling. Bravo, Tesco.
Buy now £3.50, Tesco
Selfridges Mini Mince Pies Selection
Rating: 4/5
A selection of miniature mince pies with varying toppings, not only were these delectable treats housed in a chic, minimalistic and yet somehow festive box – but they tasted divine. I’m partial to a mini mince pie with a cup of tea at around 4pm in the run-up to the festive season, and these bite-sized treats don’t make me feel guilty about it. I particularly liked the ones with candied orange peel on top, which brought out the sweet and citrussy flavours of the mince.
Buy now £9.99, Selfridges
Waitrose Christmas 6 All Butter Mince Pies
Rating: 3/5
When cinnamon and nutmeg are listed on the flavour profile of mince pies, we’re usually resigned to the fact that the candied mincemeat will overpower any sense of festive spice. Not with these delicious all-butter pies from Waitrose. We really liked the festive snowflake design and the fact that these mince pies had a slickly thicker crust than most. The filling had full currants and a fruity flavour.
Buy now £2.75, Waitrose
Exceptional by Asda 6 Luxury Mince Pies
Rating: 3/5
Despite their seemingly pallid exterior, Exceptional by Asda’s Luxury Mince Pies taste hearty and festive. We loved the fact that there are whole currants to be enjoyed which haven’t been ground up into a fine paste, as well as the warming candied orange undertones.
Buy now £2.75, Asda
DukesHill St Clements Mince Pies
Rating: 4/5
The St Clements mince pies from Dukeshill have a delightfully hand-crafted feel with a delicately braided rim. These citrus-heavy pies were created to meet customer demand for extra orange and lemon peel to cut through the richness of the brandy-soaked mincemeat.
They are surprisingly shallow, which we are not necessarily complaining about because the filling is so incredibly tart that it’s nice to have a thicker, heftier serving of pastry to temper it. These unique, artisan pies won’t be for everyone, but they’ll certainly help to treat a case of scurvy. Sailors rejoice.
Buy now £13.50, DukesHill
Aldi Specially Selected Ultimate Mince Pies
Rating: 3.5/5
Exceptionally fruity, these crumbly mince pies don’t hold their shape when you take a bite – but they do taste pretty wonderful. Topped with icing sugar and generously sized, we appreciated just how much filling was included in one pie. They weren’t overly aromatic but definitely had a festive flavour. Available from November 24.
Buy now £2.49, Aldi
GAIL’s Mince Pie Box
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Rating: 4/5
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. Available in November.
Buy now £16.00, GAIL’s
Morrisons The Best Deep Filled Mince Pies
Rating: 3.5/5
On a personal level, I thoroughly enjoyed these ultra buttery, pure shortbread mince pies from Morrisons. While some may consider the thick crust rather dry, I think it tastes beautiful with a warming cup of Yorkshire. The filling is sweet, fruity and filled with tasty stewed whole currants. I didn’t really get any hints of brandy or cider, but I enjoyed the aromatic aftertaste.
Buy now £2.75, Morrisons
Paul Mincemeat Millefeuille
Rating: 5/5
Paul has once again smashed the competition with their delectable Christmas range this year, and their festive baguettes were among the highest rated in our Christmas Sandwich taste test. This rather alternative take on the humble mince pie was certainly a risk worth taking, for the flaky yet buttery soft puff pastry splits layers of beautifully spiced, currant-infused mincemeat in a truly heavenly manner.
Interspersed between these layers is an additional, delicious vanilla creme custard filling - a truly indulgent touch which made me sigh happily into my accompanying coffee. It’s topped with marzipan, which isn’t usually my favourite, but added a pleasant touch alongisde the decorative yet edible candied orange. There’s a reason we tend to trust the French with dessert.
Buy now £5.50, Paul
M&S 6 All Butter Mince Pies
Rating: 4.5/5
It’s safe to say that you can’t go wrong with M&S during the festive season, especially when it comes to mince pies. First and foremost, bonus points shall be awarded for the delightful and highly original festive topper, featuring holly leaves and a little star cut-out which reveals some of the smooth and scrumptious spiced mince filling. Tartness and sweetness are perfectly balanced in this brilliant pie thanks to the sprinkling of sugar on top, making it a fine addition to any festive food prep.
Buy now £2.75, Ocado
