Description
These Easy Peasy Mini Mince Pies are delightful bite-sized treats perfect for the festive season. Made with a buttery shortcrust pastry filled with traditional mincemeat and topped with charming star shapes, they bake to golden perfection and are dusted with icing sugar for a sweet finish. Ideal for making with kids and perfect for sharing or freezing for later enjoyment.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry
- 350 g plain flour (all purpose flour), plus extra for dusting
- 175 g cold butter, cut into 1cm / ½ inch cubes, plus extra for greasing
- 6-8 tablespoons cold water
Filling
- 250 g mincemeat (Marks and Spencer Classic Mincemeat recommended)
Finishing
- A little milk (for brushing)
- 3 tablespoons icing sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Prepare the trays and oven: Grease the holes of two 24-hole cupcake trays with butter using some baking paper. Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan) / gas mark 7 / 425°F.
- Make the pastry: Place the plain flour in a bowl and add the cold butter cubes. Rub the butter and flour together between your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add cold water: Stir in a tablespoon of cold water, mixing thoroughly. Repeat adding cold water one tablespoon at a time (usually 6-8 tbsp total) until the mixture just starts to come together. Avoid adding too much water.
- Form the pastry ball: Once the mixture starts binding, stop adding water and use your hands to squish the pastry into a ball.
- Roll out the pastry: Sprinkle your work surface with flour and roll out the pastry as thinly as possible. If needed, divide into two smaller balls to roll separately.
- Cut base circles: Using a circle cutter, cut out 24 circles and place each into the greased holes of the cupcake trays.
- Add the filling: Spoon 1 teaspoon of mincemeat into the center of each pastry circle.
- Cut and place stars: Take the remaining pastry, roll into a ball again and roll out thinly. Cut out 24 stars with a star-shaped cutter and place one on top of each mincemeat-filled circle, pressing down slightly to adhere.
- Brush with milk: Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the tops with milk to promote golden browning (optional but recommended).
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the mincemeat is bubbling and the pastry is golden brown.
- Cool and remove: Carefully remove the pies from the trays using a dessert spoon and place them on a wire rack to cool completely. Beware they will be hot.
- Dust with icing sugar: While still warm, dust the mince pies with icing sugar using a sieve or icing dredger.
- Serve or store: Serve warm or cold, on their own or with cream or custard. Once cool, store in an airtight container or cake tin. They also freeze beautifully for later enjoyment.
Notes
- These star-topped mini mince pies are super easy to make and utterly delicious, perfect for making with children or entertaining guests.
- They freeze well, allowing you to enjoy homemade mince pies anytime.
- Be careful not to add too much water when making the pastry to keep it from becoming sticky.
- Using cold butter and cold water ensures a flaky pastry texture.
- Brushing with milk before baking promotes a lovely golden color on the pastry.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mince pie
- Calories: 141 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 16 mg
