It's not Christmas without having a box (or two) of the best mince pies in your cupboards – arguably the most festive food of them all, bar the main event.

Whether you're leaving them out by the fireplace for Father Christmas, serving with a glass of mulled wine or warming them up with a generous dollop of cream, they're an essential festive dish.

Contrary to their name, they aren’t filled with minced up. Inside the pastry exterior is a jammy, sticky mixture of dried fruits like raisins, sultanas, apples, and orange peel doused in festive spices, rum or brandy for that real hit of Christmassy aromas and tastes.

Like anything, supermarkets and food producers are increasingly looking to make everyday products more exciting. Sometimes this goes too far, but this year, alternative flavours are creative, well balanced and delicious rather than disappointing.

While the purists are still catered for, there are a lot of rule-bending, exciting mince pies out there – and I’ve taste-tested my way to the 17 best for 2026.

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I've made my way through more than 20 different boxes of mince pies, across classics, new flavours, free-from options and mini versions. I tasted mince pies from high-street favourite supermarkets, as well as a couple of high-end brands and independent bakeries, eating them both straight out of the box and warmed through a little in the oven.

Throughout the test, I was looking for a well-balanced, generous filling, top-quality pastry, pleasing aesthetic and value for money.

What we love: Great flavour combinations

Take note: Too alternative for some

These mince pies look great, with little pieces of chopped pistachio on top and a layer of frangipane below. Bringing nuttiness to the mince pie, pistachio lovers will adore them.

They're perfectly formed and are a great example of how to twist a festive classic without losing sight of what it should be. Inside, instead of the classic mince meat, the filling is a jammy sour-cherry mixture, with a sharpness that cuts through the sweeter topping. The tart, fruity combination is delicious, proving how supermarkets can get creative without being too wild.

• No. in pack: 4

What we love:

Take note: Pastry is slightly stodgy

Working out at less than 50p a pie, Asda offers impressive value for money – particularly given how generously filled they are. The mincemeat has a lovely balance of flavour, infused with Ruby port, Valencia orange oil and Cognac, but without being overly boozy or sweet.

It's a milder, more restrained filling than some of the richer, heavily spiced alternatives, which makes these an easy crowd-pleaser. The pastry is slightly stodgy, but has a pleasant buttery flavour and holds together well. They might not have the refinement of a premium bakery pie, but for a supermarket option at this price, they're a very good buy.

• No. in pack: 6

What we love: Buttery almond topping

Take note: Not a huge amount of mince pie filling

Frangipane continues to be one of the standout flavours in mince pies again this year, and I'm here for it. It adds a pleasing almond flavour to these Sainsbury’s mince pies, without being overly sweet, giving them a little extra richness and a different texture from a standard pastry lid.

The pastry is well made, and the mince meat is good, but there's not a huge amount of it, leaving these pies to be a little dry in the end.

• No. in pack: 4

Mince pie for an after-dinner treat

What we love: Great brown butter flavour

Take note: Mini size may not be to everyone’s preference

These little pies have a surprisingly grown-up flavour. Brown butter brings a lovely nutty richness to the pastry, while the mincemeat has real depth and roundness. Cognac adds warmth without making the filling taste overly alcoholic. The result is sophisticated rather than overly boozy, and feels more like a treat for the adults at the Christmas table.

Their mini size makes them a good option for serving alongside coffee after dinner, or at a festive drinks party. However, anyone who prefers a substantial pastry-to-filling ratio may be better off with a traditional-sized pie.

• No. in pack: 9

What we love: Classic design, noticeable brand flavour

Take note: Crumbly pastry, quite sweet

These look exactly like a traditional mince pie should, with a star on top and a familiar golden pastry finish. And funnily enough, they are near-identical to Aldi's classic mince pies. The filling is sticky and sweet, with a noticeable brandy flavour that gives it a festive warmth. If you like a mince pie with a bit of boozy character, there's plenty to enjoy here. The mince meat is quite sticky too, and the pastry is quite crumbly and dry.

• No. in pack: 6

What we love: Great nutty topping

Take note: Not for purists, and more expensive than others

Despite looking as though they've come from a smart bakery counter, these Tesco mince pies aren’t for purists. For me, they tick a lot of boxes. Wider and flatter than a traditional pie, they're finished with a colourful scattering of almonds, walnuts, pistachios, glacé cherries and apricot and look more like florentines than mince pies.

The pastry is a deep brown, thanks to the brown butter, with a rich flavour that complements the sticky, chewy filling. The mincemeat is laced with orange liqueur and French brandy, bringing a fragrant, boozy warmth without overwhelming the fruit. They're nicely jammy, sticky and chewy – mince pies I'd buy again and again.

• No. in pack: 2

Ecclefechan tart mince pie

What we love: Great taste

Take note: Filling is made from dried fruits and nuts, not mince meat

Ecclefechan tarts are traditional all-butter Scottish tarts, taking their name from a little village in the Scottish Borders. The key difference to mince pies is that the filling is made from dried fruits and nuts, not mince meat, though it's similar.

It makes a welcome change from the usual mince pie – they're rich and nutty without being excessively sweet. The filling is well balanced, and the almond notes add warmth and depth, making these feel a little more nuanced than a straightforward fruit-filled pastry.

• No. in pack: 4

What we love:

Take note: Crumbly pastry

Aldi’s traditional mince pie features an attractive star design on the lid. The pastry itself is quite crumbly, so it isn't the neatest option to eat, but the pleasant buttery flavour gives way to a decent amount of mincemeat.

