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Christmas Sweet Mince Pies are a traditional British holiday dessert. Dried fruit, apple, citrus and brown sugar all soaked in brandy make up the filling inside homemade pie crusts.

Pies stacked on a wood board

Growing up in England, it never really felt like Christmas until the sweet mince pies made an appearance. The smell of them baking they taste just like Christmas.

Powdered sugar being sprinkled

These cute little treats taste best if the mincemeat is made ahead of time and has time to sit and let the flavors combine. Overnight is fine, but up to a week is better. If you don’t have time for this, no problem they are still really good.

Before I started writing my own recipes, I used to make recipes from the British chefs Delia Smith or Jamie Oliver. I am so glad I now have my own recipe that I am so happy with and all the readers who have made them are too.

An overhead image of the pies with holiday decorations

Would you believe that these pies used to actually be made with meat? Hence the name, mince pies and thankfully are made with sweet mince meat instead of the real thing. I’ve always known them this way and are quite happy to keep them this way.

Kid friendly

If you are serving these pies to children, you can substitute the brandy with apple cider/juice or orange juice.

A closeup of a pie showing the decorative pastry snowflake

Yield: 12 pies

Christmas Sweet Mince Pies

Christmas Sweet Mince Pies on a wood board dusted with powdered sugar

Dried fruit, apple, citrus and brown sugar all soaked in brandy make up the filling inside homemade pie crusts.

Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • For the filling:
  • 1 cup/5 ounces (142 grams) currants
  • 1 cup/5 ounces (142 grams) raisins
  • ¼ cup (59 ml) brandy
  • ½ cup (70 grams) green apple, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 ounces (56 grams) candied peel of your choice
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • Zest of ½ an orange
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • ½ cup (100 grams) dark brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons (57 grams) butter, cold
  • For the dough:
  • 1 ½ cups (225 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, cubed and kept cold
  • ½ cup cold water
  • For the topping:
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon powdered/confectioners sugar

Instructions

  1. Add the currants, raisins and brandy to a large bowl. Allow to soak for 1-2 hours up to overnight.
  2. While they soak, make the dough.
  3. To make the pastry in a food processor: Add the flour, granulated sugar, salt and butter. Pulse until you get the texture of fine breadcrumbs. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in just enough cold water until it forms a ball, you may not use it all.
  4. To make the pastry by hand: Add the flour, salt and butter to a large bowl. Using your fingertips (or a pastry cutter) rub the butter and flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Drizzle in the water and mix using a fork until the it starts to come together and holds together when pressed in your hand. You may not need all of the water.
  5. Remove the dough, form into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 10-15 minutes.
  6. While the dough chills, make the rest of the filling. To the brandy soaked currants and raisins, add the apples, candied peel, orange juice and zest & lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. Use a box grater to grate in the cold butter, mix well.
  7. Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C.
  8. Butter a 12-count muffin pan.
  9. On a floured surface roll out the pastry to about 1/8-inch (3 mm) thick and use a 4-inch (10 cm) round cutter to cut rounds and place each into the cups of the muffin pan so the edges meet the edges of the cups of the pan. Scoop 5 tablespoons of the filling into each of the cups.
  10. Re-roll out the remaining pastry and cut out holiday shapes of your choice. Place them on top of the filling and brush the shapes with the beaten egg and sprinkle lightly with the confectioners sugar.
  11. Bake for 20-25 minutes (depending on your oven) until the pastry is golden brown.

Nutrition Information

Yield

12

Serving Size

1 pie
Amount Per Serving Calories 171Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 31mgSodium 111mgCarbohydrates 27gFiber 1gSugar 13gProtein 2g

This nutrition calculation is provided by Nutronix that is only a guideline and not intended for any particular diet.

© Culinary Ginger
Cuisine: British / Category: Dessert
Christmas cookies lined up in a gift box
Yield: 12 pies

Christmas Sweet Mince Pies

Christmas Sweet Mince Pies on a wood board dusted with powdered sugar

Dried fruit, apple, citrus and brown sugar all soaked in brandy make up the filling inside homemade pie crusts.

Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • For the filling:
  • 1 cup/5 ounces (142 grams) currants
  • 1 cup/5 ounces (142 grams) raisins
  • ¼ cup (59 ml) brandy
  • ½ cup (70 grams) green apple, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 ounces (56 grams) candied peel of your choice
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • Zest of ½ an orange
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • ½ cup (100 grams) dark brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons (57 grams) butter, cold
  • For the dough:
  • 1 ½ cups (225 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, cubed and kept cold
  • ½ cup cold water
  • For the topping:
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon powdered/confectioners sugar

Instructions

  1. Add the currants, raisins and brandy to a large bowl. Allow to soak for 1-2 hours up to overnight.
  2. While they soak, make the dough.
  3. To make the pastry in a food processor: Add the flour, granulated sugar, salt and butter. Pulse until you get the texture of fine breadcrumbs. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in just enough cold water until it forms a ball, you may not use it all.
  4. To make the pastry by hand: Add the flour, salt and butter to a large bowl. Using your fingertips (or a pastry cutter) rub the butter and flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Drizzle in the water and mix using a fork until the it starts to come together and holds together when pressed in your hand. You may not need all of the water.
  5. Remove the dough, form into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 10-15 minutes.
  6. While the dough chills, make the rest of the filling. To the brandy soaked currants and raisins, add the apples, candied peel, orange juice and zest & lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. Use a box grater to grate in the cold butter, mix well.
  7. Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C.
  8. Butter a 12-count muffin pan.
  9. On a floured surface roll out the pastry to about 1/8-inch (3 mm) thick and use a 4-inch (10 cm) round cutter to cut rounds and place each into the cups of the muffin pan so the edges meet the edges of the cups of the pan. Scoop 5 tablespoons of the filling into each of the cups.
  10. Re-roll out the remaining pastry and cut out holiday shapes of your choice. Place them on top of the filling and brush the shapes with the beaten egg and sprinkle lightly with the confectioners sugar.
  11. Bake for 20-25 minutes (depending on your oven) until the pastry is golden brown.

Nutrition Information

Yield

12

Serving Size

1 pie
Amount Per Serving Calories 171Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 31mgSodium 111mgCarbohydrates 27gFiber 1gSugar 13gProtein 2g

This nutrition calculation is provided by Nutronix that is only a guideline and not intended for any particular diet.

© Culinary Ginger
Cuisine: British / Category: Dessert