The Best Mince Pies This Year, Tried & Tested

Though they seem to be creeping into supermarkets earlier each year – we spotted our first in September – ‘tis now truly the season for mince pies. But where to start? Our handy guide to the best festive treats are tried-and-tested by the C&TH team. From gluten-free gems to indulgent, rich and fruity bites, we’ve been gluttonous in the pursuit of the perfect pie. We looked for taste, texture, novelty and whether we’d buy them again; we asked the team to feedback on each bite they took. Get the cream ready: here are the best mince pies for 2026, tried and tested.

Our Top Mince Pies At A Glance

• Overall: St John’s Bakery
• Luxury: The Newt in Somerset
• Novelty: Pophams Bakery x King’s Ginger
• Traditional: Pump Street Bakery
• Budget: Riverford Organic

The Best Mince Pies For Christmas 2026, Taste-Tested

Pump Street

Don’t let the marketing pics fool you. These are sticky pies coated in sugar that arrive with a slash through the middle – just to give you a little tease. Inside, it’s all rich, chewy mince meat. We thought that this offering from the cult Suffolk bakery was generously portioned, and probably better shared to avoid a 4pm sugar slump. Pre-order for 5 November, £25 for six, pumpstreetchocolate.com

The Newt

‘All mince pies should have a crumble-top,’ said one colleague, so moved by the Newt’s rejection of the mince pie’s conventional form. A bold declaration, but deserved. The country estate’s pies are filled with sharp fruits and err on the drier side, but can be balanced out by cream or brandy butter. Forgoing a top absolutely makes them a lighter bite. £13.95 for six, shop.thenewtinsomerset.com

Sophia’s Sourdough

This London micro-bakery’s sourdough mince pies are – we’ll be upfront – not the prettiest in the pack. The slab of pastry does not cover its top completely, possibly as a result of their delivery. But, silver linings: they deliver – in multiple senses. Brown sugar spots the top, and practically makes the pies sparkle (which is uber-cute). The pastry has a delicate twang, which makes it more interesting than many conventional mince pies, and there’s a strong taste of clove through the filling. At that, the filling is rather generous. No air-flation here!  Launch date and price TBC, sourdoughsophia.co.uk

Riverford Organic

At under £1 a pop, Riverford Organic’s mince pies offer bang for their buck. The mince pies are uber-fruity, sloshed through with brandy, and then finished in a wood-fired oven. While they don’t receive points for novelty, they feel reliably traditional. They look and feel homemade, so you could absolutely pass them off as your own. £5.55 for six, riverford.co.uk

DukesHill

These are an easy classic: buttery, not too pastry-heavy, and generously filled with fruity goodness. Each of these mince pies are hand cut, and you can tell – not that they’re wonky, exactly, but they feel personal. Not overly decorated, either (which, in a world full of over-fusty mince pies, is light relief). £14.50 for six, dukeshill.co.uk

Pophams Bakery x King’s Ginger

These proved very divisive. Pophams’ take on the mince pie is truly original – based on the flaky pastry of a croissant, mincemeat piped in after soaking for months in spicy King’s Ginger, and then finished with a dash of clotted cream. It was this latter inclusion that riled some traditionalists on the team. But try them and you’ll find they’re light, sweet and super tasty. Add in that they’re beautifully presented in a box with bow and stamp, and this is a sure winner. As long as you’re open to change. Launch date and price TBC. In 2025 these were £21 for six. pophamsbakery.com

Toklas Bakery

‘No frills in the best way,’ said one of the team of Toklas Bakery’s spin on the mince pie. ‘It felt home-made, well baked and super dark inside.’ The pastry on this mince pie is more suet-like in quality but that means it houses its rich sultana filling well. There’s a beautiful caramelisation to the outside. Unfortunately these aren’t available online – you’ll need to head in-person to the Strand bakery for this perfectly textured pie. Launch date and price TBC. In 2025 these were £3.50 each or £10.50 for three. toklaslondon.com

Hobbs House Bakery x Abel & Cole (Gluten-Free)

Our coeliac colleagues enjoyed Hobbs House Bakery’s gluten-free mince pies – although they advised that these would be best served with a cream side as they can tend on the dry side. The Hobbs House Bakery’s sweet, citrusy mincemeat is encompassed in a lovingly made gluten-free shortcrust pastry, topped with a festive star. Not hugely original, but classic, festive and the perfect way to include all your guests. £6.85 for four, abelandcole.co.uk

Cook

Although these mince pies are made by Cook (best described as a posh sort of Iceland), they don’t arrive frozen. While they can be eaten straight away, cold, we’d recommend that they are much tastier after a stint in the oven. The pastry is soft, crumbly and generously filled with fruit, peels and spices, so these are easy eating. They’re not super indulgent – don’t expect any gimmicks – but they’re to-the-book traditional shortcrust pies. To boot, they’re vegan – and exceptionally well priced. £4.75 for six, cookfood.net

Twelve Triangles

Say it in one breath: these mince pies from Edinburgh-based bakery Twelve Triangles are made with sherry-soaked plums, cherries, cranberries, sultanas, and then topped with a walnut and brown butter sourdough frangipane. If that doesn’t have you drooling, then none of these mince pies will tickle your tastebuds. This rich combination is a joy in a pastry that held onto its form, enjoyed a nice crumb, and felt deeply luxurious. Launch date and price TBC. In 2025 these were £18 for four, twelve-triangles.myshopify.com

Bread Ahead

Bread Ahead has been in the news for all sorts of reasons this year (primarily a lengthy battle with its landlord). Well, new headline: ‘Bread Ahead’s Mince Pies Are Mega’. These mince pies are warming, traditional and indulgently boozy. The pastries have a crunch and are best suited for those with strong sweet teeth – these are very sugary. If you find yourself falling in love with the texture of these, the bake chain offers a mince pie workshop at its Borough shop, although these are mostly sold out for this year. Book soon for remaining dates or put it on next year’s Christmas list? £3.25 each or £16 for six, and workshop for £115, breadahead.com

Fitzbillies

The shortcrust on Fitzbillies’ mince pies taste like a very light shortbread, and these flat little bites are joyfully sugary, gleefully buttery, and dangerously easy to pop. These mince pies will in particular be a total hit with old cantabs – who will invariably bore you with tales of queueing at the Cambridge bakery – but will satisfy any treat seekers. You’ll like them even more after finding out the price. Pre-order for delivery after 3 November, £22 for 12, fitzbillies.com

Birley Bakery

These mini bites from Birley Bakery were a hit, not least because they’re indulgent but small enough to pop in the mouth in one go, guilt-free. As such, you’ll need to pace yourself – it’s easy to overdo it. That said, not all of these little bites are created equally; some have more brown on the outside than others, but this adds to feeling like you’re eating something homemade. The bakery says it has a secret recipe ‘boasting a luxurious filling of rich mincemeat’, and we’d love to be in the know about what makes these just so special. £2.20 each, birleybakery.com

St John Bakery

When these first appeared in the office, we wondered if there’d been a mix up – St John’s Bakery mince pies look the spit of a pork pie. But one bite dispels that – buttery, rich pastry encases an almost savoury mix of fruit, nuts and brandy, that has sour cherry notes (although it does not contain this). This suet pastry is a treat from the powerhouse bakery. These were the C&TH top choice of all the mince pies so, for balance, we asked our colleague who absolutely hates mince pies to try them: ‘too fruity, too spicy.’ So it might not convert everyone, but otherwise… These are a winner for those with a mince pie craving this season. Launch date and price TBC. In 2025 these were £3.50 each or £21 for six, stjohnrestaurant.com