Latest Posts

Lidl Favorina Mince Pies

Price: £1.25 for a box of 6 (26/11/2024)

Lidl Favorina Mince Pies Box
Lidl Favorina Mince Pies Box

Favorina is Lidl’s own brand of festive holiday specialties. They describe these mince pies as ‘crumbly shortcrust pastry cases filled with lightly spiced mincemeat’. These are some of the cheapest mince pies to be found on the UK market ahead of Christmas 2024, priced at only £1.25 for six. But are they any good?

Lidl Favorina Mince Pie
Lidl Favorina Mince Pie

They are a traditional design, similar to the norm for supermarket own brand, lower-end mince pies and they feature a dual holly leaf pattern atop the pastry lid.

Cold Taste Test

On my first bite I was almost overwhelmed by the sheer stodginess of the pastry. Crumbly it is not. These must be the stodgiest non-vegan mince pies that I have reviewed so far. The mincemeat isn’t too bad, although it’s no better than average, but it can’t come close to compensating for the unsatisfactory texture of the case.

Hot Taste Test

I guess a stint in a hot oven might suffice to crisp up the pastry somewhat, so I’d recommend that to anyone who has purchased these pies. For consistency’s sake, I have them a few seconds in a microwave as that’s how I’ve reviewed all the other pies. The pastry wasn’t much better, but at least you kind of expect microwaved pastry to be a bit soggy and chewy. The heat released a bit more flavour from the mincemeat, but it’s still not great.

Lidl Favorina Mince Pie
Lidl Favorina Mince Pie

Verdict

These might well be some of the cheapest mince pies out there this year, but it doesn’t mean that they are a bargain. In fact, they are some of the worst that I have tasted and I’ll be avoiding them in the future. You can get much better value for your money elsewhere.

Nutrition

Typical values (per 100g):

  • Energy: 384 kcal
  • Fat: 14.6 g
  • Saturates: 5.2 g
  • Carbohydrate: 58 g
  • Of which sugars: 32.9 g
  • Fibre : 3.6 g
  • Protein: 3.3 g
  • Salt: 0.13 g

Iceland Luxury All Butter Mince Pies

Price: £3.00 for a box of 6 (16/11/2024)

Iceland Luxury All Butter Mince Pies box
Iceland Luxury All Butter Mince Pies box

The Iceland Luxury All Butter Mince Pies were much anticipated in my household because they have performed well in independent reviews in previous years. This year the packaging promises a ‘new improved recipe’, raising expectations even higher.

Iceland Luxury All Butter Mince Pie
Iceland Luxury All Butter Mince Pie

The text on the box describes them as ‘shortcrust pastry filled with vine fruit mincemeat containing Brandy, port & cut mixed peel‘. Surprisingly, the Iceland name doesn’t appear anywhere on the front or sides of the box. It’s only in small print on the back, as if the pies are trying to keep a low profile and don’t want to reveal their true identity.

Visually, these pies look similar to the premium pies from many of the other major UK grocery retailers, with a snowflake pattern on the pastry lid and a dusting of sugar on top.

Cold Taste Test

The pastry is pretty good, commensurate with its rivals at the top end of the market, albeit with no standout qualities to really distinguish it from the competition. The mincemeat is one of the thicker, lumpier ones that I have reviewed and I got a couple of slightly chewy pieces of fruit or peel in the first one I tested. I don’t mind that at all, and the overall flavour was pleasing, with a nice citrus aftertaste.

Hot Taste Test

The Iceland Luxury All Butter Mince Pies heat up nicely in a microwave and the sweet flavour of the chunky mincemeat is somewhat enhanced when warm. I still struggled to pick out much hint of the brandy or port, but it was a nice taste nonetheless.

Iceland Luxury All Butter Mince Pie
Iceland Luxury All Butter Mince Pie

Verdict

These are good, solid, all-round mince pies that score highly in every department and won’t let you down. They are worthy of a place in anyone’s Christmas dessert spread. The pastry and mincemeat are prepared to a high standard and I was impressed by the level of filling inside them. I would happily buy these pies again.

