Mince pies with ready made pastry recipe

These mince pies with ready made pastry are probably our simplest festive bake ever. You can have them ready to serve in just 30 minutes. 

Unlike our original mince pies recipe, (opens in new tab) which uses a homemade shortcrust pastry, this cuts out the hard work and uses a defrosted block from the freezer - all you have to do is roll it out. Plus it uses ready made mincemeat too. With just three ingredients, you don't even need to plan in advance. Just keep some mincemeat in your cupboard over Advent and you're all ready for any mince pie-shaped emergencies.

Ingredients

• 1 x 500g (18oz) block frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed
• 350g (12 oz) mincemeat
• Caster sugar for sprinkling

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F/Gas 6. Have ready a 12-hole tart tin.
2. Roll out pastry and using a 7.5cm (3in) cutter, cut out 12 discs and use them to line the tart tins.
3. From remaining pastry cut 12 smaller discs for lids (you may have to re-roll trimmings for this).
4. Fill each pastry tart with two generous teaspoons of mincemeat, lightly moisten the undersides of the lids with water and use to top the tarts, pressing gently at the edges to seal.
5. With a skewer, make two small steam holes in the centre of the lids, brush with water and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15-20 mins until golden brown. Sprinkle again with caster sugar as they come out of the oven.

Top tips for making mince pies with ready made pastry

How can I add some extra zing to homemade mince pies?

Add a fresh fruit tang to your mince pies by stirring in some freshly grated apple, orange or lemon zest, or a handful of halved cranberries.

Are mince pies suitable for vegetarians?

Yes, despite the name, almost all modern mincemeat is suitable for vegetarians and much is also suitable for vegans. Originally mince pies did contain meat, and occasionally they still contain beef suet, which is not vegetarian. However, most prepackaged mince pies and most mincemeat sold in jars is made with vegetable suet, which contains no animal products.

How long do homemade mince pies keep?

These pies will keep about a week in an airtight container, but they are best when they are fresh from the oven. If you want to keep them longer, freeze them unbaked and cook them in batches when you want them.

You might also like…

• Best mince pies (opens in new tab)
• Puff pastry mince pies (opens in new tab)
• Filo pastry mince pies (opens in new tab)