MINCE pies have been enjoyed by the Brits and beyond since the 13th century, but still innovative bakers are finding ways to keep the pie a festive favourite. Enjoyed in the lead up to Christmas and on the 25th itself, mince pies have remained a Christmas staple throughout the centuries, making it a seasonal classic, although one that incites fierce debate over the proper way to enjoy the baked treat. In this gift guide, Glass celebrates both the classic recipe and its stiff competition, finding the old and new equally delicious.
Selfridges Selection Traditional Festive Mince Pies
Bringing together all the essential elements of the traditional recipe, these Selfridges Selection palm oil-free delights are full of sticky fruits, along with candied peel, festive spices and a dash of brandy. An abundance of all-butter pastry, sugar-dusted topping and British heritage all goes into making these mince pies. These are the perfect pies for anyone who enjoys the classic and untouched recipe of this festive staple.
The Selfridges Selection Traditional Festive mince pies is available online here for £9.99
Waitrose Christmas All Butter Mini Mince Pie Selection
This Waitrose all-butter mince pie selection is comprised of three different flavours – almond, orange and juniper, and caramelised hazelnut topped baklava pies. Blending elements of the traditional mince pie recipe with an exciting and unfamiliar flavour palette, all at an reasonable price point. The flavour variety and mini-sizing also makes them our number one choice for Christmas parties and events.
The Waitrose Christmas All Butter Mini Mince Pie Selection is available online here for £3
Hotel Chocolat Alternative Mince Pies
These are the mince pies for the people who actually don’t like mince pies. Bidding farewell to dried fruit, Hotel Chocolat creates a festive treat with these alternative ‘mince pies’ that come in two fruitless flavours; hazelnut praline and their award-winning creamy milk and caramel truffles. An exciting break away from traditional short crust pastry, their 40% milk pastry case was modelled, folded and perfected from a paper version, created by their in-house chocolate sculptress. Think of it an unconventional, but delicious, way to enjoy mince pies.
The Hotel Chocolat Alternative Mince Pies are available online here for £8
Elvira’s Secret Pantry Mince Pies
This freefrom artisan bakery in South East London prides itself on baking a variety of British homemade sweet and savoury treats, while putting health first. These almond-flavoured mince pies are completely vegan and gluten-free, while maintaining the much-loved flavour of the traditional mince pies, with an abundance of spiced mincemeat and crunchy nut crumbles to top it off. These pies win on texture, an impressive feat considering their total absence of gluten and dairy.
The Elvira’s Secret Pantry Mince Pies are available on Yumbles here for £13
Yumbles
M&S Collection Mince Pies
M&S present their collection edition mince pies, featuring all-butter pastry, spiced mince meat, clementine and a splash of Cognac. Generously dusted with powdered sugar, these mince pies carefully toe the line of tradition and innovation, and even have a snowflake inspired pastry design – making them the prettiest of our mince pies gift guide. These pies also have a reasonable price tag, while not cutting out on the high-quality ingredients. Don’t forget to enjoy with a healthy dollop of cream and glass of mulled wine.
These M&S Collection Mince Pies are available in store and online here for £2.50
Hobbs House Bakery Mince Pies
Made using the highest quality handmade pastry, which is then baked to perfection, Hobbs House Bakery Mince Pies are delicious served hot or cold, and are recommended to be eaten with cream or brandy butter. With cranberries, Bramley apples, and orange oil, these pies infuse the festive and fruity flavours of a traditional mince pies, with a generous dosage of cloves, nutmeg and ginger to invoke the pie’s signature sweet and spiced flavour.
The Hobbs house Bakery Mince Pies are available online here for £5.25
Ladurée Mince PiesÂ
Ladurée has created its first ever mince pies this year, available exclusively in the UK. These bite-sized puff pastry mince pies pay ode to British heritage with a traditional spiced fruity filling and crumble-like topping, offering a delightful play on textures. The pastry proved to be one of the top in terms of taste and flavour in this guide, with a uniquely nutty and toasted flavour.
Luxury Mince Pies with All Butter Pastry, Organic, Abel & Cole
Featuring buttery short-crust pastry and a rich but balanced spiced seasoning, these luxury mince pies by Abel & Cole are generously packed full with Herefordshire apples, dried fruit, warming spices and splashes of cognac. These mince pies are sizeable and and stuffed with mince-meat, making them the most indulgent of our mince pie picks. We recommend serving these with plenty of brandy cream, which offsets perfectly with its subtle citrusy flavours. With their Luxury Mince Pies, Abel & Co proves that the traditional option can sometimes be the most exciting choice.
A pack of four Luxury Mince Pies from Abel & Co are available online for £5.75 hereÂ