Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- Plain flour 300 g (2 1/2 cups), icing sugar 50 g (1/3 cup), fine salt 1/2 tsp, orange zest 1 tsp (optional), cold unsalted butter 180 g (cubed), 1 large egg yolk, 2–3 tbsp ice water
- Raisins 200 g, currants 150 g, sultanas 150 g, mixed candied peel 80 g, 1 large apple (about 150 g) grated, dark brown sugar 100 g, suet 75 g (or grated cold butter), zest and juice of 1 orange + 1 lemon, cinnamon 1 tsp, nutmeg 1/2 tsp, allspice 1/2 tsp, ground cloves 1/4 tsp, fine salt 1/4 tsp, brandy 60 ml
- For brandy butter: unsalted butter 150 g (soft), icing sugar 180 g, brandy 45 ml, vanilla 1 tsp, pinch of salt
- 1 small egg + 1 tbsp milk for egg wash, icing sugar for dusting
Do This
- 1. Simmer all mincemeat ingredients except the brandy for 8–10 minutes until glossy; cool 20 minutes, then stir in brandy.
- 2. Beat brandy butter ingredients until pale and fluffy; chill.
- 3. Rub flour, icing sugar, salt, and zest with butter to breadcrumbs; mix in yolk and 2–3 tbsp ice water to form a dough; chill 45 minutes.
- 4. Heat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) / 400°F. Roll pastry 3 mm thick; cut 18 bases (7–8 cm) and 18 lids (6–7 cm or stars).
- 5. Line tins, fill each with 1 tbsp mincemeat, brush rims with egg wash, cap and crimp; vent lids.
- 6. Egg wash tops, sprinkle sugar; bake 18–22 minutes to deep golden.
- 7. Cool 5 minutes, dust with icing sugar, serve warm with a knob of brandy butter.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic British mince pies with buttery, tender shortcrust and a warmly spiced, brandy-kissed fruit filling.
- Quick stovetop mincemeat delivers deep, jammy flavor without weeks of maturing.
- Clear, make-ahead friendly workflow—pastry, mincemeat, and brandy butter all prep beautifully.
- Elegant finish: a snowy dusting of icing sugar and a melting spoon of brandy butter.
Grocery List
- Produce: 1 large apple, 1 orange, 1 lemon
- Dairy: Unsalted butter (330 g total), 1 egg yolk + 1 small egg, milk (1 tbsp)
- Pantry: Plain flour, icing sugar, dark brown sugar, raisins, currants, sultanas, mixed candied peel, suet (or extra butter), cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ground cloves, salt, vanilla extract, brandy
Full Ingredients
Shortcrust Pastry
- Plain (all-purpose) flour: 300 g (2 1/2 cups, spooned and leveled)
- Icing (confectioners’) sugar: 50 g (1/3 cup)
- Fine sea salt: 1/2 tsp
- Finely grated orange zest: 1 tsp (optional but lovely)
- Cold unsalted butter, cubed: 180 g
- Large egg yolk: 1
- Ice-cold water: 2–3 tbsp, as needed
Mincemeat Filling
- Raisins: 200 g (about 1 1/3 cups)
- Currants: 150 g (about 1 cup)
- Sultanas or golden raisins: 150 g (about 1 cup)
- Mixed candied peel: 80 g (about 2/3 cup), finely chopped
- Apple: 1 large tart apple (about 150 g grated), peeled and coarsely grated
- Dark brown sugar: 100 g (1/2 cup, packed)
- Vegetarian shredded suet: 75 g (or 75 g grated cold unsalted butter)
- Orange: finely grated zest and 80 ml juice (about 1/3 cup)
- Lemon: finely grated zest and 45 ml juice (about 3 tbsp)
- Ground cinnamon: 1 tsp
- Ground nutmeg: 1/2 tsp
- Ground allspice: 1/2 tsp
- Ground cloves: 1/4 tsp
- Fine sea salt: 1/4 tsp
- Brandy: 60 ml (1/4 cup), plus 1–2 tbsp to taste after cooling (optional)
Brandy Butter
- Unsalted butter, softened: 150 g (2/3 cup)
- Icing (confectioners’) sugar, sifted: 180 g (1 1/2 cups)
- Brandy: 45 ml (3 tbsp)
- Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
- Fine sea salt: small pinch
To Finish
- Egg wash: 1 small egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk
- Icing sugar: for dusting
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook a quick, jammy mincemeat
In a medium saucepan, combine raisins, currants, sultanas, mixed peel, grated apple, dark brown sugar, suet (or grated butter), orange zest and juice, lemon zest and juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and salt. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the fruits plump and the mixture looks glossy and syrupy, 8–10 minutes. If it seems dry, add 1–2 tbsp water. Remove from heat and let cool for 20 minutes.
