Guide Note
Mince Pie is a traditional Christmas and New Year's pastry in the United Kingdom, made with mincemeat and beef fat or vegetable oil, and topped with sugar.
Fast Facts
- Traditionally topped with a pastry crust shaped like a star
- Made with meat until the 19th century
- Favorite food of Santa Claus
- Typically two to three inches in diameter
Mincemeat and Suet and Sugar, Oh My!
Up until the 19th century, mince pies were made with spiced meat and dried fruit. Today mincemeat is made of dried fruits such as apricots, raisins or cherries; chopped nuts such as walnuts or almonds; alcohol such as brandy or rum; and suet, a raw beef or mutton fat. The ingredients are baked in a pie crust and topped with fine sugar.
