Easy fruit mince pies

Why are fruit mince pies part of the Christmas tradition?

Christmas fruit mince pies are almost exclusively eaten around Christmas time. Their look and rich aromas are enough to make you feel festive. Are fruit mince pies Australian? You might be surprised to learn that the origin of this yuletide treat is in the Middle East. Mediaeval crusaders brought recipes, including dishes that combined spices with fruit and meat, from the Middle East back to Britain. Pies incorporating these ingredients were made for the Christmas period in Medieval England and were eaten for 12 days starting from Christmas Day. If you followed this tradition, you would enjoy the blessing of happiness for the following 12 months. 

What are the ingredients in Christmas mince pies?

Because you’re not making the fruit mince pie pastry or mince pie filling from scratch in this particular recipe, it’s important to use a high-quality premade shortcrust pastry and fruit mince. Another way to elevate your premade ingredients is by adding one or two additional ingredients to ‘spice’ up your fruit mince. To make it more flavourful, stir in a splash of your choice of spirits – brandy, rum, sherry or whisky are good options. You can also add in some chopped almonds, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans or pistachios for crunch, or top up with additional dried fruits. You could also include some aromatics by mixing in diced ginger in these fruit mince pies with shortcrust pastry. 

If you’ve got a bit of time up your sleeve and want to make your pastry and mince for this Christmas mince pie recipe, give our homemade sweet shortcrust pastry and gourmet fruit mince a go. Make your mince 2-6 weeks before assembling the pies, so that the flavours of the sugary boozy fruit mix can develop.

Tips to make this fruit mince pie recipe a success

This Christmas mince pies recipe is one that’s guaranteed to impress. To get the best results, make sure the pastry is the right consistency. If you’re using frozen pastry, defrost it in the fridge for 2 hours before using it, checking to make sure it isn’t too soft when you use it or it will be tricky to handle. Fill the pastries evenly by using a teaspoon to scoop the fruit mince pie filling into each pastry shell. Make sure the mince is level with the pie casing to avoid a leaky mess after baking. Is pastry not sealing together? Dot a little bit of the egg wash around the edges before sealing them. You could also give them a festive feel (it is Christmas after all!) by investing in Christmas-themed cookie cutters. 

Now that you know how to make mince pies, you’ll be making them year after year. If you want to try your hand at other Christmas desserts and treats, check out these recipes for gingerbread men, almond and cherry cookies and lemon poppy seed shortbread fingers.

How to serve up the best mince pies

Sweet and richly flavoured, these treats are great paired with coffee, tea, mulled wine or brandy. Serve them on their own as a festive snack or as dessert to finish your feast. You could jazz them up with a side of creme fraiche, single or double cream or custard.