The best mince pies to enjoy this Christmas 2023, taste tested

If you’re looking for the perfect combination of crumbly buttery pastry with a generous boozy filling we think Waitrose’s brown butter mince pies are the best all-rounders. Serve warm with a good dollop of brandy cream and slip into a delightful Christmas food coma.

Exceedingly moreish, melt-in-the-mouth pastry, mincemeat bursting with flavour and topped with a festive star, Morrisons’s deep-filled mince pie was a clear front runner when it came to the best traditional pies. Warm them in the oven, sprinkle them with icing sugar and claim to have spent hours slaving over them in the kitchen – a mince pie that doesn’t fail to deliver.

If you’re looking for bite-sized mince pies, these M&S delicacies are the perfect choice. Crumbly, butter pastry with a helping of boozy fruity deliciousness, the mini size means you can still enjoy all the other festive treats on offer this season.

It can be hard to find a mince pie that delivers delicate, delicious pastry with a flavoursome burst of juicy mincemeat, while still catering for gluten- and dairy-free diets. But Sainsbury’s pipped the competition to the post with its free from mini mince pies, topped with pretty pastry stars.

As the name of these mince pies suggests, they’re more tart-like than a typical mince pie, and they pack in a good punch of Jamaican rum, too. They’re full of flavour and come with an affordable price tag. While these mince pies are now out of stock online, they may still be available in your local Aldi store, so be sure to check.

These proved to be another favourite with our taste panel. A firm tart with a crispy speculoos pastry case filled with flavoursome mincemeat, complete with a lattice topping – a heavenly treat for almond fans. While Lidl’s speculoos almond mince tarts aren’t available online, you may be able to find them in your local Lidl store, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for them.