10 best mince pies

It’s December, so Christmas is officially coming. Time to stock up on the mince pies. We’ve sampled them all to bring you the fruitiest, butteriest and most innovative in the shops

{1} Paul a Young Brownie Mince Pies

Made with the shortest of buttery-sweet pastry, these brownie mince pies are filled with port-and-brandy mincemeat, then baked with a top of his classic fudge brownie. A good one for chocoholics.

£9.95 for four, paulayoung.co.uk (in-store only)

{2} Morrisons Deep Filled Mince Pies

These mince pies have a true taste of Christmas – a generous filling of chewy, gooey fruit with candied peels and festive spices encased in thick, all-butter pastry.

£2.99 for six, morrisons.co.uk (in-store only)

{3} Marks & Spencer Ultimate Hand Crafted All Butter Mince Pies

The crisp and flaky pastry is filled with a rich mincemeat packed with vine fruits, kirsch-soaked glacé cherries, roasted almonds, and Armagnac. They come in a lovely box, too, making them a handy gift.

£4 for four, marksandspencer.com (in-store only)

{4} Tesco Finest Mince Pies

The thin pastry is a lovely golden colour, as well as being buttery and crunchy, while the deep filling is packed with luxury mincemeat that particularly benefits from the addition of nuts. Normally £2.50, these are on offer for just £2.

£2 for six, tesco.com

{5} Asda Extra Special Mince pies

These festive morsels are created with the help of some of the chefs at the world-famous Leiths. The crisp, buttery pastry goes a treat with the rich flavour of the soft filling, which is made from delectable vine fruits infused with mellow port and brandy.

£2 for six, groceries.asda.com

{6} Prestat Mini Mince Pies

These are tiny, which means you can eat two or three without the need for any guilt. They are perfect for cocktail or dinner parties, served up with tea or coffee or, better still, a glass of mulled wine.

£6.50 for 12, prestat.co.uk

{7} Hale & Hearty Luxury Mince Pies

These award-winning mince pies are deliciously wholesome, with a divine shortcrust pastry and seasonal fruit filling. And because they’re wheat-, gluten-, milk-, soya- and sulphite-free, they are suitable for vegetarians and people with coeliac disease.

£2.96 for four, ocado.com

{8} Heston from Waitrose Spiced Shortcrust Mince Pies

You can always trust Heston Blumenthal to put a quirky slant on things, so it should come as no surprise that these contain lemon curd, rose water and apple purée in addition to the rich mincemeat. You get a sachet of tangerine-flavoured sugar for dusting on top.

£3.50 for six, waitrose.com

{9} Fortnum & Mason Three Kings Mince Pies

Melchior’s Gift Mince Pie is flavoured with rose water and pistachios and sprinkled with gold dust. Caspar’s is perfumed with myrrh and a subtle mix of garam masala, cardamom, and chilli. Finally, Balthazar’s is perfumed with frankincense and flavoured with mint, lemon, and Arabian spices.

£12.95 for six, fortnumandmason.com

{10} Bettys Classic Mince Pies

These have a home-made design with a fruity citrus filling. Because they’re so fresh, they’re best eaten on the day of delivery (or frozen for Christmas). They’re as moreish as they come.

£9.50 for 12, bettys.co.uk