Mini MInce Pies Tutorial
Homemade mini mince pies with marzipan toppers. Made from a buttery shortcrust pastry, fill with mincemeat, or an alternative filling & top with marzipan! Bite-size Christmas!
Equipment
- Scales or measuring cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Medium mixing bowl
- Spatula or Spoon
- Pastry Cutter/Pastry Blender (optional)
- Baking/parchment paper
- Cling film/plastic wrap
- Scissors
- 24-hole Mini Muffin Tray
- For greasing (Frylight cooking spray or Lining Paste)
- Pastry Brush or artist/paint brush
- Rolling Pin
- Fluted round cookie cutter (5.5 – 6.5cm (2.5"-3") on the fluted side)
- Cooling rack
- Small Cookie/Fondant Cutters (3-4cm (over 1 -1.6″)
Ingredients
For the pastry dough:
- 190 grams Plain Flour (6¾ oz, 1⅓ cups, All Purpose*)
- 22 grams Icing Sugar (3 tbsps, ¾ oz, Powdered or Confectioners' Sugar)
- 78 grams Unsalted Butter (2¾ oz, ⅓ cup, cubed small, see notes*)
- 1 Egg (medium to large UK, large to xl US, room temperature)
- Ice Cold Water (Few tablespoons worth)
For the filling & Topping:
- 190 grams Mincemeat (6½ oz*)
- 100 grams Marzipan (3½ oz, almond paste)
For Decoration (optional):
- Icing Sugar (Powdered or Confectioners' Sugar for dusting, optional)
- Edible Glitter (for decoration, optional)
Instructions
Prepare The Pastry Dough:
- Cube the cold 78 grams Unsalted Butter into small pieces about 1cm (⅓”) & return to the fridge. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before beginning. Add 190 grams Plain Flour & 22 grams Icing Sugar (powdered sugar) to a mixing bowl & combine, before adding in the cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter (pastry blender), your fingertips or 2 butter knives to 'cut-in' the butter, until you have a a rough but large ‘breadcrumb consistency’. (See the step-by-step instructions for more details & images). A food processor is not recommended for beginner bakers as it can produce tough pastry.
- Crack open 1 Egg & reserve 2 tsp of the egg white. Then make a well in the centre of the mixture, add in the egg, whisk just the egg, then gradually work into the dry mixture. Then start to add in 1 tsp Ice Cold Water. Very gradually add in enough cold water, while working it in, until the mixture becomes more yellow in colour and in large pieces. Knead by hand into a relatively smooth dough that holds together. Form into a disc, wrap in paper then cling film/plastic wrap. Place on a flat plate and into the fridge for 30 - 60 minutes to relax. Alternatively you can refrigerate for up to 31 days or freeze for 3-6 months2
Preparing The Mini Muffin Tin/Tray:
- Use a 24-hole mini muffin tin for the mini mince pies. Here is a good trick for easy removal. Well grease all the holes, (I use either Frylight cooking spray or homemade lining paste (cake goop). Cut strips of baking/parchment paper, the length of the 6-hole side of the tray. Cut them about 1½cm (1⅔″) wide and 6 in total.
- Place the strips along the 4-hole-side, pushing into the holes. You can grease in-between the holes to help keep in place. (See photo collage 9 in the step-by-step instructions). These help lifting out the pies easily. Repeat until all 6 strips are used up.
Forming The Pastries:
- Roll out the relaxed pastry dough on floured baking/parchment paper until a thickness of about a UK £1 coin (3-4mm, ⅛”)
- Dip the fluted side of the cutter in flour & cut out as many circles as you can. Thin the edges of one disc of pastry a little and place on top of one of the mini muffin cups/holes. Use the rounded end of a rolling pin to gently push the pastry circle down into the cup. If you need to re-position, use the paper strip to help you. Use a fork to ‘dock’ the base of the pastry shell with 4 or 5 rows of holes.
- Repeat with the rest of the pastry circles. Then re-roll the excess pastry and cut out the rest of the pastry until you have all 24 mini pie cases formed. Whisk the reserved 2 tsp egg white with 1 tsp milk or oil, & brush along the edge of the pastry cases. Chill for 30 minutes.
