The best mince pies are these frangipane Mince Pies with easy homemade pastry - serve warm or cold for a delicious traditional Christmas snack.
Lots of pictures and very few words today - I have my hands and mouth full of frangipane mince pies....
I was feeling a little rustic and old-school when I made these - so I actually made my own pastry! I'm usually fairly lazy when it comes to pastry - buying the pre-made and pre-rolled stuff. However this is an easy version and only takes a couple of minutes to pull together (plus a bit of chilling time in the fridge).
I did stick with the pre-made mincemeat though. I can't believe I used to hate this stuff as a kid. I could eat it straight out of the jar now!!
The frangipane is an easy home-made recipe too. Similar to the one I use in my peach and almond tart, you don't need a mixer - just whisk it together in a bowl before spooning on top of the mincemeat-filled pastry cases.
Serve them warm:
Maybe with a drizzle of cream?
Or eat them cold. However you eat them, they won't last long (at least not with me around....).
More Baking Ideas To Try
Equipment
In order to make these delicious festive Frangipane Mince Pies you will need:
- Food Processor. This is not the exact one as in the pictures, this is the newer model.
- Shallow Muffin/Cupcake Baking Tin
- Cooling rack
- Rolling Pin
- Fluted cutter
- Measuring Spoons
- Zester
- Wooden or Silicon Coated Spoons. We have just bought these and love them!
Frangipane Mince Pies
Ingredients
For the Pastry (or you can use ready-rolled sweet shortcrust pastry):
- 240 g (2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour - plus extra for rolling
- 3 tbsp confectioners' (icing) sugar
- 125 g (½ cup + 1 tsp) unsalted butter - chilled and cubed
- finely grated zest of 1 orange
- 1 medium egg
For the Frangipane:
- 90 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 100 g (1 cup) golden caster sugar (or use superfine)
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 90 g (1 ½ cup) ground almonds (almond meal)
Also:
- 410 g (14.5 oz) jar mincemeat
- 5 tbsp flaked almonds
- 2 tbsp confectioners' sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
- First, make the pastry - Place the flour, confectioners' sugar, and butter in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. Add the orange zest and egg and pulse again until it just comes together (add a couple of drops of cold water if it's still too crumbly to come together).240 g (2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, 3 tbsp confectioners' (icing) sugar, 125 g (½ cup + 1 tsp) unsalted butter, finely grated zest of 1 orange, 1 medium egg
- Place the pastry on a piece of lightly floured baking parchment. Squash together to form it into a ball, then roll it out to ¼ inch thick with a lightly floured rolling pin.
- Place in the fridge to chill for 30-60 minutes (cover with clingfilm if leaving in the fridge for longer - up to two days).
- Whilst the pastry is chilling, make the frangipane. Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat it together with a wooden spoon or hand mixer for a couple of minutes – until it goes paler. Stir in the egg and almond extract until mixed, then stir in the ground almonds. Place in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.90 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened, 100 g (1 cup) golden caster sugar (or use superfine), 1 large egg, ½ tsp almond extract, 90 g (1 ½ cup) ground almonds (almond meal)
- Preheat the oven to 190C/375F (fan).
- Once the pastry is chilled, cut out rounds using an 8cm/3" fluted cutter. Re-roll the pastry as necessary. You should get 18-20 rounds. Press each piece of pastry carefully into the hole of a 12-hole cake tin (a regular fairy-cake tin - not a muffin tin). You'll need two trays.
- Fill each pastry- hole with a tablespoon of mincemeat, then top with a tablespoon of frangipane and smooth the top slightly (it will spread as it cooks, so you don't need to be too neat). Be sure not to top with too much frangipane, as it will overflow. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.410 g (14.5 oz) jar mincemeat, 5 tbsp flaked almonds
- Take out of the oven and leave to cool before sifting over a little confectioners' sugar, then serve.2 tbsp confectioners' sugar
✎ Notes
Nutrition
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Jo says
Best ever mince pies. Wonder if you can freeze or store thank you
Barbara says
I’m making some more of these delicious mince pies, as the first lot went like snow on a hot shovel! The pastry is delicious, as is the frangipane (OH's favourite!) …..I took some to his Art Group session as it was his birthday this week and was asked for the recipe more than once……tells you all you need to know! I wonder if it would be possible for you to put the fan oven equivalent in your recipes….I usually have to Google with floury hands when I get to that bit……and leave out the bit which says just how many calories are in the mince pies!!
Jo says
I wonder if you can freeze or how to store. They are fabulous best ever I had
Michele Pinder says
Made for the first time this Christmas and they are really 😋 tasty and easy to make
The family loved them
Wendy says
Absolutely delicious!! Pastry is easy to work with and melt in the mouth!! Had to bake extra 5mins (my oven)
My go to mince tart recipe from now on.🤗
Verenna Nixon says
I tried these but when they came out of the oven I realised that something was missing! Flour in the frangipane! It’s missing from the recipe. I Made again and added flour… hoorah! Success.. I’m surprised that no one else has commented on the omission.
Nicky Corbishley says
Hi Verenna, there's no omission. My recipe doesn't have flour in the frangipane. The ground almonds provide a crisp and slightly chewy topping, which would be more crumbly and pastry-like if it was in the frangipane.
Carole says
In your US conversion measurements it says to use 3 eggs and in the UK measurements it only calls for 1 egg for the frangipane recipe.
Nicky Corbishley says
Thanks Carole, sorry, must have been a typo, I've updated now (it's one egg).
Faith says
I give your recipe 5 stars. I have made it. Many times & get complements galore! It’s one of my favourites, during the Summer months I cannot find mincemeat so I have made a cherry filling with the Frangipane topping ,this to is delicious too. Thank you for sharing. Faith
Helen says
What a beautiful recipe this looks. I love to freeze rather than last minute Baking if possible. Will these freeze well fir a month or so?
Kat Gicante says
Tastes like Christmas! We love marzipan, hence frangipane is right up our alley as well! I made these jewels yesterday and they turned out lovely. I am going to make some English custard today to pour over them and then my hankering for British comfort food will be satisfied!
Thank you for an excellent recipe that is easy to follow and the results are so satisfying!
Sharon says
Do you blind bake the shortcrust pastry before adding the filling?
Loraine says
Sounds fabulous will try next week hugs Loraine