One point of note, though, is that these Iceland Luxury All Butter Mince Pies have the highest level of sugar in any of the pies that I have tested thus far. No doubt that contributes in no small part to their satisfying taste, but the health conscious mince pie connoisseur might want to consume them in moderation.

Nutrition

Typical values (per 100g):

  • Energy: 384 kcal
  • Fat: 13.4 g
  • Saturates: 8.9 g
  • Carbohydrate: 61.1 g
  • Of which sugars: 41 g
  • Fibre : 2.1 g
  • Protein: 3.5 g
  • Salt: 0.5 g

Iceland Mince Pies

Price: £1.45 for a box of 6 (16/11/2024)

Iceland Mince Pies box
Iceland Mince Pies box

These are the standard, no frills mince pies from British supermarket chain Iceland. The packaging describes them as ‘pastry cases filled with mincemeat, topped with a pastry lid and a sprinkling of sugar.

Iceland Mince Pie
Iceland Mince Pie

They are of average size and adhere to the conventional design and shape for packaged supermarket pies of their ilk. They are decorated with a six pointed star on top. Their appearance suggests that these will be middle-of-the-road mince pies.

Cold Taste Test

The pastry is decent. It’s about what you would expect at this price point. It has a good texture with a bit of crispiness to it, but not much butter flavour. The mincemeat is smooth and sweet, with few large pieces. It’s a nice enough flavour, but far from the best that I have sampled. There’s nothing to make it stand out from the crowd.

Hot Taste Test

The instructions list microwave heating as an option, so that’s what I did in this instance. Remember to remove the foil tray if you’re doing the same. When I opened up the heated pie, the warm mincemeat emitted a pleasing aroma of festive spices. The flavour was more or less unchanged and the pastry retained its consistency. There’s nothing special about them – just standard mince pies performing much as you would expect.

Iceland Mince Pie
Iceland Mince Pie

Verdict

Overall, these are very reasonable mince pies at a price that represents decent value for money. As mince pies go, they are respectably mid-table when compared to their rivals on the market. An average mince pie at a below average price.

It should be noted that they are far from average when it comes to calorie or fat content. At 403 kcal per 100g, these have the highest calorie count of any pie that I have tested this far, and at 16g per 100g they have the joint highest fat rating. Therefore, they should probably be avoided by anyone looking to lose weight.

Nutrition

Typical values (per 100g):

  • Energy: 403 kcal
  • Fat: 16 g
  • Saturates: 6.1 g
  • Carbohydrate: 59.7 g
  • Of which sugars: 31.4 g
  • Fibre : 2.8 g
  • Protein: 3.6 g
  • Salt: 0.3 g

M&S Classic Mince Pies

Price: £2.75 for a box of 6 (04/11/2024)

M&S Classic Mince Pies box
M&S Classic Mince Pies box

This is Marks and Spencer’s standard mince pie offering, sitting just below their M&S Collection Mince Pies in their 2024 range. It’s slightly more affordable than that premium version, but at £2.75 a box it’s still considerably more expensive than the standard own-brand mince pies at most other UK supermarkets.

M&S Classic Mince Pie
M&S Classic Mince Pie

The description on the packaging advertises them as “our classic deep filled spiced mincemeat encased in a crisp all butter shortcrust pastry”. They are an average size, and share the same star-shaped hole in the lid as their siblings in the M&S Collection range to allow the escape of steam during cooking. They have an attractive holly leaf pattern on top.

Cold Taste Test

The M&S Classic Mince Pies are encased in a very good, thick and crisp pastry with a nice buttery flavour. It’s undoubtedly one of the better supermarket mince pie pastries, with about as good a consistency as you can hope for in this type of product. The mincemeat too is of a high quality. It’s sweet, rich and fruity and really set my mouth watering for more. Overall, they’re an extremely tasty creation.

Hot Taste Test

The pastry survived a short blast in the microwave without losing much of its crisp consistency and still crumbled nicely between the teeth. Mincemeat invariably responds well to being heated up. And this v was no exception. I can confirm that these M&S Classic Mince Pies are just as tasty hot as they are cold.

