Go Back
classic mince pies
Print Recipe Save Recipe Pin Recipe

Classic Mince Pies

You can't beat a batch of classic mince pies at Christmas! These ones feature homemade mincemeat, buttery pastry & a crisp demerara sugar top.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Baking, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: English
Servings: 12 Mince Pies
Author: Ben Racey

Equipment

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Rolling Pin
  • Pastry Brush
  • 12 Hole Muffin Tray
  • Palette Knife
  • Round Pastry Cutters 9.5cm & 7.5cm

Ingredients

Sweet Pastry

  • 350 g Plain Flour
  • 100 g Icing Sugar
  • ½ tsp Table Salt
  • 1 Orange (Zested)
  • 200 g Unsalted Butter (Chilled)
  • 40 g Egg Yolks
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Paste

Filling

  • 600 g Mincemeat (See Notes)

Assembly

  • 15 g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 tsp Milk
  • 1 tbsp Demerara Sugar

Instructions

Sweet Pastry

  • Sift the flour & icing sugar into a large mixing bowl then add in the salt & orange zest.
  • Cut the butter into small pieces, add into the flour, then rub in with your fingers until the mix resembles breadcrumbs with some large pieces of butter still visible.
  • Add the egg yolks & vanilla paste into the flour then mix with your hands until the pastry starts to come together. Tip out onto a clean worksurface & gently knead until you have a smooth dough (be careful not to overwork).
  • Flatten the pastry into a disc, wrap in clingfilm & refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Assembly

  • Take the pastry out of the fridge & leave to warm up slightly at room temperature for 20 minutes.
    This makes the pastry more pliable.
  • In the meantime, make an egg wash by whisking together the egg & milk.
  • Grease a 12 hole muffin tray with the butter & set aside.
  • Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 3 mm then cut out 12 circles using a 9½ cm cutter & another 12 with the 7½ cutter.
    Gently knead together the pastry trimmings & re roll if necessary.
    The larger pastry circles are for the bases & the smaller ones are the lids.
  • Gently press the larger circles of pastry into the muffin tray, making sure that the pastry reaches the top of each hole.
  • Spoon an equal amount of filling into each mince pie then brush a light layer of egg wash around the pastry's top edge.
    Each pie is filled with 50 grams of mincemeat.
  • Place a pastry lid onto the top of each pie then press down to seal. Cut a small hole in the top of each pie then chill in the fridge for at least an hour before baking.

Baking

  • Preheat an oven to 220°c/200°c (428°f/392°f). Place a large, flat baking tray into the oven at the same time, to heat up.
    We'll be baking the pies on top of the tray, to help crisp up the bottoms.
  • Next, brush the top of the mince pies with a light layer of egg wash then chill in the fridge until the oven is up to temperature (20 minutes or so).
    Make sure to give the oven plenty of time to heat up, so that the pastry cooks properly!
  • Take the mince pies out of the fridge & brush on another light layer of egg wash. Sprinkle a generous amount of demerara sugar on top of each pie.
  • To cook, place the muffin tin of pies onto the preheated tray then bake for 20-25 minutes, until the pastry is crisp & a deep golden brown.
    I like to bake the pastry fairly dark, so that the sugar caramelises nicely. This gives the mince pies a crunchy top!
  • Once the mince pies are cooked, carefully run the tip of a palette knife around the lip of each one, to release the pastry from the tin.
    This is to release the pastry from where it touches the top of the tray.
  • Let the mince pies cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes then lift them out with a small palette knife & transfer to a wire cooling rack, to cool completely.

Notes

1. Cooking In An Aga - Bake the mince pies for 25-30 minutes in the baking oven on the second from bottom set of runners. 
2. Mincemeat - For this recipe, you can use shop bought mincemeat or make your own. My homemade mincemeat recipe can be found here.
3. Pastry - The pastry can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days before being rolled out. It's key to chill the mince pies for at least an hour before baking, as this will help make the pastry crisp once baked.
4. Storage - Once cool, store the mince pies in an airtight container. They are best eaten within 3 days of being made. The uncooked mince pies will keep in the fridge for up to a day before being baked.