✅ TESTED BY: Vinod Pandey — Baking on Budget
Recipe tested 3 times before publishing. Ingredient costs verified against Tesco and Aldi pricing, December 2024.
⚡ Quick Answer
This recipe makes 8 deep-filled sweet mince pies for approximately £3.80–£4.00 total — around 50p per pie. The pastry alone costs 89p for 8 casings and lids. You need a deep 7cm muffin tray, a 10cm pastry cutter, and a 6cm cutter for the lids. Chilling time: 30–60 minutes. Bake time: 25–30 minutes at 170°C.
It was the smell that got me first. Not the baking — that comes later — but the mincemeat. A jar that had been sitting in the back of the cupboard since early November, quietly fermenting in brandy, orange zest, and spices. I'd made it about four weeks earlier, the same way people have been making it in Britain for centuries, and I'd nearly forgotten it was there.
When I finally opened that jar on a cold December afternoon, the whole kitchen smelled of Christmas in about thirty seconds flat. That's the moment you realise shop-bought mince pies — even the decent ones at £1.25 for six from Aldi or Tesco — are a completely different thing to what you're about to make.
These homemade sweet mince pies cost roughly 50p each. They are deep-filled, sweet-pastry, properly rich, and genuinely not difficult. The pastry takes about ten minutes to bring together, needs an hour in the fridge, and then you're baking. Total active effort: maybe 40 minutes. What you get out of the oven is something supermarkets simply cannot sell you at any price.
Why This Recipe Works
The lard is the secret. Most people reach straight for all-butter pastry, and that's fine — but the combination of 60g butter and 60g lard gives you something better: flaky, short, and tender all at once. Lard produces a crispier base that holds the filling without going soggy, while the butter delivers flavour. The icing sugar — rather than caster sugar — melts smoothly into the dough and gives the pastry that sweet, melt-in-the-mouth quality you're after for mince pies specifically.
The other thing that makes this recipe work is patience with the chilling. Rushing it — or skipping the fridge rest entirely — results in pastry that shrinks in the tin, cracks at the edges, and is difficult to work with. Give it a full hour and it rolls out beautifully. That's not opinion; it's just how gluten relaxation works.
And then there's the filling. Using a well-matured mincemeat — one that's had four weeks to absorb the brandy and let the dried fruits swell and the spices meld — makes an extraordinary difference. If you're making this and the mincemeat is fresh (i.e., jarred this week), the flavour will still be good. But four weeks in? It's a different category entirely.
Full Cost Breakdown — Pence Per Pie
Here's exactly what the pastry costs, broken down from standard UK supermarket pricing. Tesco prices were checked in December 2024.
| Ingredient | Amount Used | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Plain flour (Tesco own-brand, 1.5kg £0.75) | 250g | 12p |
| Icing sugar (Tesco own-brand, 500g £0.75) | 25g | 7p |
| Butter (Tesco own-brand block, 250g £1.85) | 60g | 45p |
| Lard (Tesco, 250g £0.50) | 60g | 12p |
| Egg (Tesco free-range, 6-pack £1.75) | 1 medium egg | 13p |
| Cold water | Tap water | 0p |
| Total — Pastry (8 cases + 8 lids) | 89p | |
The filling cost depends on whether you use homemade or shop-bought mincemeat. A 400g jar of Robertson's mincemeat from Tesco costs approximately £1.50 and is enough to generously fill 6–8 deep mince pies. Homemade mincemeat made a month earlier costs considerably less and tastes far superior.
| Option | Total for 8 Pies | Cost Per Pie |
|---|---|---|
| Homemade mincemeat (made 4 weeks earlier) | ~£2.20 | ~28p |
| Shop-bought mincemeat (Robertson's, Tesco) | ~£2.40 | ~30p |
| Full recipe (pastry + shop-bought filling) | ~£3.30–£3.80 | ~41–48p each |
⚠️ Price disclaimer: All costs are approximate and based on Tesco standard pricing, December 2024. Prices vary by supermarket, region, and season. Aldi or Lidl versions of these ingredients will reduce costs further.
For comparison: Aldi's standard Deep Filled Mince Pies currently cost £1.25 for a pack of six — that's around 21p per pie. So yes, homemade costs more than the very cheapest supermarket option. The difference is in the pastry. These use a proper enriched shortcrust with lard and butter; supermarket pies at that price point use cheaper fats and shorter production processes. The extra 20–25p is what gets you that crisp, sweet, short pastry that actually tastes like someone made it.
Ingredients
For the sweet shortcrust pastry (makes 8 cases + 8 lids):
- 250g plain flour
- 25g icing sugar
- 60g butter, cold, cut into cubes
- 60g lard, cold
- 1 medium egg, beaten
- 1–2 tablespoons cold water (only if needed)
For the filling:
- Approx. 400g sweet mincemeat (homemade or a jar of Robertson's)
To serve:
- Icing sugar for dusting
- Double cream or clotted cream
Equipment: Deep muffin tray (7cm diameter, 3cm deep), 10cm round pastry cutter, 6cm round pastry cutter, cling film, rolling pin.