M&S Classic Mince Pie
M&S Classic Mince Pie

Verdict

I was very impressed by the M&S Classic Mince Pies. Their price tag places them midway between most store brand standard mince pies and the premium versions, but in quality they’re probably closer to the premium pies, so they just about justify their price. I’d happily buy them again, and in fact I’d probably choose them ahead of the M&S Collection Mince Pies given that they are more than £1 cheaper. My only quibble is that they could perhaps have slightly more filling packed into them.

Nutrition

Typical values (per 100g):

  • Energy: 397 kcal
  • Fat: 14.3 g
  • Saturates: 9.8 g
  • Carbohydrate: 62.4 g
  • Of which sugars: 38.9 g
  • Fibre : 2.5 g
  • Protein: 3.4 g
  • Salt: 0.38 g

M&S Collection Mince Pies

Price: £4.00 for a box of 6 (04/11/2024)

M&S Collection Mince Pies box
M&S Collection Mince Pies box

Marks and Spencer, or M&S as they are commonly known, have a reputation for high quality food. Their ‘collection’ range is their premium line of products, so I had high expectations for these mince pies. The hefty £4 price tag only served to elevate those expectations yet further, for these are the most expensive mince pies that I have reviewed so far.

M&S Collection Mince Pie
M&S Collection Mince Pie

The text on the box describes them as ‘melt in the mouth all butter shortcrust pastry made with a blend of wheat flour and Wildfarmed flour, deep filled with vine fruits, cranberries, clementine and Cognac‘.

Design wise, they are some of the most intricately decorated mince pies to have found their way onto my plate this year. The lid takes the form of a twelve pointed star bedecked with festive foliage. There’s a small, star-shaped hole in the centre, which is presumably to allow hot air to escape when they are being heated up.

Cold Taste Test

First impressions were good. The pastry is crisp and crumbly with a nice hint of the butter. The mincemeat filling is dark in colour, moist and packed with juicy fruit. The pie cases are filled to a reasonable level. It’s a tasty mincemeat recipe with a traditional flavour. There’s a lot to like about these M&S Collection Mince pies.

Hot Taste Test

The pies are just as tasty when heated up for 10 to 15 seconds in a microwave. The pastry softens a little and the citrus flavour of the mincemeat is more in evidence. I’m sure they’d be even nicer if heated in a conventional oven or even an air fryer.

M&S Collection Mince Pie
M&S Collection Mince Pie

Verdict

There’s no doubt that these are quality mince pies. They’re a cut above the average supermarket mince pie. However, they’re not as special as I expected a premium M&S creation to be. I don’t think they quite justify their eye-watering price tag. If they were priced at £2.50 for example, I would have no problem lauding them as some of the best on the market. Given that they cost more than twice as much as many of their rivals, I can’t say that they represent great value for money. They’re good, but they’re not twice as good as the competition and at this price I certainly won’t be buying them regularly.

Nutrition

Typical values (per 100g):

  • Energy: 392 kcal
  • Fat: 14.2 g
  • Saturates: 9.2 g
  • Carbohydrate: 61.3 g
  • Of which sugars: 37.6 g
  • Fibre : 2.7 g
  • Protein: 3.5 g
  • Salt: 0.25 g

TESCO freefrom Mince Pies

Price: £2.00 for a box of 4 (01/11/2024)

TESCO freefrom Mince Pies box
TESCO freefrom Mince Pies box

These mince pies are part of TESCO’s freeFROM range, which is aimed at people with dietary intolerances and allergies. Therefore, these pies are gluten, wheat and milk free, which should make them safe for most people to consume. They are also classified as vegan. The blurb on the rear of the packet describes them as ‘crisp pastry filled with spiced mincemeat made with sultanas, raisins & currants’.

TESCO freefrom Mince Pie
TESCO freefrom Mince Pie

You do have to pay a bit of a premium for the freeFROM pies. At £2 for a pack of four, they work out at 50p per pie, which is double the cost of the standard Tesco ‘Merry’ Mince Pies. that come in a pack of six for £1.50. I guess it’s a price worth paying if you aren’t able to tolerate gluten, wheat or dairy products.

