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The best mince pies for Christmas 2025, revealed
Nothing says Christmas like a mince pie, but which brand won star baker this year?
Tested by Callum Black and Georgia Turnell
Nothing marks the beginning of Christmas like that first mouthful of mince pie – buttery, crumbly pastry filled with spiced mincemeat and a generous dash of booze for good measure.
And if you love mince pies, then you’re definitely not alone. In fact, the UK eats around 800 million of them each year.
While the Good Housekeeping Institute can’t be held responsible for eating all the pies, our panellists did each manage to sample 30 varieties from the leading supermarkets and artisan bakeries to find the very best mince pies to stock up on this year.
Best mince pies for Christmas 2025
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The best Christmas food and drink for 2025, revealed
Prefer a twist on the classic? Our panel also picked their favourite alternative mince pies for 2025, including limoncello, gingerbread, and apple crumble versions…
How we test mince pies
The Good Housekeeping Institute's panel of experts and consumers tested 34 classic and gluten-free mince pies, looking for rich, decadent bakes with a hearty filling and buttery crumb. Each was presented blind to avoid brand bias, and assessed on its aroma, flavour and appearance.
These are the best mince pies for 2025.
Score: 80/100
These yuzu juice-spiked mince pies are a masterclass in harmony, with the standout buttery pastry housing a densely packed, naturally sweet, zesty filling. Testers described it as “a fantastic, classic mince pie”.
Available 6 November 2025
Score: 79/100
The filling to pastry ratio was spot on for our testers, who enjoyed the crumbly, buttery case and heavily spiced, sweet filling. With notes of treacle and brown sugar, this is one for those with a sweet tooth.
Score: 78/100
Gilda, an artisan bakery in Kent, makes its debut in our annual mince pie taste test with this small‑batch, traditionally made pie.
Featuring UPF-free, high‑quality ingredients, including Kentish apples, homemade candied peel and sloe gin, it has a pleasing homemade look and flavour, according to our testers. Expect crisp, buttery pastry and a fruity mincemeat filling. A beautiful pie to gift this Christmas.
Available 15 October 2025
Score: 78/100
Household name Mr Kipling proved a solid choice with its well-balanced bakes. The classic filling is both tart and sweet, reminiscent of marmalade jam, with a nostalgic taste that reminded testers of their childhood.
Score: 77/100
Part of ASDA’s premium “Exceptional” range, these highly commended pies are also great value. The pastry case has a lovely crumbly texture, while the sweet, lightly spiced filling is jam-packed with rich, juicy vine fruit and has a citrus kick.
Score: 75/100
Fresh, zingy, and treacle sweet, the festive spice and long-lasting alcohol flavour in Lidl’s well-priced bakes provide a consistent base for the jammy filling. The pastry-to-filling ratio divided our panel though; some loved the thick case, while others would have preferred a thinner crust.
Score: 74/100
A classic coffee shop treat to indulge in when on the go, Caffè Nero’s mince pies are sold individually. The juicy vine fruit is rich and sticky, which contrasts nicely with the buttery, flakey pastry and boozy base note.
Available in-store 1 November 2025
Score: 73/100
Lightly spiced, with a hint of mulled wine, our testers adored the jammy vine fruit in Morrisons’ premium mince pies. They were also impressed generous, deep filling, and thought they’d be particularly delicious served warm with a dollop of brandy butter on top.
Score: 72/100
Sweet vanilla, warming spice and refreshing orange, combined with a generous glug of cognac and cider, result in a decidedly grown-up, organic mince pie from Riverford. Although some would have preferred a little more sweetness to counter the punchy flavour, others thought it was spot on. A top choice for those looking for a vegan-friendly pie.
Score: 72/100
A great all-rounder, Lottie Shaw’s sugary mince pies consist of a buttery pastry case, filled with juicy fruit that’s “bursting with flavour” according to one tester. With a touch of alcohol and a little cinnamon spice, these have a spot-on filling-to-pastry ratio.
Score: 72/100
Creators of teatime treats and luxury hampers, Cartwright & Butler is a top choice for mince pies. The fragrant mincemeat filling is heavy on the citrus, with many testers telling us that this mince pie “smelt like Christmas”. The pastry case is creamy and buttery, with a sugar sprinkle topping.
These also passed...
- Betty’s Classic Mince Pies, £19.95 for 12; Score: 71/100
- Tesco Finest All Butter Pastry Mince Pies, £3 for 6; Score: 71/100
- Waitrose No.1 Brown Butter Mince Pies, £4 for 6; Score: 71/100
- Costa All Butter Mince Pie, £2.7 for 1; Score: 70/100
- Aldi Specially Selected All Butter Mince Pies, £2.49 for 6; Score: 70/100
- Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference All Butter Mince Pies, £3.50 for 6; Score: 70/100
Best gluten-free mince pies
Score: 75/100
ASDA’s free-from pies may not be traditional, but frangipane fans will be delighted by the subtle twist on the classic. Sweet and citrussy, the Bakewell-style almond and vanilla flavour works beautifully with the warming vine fruit jam.
Available 15 October 2025
Score: 74/100
In second place are these tasty mince pies from the family-run Hobbs House Bakery. Our panel thought they looked homemade with thick, nutty pastry and a treacle sweet fruity filling, topped with a hand cut star. Delicious!
Score: 73/100
These lovely nutty bakes may be free from gluten, but that’s the only thing lacking. Rich, fruity, jammy and sweet, no superlative was spared when describing this tasty filling.
These also passed...
- Costa Gluten Free Mince Tart, £2.30 for 1, Score: 72/100
- Morrisons Free From Mince Pies, £2 for 4pk, Score: 70/100
- Tesco Finest Free From Frangipane Mince Pies, £2.50 for 4pk, Score: 70/100
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
Callum is our Food and Drink Testing Manager and has been part of the world of professional catering for 10 years, from cheffing to food manufacturing. While working in manufacturing he specialised in bespoke product and menu development for several start-ups and well-known brands such as Wrap It Up! and HOP Vietnamese. He holds the WSET Level 2 in wine, a Level 3 in spirits and has a particular interest in agave spirits.
Georgia has been part of the hospitality industry for the last nine years. Her starting point was the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu culinary school where she gained a Diplôme de Pâtisserie. She has worked at a number of well-known restaurants and bakeries including The Club at the Ivy and Ottolenghi, Notting Hill where she was the head pastry chef. Most recently, Georgia worked at The Clink Bakery inside HMP Brixton, which aims to reduce reoffending through teaching. She is an expert in all things baked goods and holds a WSET level 2 in wine.
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