The filling is classically spiced without being overpowering – a solid choice for anyone who prefers their mince pies reassuringly traditional rather than heavily boozy or laden with extra toppings. Plus, at the price, you can keep a box or two in the cupboard for a quick festive treat with a cup of tea or for unexpected visitors (great if you're buying for a Christmas Day crowd). Just don't expect the more refined pastry or depth of flavour you'd find in a premium bake.

• No. in pack: 6

Mince pie made in Somerset

What we love: Excellent flavour and handmade

Take note: More expensive than some

These are the ones to take to a friend's as a gift over the festive period – they'll absolutely be impressed. Made in Somerset, each wonderfully home-made-looking mince pie is classic but done exceptionally well.

The pastry is chunky, but not overbearing; it holds its own and isn't too crumbly. Inside, the well-balanced mince meat is full of festive character and warmth. I also like the light dusting of fine sugar that's not as coarse and crunchy as some other mince pies. They're great as they are, but even better warm (just a little, though, as the mince meat goes a little gooey).

• No. in pack: 6

What we love: Great-tasting free-from

Take note: Not the lightest or flakiest pies

Free-from baking can sometimes leave you with a pastry that's either crumbly or disappointingly dry. However, these Waitrose mince pies have a substantial texture, with enough bite to give them a satisfying structure, rather than falling apart at the first touch. There's also a decent amount of filling, so the pastry doesn't completely dominate each mouthful.

The mincemeat has a distinctly orangey flavour, which gives the pies a bright, citrusy note. They're not the lightest or flakiest pies in the line-up, and anyone accustomed to rich, buttery shortcrust may notice the difference, but that's usually a given with 'free-from' pastries. For those avoiding both milk and gluten, they offer a properly festive option with a good balance of pastry and filling.

• No. in pack: 2

Mince pies from a high-street bakery

What we love: Quality pastry and filling

Take note:

Gails’ rustic-looking, hand-made mince pies have been baked until they're a gorgeous, not-quite-burned dark sandy brown colour. The pastry is somewhere between flaky and shortcrust. Inside, you’re treated to a wonderfully gooey and intensely spiced (but still balanced and not sickly) amount of mince meat. The mince meat has been made by French producer Tea Together, with Jonagold apples, Calvados brandy, cranberries and candied citrus peel.

The mince pies are topped with a generous amount of demerara sugar, which gives them not only a great sweetness, but also a little bite too. Of course, they're not the cheapest on the list, but they're really good quality. For the real mince pie fans, these will go down a treat, so save them for the family you like the most (or just yourself).

• No. in pack: 6

Puff pastry mince pie

What we love:

Take note: Not a huge filling

Traditionally, mince pies are made with a buttery shortcrust pastry that's thicker and not flaky. Instead, these M&S mince pies have been made with puff pastry. They look a little more like scones than mince pies, with their puffed-up height creating a more airy inside.

• No. in pack: 6

What we love: Deep-filled, crumble top

Take note:

Certainly the biggest mince pies on the list, these mince pies from The Newt Estate in Somerset have a really hefty depth to them. They're the best-tasting mince meat in the whole test too. The flavour is so festive, packed with Bramley apples and brandy, but balanced with a touch of sweetness and more citrus orange flavours than some of the others

Unlike other more jammy mince pie fillings, The Newt’s offering is slightly drier, but the pastry is nicely moist in comparison. The pies are topped with a lovely crumble too, which gives a nice texture. If you're going all out, which you might as well, buy the brand's brandy butter to serve them with, too.

• No. in pack: 6

Generously filled mince pie

What we love:

Take note: Slightly bland mince meat

You can always rely on M&S to turn out its great version of a classic. They have a decent depth, which is pleasingly generously filled. The pastry is deliciously buttery and has a shortbread-like texture to it – it's softly crumbly without being dry.

The edge is scalloped, with a very light dusting of sugar on top. The mince meat isn't the most complex and is a little on the bland side, though those who prefer a less spiced mince meat might prefer this.

• No. in pack: 6

Irish cream liqueur mince pie

What we love: Fun festive flavour

Take note: Quite sweet with a heavy cream topping

These mince pies are less of an everyday mince pie, and more of a little Christmas dessert. The mincemeat is infused with Cognac, brandy and cider, giving it a warming, festive character, but what sets them apart is the Ballycastle cream topping. It's Aldi's version of Baileys, and adds a creamy, liqueur-like note to each bite.

The topping is quite heavy and very sweet, so one pie is likely to be enough, and for that reason they're not really suited to oven warming. A fun alternative to a classic mince pie, traditionalists may find them a little over the top.

• No. in pack: 4

Mince pies for drinks parties

What we love: Buttery pastry, bite-size

Take note: Mild filling

This pack of mini mince pies are perfect for festive drinks parties. Topped with a pretty little holly decoration, they'll look the part among the rest of your festive spread. The pastry is nicely buttery, but there's not a huge amount of filling inside.

Like some of the other M&S mince pies, it's not the most flavourful. Still, they're great to keep a couple of boxes in the cupboard for an easy, minimal-effort sweet treat.

• No. in pack: 9

Mr Kipling mince pies

What we love: Nicely baked, dense filling

Take note: Quite sweet

Another mince pie that's much wider and thinner than the usual pie shape; this is more disc-like, with a semi-open top featuring a snowflake pattern.

The filling is quite dense because of the shape. The pastry has more colour than some others and is nicely baked. It's quite sweet, so you'll likely only reach for one. The inside has plenty of sultanas and fruit too, and a dusting of sugar, adding to the sweetness.

• No. in pack: 4