Spice up your Christmas baking with these crumble-topped mince pies!
Sweet, fruity mincemeat sits in a crisp shortcrust pastry shell and is finished with a buttery crumble topping. These are a simple twist on the classic mince pie and are sure to become a festive favourite.
If you love mince pies, this easy version swaps the usual pastry lid for a golden crumble and adds a lovely crunchy finish.
✔️ Why you’ll love this recipe!
- A tasty twist on the traditional mince pie.
- Perfect for Christmas gatherings and parties.
- Quick and straightforward to make.
- Freezer-friendly for easy batch prep.
🛒 Ingredients
Mincemeat – store-bought works well; choose vegetarian mincemeat if needed.
Clementine zest – the zest of two clementines adds bright, citrusy flavour.
Dried cranberries – a small amount adds a tart contrast to the sweet mincemeat.
Ready-rolled shortcrust pastry – convenient and saves time; use homemade if you prefer.
Crumble topping – made from self-raising flour, cold butter and caster sugar.
Demerara sugar – a light sprinkle before baking gives a pleasant crunch.
🔪 How to make mince pies with crumble topping
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and step-by-step instructions follows below.
One: Make the crumble topping by rubbing cubed cold butter into the self-raising flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You can do this by hand or in a food processor.
Two: Stir in the caster sugar and set the crumble aside.
Three: Roll out the ready-rolled pastry (or use as-is) and use a 7.5cm cutter to stamp out 12 circles. Re-roll scraps to get the remaining cases.
Four: Press each pastry circle gently into the wells of a 12-hole bun tin.
Five: Mix the clementine zest and dried cranberries into the mincemeat, then spoon it evenly into the pastry cases.
Six: Top each pie with the crumble mixture and finish with a light sprinkle of demerara sugar.
Seven: Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (180°C fan / Gas 6) for 15–18 minutes, until the crumble is golden. Allow to cool slightly before removing from the tin.
Top Tips
- Use cold butter cut into small cubes for the crumble—this creates a light, crisp texture.
- Choose vegetarian mincemeat if you want these to be suitable for all guests.
- Divide the mincemeat evenly between cases to ensure consistent baking and presentation.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve these crumble-topped mince pies warm or at room temperature with clotted cream or brandy butter. They work well on a festive buffet alongside other seasonal bakes and make a lovely addition to afternoon tea.
📖 Variations
- Make them gluten-free using gluten-free shortcrust pastry and gluten-free flour for the crumble.
- Swap clementine zest for orange zest for a different citrus note.
- Add chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans) to the crumble for extra crunch.
- Stir a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg or ginger into the crumble for warming spice.
🥡 Storage
Store – Keep baked mince pies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Reheat – Enjoy at room temperature or warm them in a preheated oven for about 5 minutes for a freshly baked feel.
Freeze – For best results freeze unbaked pies. Place the tin in the freezer for about an hour to firm them, then transfer the pies to a labeled freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to the cooking time if needed.
❓ FAQs
Modern mincemeat is a blend of chopped dried fruit, spices and often a spirit such as brandy, rum or whisky. Historically it included meat, but today’s versions are typically fruit-based.
Serve with brandy butter or clotted cream, alongside tea or mulled wine, or as a dessert in place of a traditional pudding.
😋 More festive sweet treats to try
- Cranberry muffins
- Puff pastry mince pies
- Chocolate orange cookie bars
- Chocolate orange brownies
- Mincemeat muffins
- Mincemeat pinwheels
Tried it? Share a photo and rate the recipe. Tag @effortlessf00d on Instagram—I’d love to see your bakes!
Recipe
Easy Crumble Topped Mince Pies
Equipment
- 12 hole bun tin
Ingredients
- 320 g ready-rolled shortcrust pastry
- 410 g mincemeat
- 2 clementines, zest only
- 50 g dried cranberries
- 100 g self-raising flour
- 60 g butter, cubed and cold
- 35 g caster sugar
- 2 tbsp demerara sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan / Gas 6).
- Make the crumble: rub the cold cubed butter into the self-raising flour until coarse crumbs form. Stir in the caster sugar and set aside.
- Roll out the pastry and use a 7.5cm cutter to stamp out 12 circles, re-rolling scraps as needed.
- Press each circle into a 12-hole bun tin.
- Mix the clementine zest and dried cranberries into the mincemeat and spoon evenly into the pastry cases.
- Top each pie with the crumble and sprinkle with demerara sugar.
- Bake for 15–18 minutes until golden. Allow to cool slightly before removing from the tin. Dust with icing sugar if desired.
Notes
Top Tips:
- Keep the butter very cold for a crisp crumble topping.
- Use vegetarian mincemeat if you need the pies to be meat-free.
Variations:
- Make gluten-free with appropriate pastry and flour.
- Use orange zest instead of clementine.
- Add chopped nuts to the crumble for extra texture.
Storage:
- Store baked pies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Warm briefly in the oven before serving if you prefer them hot.
- Freeze unbaked pies: firm in the tin for about an hour, transfer to a labeled freezer bag and freeze up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a little extra time if needed.
Nutrition: Nutritional values are approximate and may vary depending on ingredients used.
Nutritional Information (Approximate)
Carbohydrates: 57 g |
Protein: 5 g |
Fat: 4 g |
Sugar: 32 g
Tried this recipe? Snap a photo and tag @effortlessf00d on Instagram and leave a comment to let us know how it turned out.