Mini Mince Pies

Mini Mince Pies with Homemade Mincemeat

I’ve been hesitant to try my hand at homemade mincemeat, and now I’m not sure why. Perhaps it was mention of suet in many recipes (and I haven’t been acquainted with that ingredient sincethis 2010 post!). Or maybe it was the seemingly endless list of dried fruits to procure. I’m happy to report that I found all the ingredients needed at my local grocery store, and it’s not difficult to make! It’s also SO satisfying to check that item off of my baking bucket list!

Mini Mince Pies with Homemade Mincemeat

No doubt about it, you’ll feel like you’re adding everything but the kitchen sink to the pot for the mincemeat recipe but that’s part of the fun. You can tailor the dried fruits to suit your flavor preferences, which is why my pot of mincemeat got a few extra cranberries. Although this particular recipe may not be completely traditional (suet free) I was well-pleased with the end result. It was eons better than the manufactured pies I’ve been buying at the market.

Mini Mince Pies with Homemade Mincemeat

I looked at several pie crust recipes before settling on a reliable favorite – pate sucree. This sweet pastry dough molds well into mini pie pans and cuts well with a lattice cutter (which might be a nice stocking stuffer for the pie maker in your life).

Mini Mince Pies with Homemade Mincemeat
Mini Mince Pies with Homemade Mincemeat

A little egg wash on top of the pies will make the crust turn golden brown in the oven.

Mini Mince Pies with Homemade Mincemeat
Mini Mince Pies with Homemade Mincemeat
Mini Mince Pies with Homemade Mincemeat

This recipe makes four 5-inch pies, which are the perfect size for two to share (or one very hungry person). You’ll have plenty of mincemeat left over after making these pies, so I recommend putting the filling in 8 oz. jars and gifting it to friends. Or, you may opt to make another run (or two!) of pate sucree for more pies.

Mini Mince Pies with Homemade Mincemeat

Mini Mince Pies with Homemade Mincemeat

Heather Baird
Mincemeat recipe adapted from JoyofBaking.com Pate sucree recipe is from pastry class Begin at least one day ahead; the mincemeat needs to stand in the refrigerator overnight so the flavors marry. You’ll need four 5-inch pie pans for this recipe, or you may choose to make one large 9-inch pie instead. I used a lattice cutter for the top crust, but if you don’t have one you can cut strips of dough for a traditional lattice top.
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Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Ingredients
 
 

Mincemeat

  • 1/4 cup 55g unsalted butter
  • 1 cup 240ml cranberry juice
  • 2 large Granny Smith apples grated
  • 1/2 cup 90g finely chopped dried figs
  • 1/2 cup 90g chopped dried dates
  • 1/2 cup 70g dried cranberries
  • 3/4 cup 120g mixed candied citrus
  • 1/2 cup 100g chopped candied cherries
  • 1/2 cup 90g raisins
  • Zest of one orange
  • 2/3 cup 140g light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup 80ml rum, plus 2 tablespoons more
  • 1/3 cup 80ml brandy, plus 2 tablespoons more

Pate sucree

  • 2 cups 10oz/284g all-purpose flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 7/8 cup 14 tablespoons/198g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 1/2 cup 3.5 oz./100g fine granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg slightly beaten
  • Egg wash 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp. water

Instructions
 

Mincemeat

  • Place all of the ingredients in a large Dutch oven, except for 2 tablespoons rum and 2 tablespoons brandy. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer the mincemeat stirring often for about 30 minutes. At the end of 30 minutes, the liquid should almost be completely evaporated. Remove from the heat and stir in the 2 tablespoons each of rum and brandy. Let the mincemeat cool completely and then transfer to a covered container and place in the refrigerator. Let it stand overnight before using in the pie recipe. Mincemeat can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Pate Sucree

  • Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor, pulse to combine. Add the cubed butter on top of the flour and pulse repeatedly in short bursts until the mixture looks crumbly. Add the vanilla and egg and pulse until the mixture forms a ball to one side of the bowl. Remove the dough and flatten into a circle. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes before use.
  • Note: If storing for longer than one week, stir a little rum or brandy in every week to keep it from drying out and to preserve the mincemeat.

Assemble the Pies

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Roll the dough on a lightly floured work surface using a floured rolling pin. Cut 7-inch rounds from the dough and fit the rounds inside the pie tins. Fill each pie with mincemeat. Gather the dough and re-roll to 1/4-inch thickness. Use a lattice cutter to cut the pastry, dust the pastry intermittently with flour so that the lattice design doesn’t stick together. Cut a piece of pastry to fit the top of each pie, using a bench scraper or spatula to lift the lattice top onto the pie. Press the top edge of the lattice crusts down onto the pies and cut away the excess. Brush pies with egg wash. Bake the pies for 12-15 minutes, or until the pastry turns golden brown. Let pies cool before serving.
Keyword christmas pies, mince meat, mini pies
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Cupcake Kelly
Cupcake Kelly
6 years ago

My husband is British and I make him mince pies every year. I have never seen them at a store anywhere here before. Where did you find them? And where did you find candied citrus peel? I have never found that at the grocery store before here either. I use a recipe with raisins, golden raisins, apples and currants and just skipped the peel the last few years.

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
6 years ago
Reply to  Cupcake Kelly

Hi! The manufactured mince pies usually show up in the seasonal aisle at grocery stores here (I'm in East TN). Walker's is the brand I most often find. Also, candied citrus peel also shows up here at the grocery store in November – but it's only available for a limited time. It disappears after the first of the year. It's in little air-tight tubs near the produce section.

Unknown
Unknown
6 years ago

I've never had a mince pie. It looks so good!
Kari
http://sweetteasweetie.com/birds-nest-breakfast-bowl/

AliceK
AliceK
6 years ago

Is there a difference between mince pies and mincemeat pies? My husband loves mincemeat, but I tried making it once to very mixed reviews.

AliceK
AliceK
6 years ago

Is there a difference between mince and mincemeat pies? I made mincemeat once, to very mixed reviews.

Megan
Megan
6 years ago

I can't believe I am just now seeing this post. I got to spend part of December in London and enjoyed the abundance of mince pies! They are so tasty! These look amazing and I love the lattice crust! I'll definitely need to get one of those lattice cutters.