Shortcrust Pastry Mince Pies

Little in size but packing a punch in the flavor department, these easy mincemeat pies are a traditional Christmas dessert.

Whether it’s my Decorated Gingerbread Cookies, this Peppermint Chocolate Bark, or these fruit mince pies, festive treats and desserts are what December is all about.

Like my Easy Mini Apple Pies, this recipe uses a quick and easy sweet shortcrust pastry. It’s made in a food processor with only 5 ingredients.

🥧 Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Traditional mince pies.

• Little in size.

• Comes together with under 10 ingredients.

• Foolproof sweet shortcrust pastry.

• Only 15 minutes of chill time.

• You don’t have to make the mincemeat.

It’s been a tradition each December for my Nan and I to make batches of these delicious pies. We also made it easier by using store-bought mincemeat in a jar.

However, if you have a favorite recipe for homemade fruit mincemeat, I welcome you to use it in this recipe.

What you’ll also love about this recipe is that you don’t have to pre-chill the shortcrust pastry. The only chilling time is just before popping them into the oven for 15 minutes.

Finish these little holiday season pies off with a light dusting of powdered sugar to serve!

They go perfectly with a mug of stovetop rum hot chocolate or an indulgent gingerbread latte by the fireplace on a cold Christmas evening in December.

📋 Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

• All-purpose flour – is also known as plain flour in Australia. Measure your flour correctly for the best results. Do not substitute with self-raising flour.

• Powdered sugar – is also known as icing or confectioners sugar. I have not tested this recipe using caster or granulated sugar. If you want to, keep in mind the texture of the pastry can alter, especially if you use granulated sugar.

• Salted butter – can be substituted with unsalted butter.

• Jar of mincemeat – or use a homemade recipe. I personally love and use this store-bought fruit mince.

• Brandy – is used to flavor the mincemeat in the jar. It’s completely optional to include but takes these pies to the next level! Do not add it if the kids will be enjoying these.

🔪 Equipment

• Shallow patty cake pan – just like a muffin pan but made for mini pies.

• 7cm (2.7-inch) round cookie cutter – for the pastry bases.

• 6cm (2.3-inch) round cookie cutter – for the pastry tops.

• Small round piping tip/nozzle (size 15) – for the decorative pastry tops. It’s optional to use but also get creative with your pastry tops such as using mini star cookie cutters!

🥣 Step By Step Instructions (with photos)

There is a full and detailed recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step one: If using brandy, open the jar of mincemeat, pour in, and mix with a long spoon until combined. this step is optional. Set aside. 

Step two: In a high-speed food processor, add flour and powdered sugar. Pulse to combine. Add chilled cubed butter and pulse for 15 seconds until the mixture resembles a coarse crumb. 

Step three: With the processor running, add egg yolk through the shoot and pulse until just combined.

Step four: Through the feed shoot, drizzle a tablespoon of the chilled water while pulsing the mixture, until it begins to come together into a ball of dough. 

Step five: Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and bring it together until smooth, lightly kneading if required, and divide the dough into 2 equal halves.

Step six: Sprinkle more flour onto the surface and roll out one half of the dough until it’s 4mm-5mm thick and approx. 30-35cm (11.8 inch – 13.7 inch) across. 

Step ten: Sprinkle more flour onto the surface and roll out the second half of the dough until it’s 4mm-5mm thick and approx. 30-35cm (11.8 inch – 13.7 inch) across. 

Step eleven: Take a smaller round 6cm (2.3-inch) cookie cutter and cut out shapes for the tops, you should get 24 tops and more if you re-roll all the excess dough. NOTE: if you use a slightly different-sized cookie cutter, you’ll get more or fewer tops, just be sure you have enough to match the bases. 

Step twelve: Take a small round piping tip/nozzle (size 15) and cut out the centers of the pastry tops, similar shape of a doughnut. 

Step thirteen: Place pastry tops on pies to cover the filling, pressing down slightly around the edges to seal. 

Step fourteen: Place pan in the refrigerator to chill pies for 15 minutes. Remove from fridge and lightly brush pastry tops with milk. 

Step fifteen: Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden all over, some will be pale and that’s ok, you don’t want to overcook. 

Step sixteen: Remove and cool in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and dust pies with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

💭 Tips For Recipe Success

• Measure your baking ingredients correctly for the best results.

• Your egg yolk, butter, and water must be chilled before adding.

• Drizzle a little water in at a time when making the pastry, enough so the dough comes together into a ball. If you add too much, sprinkle in more flour.

• The dough will be soft when rolling and cutting out your bases and tops, work with it gently.

• If you have a non-stick shallow patty cake pan, you won’t have to grease it. If your pan is old, like mine, grease it with butter so the pies won’t stick.

• Do not overfill the bases as the filling will overflow and bubble out.

• Dust the mince pies with the powdered sugar after you remove them from the pan and before cooling them.

⏲️ Storage Instructions

Store in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 5 days. 

Re-heat in the oven, microwave, or air fryer until warmed through.

Freeze unbaked mince pies assembled in the shallow patty cake pan by placing the pan into the freezer and freezing for several hours until they’re solid.

Remove from the pan and place into a freezer-friendly container, zip-lock bag, or wrapped individually in foil. Label with the date and name. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Bake frozen unbaked pies by thawing them overnight in the refrigerator, still wrapped to prevent condensation. Preheat oven and bake as per the recipe instructions, adding 1-2 minutes of additional baking time if required.

Freeze baked mince pies by cooling them after baking and placing them onto a baking sheet or back into the cooled patty cake pan and placing it into the freezer for several hours until solid. 

Remove from the pan and place into a freezer-friendly container, zip-lock bag, or wrapped individually in foil. Label with the date and name. Freeze for up to 3 months. 

Thaw frozen baked mince pies overnight in the refrigerator, still wrapped to prevent condensation. Re-heat in the oven, air fryer or microwave until warmed through.

💬 Recipe FAQ’s

• Chocolate Semifreddo