Step-by-Step Method
Step 1 — Make the pastry dough
Tip 250g of plain flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the 60g of cold butter and 60g of cold lard. Now rub the fats into the flour using your fingertips. You want to lift the mixture as you go, letting it fall — this keeps everything cool. Keep going until the mixture resembles coarse, rough breadcrumbs. The odd small lump of fat is fine. If you have a food processor, pulse briefly; but by hand is perfectly manageable and takes around five minutes.
Step 2 — Add sugar and egg
Add the 25g of icing sugar and mix it through with a fork. Then add the beaten egg and start to bring the dough together with your hands. The dough should come together without much trouble. Add one tablespoon of cold water only if the dough still feels dry and crumbly — it may not need it at all, depending on the size of your egg. Do not overwork the dough. Once it just holds together and cleans the sides of the bowl, stop.
Step 3 — Chill the pastry
Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it tightly in cling film, and put it in the fridge. Minimum 30 minutes; one hour is better. Cold pastry rolls out cleanly and holds its shape in the tins. Warm pastry shrinks back, sticks to surfaces, and tears at the edges.
Step 4 — Roll and cut
Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Take the chilled pastry out and roll it to approximately 3mm thickness. Cut out 8 circles using a 10cm cutter — these are your bases. Then bring the scraps together (don't knead them, just press gently), roll again, and cut 8 smaller circles using a 6cm cutter — these are your lids. You may have a small amount of pastry left over after this.
Step 5 — Fill the tins
Grease your muffin tray with a little butter or lard. Gently press each 10cm circle into a well, working it down into the corners and up the sides. Don't stretch it — ease it in. Now spoon the mincemeat in generously. You want these deep-filled: right up to just below the rim of the pastry case. This is the moment to be slightly greedy with the filling.
Step 6 — Add the lids and bake
Place the 6cm lids on top of each pie. There's no need to press them into the base or pinch the edges — just rest them on top. They'll bake perfectly in place. Bake at 170°C (150°C fan / Gas Mark 3) for 25–30 minutes. Check at 20 minutes — you're looking for a pale golden colour. They should not be dark brown on top.
Step 7 — Cool and serve
Leave them in the tray for 10 minutes before carefully lifting them out. The pastry is fragile when hot — it firms up as it cools. Once they've rested for 20–30 minutes, dust generously with icing sugar and serve warm with a little cream. They're perfectly good at room temperature too, but just-warm is something special.
What If It Goes Wrong?
🔸 Pastry is cracking and won't roll cleanly
It's too cold or it needs a touch more moisture. Let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes, then try again. If it still cracks, add half a tablespoon of cold water and press gently — don't knead.
🔸 Pastry shrank in the tin
It wasn't chilled for long enough, or it was stretched rather than eased in. There's no fix once baked, but they'll still taste fine. Next time, rest for a full hour and take care not to pull the pastry as you press it into the wells.
🔸 Filling is bubbling out over the lids
Slightly overfilled — but honestly this happens and is not a disaster. The overflow catches on the tray and can be trimmed once cooled. Reduce the filling quantity by a small spoonful per pie next time.
🔸 Bases are pale and slightly soft underneath
The oven may be running cool, or the tray is absorbing too much heat from above. Try placing the tray on a lower shelf next time, or give them an extra 5 minutes. They shouldn't be raw — press gently on the base; if it springs back, they're done.
Common Mistakes
Skipping the fridge rest. Every experienced baker says this, and it's still the most common shortcut people take. Thirty minutes is the minimum. One hour is what actually works. The resting time isn't about temperature alone — it's about giving the gluten in the flour time to relax so the pastry stops fighting you.
Adding too much water. The recipe lists cold water as optional, and it genuinely may not be needed at all. Add it only if the dough refuses to come together. Extra water develops gluten and makes the finished pastry tougher and chewier — not what you want here.
Under-filling the cases. These are called deep-filled for a reason. A stingy amount of mincemeat produces a pie where the pastry dominates and the filling is an afterthought. Fill right up to just below the rim.
Trying to lift the pies out too soon. Ten minutes in the tin minimum once they come out of the oven. The pastry is genuinely fragile at this point — it needs to cool and firm up. Patience here saves a broken pie.
Is This Worth Making?
Yes — with one honest caveat. If you are comparing purely on cost, Aldi sells mince pies at 21p each. Homemade costs around 41–50p each depending on your filling. On raw numbers, you're paying roughly double.