Cold Taste Test

The flavour of the pastry isn’t too bad considering there’s no butter involved. I’d say they have managed to mimic a hint of butter flavour with their recipe, so some credit is due there. The pastry texture isn’t great though. It’s not quite as bad as the OMV! Merrily Vegan Mince Pies, but it’s definitely not crisp or crumbly. If anything it brings to mind the sensation of biting into cardboard. It just doesn’t stand up to comparisons with the pastry from any of the non-vegan or non-freeFROM pies that I have reviewed.

The mincemeat, on the other hand, is pretty decent and does a good job of distracting you from the substandard pastry so that the overall effect is of a reasonable, fairly average mince pie.

Hot Taste Test

The instructions say to oven heat them, and that could potentially improve the pasty somewhat (although I have my doubts in this case). However, we’ve been microwave heating all the pies for our reviews so far so, in the interests of consistency, I did the same with one of these. The pastry did soften a bit, but was still too floury and starchy for my liking. The warm mincemeat was still just as pleasing and again compensated for the pastry to a degree.

TESCO freefrom Mince Pie
TESCO freefrom Mince Pie

Verdict

I wouldn’t recommend these TESCO freeFROM mince pies to anyone who doesn’t have the specific dietary requirements for which they cater. Quite simply, they can’t compete with the vast array of mince pies that have butter in their pastry. Therefore, they sit towards the bottom end of my ranking. However, competing with regular mince pies obviously isn’t their raison d’être.

They exist to provide an option for those of us who are unable to stomach regular mince pies, and they perform that function to a satisfactory standard. Indeed, I found them preferable to the two other varieties of vegan mince pie that I have previously reviewed. I’m happy to report that these TESCO freeFROM mince pies will provide people with gluten, wheat or milk intolerance an authentic tasting mince pie experience this Christmas. I wouldn’t like to think of anyone missing out on that.

Nutrition

Typical values (per 100g):

  • Energy: 396 kcal
  • Fat: 15.5 g
  • Saturates: 5.4 g
  • Carbohydrate: 59.2 g
  • Of which sugars: 28 g
  • Fibre : 4.1 g
  • Protein: 2.9 g
  • Salt: 0.17 g

Mr Kipling Signature Collection Mince Pies

Price: £1.75 for a box of 4 (01/11/2024)

Mr Kipling Signature Collection Mince Pies box
Mr Kipling Signature Collection Mince Pies box

This is Mr Kipling’s premium mince pie offering and the packaging boldly proclaims them to be his ‘best ever’, so my expectations were sky high and I eagerly anticipated sampling them. The hype suggests that they ought to be significantly superior to his standard variety.

Mr Kipling Signature Collection Mince Pie
Mr Kipling Signature Collection Mince Pie

The text on the box describes them thus “All butter pastry generously filled with gently spiced mincemeat infused with brandy and cider. All topped with a delicate pastry snowflake and finished with a sweet dusting“.

Aesthetically they are some of the most attractive mince pies that I have reviewed, with their intricate snowflake pattern on top. However, it should be noted that they don’t have a full pastry lid, so some purists would call them a tart rather than a pie. I think there’s just about enough pastry coverage to include them as a pie, but it’s a borderline case.

Cold Taste Test

These are wider and shallower than a typical mince pie, which allows them to be eaten almost like biscuits once removed from the foil case. The pastry is delicious. It’s really crisp and buttery and it’s up there with the best pastry that I’ve ever tasted on a cold, packaged product.

The mincemeat is sweet and juicy with no one flavour dominating. The spices and alcohol are barely in evidence, with a mixture of vine fruits and citrus prominent in a sticky gloop of a mixture. It’s a good recipe but could perhaps do with a bit more spice or a kick from the brandy.

Hot Taste Test

Heating up these pies (in the microwave on this occasion) did help to bring out the brandy and cider flavours in the mincemeat. The pastry survived 15 seconds in the microwave without losing its crispy texture so everything came together to make for an extremely pleasurable tasting experience.

Mr Kipling Signature Collection Mince Pie
Mr Kipling Signature Collection Mince Pie

Verdict

If we can ignore their tart-like appearance and allow these to be classified and ranked alongside more traditional mince pies then they compare very favourably with the best products in the field.

