Mince pies have a reputation for being fiddly, but they don’t have to be. With ready-made pastry and a jar of good fruit mince, you can have a batch of warm, spiced pies on the table in under 30 minutes — no pastry-making skills required. Want to make the pastry and mincemeat from scratch? Try our traditional Scottish rich fruit mince pies.
Fruit Mince Pies – Shutterstock
A Bit of Background
Mince pies date back to the 13th century, when returning Crusaders brought spices like cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg back to Britain. The original filling really did contain meat, mixed with dried fruit and spice as a way of preserving it through the colder months. Early versions were often baked in oval “coffin”-shaped cases, said to represent a manger, and were sometimes called “mutton pies” or “Christmas pies.”
By the 16th century, these pies had become large, rich, and heavily spiced — a single pie might contain a dozen different ingredients, seen as a nod to the wise men’s spices. Oliver Cromwell’s Puritan government actually banned mince pies in the mid-1600s, considering them too indulgent for a solemn religious season, and they only properly returned to favour after the Restoration. It wasn’t until the Victorian era that the meat disappeared for good, and the smaller, individual sweet pies we recognise today became standard.
When to Serve Them
Mince pies are traditionally associated with the run-up to Christmas and are often first baked in early December, continuing right through to New Year. They’re a natural fit for afternoon tea, a mid-morning treat with coffee, or as part of a dessert spread after a big meal. Warm from the oven is when they’re at their best — the pastry crisp, the filling soft and fragrant.
How to Serve Them
Serve warm rather than piping hot, so the filling has settled slightly. A dusting of icing sugar is the simplest finish, but a spoonful of brandy butter, a splash of cream, or a jug of warm custard all work well alongside. For a savoury contrast, some people like a small wedge of mature cheddar on the side — an old pairing that’s less common now but worth trying.
Easy Fruit Mince Pies
Makes 12
Ingredients
- 2 sheets ready-made shortcrust pastry
- 450g fruit mince (mincemeat)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tbsp icing sugar, for dusting
- 2 tbsp flour, for dusting the work surface
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin or patty tin.
- Dust your work surface with flour. Unroll the pastry and cut 12 base rounds (about 9–10cm) and 12 lids (about 7cm), re-rolling offcuts as needed.
- Press the larger rounds gently into the tin to form pastry cases.
- Spoon a heaped teaspoon of fruit mince into each case — don’t overfill, or it will bubble over in the oven.
- Brush the edges with a little beaten egg, top with the smaller pastry lids, press to seal, and cut a small slit in the top of each to let the steam out.
- Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash and bake for 12–15 minutes, until golden and crisp.
- Leave in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
Making Them More Traditional
If you’d like to take this further, the traditional version starts from scratch on both counts. For the pastry, a simple shortcrust made with flour, cold butter, a touch of sugar and iced water gives a shorter, richer case than most shop-bought versions. For the filling, homemade fruit mince is made by combining dried fruits (raisins, currants, sultanas), grated apple, mixed peel, brown sugar, suet or butter, and warming spices — cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and mixed spice — with the zest and juice of an orange and lemon, usually finished with a splash of brandy or sherry. It’s left to mature for at least a few days, sometimes weeks, before use, which deepens the flavour considerably compared to the ready-made jars.
Good for Taking on the Road
These pies travel well, which makes them a good option for a day out. Wrap them warm in foil, pack a flask of tea or coffee, and they’re an easy addition to a drive along Glencoe, the NC500, or through Royal Deeside. A lay-by with a view is really all you need.
A Few Tips
- Freeze unbaked and bake straight from frozen — add 3–5 extra minutes.
- Swap round lids for star cutters if you want a peek of the filling showing through.
- Pack them in a tin lined with greaseproof paper if you’re taking them out for the day, so they don’t get crushed.
- Keeps in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Over to You
Do you make your own pastry and mincemeat, or take the easy route like this one? Let us know in the comments.