Traditional Irish Mince Pies Recipe

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: This Traditional Irish Mince Pies Recipe is delicious and really quick to make.

• Loads of flavor: Mince Pies are renowned for their complex and satisfying flavors coming from the spiced, sweet, and boozy dried fruit filling and the buttery crust. This recipe definitely delivers.
• Texture: The contrast between the flaky pastry and the slightly moist, chewy, and perfectly sticky mincemeat creates an irresistible mouthfeel.
• Holiday Tradition: Made the Irish way, Mincemeat pies will hug you with warmth and nostalgia from the inside out!

Growing up in Ireland, Traditional Mince Pies and Mum’s Mince Pie with Coconut Topping were a staple at any Christmas gathering! Everything about it screams holiday magic for me. Now that I’m in the U.S. and with my American family, I plan on continuing this delightful tradition. George is already learning how to make mince pies!

I’m proud to say there’s a connection to the much-loved O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey used in this recipe. My cousin, Michael J Stafford is the managing director of Stafford Bonded, a family business created by our grandfather (James Stafford) and our fathers (George Stafford Snr and Michael Stafford Snr). You will understand the inspiration when you hear Diarmuid talk of the O’Driscoll family and read our story .

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 12/13/2023, to include a new step-by-step tutorial video, new photography, explanations of key ingredients, answers to the most commonly asked questions, and Pro Chef Tips.

Bold Bakers Loved This!

“Hi, Gemma! I´ve recently found your website and I can say it´s a wonderful source of inspiration. This recipe came out unbelievably tasty, so delicious, something I´ve never tried before. The mincemeat, the candied orange peel, and the mixed spice I used are all based on your recipes. A big hug from Argentina!” – Lupe

“I made traditional mice pie following your recipe with home made mice meat, came out reall well, my family said the best ever mice pie they had . My son wants me to made them again, thank you so, so much for the lovely recipe.” – Nilanka

Table of Contents

• What are Traditional Irish Mince Pies?
• Tools for Irish Mince Pies
• Key Ingredients for Traditional Irish Mince Pies
• How to Make Traditional Irish Mince Pies
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
• Is There Meat in Mince Pies?
• FAQs
• More Traditional Irish Recipes

What are Traditional Irish Mince Pies?

Mincemeat Pies are a classic Christmas treat in Ireland, as well as in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world. They can be traced back to the 13th Century when they used to be a symbol of Christ’s birth and therefore called “Crib Cakes”

• Boozy Pastries: These pies have a sweet and spiced filling made from mincemeat, which typically includes a mixture of boozy fruits  (raisins, currants, sultanas and apples), spices (cinnamon and nutmeg), and butter or suet. All are encased in a shell of shortcrust, puff pastry, or pie crust.
• Celebratory Dessert: Served warm with whipped cream,ice cream, or Irish Brandy butter, golden brown Mince Pies with flavorful filling are often enjoyed during the Christmas season and are a staple of holiday celebrations in Ireland and beyond.

Tools for Irish Mince Pies

• For Mincemeat

  • Measuring cups and measuring spoons
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Wooden spoon
  • Box grater
  • Zester
  • Reamer/juicer
  • Medium saucepan
  • Glass jars for storage

• For Pie Crust

  • Measuring Cups and Spoons
  • Food Processor
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Rolling pin
  • Pie pan

Key Ingredients for Traditional Irish Mince Pies

For Mincemeat Pie Filling

• Bramley apple:

  • This is our go-to cooking apple in Ireland or the UK. They are very sour to eat raw but are one of the best apples working beautifully in baking, such as in an Apple Crumble or Apple Strudel.
  • Substitute: Any cooking apple will do: I personally like Granny Smith apples for the best flavor and texture.

• Raisins, currants, and sultanas:

  • Raisins are from different types of grapes dried for around 3 weeks in a dark brownish color.
  • Currants are dried from a variety of small, seedless grapes called “Black Corinth” and “Carina.”
  • Sultanas/golden raisins are dried from green seedless grapes and are typically coated in an oil-based solution before drying to speed up the process to have a lighter golden color.

• Candied mixed citrus peel

  • Candied peels add sweetness, a unique citrus flavor, and a delightful, chewy, and slightly firm texture to mincemeat.

• Mixed spice

  • It consists of allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, cloves, coriander, and ginger.
  • Mixed spice in mincemeat adds warmth, balancing the sweetness of mincemeat.
  • It also adds aromatic complexity, depth, and a traditional holiday flavor.

• Citrus zest and juice

  • Lemon zest and lemon juice with orange zest and orange juice, bring vibrant and refreshing elements to mincemeat, enhancing both the flavor and aroma.
  • They also complement the other ingredients in this classic holiday mixture.

• Muscovado sugar

  • This sugar adds moisture and can enhance the overall richness and complexity of mincemeat.
  • Substitute:
    •  Dark brown sugar is a great alternative here.
    • Check my Ultimate Guide to Different Types of Brown Sugars to see the differences and how to use them.

• O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey

  • I love using Irish whiskey for the most authentic flavor.
  • Substitute: Brandy or Rum.

• Butter

  • Its savory and creamy profile complements the sweetness of sugars and dried fruit.
  • It contributes to moisture and tenderness and works as a binder for the filling.
  • Substitute: 
    • Vegan Butter: Any plant based butter works in this recipe.
    • Coconut Oil: Great option but it will alter the traditional flavor.

For Pie Crust

• All-purpose flour

  • All-purpose flour (aka, “plain flour”) has a protein content of around 9-11% which is perfect for forming the needed amount of gluten to hold shape and handle moisture without being chewy.

