The great mince pie taste test! Femail tries supermarket’s range of festive pastries

CO-OP Free From Mince Pies 

Hayley was shocked to learn that Co-op’s mince pies wiere vegan and gluten free

Pack of four, £2 

Appearance-wise, my mince pie didn’t look like it was particularly special – it was relatively plain, with a dusting of sugar and a traditional wavy edge. But I was pleasantly surprised. 

The filling was deliciously sweet without being too sickly and generously fruity – and crucially there was ample of it. 

The pastry wasn’t too thick which is my usual gripe with shop-bought pies; in fact it was pretty crunchy and moreish. I’d definitely be inclined to buy a pack of these! It was everything I need in a mince pie that isn’t fresh out of the oven.

I am VERY impressed that this is gluten free, as the pastry was so delicious. 

I’d be even more inclined to buy them now, as it means I can scoff more without feeling the bloat quite as much. 

And £2 is a very reasonable price point seeing as vegan and gluten free products are normally a bit more expensive. Well done Co-op!  – Hayley Richardson

Rating:

ASDA Extra Special All-Butter Crumble Mince Pies 

Jack said Asda's crumble mince pies were the best he's ever had, and were a bargain price

Jack said Asda’s crumble mince pies were the best he’s ever had, and were a bargain price

Pack of six, £2

This is one of the best mince pies I’ve ever tasted. After biting through the crumbly biscuit topping, a powerful medley of winter spices zings across your tongue. 

It also tasted quite boozy, which helped. I’m also not normally a fan of cold mince pies, but could easily polish off another two or three of these.

I was surprised these were only £2, bargain!   – Jack Elsom  

Rating:

CO-OP Luxury Mince Pies 

Charlotte said the rich filling was delicious and crumbly - while the decoration gave it a touch of class

Charlotte said the rich filling was delicious and crumbly – while the decoration gave it a touch of class

Pack of six, £2  

This was certainly the sweet treat I needed to pull me through the afternoon slump. 

The rich filling was perfectly complemented by the delicious, slightly crumbly pasty. While it may not have been the best mince pie I have ever tasted it would certainly leave me reaching for another!

I would have expected a luxury mince pie due to the pretty cut-out star pattern on the top of the pie which gave it a touch of class.

I’d happily pay £2 for a box of six of those bad boys, great value for money. – Charlotte Dean

Rating:

Tesco Finest all butter pastry mini mince pies 

Jessica said size didn't matter with her mince pies - as the minis were the perfect post dinner snack

Jessica said size didn’t matter with her mince pies – as the minis were the perfect post dinner snack

Pack of 12 , £2

My mini mince pie showed that size certainly doesn’t matter, as it proved to be a bite-sized delight. 

The pastry was floury, buttery and sweet, while the filling wasn’t overpowering. 

I did find it slightly dry, but even as mince pie cynic this is something I would definitely have after my Christmas roast  – Jessica Rach

Rating:

Morrisons All Butter Deep Filled Mince Pies 

Sarah really liked the all butter deep filled mince pies, and said she would serve it with custard

Sarah really liked the all butter deep filled mince pies, and said she would serve it with custard

Pack of six, £2 

I really liked this mince pie – the pastry was very delicate, a little dry, but still tasty.

The mincemeat had a nice tangy apple flavour to it – giving it a kick.

While the crusty edge of the pastry and icing powder finished it off well.

The only thing which would have made it better was having it warm with some custard. – Sarah Finley

Rating:

Stephanie thought the Asda mince pies had plenty of filling, but were a little too sweet

Stephanie thought the Asda mince pies had plenty of filling, but were a little too sweet

ASDA Luxury Extra Special Mince Pies 

Pack of six, £1.39 

Delicious! A lovely balance of flavours with a gorgeously crumbly crust. 

There is plenty of filling (often a concern with mince pies) and is a substantial size. 

My only criticism would be that it’s maybe a touch too sweet – although I have a wicked sweet tooth so it doesn’t bother me! – Stephanie Linning

Rating:

 ALDI,  Specially Selected Crumble Topped Mince Pies – Salted Caramel

Connor thought the salted caramel mince pies were perfectly sweet and not too rich

Connor thought the salted caramel mince pies were perfectly sweet and not too rich

 Pack of six, £1.79

Other than the pasty to filling ration being slightly off, the pie was delicious.

It was perfectly sweet without being too rich (a mistake of too many mince pies these days).

Plenty of fruit coming through in the flavour too. – Connor Boyd

Rating:

SAINSBURY’S, Taste the Difference All Butter Mince Pies  

Pack of six, £2.00 

This was a really tasty one.

The pie crumbled quite easily in my fingers, but made up for it with its spice and sweet and sour accent.  

I’ve heard that the Sainsbury’s mince pies are usually good, so this does not come as such a surprise. 

ASDA, Luxury Sloe Gin Mince Pies 

Lisa thought the mince pies were light and fluffy, and was surprised they came from Asda

Lisa thought the mince pies were light and fluffy, and was surprised they came from Asda

Pack of six, £2 

This pie was light, fluffy and had really nice flavours. 

I only wish it had a little more filling because it was a bit sparse.

I thought it looked much more expensive so the price, and to find out that they’re from Asda is a shocker! 

I do think it’s worth the money for sure. They tasted and looked more than £2.  – Lisa Quick

Rating:

WAITROSE Plum, Honey and Ginger Mince Pies

Pack of four, £2 

James thought the plum, honey and ginger mince pies was 'very satisfying'

James thought the plum, honey and ginger mince pies was ‘very satisfying’

What a time of year. Christmas pudding, roast turkey, Brussels sprouts. All such delicious and enticing items. But one emerges from the pack as the most enjoyable festive food item, the humble mince pie.

It is a big decision choosing a mince pie. Do you go for intriguing take on the classic? Or stick with the original tried and tested formula. This flavoursome mince pie had an orangey twang to it and I thoroughly enjoyed its fruitiness.

The pastry, although satisfying, left my mouth feeling a little dry and could have done with being slightly more buttery. But I would rate this as a solid pie, albeit not completely mind-blowing.

I’m not surprised it’s from Waitrose, I love Waitrose.  But foolish of me to think it orange when it’s actually plum! – James Wood

Rating:

ASDA Mince pies

Pack of six, 87p 

Terri-ann thought the pies were a bit tart, but great value for money

Terri-ann thought the pies were a bit tart, but great value for money

The filling is nice and has a little bit of tartness to it. The pastry is also nice but could have been a little more buttery.

The sugar sprinkled on the top was a welcome addition but the top was a little bit too crumbly for me.

What I liked about it, was that you didn’t get that dry mouth feeling you can sometimes get after eating a mince pie. 

I think I knew they were a cheaper version because of the crust, but I think they are well worth the 87p! – Terri-Ann Williams

Rating:

Terri-Ann really enjoyed Aldi's specially selected mince pies

Terri-Ann really enjoyed Aldi’s specially selected mince pies

ALDI, All Butter Classic Mince Pies

Pack of Six, £1.35 

Really liked the look of this pie as there is a cute little star on top of it, which makes you feel extra festive.

There was quite a lot of pastry on this one and the lid was pretty thick. The filling was chunky though which made it quite a chunky mince pie.

The filling was also quite sweet and I would have preferred it to be a little tarter.  

Only £1.35? Bargain! – Terri-Ann Williams 

Rating:

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