The number of different mince pies available in 2021 is staggering – more mince pies, frankly, than you could shake a stick at. And with all of them boasting about their vine-ripened fruits, their rich pastry, and the myriad boozed, how do you navigate the groaning supermarket shelves? We’ve tasted and tested until we had mincemeat coming out of our ears in order to bring you our guide to the best.
Harvey Nichols Mini Traditional Rich Fruit Mince Pies, 12 for £9.95
What they say: Our decadently buttery Harvey Nichols Mince Pies are jam-packed with Christmas spices and rich fruit soaked in brandy and rum.
What we say: These are a well-sized mince pie, with a good ratio of pastry to filling. The filling is boozy and sweet, while the pastry is notably soft, which some of our testers loved, and others thought tasted slightly underbaked. The caster sugar on top is a welcome flourish.
Waitrose Christmas Cherry & Almond Mince pies, 4 for £2.25
What they say: Butter-enriched pastry, filled with sweet cherry and amaretto mincemeat. Topped with almond frangipane and flaked almonds for a festive twist on a cherry Bakewell.
What we say: These are lovely little pies, well-sized, with good, rich pastry, and a wonderful soft frangipane top. But are they really a mince pie? The mincemeat layer is quite thin, and dominated by the cherry and almond – delicious, but it doesn’t scream Christmas. Perhaps a good choice for your mincemeat-avoiding relative.
Greggs, Sweet Mince Pies, 6 for £1.75
What they say: Made from crumbly shortcrust pastry, filled with a sweet mincemeat made from vine fruits, Bramley apple, candied orange & lemon peel, perfectly finished with a light dusting of icing sugar.
What we say: These pies have the twin recommendations of being freshly baked, and vegan.
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