Traditional Mince Pies

Make traditional mince pies with ready-made shortcrust pastry and mincemeat. This recipe makes 12 pies with pastry lids; for a flaky alternative, try our puff pastry mince pie pinwheels.

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Bake Level
Easy
Serves
12 Pies
Bake time
20 mins
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Method

Baker’s Mode (Keep Screen Awake)

Equipment required

Rolling Pin

Pastry Brush

12 Hole Tart Tin

Cookie Cutter

7cm and 5mm or 3 inch cutter

Nutrition estimate

1 pie

  • Calories 250 kcal
  • Fat 12.0 g
  • Saturated fat 5.0 g
  • Carbohydrates 34.0 g
  • Sugars 15.0 g
  • Fibre 1.0 g
  • Protein 2.0 g

Tips from our bakers

For Traditional Mince Pies

How to Roll Shortcrust Pastry

For best results when rolling out shortcrust pastry use a large, clean dry area of the work surface and lightly dust it with plain flour. Place pastry dough on surface and lightly…...
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How to Roll Shortcrust Pastry360

Common questions

Do I need to blind bake shortcrust pastry for every tart?
No. Blind bake when the filling is very wet, sets quickly, or does not need long in the oven—classic for custard, lemon curd, or no-bake-style fillings. For fillings that bake a long time at a similar temperature to the pastry, you can sometimes bake raw shell and filling together, though blind baking still helps avoid a soggy base.
How do I stop a soggy bottom on a shortcrust tart?
Blind bake until the base is dry and lightly coloured, seal with a thin layer of egg white or chocolate if appropriate, brush hot jam on fruit tarts, or sprinkle a little ground nuts or semolina on the base. A metal tin and a hot oven for the initial bake also help crisp the underside.
How thick should I roll shortcrust for a tart case?
About 3–4 mm is typical for a standard tart—thin enough to cook through without being brittle, thick enough to handle. Thinner shells bake faster; very thick bases can be doughy in the centre.
How long should shortcrust rest in the fridge?
At least 30 minutes after mixing is common; many recipes suggest an hour or overnight. Resting relaxes gluten and firms the fat so the pastry is easier to roll and less likely to shrink.
How do I know when blind-baked shortcrust is done?
The pastry should look dry, feel crisp to the touch, and be an even golden colour—especially the base. Underbaked shells stay pale and soft and will sog with wet filling.
Which pastry should I use?

This recipe uses shortcrust for a crumbly case. For a different texture, follow our separate puff pastry pinwheel recipe. 

Does this make pastry from scratch?

No, it starts with ready-made pastry.

Jus Rol Short Crust Front 320g Carton
640g

Made with Frozen Shortcrust Pastry Sheet

Tesco Ocado
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How to Roll Shortcrust Pastry360

Guide

How to Roll Shortcrust Pastry

1 Sep 18
1 min read
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