Luxury Christmas Mince Pies Using Chef’s Selections Mincemeat

Golden Christmas mince pies with star tops and icing sugar. Image and recipe created by Nicol Retailer Limited.

Luxury Christmas Mince Pies Using Chef’s Selections Mincemeat

Celebrate the festive season with these beautifully golden, buttery Christmas mince pies made using Chef’s Selections Mincemeat (3kg) from Nicol Retailer Limited. Filled with rich vine fruits, warming spices, citrus zest and optional brandy, these homemade mince pies deliver authentic holiday flavour with a bakery-quality finish. With a crisp shortcrust pastry and perfectly spiced filling, they’re ideal for National Mince Pie Day, Christmas gatherings, gifting, or cosy winter treats. Easy to prepare and irresistibly delicious, this recipe captures the true taste of Christmas in every bite.

Course Afternoon Tea Treat, Christmas Baking, Dessert, Festive Dessert

Cuisine English, Traditional Christmas

Diet Vegetarian

Keyword British Christmas, Butternut squash at Nicol Retailer, Christmas baking, Christmas pies, festive treats, holiday desserts, mince pies, mincemeat recipe, shortcrust pastry

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 22

Chilling time) 30

Servings People

Calories 235

Ingredients

375 g plain flour
260 g cold unsalted butter, diced
125 g caster sugar
1 Large egg
A pinch of salt
1-2 tbsp cold water (only if needed)

For the Filling:

800 g Mincemeat
2 brandy or spiced rum
1 Zest of 1 orange

For Finishing:

Instructions

Make the Pastry

Rub flour, salt and cold butter together until breadcrumb-like.
Stir in the caster sugar.
Add the egg and bring together into a dough.
If dry, add 1 tablespoon cold water.
Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Prepare the Filling

In a bowl, mix the Chef’s Selections Mincemeat with brandy and/or orange zest for extra festive depth (optional but incredible).

Assemble the Mince Pies

Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C Fan).
Grease a muffin or tart tray.
Roll out pastry to 3mm thickness.
Cut rounds to fit your tray for the bases.
Spoon 1–2 tsp mincemeat into each pastry case.
Top with pastry lids, stars, or festive shapes.
Seal edges gently and brush tops with beaten egg.
Sprinkle with demerara sugar.

Bake

Bake for 18–22 minutes until golden brown and bubbling slightly.

Serve

Cool for 10 minutes, dust with icing sugar, and serve warm with clotted cream, brandy butter or custard.

Notes

For the best flavour, use high-quality Chef’s Selections Mincemeat (3kg) from Nicol Retailer Limited — its rich fruit content and warming spices create a deeper, more authentic Christmas taste than supermarket jars.

Chill the pastry for at least 30 minutes before rolling. This helps prevent shrinking and gives the mince pies a delicate, buttery crumb.

Do not overfill the mince pies; the filling expands as it bakes. A heaped teaspoon per case is usually perfect.

Pastry thickness matters — roll your pastry to about 3mm for the ideal balance of crispness and tenderness.

Add orange zest or a splash of brandy to the filling for an extra festive boost.

Use festive pastry cut-outs (stars, trees, or hearts) instead of full lids for a lighter, bakery-style pie.

Brush with beaten egg for a shiny golden finish, and top with demerara sugar for sparkle and crunch.

Storage: Mince pies keep for 3–4 days in an airtight container or can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Serving suggestion: Warm slightly and serve with clotted cream, brandy butter, or vanilla custard for a traditional Christmas treat.

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