Mary Berry Frangipane Mince Pies Recipe

This crisp, golden Mary Berry Frangipane Mince Pies recipe is made with buttery shortcrust, sweet mincemeat, and a soft almond sponge, ready in just 45 minutes. The hero moment comes when the frangipane puffs up in the oven, creating a light, cake-like crown over the spiced filling. I love serving these warm with a generous dollop of brandy butter for the ultimate festive treat.

Why This Classic Works

I have made dozens of mince pie variations over the years, but Mary Berry’s version stands out because it swaps the heavy pastry lid for a light, almond-flavoured sponge. The frangipane topping balances the intense sweetness of the mincemeat, making it less cloying than traditional recipes. It is a brilliant way to convert people who claim they don’t like mince pies.

One mistake I made early on was overfilling the pastry cases with mincemeat, which caused the filling to boil over and stick to the tin. The secret is to use just a small teaspoon of mincemeat so the frangipane has plenty of room to rise and seal the edges without messy leaks.

Mary Berry Frangipane Mince Pies Ingredients

For the Pastry:

• 175g plain flour
• 75g cold butter, cubed
• 25g icing sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten

For the Filling:

• 400g jar good quality mincemeat
• 2 tbsp brandy (optional, to stir into mincemeat)

For the Frangipane Topping:

• 100g butter, softened
• 100g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 100g ground almonds
• 1 level tbsp plain flour
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 25g flaked almonds (for sprinkling)

For the Glaze (Optional):

• 2 tbsp apricot jam
• 1 tsp lemon juice

How To Make Mary Berry Frangipane Mince Pies

1. Prep the oven and tins: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C Fan / Gas 6). Have a 12-hole bun tin or tartlet tin ready; you shouldn’t need to grease it if using a non-stick tin and buttery pastry, but you can lightly grease it to be safe.
2. Make the pastry: Place the flour, cold cubed butter, and icing sugar into a food processor. Pulse until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Pour in the beaten egg and pulse again briefly until the dough starts to clump together into a ball.
3. Chill the dough: Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it very briefly until smooth. Wrap it in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to make it easier to handle.
4. Make the frangipane: While the pastry chills, make the topping. You can use the unwashed processor bowl. Blend the softened butter and caster sugar until creamy. Add the eggs, ground almonds, flour, and almond extract, then blend until smooth and combined.
5. Line the tins: Roll out the chilled pastry thinly on a floured surface. Use a fluted cutter (approx. 7.5cm) to stamp out 12-18 circles. Press them gently into the bun tin holes.
6. Fill the cases: Spoon one level teaspoon of mincemeat into the bottom of each pastry case. Do not be tempted to add more, or it will bubble over.
7. Add the topping: Spoon a dollop of frangipane on top of the mincemeat. You don’t need to spread it perfectly flat; it will level out in the heat of the oven.
8. Bake: Sprinkle a few flaked almonds over each pie. Bake for 15-17 minutes until the pastry is crisp and the frangipane is risen and golden brown.
9. Cool and glaze: Allow the pies to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack. If glazing, heat the apricot jam and lemon juice in a small pan until runny, sieve to remove lumps, and brush over the warm pies. Alternatively, simply dust with icing sugar once cool.

Recipe Tips

• Don’t skip the chill: Chilling the pastry for at least 30 minutes relaxes the gluten and prevents the cases from shrinking in the oven.
• Fixing curdled frangipane: If your butter and egg mixture looks curdled when mixing the frangipane, don’t panic. Just add the tablespoon of flour immediately and it will bring the mixture back to a smooth consistency.
• Watch the browning: Frangipane can catch quickly. If the tops are browning too fast before the pastry is cooked, cover the tin loosely with foil for the last few minutes of baking.

What To Serve With Frangipane Mince Pies

These pies are rich enough to eat on their own, but they are exceptional when served warm with a spoon of brandy butter or clotted cream. For a dessert course, try pairing them with chilled pouring cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream to contrast the warm almond sponge.

How To Store

Store cool mince pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They freeze brilliantly; you can freeze the unbaked pies in the tin then bag them up, or freeze baked pies for up to 3 months. Reheat frozen baked pies in a moderate oven for 5-8 minutes to refresh the pastry.

FAQs

Can I use shop-bought pastry?

Yes, to save time you can use a block of all-butter shortcrust pastry. You will need about 375g to line a standard 12-hole tart tin.

Why did my mincemeat leak out?

This usually happens if the cases are overfilled. The frangipane needs to seal the mincemeat inside, so ensure you only use a small teaspoon of filling and leave a gap between the filling and the top of the pastry.

Can I make these gluten-free?

Yes, swap the plain flour in both the pastry and the frangipane for a high-quality gluten-free plain flour blend. The ground almonds in the topping already help keep the texture moist without gluten.

Nutrition

• Calories: 220 kcal
• Total Fat: 14g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Cholesterol: 45mg
• Sodium: 90mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 20g
• Protein: 4g

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Highland Pie Recipe
• Mary Berry Mulled Wine Recipe
• Mary Berry Mincemeat Buns