• Powdered sugar

  • Powdered sugar sweetens the pie dough.
  • When incorporated into a pie crust, it can create a smoother and more delicate texture compared to granulated sugar. This can lead to a more tender and crumbly crust.
  • Make your own using my recipe for How to Make Powdered Sugar.

• Salt

  • Salt enhances the flavors.

• Butter

  • Butter is around 80% milk fat and 20% water. Hence butter provides a high percentage of fat and a low percentage of water to form a crumbly texture instead of chewy gluten.
  • Butter also deeply enriches the flavor.

• Egg yolk

  • Egg yolks enrich flavors and bind ingredients into a homogenous mixture.

• Cold water

  • Ice water helps maintain the fat’s solid state which melts in a hot oven, creating small pockets of steam. These steam pockets contribute to the flakiness of the crust.
  • Using cold water slows down the development of gluten, resulting in a more tender and delicate crust.
  • Cold water also makes the dough less sticky and easier to handle.

How to Make Traditional Irish Mince Pies

Prep:

Make Mincemeat Pie Filling:

1. Mix ingredients: In a large bowl add all of the above ingredients. Cover and allow to soak and hydrate overnight or for a minimum of 12 hours.
2. Cook ingredients: The next day add the contents of the bowl to a medium-sized saucepan. Simmer uncovered over medium/low heat for roughly 10-15 minutes until the liquid reduces and thickens slightly. This is a saucy recipe, don’t cook off all of the liquid (see video for consistency).
3. Cool: Allow the mixture to come to room temperature before assembling your pies.

Make a Perfect Homemade Pie Crust:

Note: Make a double batch of this pie crust recipe

4. Mix dry ingredients: mix flour, butter, powdered sugar, and salt in a bowl. Then rub in cold, cubed butter using your fingers or in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumb.
5. Mix wet ingredients: whisk the egg yolk and water in a separate jug, then add to the dry mixture.
6. Forming the dough: pull it together to incorporate any dry pieces or pulse in the food processor until a dough forms.
7. Chill the pie crust: well wrap it in plastic wrap for 60 minutes to allow the gluten to relax before rolling.

Bake:

13. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.

Serve:

14. Sprinkle powdered sugar and serve warm with Brandy Butter or Whipped Cream. You can also go the extra mile and top your mince pies with Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• To prevent the crust from shrinking, add the minimum amount of water that you need to pull your dough together into a ball, splash a little extra water if needed.
• Substituting a little alcohol like vodka for some water in pie crusts results in a more tender crust since alcohol does not contribute to forming a gluten network the way water does. Also, it is less likely to shrink since there is less water content that can evaporate.
• Take care not to overwork with the pastry. Carefully line your cupcake tin wells pushing the pastry into the edges. Leave excess dough on the edges. Leave it rough as you will discard after baking.
• You can blind bake the crust without filling from frozen at 400°F for roughly 10 minutes to have the bottom sealed then continue with the filling.
• If you don’t have Mixed Spice you can make my Mixed Spice recipe or you can use Pumpkin Pie Spice which is made of similar spices.
• Can’t find Candied Peel? Make your own Candied Mixed Peel. It’s easy and inexpensive.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

Make Ahead:

• Mincemeat pie filling: Make your mincemeat up to 4 months in advance and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to use.
• Pie crust: Make your pie crust up to 2 days in advance and keep it wrapped in cling film in the fridge. You can also roll the dough, place it in the baking dish and freeze for up to 1 month.
• Raw mince pies: Make your pies as you normally would but instead of baking them, freeze them individually and then transfer to a ziploc bag and keep frozen for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen increasing baking time by around 10 minutes.

Storage:

• Room temperature: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Freezer: These baked mini pies can be frozen for up to 8 weeks.

Reheating:

• Reheat your mincemeat pies by placing them on a baking tray in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C) for around 10 minutes.

Is There Meat in Mince Pies?

Nowadays, no, not technically, however, some bakers still use suet which is what was used traditionally as the fat. Make sure to read the label in case you are vegan/vegetarian. Suet is the hard fat that encases the pig’s kidney fat. I use melted butter in my mince meat pie recipe  instead of suet so everyone can enjoy it! You can use vegetable shortening too, choose a hard baking type.

FAQS

Can I use whole wheat flour for mince pies’ crust?

• Yes, you can use whole wheat flour, but it will result in a denser, nuttier crust.

Can I omit alcohol in mince pies filling?

• Yes, you can omit alcohol, but it adds depth of flavor.
• Consider using apple juice, orange juice, or other fruit juice or tea as a non-alcoholic alternative.

Can I use different types of dried fruits in my mince pie recipe?

• Yes, you can customize the dried fruits.
• Common choices include dried cranberries, raisins, currants, sultanas, dried apricots, or dried blueberries.

Can I substitute fresh fruit for dried fruit in mince pies?

• It’s not recommended as the dried fruits contribute sweetness, texture, and a concentrated flavor essential to traditional mincemeat.

Can I make a vegan version of this mincemeat pie recipe?

• Yes, you can use vegetable-based suet or vegan butter as a substitute for butter or traditional suet, and ensure other ingredients are plant-based.

More Traditional Irish Recipes

• Aunty Rosaleen’s Traditional Irish Christmas Cake Recipe
• My Mum’s Christmas Pudding
• Holiday Gingerbread Trifle (Irish Recipe)
• Irish Shortbread Christmas Tree Cookies
• Traditional Irish Brandy Butter

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 12/13/2023, to include a new step-by-step tutorial video, new photography, explanations of key ingredients, answers to the most commonly asked questions, and Pro Chef Tips.

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