Limoncello Mince Pies with Buttery Homemade Pastry

Limoncello mince pies are little British-style Christmas tarts filled with dried fruit, apple, citrus and a splash of Italian lemon liqueur, all tucked into crisp, buttery pastry. Limoncello brightens traditional mincemeat with a fragrant lemon note; serve the pies warm or at room temperature, dusted with icing sugar.

Ingredients

1⅔ cups (200 g) all-purpose flour, plus a little for rolling
½ cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
¼ cup (30 g) confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg yolk
2–3 tablespoons (30–45 ml) cold water
1½ cups (360 g) prepared mincemeat
2 tablespoons (30 ml) limoncello
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 small egg, beaten, for glazing
1 tablespoon (8 g) confectioners’ sugar, for serving

Instructions

Make the pastry. Put the flour and ¼ cup (30 g) confectioners’ sugar in a mixing bowl. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips, or pulse briefly in a food processor, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cold water. Mix just until the dough starts to come together, adding the remaining water a teaspoon at a time only if needed. Avoid kneading; overworked pastry can turn tough.
Chill the dough. Shape it into a flat disk, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This firms the butter and makes the dough easier to roll. While it chills, stir the mincemeat, limoncello and lemon zest together in a small bowl. The filling should be moist but not runny; if your mincemeat is already loose, use only 1 tablespoon of limoncello.
Heat the oven and prepare the tin. Set a rack in the center and heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin or mince-pie tin. If using a fan oven, 350°F (180°C) is usually suitable; check your oven’s guidance if it tends to run hot.
Cut the pastry bases. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick. Cut 12 rounds about 3½ inches (9 cm) across, rerolling scraps gently as needed. Press each round into a cup without stretching it. Cut 12 smaller rounds or stars, about 2½ inches (6 cm), for the tops. If the pastry becomes soft or greasy, chill it for 10 minutes before continuing.
Fill and top. Spoon about 1 tablespoon (20–25 g) of mincemeat into each pastry case, leaving room for the filling to bubble. Brush the pastry edges lightly with beaten egg, then place on a pastry round or star. Press the edges gently to seal; leave a small opening if using solid round lids so steam can escape. Brush the tops with a little more egg. Do not overfill, or the syrupy fruit may leak and stick to the tin.
Bake. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling gently. The pies contain no raw meat or egg-based filling, so a meat or egg safe-temperature check is not applicable. Leave them in the tin for 5 minutes, then loosen carefully with a thin knife and transfer to a rack. Cool for at least 10 minutes before eating; hot fruit filling can burn. Dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

Tips

Keep the butter and water cold, and handle the pastry as little as possible. If it cracks while rolling, press it together rather than adding lots of extra water.
Prepared mincemeat varies in sweetness and moisture. Taste it before adding limoncello; reduce the liqueur if it already tastes strongly of citrus or feels wet.
If you do not have limoncello, use 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water, and add a little extra lemon zest. The flavor will be sharper and less sweet, without the liqueur’s aroma.
For neater pies, chill the filled tin for 10 minutes before baking. Keep an eye on them near the end: thin pastry and dark tins can brown quickly.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the pies warm or at room temperature, with a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar. They pair well with tea or coffee, or as a festive dessert with softly whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of thick yogurt. For a more pronounced lemon finish, offer a little finely grated zest at the table rather than adding extra liquid to the filling.

Variations

For a nutty version, replace 2 tablespoons (15 g) of the flour with finely ground almonds; the pastry will be slightly more delicate. Add 2 tablespoons (20 g) chopped candied peel or toasted chopped pistachios to the filling for extra texture. To make open tarts, skip the pastry tops and bake the filled cases uncovered, checking them a few minutes earlier. For an alcohol-free option, replace the limoncello with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple juice and a little extra lemon zest; the citrus flavor will be less rounded.

Storage and Reheating

Cool the pies and refrigerate them within 2 hours of baking. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Their pastry is crispest on the day they are made, but reheating helps refresh it: place pies on a baking sheet in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 8–10 minutes, until warmed through, then cool briefly before serving. Avoid microwaving if you want to preserve crisp pastry, as it can make the crust soft. For longer storage, freeze the baked, fully cooled pies in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months; thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven. Do not leave filled pies at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use store-bought pastry?
Yes. Use about 12 ounces (340 g) ready-rolled shortcrust pastry, or enough to line and top 12 cups. Follow the packet’s handling directions and keep the pastry chilled. Puff pastry is possible, but it gives a much lighter, flakier result rather than the traditional short, crumbly crust.

Can I make the pies ahead?
Yes. You can make the dough up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it, well wrapped. The assembled, unbaked pies can also be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day; bake them straight from the refrigerator, adding a couple of minutes if needed. Alternatively, freeze them unbaked and bake from frozen, allowing extra time and checking for golden pastry and bubbling filling.

Why did my mince pies leak?
Common causes are overfilling, a loose mincemeat mixture or an unsealed lid. Use roughly 1 tablespoon of filling per pie, leave a little headspace, and press the edges together gently. A small vent in solid pastry lids lets steam escape without creating a large opening for filling to spill through.

Is the alcohol cooked out of the filling?
Not necessarily. Baking reduces some alcohol, but it does not guarantee that all of it evaporates. If you need an alcohol-free version, use the apple-juice-and-zest substitution instead of limoncello.

Can I use homemade mincemeat?
Yes, provided it is prepared and stored safely. If it is very wet, drain off a little liquid before mixing in the limoncello; if it is dry, stir in the liqueur gradually. Homemade recipes vary in sweetness and fruit size, so taste and adjust the lemon zest rather than adding extra liquid automatically.

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).