Prepare The Marzipan Toppers:
- Give the 100 grams Marzipan a knead if required, before placing on some baking/parchment paper. Roll out to a thickness at the same as the pastry (3-4mm, ⅛") .
- Cut out at least 24 small seasonal shapes that will fit or just overlap the width of the mini pies. Leave to the side.
Filling & Baking The Pies:
- Preheat the oven to: 200°c/180°c Fan oven/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
- After the chilling, fill each pastry case with about ½ tsp of 190 grams Mincemeat filling till about ¾ full. If using jam, chocolate spread, curd, peanut butter, etc. Fill a bit less, as they do tend to bubble up a bit.
- Place in the centre of the pre-heated oven to bake for about 6-7 minutes until starting to colour. After this point you can add the marzipan cut-outs on top. **Do not add before this or they will over-cook. Alternatively, you can place marzipan under pastry cut-outs if you have any pastry leftover.
- Continue baking for another 7-10 minutes until the pies are a nice golden colour & the marzipan has a little colour to it.
- Leave to cool in the tin over a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then use the paper to remove all 24 pies & cool just on the rack.
Serving & Storing:
- Serve a little warm or room temperature with some cream, or favourite accompaniment. You can re-heat in an already hot oven or in the air fryer, covered with foil till warmed through. Just be careful of piping hot filling.
- Store the pastries in a metal cake or cookie tin at room temperature and they will be fine for about 5 days3
- Pastry dough & unbaked pastry cases can all be made ahead, or even frozen. See step-by-step instructions for details.
Notes
Flour - Plain (All Purpose) flour is used but pastry flour or ’00 flour can be used as alternatives.
Butter - always try and use unsalted butter for sweet & savoury baking for best results. The water content in salted butter varies & had increased since 2020, & affects the bakes. No butter alternative or lard has been tested in this recipe. Cube small and then place in fridge until 30 minutes before making the pastry.
Mincemeat - jars can easily be purchased or try making your own. For more details see the ingredient information section above.
Marzipan - like almond paste. Not to be added to the pies until half-way through baking.
Other Fillings - try jams, lemon curd, peanut butter and jam, chocolate spread and jam.
Baking Tray/Sheet - a 24-hole mini muffin tray was used.
Cookie Cutter - use the fluted edge of a round cookie cutter sized 5.5 -6.5cm (2.5-3").
Marzipan Toppers Cutters - use small cutters from 3-4cm (over 1 -1.6″).
Recipe Yield - makes 24 mini mince pies.
References - please see references as foot of the main recipe page.
Nutritional Information - I am not a qualified nutritionist and all values are approximate. Based on using all ingredients listed for mincemeat filling, where 1 serving is once mini pie, from a yield of 24 pies. Make bigger or smaller pies and these values will change. Calculated via MyFitnessPal.com.
Mincemeat - jars can easily be purchased or try making your own. For more details see the ingredient information section above.
Marzipan - like almond paste. Not to be added to the pies until half-way through baking.
Other Fillings - try jams, lemon curd, peanut butter and jam, chocolate spread and jam.
Baking Tray/Sheet - a 24-hole mini muffin tray was used.
Cookie Cutter - use the fluted edge of a round cookie cutter sized 5.5 -6.5cm (2.5-3").
Marzipan Toppers Cutters - use small cutters from 3-4cm (over 1 -1.6″).
Recipe Yield - makes 24 mini mince pies.
References - please see references as foot of the main recipe page.
Nutritional Information - I am not a qualified nutritionist and all values are approximate. Based on using all ingredients listed for mincemeat filling, where 1 serving is once mini pie, from a yield of 24 pies. Make bigger or smaller pies and these values will change. Calculated via MyFitnessPal.com.
Nutrition Facts
Mini MInce Pies Tutorial
Serving Size
1 pie
Amount per Serving
Calories
97
% Daily Value*
Fat
4
g
6
%
Saturated Fat
2
g
13
%
Monounsaturated Fat
1
g
Cholesterol
7
mg
2
%
Sodium
3
mg
0
%
Potassium
10
mg
0
%
Carbohydrates
15
g
5
%
Sugar
9
g
10
%
Protein
1
g
2
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.