Mr Kipling is onto a good thing with this formula and I can see me buying them again before long. They are a top quality creation. The only real drawback is the price. I was able to purchase them at a reduced rate of £1.75, but the full RRP is £3.50, which would be fairly steep. Nonetheless, it would still be worth it as an occasional treat.

Nutrition

Typical values (per 100g):

  • Energy: 385 kcal
  • Fat: 12.9 g
  • Saturates: 8.4 g
  • Carbohydrate: 62 g
  • Of which sugars: 36.3 g
  • Fibre : 1.8 g
  • Protein: 3 g
  • Salt: 0.14 g

OMV! Merrily Vegan Mince Pies

Price: £1.50 for a box of 6 (07/10/2024)

OMV! Merrily Vegan Mince Pies box
OMV! Merrily Vegan Mince Pies box

OMV! is Asda’s vegan food brand, which has been on the go since late 2022. These mince pies are part of that range and they are described on the box as ‘merrily vegan’. Presumably the other products in the range are not so merry about their vegan status. Anyway, the main takeaway is that these mince pies are plant based, making them direct competitors to Tesco’s Plant Chef mince pies.

OMV! Merrily Vegan Mince Pie
OMV! Merrily Vegan Mince Pie

Somewhat surprisingly, these OMV! mince pies have the highest calorie count of any mince pies that I have reviewed so far, at 400 kcal per 100g. They also score highly for fat content, so perhaps they’re not as healthy an option as you might expect. At 4g per 100g, they have an elevated fibre content compared to most other mince pies, which may be seen as a positive by some consumers.

Cold Taste Test

The blurb on the packaging describes them as ‘perfectly crisp shortcrust pastry, packed with a juicy mincemeat filling’. I can’t agree. This is some of the worst pastry I’ve ever experienced on a mince pie. Crisp it is not. In fact, it is doughy and rather chewy. The filling doesn’t really cut the mustard either. Rather than juicy, it’s dry, sticky and blends into the pastry as you chew to create an overwhelming sensation of vaguely festive stodginess.

Hot Taste Test

Heating up these Asda OMV! mince pies didn’t miraculously transform them into a more palatable proposition. The pastry was still just as disappointing, but the texture and flavour of the filling was slightly enhanced. They’re still fairly bland and would benefit from an accompaniment of your preferred ice cream, cream, custard or brandy butter to liven them up a bit.

OMV! Merrily Vegan Mince Pie
OMV! Merrily Vegan Mince Pie

Verdict

Unfortunately I have to report that these are some of the worst mince pies that I have ever tasted. I definitely won’t be buying them again. There are better options out there, even amongst the other vegan offerings. It’s difficult to conceive of anyone ever coming up with a poorer, blander version of a mince pie than this.

Nutrition

Typical values (per 100g):

  • Energy: 400 kcal
  • Fat: 16 g
  • Saturates: 5.1 g
  • Carbohydrate: 58 g
  • Of which sugars: 29 g
  • Fibre : 4.0 g
  • Protein: 3.7 g
  • Salt: 0.19 g

Asda Mince Pies

Price: £1.50 for a box of 6 (07/10/2024)

Asda Mince Pies box
Asda Mince Pies box

These are Asda’s standard, no-frills, basic mince pies. Priced at £1.50 for a box of six, they are a direct competitor to the TESCO Mince Pies at the same price point. If you’re looking for something a bit more fancy in Asda, then you can of course try their Exceptional Luxury Mince Pies.

The box describes these Asda mince pies as “yummy” in a scrawly font on the top side, and I should hope so too. That adjective really ought to go without saying when it comes to mince pies. What would be the point of a mince pie that wasn’t yummy?

Asda Mince Pie
Asda Mince Pie

The description on the packaging goes on to advertise that they contain “juicy raisins, festive spices and crumbly pastry“, all of which one would generally expect as a bare minimum in any mince pie, so nobody can accuse them of setting overly high expectations in their product. The pie lids are decorated with a twinkling star design and a light sprinkling of sugar granules.