But the question isn't really whether homemade is cheaper. It's whether they taste better — and these are in a completely different bracket. The pastry is sweet and short and genuinely crumbly. The filling, especially with a well-matured homemade mincemeat, is rich and brandy-laced and complex in a way that a jar opened this week simply isn't. There's a reason you can feel the moistness before you even take a bite.
For everyday December snacking, buy the Aldi ones — they're perfectly decent. But for Christmas Day itself, for giving as gifts, or for the moment you want to actually impress someone? Make these. The extra 20p per pie is genuinely worth it.
Verdict: Make these if you can. The effort is less than you think, and the result is considerably better than you can buy.
Storage and Freezing
Once cooled completely, store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to four days. The pastry stays reasonably crisp for the first two days; after that, it softens slightly but is still good. A few minutes in a low oven (150°C for 8 minutes) brings them back nicely.
To freeze: place on a tray, freeze uncovered for two hours, then transfer to a freezer bag. They'll keep for up to three months. Reheat from frozen at 170°C for 15–18 minutes. Dust with fresh icing sugar after reheating, not before freezing.
⚠️ Allergen Information
Contains: gluten (plain flour), eggs, milk (butter). Lard is derived from pork — not suitable for vegetarians or those avoiding pork products. For a vegetarian version, replace the lard with vegetable shortening (Trex, available at Tesco for approximately £1.60 for 250g). Mincemeat may contain traces of nuts and alcohol — always check the jar label.
About the Author
Vinod Pandey researches and documents budget recipes from real UK home cooks. Every recipe on Baking on Budget is sourced from verified UK cooking sources, with ingredient costs checked against current Tesco, Aldi, and Lidl pricing. No guesswork — exact pence, every time.
Questions or corrections? Get in touch · LinkedIn
If you enjoyed making these, the same sweet shortcrust pastry works beautifully for other Christmas bakes. Our apple turnovers recipe uses a similar approach with rough puff pastry for 37p each — worth trying if pastry is becoming your thing this December. And if you're after something completely different for the Christmas table, the homemade banoffee pie at 47p a slice is one of the most popular recipes on the site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use all butter instead of lard?
Yes — use 120g of butter in total instead of the 60g butter and 60g lard split. All-butter pastry is slightly less crisp and a bit more prone to shrinking, but it works well and suits vegetarians. The flavour is rich and slightly richer overall. Just keep the butter cold.
What if I haven't made my own mincemeat?
Use a jar of Robertson's or Tesco's own-brand mincemeat. Both are widely available and perfectly decent. The flavour will be less complex than a properly matured homemade version, but the overall result is still far better than any shop-bought mince pie. You can also stir a small splash of brandy into a shop-bought jar and leave it for even a few days to improve it.
Can I make the pastry the day before?
Absolutely — and it's actually better if you do. Wrap the dough tightly in cling film and refrigerate overnight. Take it out for 10 minutes before rolling to take the edge off the chill. The dough keeps well in the fridge for up to 48 hours, and you can also freeze it for up to a month.
Why icing sugar instead of caster sugar?
Icing sugar dissolves completely into the pastry dough without needing heat, which means the sugar is evenly distributed and the texture stays smooth and short. Caster sugar works too, but icing sugar gives a slightly finer, more melt-in-the-mouth finish that suits sweet pastry well.
What's the cheapest way to make these?
Buy plain flour, lard, and icing sugar from Aldi or Lidl rather than Tesco, and the pastry cost drops below 75p. Making your own mincemeat a few weeks before Christmas cuts the filling cost significantly too — dried mixed fruit, apple, suet, and spices from Aldi come in well under £2 for a batch that makes more than enough for 8 pies.
Do I need to seal the lids to the bases?
No. Simply place the lids on top — they bake down and the pastry bonds with the filling and the moisture. Pressing them together or crimping the edges can cause the bases to pull away from the tin sides. Leave them loose and let the oven do the work.
Final Thoughts
These mince pies are not complicated. The pastry is a standard rubbed-in shortcrust with two small differences — icing sugar and lard — and those two changes matter more than you'd expect. The result is something with real pastry character: crisp, short, and genuinely sweet.
If you're going to try one homemade Christmas bake this year, make it these. Start by sourcing a good-quality jar of mincemeat (or making your own, ideally four weeks out). Then, on the day, make the pastry in the morning, chill it, and you can have eight deep-filled pies ready before lunch. That's roughly 40 minutes of actual effort and one hour of waiting. The trade-off is worth every minute.
One specific next step: before you do anything else, check your kitchen for a deep muffin tin. Not a standard shallow cupcake tray — a deep one, 7cm across and 3cm deep. That's the single piece of equipment that makes the difference between a flat, disappointing mince pie and the deep-filled version these are meant to be. If you don't have one, they're available from most supermarket homeware sections for around £6–£8, or look at our banana bread recipe for another use of a good loaf tin while you're waiting for your mince pie delivery.
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