They blind-tasted 10 premium own-label mince pies from supermarkets including Co-op, Lidl, Waitrose and more, rating each one on taste, aroma, appearance and texture.
The Best Buy pies impressed with their crisp, buttery pastry and flavoursome well-spiced mincemeat filling – other options disappointed with gloopy interiors and underbaked shells.
We reveal which mince pies to stock up on this Christmas, and whether it’s worth forking out extra for fancy mince pies.
Eat well, live better, stay healthy –Which supermarket mince pies to buy
Nailing the perfect balance of spice, fruit and alcohol is a tall order, but Co-op and Tesco hit the mark, winning over our panel with their impeccable pies.
Best Buy: Co-op Irresistible Luxury Mince Pies – 73%
£2.75 for 6 (46p per pie)
These Co-op mince pies promised a lot with their attractive star-topped appearance and enticing festive aroma – and they didn’t disappoint.
Our experts were full of praise for their lovely buttery pastry and sweet, glossy filling. Unlike some supermarket pies we tested, there’s no skimping on the mincemeat either, with a generous filling-to-pastry ratio. A worthy Best Buy.
Available from .Best Buy: Tesco Finest Mince Pies – 72%
£3 for 6 (50p per pie)
If you’re after crowd-pleasing pies full of festive citrus zing, it’s worth popping a pack of Tesco mince pies in your trolley.
They were a solid favourite among our panel, combining well-balanced fruit and spice flavours with a subtle aroma and soft all-butter pastry.
Available from .Mince pie price risesFestive treats haven't escaped the spectre of food price inflation, with mince pie costs rising across the board this year.
Most start from at least 42p per pie, whereas in 2022 most were 38p or less – and the cheapest options were 29p per pie.
This year, Aldi's mince pies are cheapest, at 37p per pie. But that's still a 28% increase on last year's price.
– see how our experts rated supermarket fizz, red wine, smoked salmon and more in our full festive test round-upAre ultra-premium mince pies worth it?
The supermarket own-label luxury pies we tested typically cost around £3 a pack, but more high-end mince pies from specialist bakers could set you back more than double that amount.
To find out which ones – if any – are worth splashing out on, we asked our experts to blind-taste four branded mince pies available to order online.
FitzbilliesFor more festive picks from our expert taste tests, see our guide to the , the and thePrice and availability information correct as of 15 November 2023.
Our expert panel included: award-winning baker Dan Lepard, Great British Bake Off 2021 semi-finalist Jurgen Krauss, Bake Off: The Professionals 2022 winner Nathan Rave and pastry chef and owner of Miel Bakery, Shaheen Peerbhai.
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/best-mince-pies-for-2023-revealed-aYE5H6V4oizE