This Gordon Ramsay Mince Pies Recipe is a buttery and festive recipe, which is made with rich mincemeat and a homemade shortcrust pastry. It’s the perfect festive treat, ready in about 1 hour and 25 minutes, including chilling time.
Jump to RecipeGordon Ramsay Mince Pies Recipe Ingredients
For the Pastry:
- 300g plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
- Pinch of salt
- 150g fridge-cold butter, cubed
- 3 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp very cold water
For the Filling & Topping:
- 300g mincemeat
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- 1 tbsp caster sugar (for sprinkling)
How To Make Gordon Ramsay Mince Pies Recipe
- Make the Pastry Dough: In a food processor, pulse the plain flour, salt, and cold butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the icing sugar and pulse once more to combine. In a small bowl, beat the large egg with the cold water, then add it to the flour mixture. Pulse just until the dough starts to come together.
- Chill the Dough: Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and bring it together with your hands into a flat disc. Do not overwork it. Wrap it in cling film and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare the Tin and Roll Dough: Butter a 12-hole muffin or bun tin and place it in the fridge to chill. Once the dough is rested, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 4mm.
- Cut and Fill the Pies: Using a round cutter, cut 12 discs for the bases and press them gently into the chilled tin. Fill each pastry case with 1 tablespoon of mincemeat.
- Top and Seal the Pies: Using a smaller cutter (like a star or a smaller circle), cut 12 lids from the remaining pastry. Brush the rim of the pastry bases with a little beaten egg wash, then place the lids on top and press gently to seal.
- Finish and Bake: Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan) / 375°F. Cut a small steam vent in the top of each pie. Brush the lids with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with caster sugar.
- Bake and Cool: Bake for 20–25 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden brown. Let the pies cool in the tin for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Tips
- How do I stop my pastry from shrinking? Resting the dough is crucial. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes after mixing, and if you have time, chill the cut-out bases in the tin for another 10 minutes before filling. This relaxes the gluten and minimizes shrinkage during baking.
- What’s the best tin to use for mince pies? A metal muffin or bun tin is better than a silicone one for mince pies. Metal conducts heat more effectively, which results in crisper sides and a better-browned base.
- How do I get the pies out without breaking them? After they’ve cooled in the tin for about 5 minutes, use a thin palette knife or a small offset spatula to gently loosen the edges of each pie before lifting them out.
- Why is cold butter important for pastry? Using fridge-cold butter and keeping the dough cool is the secret to a flaky, tender shortcrust. The small pieces of cold butter create pockets of steam as they melt in the oven, which results in a light, “short” texture.
What To Serve With Mince Pies
Mince pies are a classic festive treat, best served warm with:
- A dollop of brandy butter or brandy cream
- Clotted cream or thick double cream
- A spoonful of vanilla custard
- A dusting of icing sugar
How To Store Mince Pies
- Room Temperature: Store the cooled mince pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: You can warm them up in a moderate oven for about 5 minutes before serving.
Mince Pies Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 476kcal
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Protein: 7g
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fiber: 3g
- Sugar: 25g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Can I use store-bought pastry?
Yes, if you’re short on time, a good quality, all-butter shortcrust pastry from the store is a perfectly acceptable substitute.
What is mincemeat? Does it contain meat?
Traditional mincemeat historically contained meat, but modern mincemeat is a sweet, spiced mixture of chopped dried fruits (like raisins, currants, and sultanas), suet (or a vegetarian substitute), spices, and often brandy or rum. It is typically vegetarian.
Can I make these mince pies ahead of time?
Yes. You can make the uncooked pies and freeze them in their tin. Bake them directly from frozen, adding about 5-10 minutes to the cooking time. Alternatively, you can bake them fully and store them in an airtight container.
Gordon Ramsay Mince Pies Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy12
servings30
minutes25
minutes476
kcalClassic festive mince pies with a buttery, homemade shortcrust pastry and a rich, spiced mincemeat filling.
Ingredients
Pastry: 300g plain flour, pinch of salt, 150g cold butter, 3 tbsp icing sugar, 1 large egg, 1 tbsp cold water.
Filling: 300g mincemeat.
Topping: 1 beaten egg for wash, 1 tbsp caster sugar for sprinkling.
Directions
- Make the pastry: pulse flour, salt, and butter in a food processor to crumbs. Add icing sugar, then the egg/water mixture until dough just forms.
- Wrap the dough and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Roll out the chilled dough. Cut 12 bases and press into a buttered 12-hole tin.
- Fill each case with 1 tbsp of mincemeat.
- Cut 12 lids, brush the pie rims with egg wash, and seal the lids on top.
- Cut a steam vent, brush the tops with egg wash, and sprinkle with caster sugar.
- Bake at 190°C (170°C fan) for 20-25 minutes until golden. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
- Resting the dough twice (once after mixing and again after lining the tin) is the key to preventing the pastry from shrinking.
- A metal bun tin will give you a crisper, better-browned pie than a silicone one.
- Let the pies cool for 5 minutes in the tin before using a palette knife to gently loosen and remove them.
- Use fridge-cold butter and handle the dough minimally to ensure a tender, flaky pastry.