Step 2: Finish with brandy and cool completely
Stir in 60 ml (1/4 cup) brandy. Taste and, if desired, add up to 1–2 tbsp more brandy. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and cool to room temperature. For the best texture, chill while you make the pastry.
Step 3: Whip the brandy butter
Beat softened butter in a bowl for 2 minutes until creamy. Gradually beat in icing sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in brandy, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Spoon into a small serving dish, cover, and refrigerate. It will firm as it chills; bring to cool room temperature before serving for easy scooping.
Step 4: Make a tender shortcrust
In a large bowl, whisk flour, icing sugar, salt, and orange zest. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips (or pulse in a food processor) until it looks like fine breadcrumbs with a few pea-sized bits. Add the egg yolk and 2 tbsp ice-cold water, mixing with a fork until clumps form; add the remaining 1 tbsp water only if needed. Tip onto the counter and gently bring together. Divide into 2 discs, wrap, and chill for 45 minutes.
Step 5: Prep tins and heat the oven
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) / 400°F. Lightly butter a shallow 12-hole tart/bun tin (you will bake in batches for 18 pies) or use two tins. Have a 7–8 cm cutter for bases and a 6–7 cm cutter (or star cutter) for lids ready. Make the egg wash by beating 1 small egg with 1 tbsp milk.
Step 6: Roll and cut the pastry
On a lightly floured surface, roll the first dough disc to 3 mm (1/8 inch) thick. Cut out 18 bases and press into the tin(s). Re-roll scraps as needed. Roll the second disc for lids—cut 18 rounds or stars. If using full lids, pierce a small steam hole in the center.
Step 7: Fill, seal, and bake
Spoon about 1 level tbsp (25–30 g) mincemeat into each case. Brush pastry rims with egg wash, top with lids, and press to seal; crimp edges if you like. Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake 18–22 minutes until the pastry is a deep golden brown. Rotate the tin halfway for even color.
Step 8: Dust and serve with brandy butter
Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then gently lift to a rack. Dust with icing sugar. Serve warm with a generous knob of brandy butter, letting it just begin to melt into the warm pies.
Pro Tips
- Keep everything cold for flaky pastry—chill the dough and rest lined shells in the fridge for 15 minutes if your kitchen is warm.
- Add the brandy only after the mincemeat cools to preserve its aroma.
- Do not overfill—1 tbsp per pie prevents bubbling over and leaking.
- Star-shaped lids naturally vent steam and look festive; if using full lids, cut a small slit in each.
- For neat edges, twist the cutter slightly when cutting and avoid dragging the pastry.
Variations
- Frangipane-topped: Skip pastry lids and pipe a heaped tablespoon of almond frangipane over the filling; bake 20–22 minutes.
- Puff pastry: Use ready-rolled puff for lids for an extra-light, flaky finish; bake 16–18 minutes.
- Alcohol-free: Replace brandy with apple juice and add 1 tsp vanilla to the mincemeat; serve with orange-scented butter instead of brandy butter.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Mincemeat keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks (flavor improves) or 3 months in the freezer. Brandy butter keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks or frozen for 3 months. Baked mince pies keep 2–3 days in an airtight tin at cool room temperature, or 5 days refrigerated; reheat at 160°C/325°F for 6–8 minutes. To freeze unbaked, assemble and freeze on a tray, then transfer to a bag; bake from frozen at 190°C/375°F for 24–26 minutes.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate per pie with 1 tbsp brandy butter: 390 kcal; Fat 16 g (Sat 9 g); Carbs 49 g; Sugars 27 g; Protein 3 g; Sodium 85 mg. Values will vary with exact ingredients and portion size.