Cold Taste Test

The pastry is pretty stodgy. I definitely wouldn’t describe it as crumbly and it’s certainly nothing to write home about. It does at least perform its primary duty of providing shape and structure to the pies and serving as a container for the mincemeat. These pies are small, but they are, at least, well filled and the mincemeat is of a decent standard. It’s rich, juicy and is indeed yummy.

Hot Taste Test

A short blast in the microwave did the pastry absolutely no favours, but the mincemeat was just as nice once warmed up. It’s a good mixture with apple puree and plenty of fat, juicy raisins to the fore and is very pleasing on the palate. It left a sweet aftertaste in my mouth and a desire for more.

Asda Mince Pie
Asda Mince Pie

Verdict

Given their reasonable price tag, these are fairly decent, lower-end mince pies and they compare well to the Tesco version that was mentioned above. There’s not a lot to choose between the two, but I do think that I have a slight preference for the Tesco version. Having said that, these Asda Mince Pies are the healthiest (or should that be ‘least bad for you’) that I have reviewed so far. They have lower calorie, fat and carbs values per 100g than most other mince pies and a high fibre value, so you needn’t feel so guilty about eating more of them to compensate for the small size.

Unfortunately, like their Tesco counterparts, they do contain palm oil.

Nutrition

Typical values (per 100g):

  • Energy: 371 kcal
  • Fat: 13 g
  • Saturates: 5.4 g
  • Carbohydrate: 58 g
  • Of which sugars: 26 g
  • Fibre : 2.6 g
  • Protein: 3.5 g
  • Salt: 0.26 g

Asda Exceptional Luxury Mince Pies

Price: £2.75 for a box of 6 (07/10/2024)

Asda Exceptional Luxury Mince Pies box

These are Asda’s top of the range mince pies. In fact, they are said to be ‘luxury’ mince pies and the packaging blurb describes them as “filled with a warmly spiced mincemeat, infused with sweet ruby port, valencian orange oil and cognac“. The ingredients list also includes brandy, so the melange of three spirits should lend a noticeable hint of alcohol to the filling. I had high expectations for them.

Asda Exceptional Luxury Mince Pie
Asda Exceptional Luxury Mince Pie

Do they live up to their own hype? Let’s find out. At first glance, they appear slightly small for a premium range mince pie. They have a star within a star pattern on the pastry lid and a very light dusting of sugar on top.

Cold Taste Test

The pastry is reassuringly thick and a pleasing texture. You can really taste the butter in it, so it scores well on that front. Volume wise, the mincemeat filling leaves a bit to be desired. There’s quite a gap between the filling surface and the lid, which I found disappointing in a premium pie. They could really be more generous with their helpings. Taste wise, it is a good mincemeat recipe. The alcohol wasn’t as prominent as I expected. I found the dominant flavour to be the orange, which left a nice aftertaste on the palate. It’s definitely an above average mincemeat.

Hot Taste Test

A short burst in the microwave didn’t do much for the consistency of the pastry, which became a bit stodgy. Of course, they don’t recommend microwave heating them, and I’m sure they would do a lot better in the oven, but in the interest of consistency, I’m comparing all mince pies when microwave heated. The mincemeat, on the other hand, was simply delicious once warmed up. Nice big chunks of fruit steeped in a wonderful blend of flavours from the spirits and spices. They are extremely moreish, despite the microwave unfriendly pastry.

Asda Exceptional Luxury Mince Pie
Asda Exceptional Luxury Mince Pie

Verdict

These are good solid mince pies and can be considered a worthy competitor to their Tesco Finest and Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference equivalents. When oven heated, I think they would come into their own, with thick crispy pastry and a beautifully blended filling. They would be a welcome addition to anybody’s festive party. I would happily buy and eat these Asda Exceptional Luxury mince pies time and time again.

Nutrition

Typical values (per 100g):

  • Energy: 383 kcal
  • Fat: 15 g
  • Saturates: 7.9 g
  • Carbohydrate: 58 g
  • Of which sugars: 36 g
  • Fibre : 1.5 g
  • Protein: 4.2 g
  • Salt: 0.03 g