Anna Louise Mince pies are Christmas. Not a decoration, not a symbol — an actual, edible part of the season that appears in every kitchen, every office, every Christmas gathering from November onwards.
A good mince pie — with a properly short, buttery pastry and a generous, deeply spiced mincemeat filling — is one of the genuine pleasures of the festive season. A bad one — with thick, tough pastry and mean, flavourless filling — is a disappointment.
Mary Berry’s mince pies are definitively in the first category. The pastry is a proper sweet shortcrust — made with cold butter, a little icing sugar for a slightly more delicate texture than caster, and an egg yolk for richness.
It is crisp, buttery, and completely wonderful. The mincemeat filling is generous — and the tops are glazed with egg wash so they come out of the oven deep golden and slightly glossy.
This recipe makes 18 to 20 mince pies — enough for a tin to keep and a batch to give away.
Homemade Pastry or Shop-Bought?
Homemade sweet shortcrust pastry makes significantly better mince pies than shop-bought. The texture is more tender, the flavour is more buttery, and the result looks more impressive. It takes 15 minutes and the difference is immediately and completely noticeable.
That said, good quality shop-bought shortcrust pastry — all-butter, if possible — makes perfectly decent mince pies and is a reasonable shortcut when time is short. If you are making mince pies for the first time, try the homemade pastry. It is simpler than it sounds.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Mince Pies
For the Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
- 350g plain flour, sifted
- 50g icing sugar, sifted
- 175g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2–3 tbsp cold water
- Pinch of fine salt
For the Filling
- 400g good quality mincemeat (shop-bought is perfectly good — Robertson’s or Tiptree are both excellent)
- Zest of 1 unwaxed orange (stir into the mincemeat — it transforms it)
- 1 tbsp brandy or orange juice (stir into the mincemeat — optional but lovely)
To Finish
- 1 large egg, beaten (for glazing)
- Icing sugar for dusting
How to Make Mary Berry Mince Pies — Step by Step
Step 1 — Make the Pastry
Place the flour, icing sugar, salt, and cold cubed butter in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and pulse again. Add cold water one tablespoon at a time, pulsing between each addition, until the dough just comes together.
If making by hand: rub the cold butter into the flour, icing sugar, and salt with your fingertips until fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the egg yolk and enough cold water to bring the dough together.
Flatten into a disc, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Chilled pastry is significantly easier to roll and less likely to shrink during baking.
Step 2 — Preheat and Prepare
Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Lightly grease two 12-hole shallow bun tins or muffin tins.
Mix the orange zest and brandy (if using) into the mincemeat in a small bowl. Set aside.
Step 3 — Roll and Cut
On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled pastry to approximately 3mm thickness. Using a 9cm round fluted cutter, cut out 18 to 20 rounds for the bases. Use a slightly smaller 7cm cutter for the lids — or use star shapes, which look very festive.
Re-roll trimmings once and cut again.
Step 4 — Fill
Press the larger rounds gently into the prepared tin holes — ease them in without stretching. Fill each one with a generous teaspoon of the mincemeat mixture. Do not overfill — the mincemeat expands during baking and an overfilled pie will boil over and stick.
Place the smaller rounds or star shapes on top. Press the edges together gently to seal round lids. If using star lids, simply place on top — no pressing needed.
Step 5 — Glaze and Bake
Brush the tops with beaten egg. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until deep golden brown and the pastry is crisp.
Leave in the tins for five minutes — they are fragile when hot — then carefully transfer to a wire rack.
Step 6 — Dust and Serve
Dust generously with icing sugar before serving. Eat warm if possible — warm mince pies with the mincemeat just melting inside are extraordinary.
My Top Tips Mary Berry Mince Pies
Add orange zest to the mincemeat. This single addition — the zest of one unwaxed orange stirred into a 400g jar of shop-bought mincemeat — transforms it completely. It brightens the flavour, adds freshness, and makes it taste genuinely homemade. Always do this.
Keep the pastry cold at every stage. Cold pastry is easier to roll, holds its shape better in the tin, and produces a crisper result. Chill after making, work quickly when rolling, and refrigerate the filled, uncooked pies for 10 minutes before baking if your kitchen is warm.
Do not overfill. A generous teaspoon is the right amount — not a heaped tablespoon. Mincemeat bubbles and expands during baking. Too much filling boils over the pastry, makes the pies difficult to remove from the tin, and creates a sticky, burnt mess on the bottom of your oven.
Use icing sugar in the pastry, not caster. Icing sugar gives the pastry a slightly more delicate, more melt-in-the-mouth texture than caster. It is a small detail that makes a noticeable difference.
Star lids look more festive than round lids. A star-shaped lid rather than a round one requires no sealing, looks beautiful, and allows a little steam to escape during baking — which keeps the mincemeat moist. Buy a star cutter specifically for Christmas baking — it is worth having.
Make ahead and freeze uncooked. Assembled, uncooked mince pies freeze beautifully. Freeze on the tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen at the same temperature for 22 to 25 minutes. Fresh-baked mince pies on demand throughout December.
Serving Suggestions
Warm from the oven with a dusting of icing sugar — this is the definitive way. With a small spoonful of brandy butter alongside for something more indulgent. With cream or vanilla ice cream for a proper pudding. With a glass of mulled wine or a tot of whisky for a festive evening treat.
How to Store Mary Berry Mince Pies
At room temperature: Store in an airtight tin for up to 4 days. Warm in a 160°C oven for five minutes before serving to refresh.
In the freezer: Freeze baked or unbaked for up to 3 months. Baked: defrost at room temperature and warm in a 160°C oven for 8 minutes. Unbaked: bake from frozen for 22 to 25 minutes.
Mary Berry Mince Pies Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Pulse flour, icing sugar, salt, and cold butter in a food processor to fine breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk and pulse. Add cold water 1 tbsp at a time until dough just comes together. Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Grease two bun tins. Stir orange zest and brandy into mincemeat.
- Roll chilled pastry to 3mm. Cut 18–20 large rounds (9cm) and 18–20 smaller rounds or stars (7cm).
- Press large rounds into tin holes. Fill each with a generous teaspoon of mincemeat — do not overfill. Place lids on top. Press edges to seal round lids.
- Brush tops with beaten egg. Bake 18–20 minutes until deep golden.
- Cool in tins 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use shop-bought pastry?
Yes — good quality all-butter shortcrust pastry works well and is a reasonable shortcut. The homemade version is noticeably better in texture and flavour but shop-bought is perfectly acceptable, particularly when you are making large quantities.
Can I make the pastry ahead?
Yes — the pastry keeps wrapped in cling film in the fridge for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before rolling.
How do I stop mince pies sticking to the tin?
Grease the tin properly with butter — including the rims of each hole. Leave the pies to cool in the tin for five minutes before removing — they are fragile when hot. Loosen with a small palette knife if needed.
Can I make frangipane mince pies?
Yes — spread a thin layer of frangipane (ground almonds, butter, sugar, and egg beaten together) over the mincemeat before adding the lid. The almond frangipane bakes to a gorgeous golden top. See the separate frangipane mince pies recipe on this site.
Can I make these without alcohol?
Yes — replace the brandy with orange juice. The mince pies are equally delicious and suitable for children and non-drinkers.
Why is my pastry crumbly and difficult to roll?
Either too little liquid was added or the pastry is too cold. Add cold water half a teaspoon at a time and work it in gently. If the pastry is very cold and cracking, let it sit at room temperature for five minutes before rolling.
Leave a Reply