UK Travel Blog

If you’re still mulling over what to feed your guests this Christmas, one of the most important aspects has to be the traditional mince pies. With the help of the Independent, we run down the 10 best mince pies you can buy.

1. Fortnum & Mason Almond mince pies are probably some of the most expensive out there, but they are probably the nicest and maybe the biggest too. The pies are definitely a post-lunch delight and possibly mid-afternoon or evening “snack” due to their quite sizeable nature. £9.95 for six pies.

2. Marks and Spencer have been one of the premier names in all things Christmas food for many years, but this year they are doing “mini mince pies” which makes a nice change. Another difference this year is of the 12 you get, eight have no lid to the mince pie and each row comes in a different flavour. £3 for 12 pies.

3. Sharpham Park are offering “spelt mince pies” made from organic spelt flour which is generally regarded as a healthier version of normal flour, plus being organic it might be better for the environment. Surprisingly however, many sources we’ve checked suggest the Sharpham Park mince pies are just as tasty as those made with normal flour and might be especially suitable for those with a minor wheat allergy.

4. Netto Cake Collection – that is Netto te budget supermarket, but don’t dismiss them just yet as the Cake Collection has the approval of some very good chefs including Pierre Koffmann who said they come second only to Fortnum’s mince pies which are around seven times the price. £1.39 for six pies – bargain!

5. Harrods Cranberry mince pies were naturally always going to appear on such a list. Exactly how much work goes into calculating the exact thickness of the pies and the constancy of the filling we’re not sure, but one does have to suspect this is a rather military operation. They are of course a little more expensive than many, but not the most expensive on this list at £7.95 for six.

6. Daylesford Organic mince pies are hand made on the Bamford family estate and come in an elegant black box, winning them the best presented pies in this list. According to those who’ve tasted them, the pies are just right with a slight hint of spice, but not overdoing it. At £5.95 for six they are also mid-priced.

7. Tesco Finest offer one of the best value mince pie collections on the market made with butter shortcrust pastry and “laced with Courvoisier VS Cognac” (that’s how Tesco describe them). There’s plenty of orange peel in there too, which is what a mince pie should have. £2 for six makes them a real good find and you can have them delivered with your shopping.

8. Duchy Originals with Royal approval from the Cornwall Duchy estate are available at Waitrose. With a very lemon and orange flavour and organic wheat. £3.99 for six pies.

9. Harvey Nichols mini mince pies are following the same idea as Marks and Spencers with small bitesized mince pies, best suited as a canapé. They cost £5.95 for eight pies.

10. Waitrose own all-butter mince pies are the final one which at just £2.29 for six is remarkably good value compared to their usual selection. These pies have apricots drenched in brandy and are stuffed with glacé cherries to make them a little different to the norm.

List inspired by the gallery of mince pies in the Independent.