The Queen's pastry chef has revealed her secret mince pie recipe (2024)

Mince pies are being enjoyed up and down the UK at this time of year, including at Buckingham Palace.

So, if you want a taste of a seasonal sweet treat fit for the Queen, Royal Pastry chef Kathryn Cuthbertson has revealed the secret recipe for the mince pies served in the royal households during the Christmas period.

In an article published on the Royal Family's website, Cuthbertson and Chef de Partie, Victoria Scupham, say they make 'thousands' of mince pies between them for each of the festive receptions held in the Palaces every year.

Unfortunately for anyone who is hoping to make a batch before the big day, the royal mince pies require months of advance preparation.

'Everything from the mincemeat to the pastry is handmade by the small team in the kitchens at Buckingham Palace,' the website states. 'The mincemeat is made months in advance and stored in the pantry.'

For Cuthbertson, her number one tip is to 'give yourself plenty of time'. Scupham adds: 'Pastry is not something that likes to be rushed.' She also recommends 'having cold hands' when working with pastry, to keep it at the right consistency.

The Royal Chefs also experiment with different types of the Christmas classic, from a smaller version with flaked almonds to a puff pastry variety. And mince pies aren't the only option when it comes to festive treats. Chocolate roulade, gingerbread biscuits and Sablés à la Confiture, also known as jammy dodgers, are on the menu.

See the royal mince pie recipe in full below:

Ingredients:

For the Mincemeat

• zest and some juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
• zest and some juice of 1 unwaxed orange
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 1 tablespoon of port
• 1 tablespoon of rum
• 1 tablespoon of sherry
• 120g (1 cup) suet
• 160g (3/4 cup) golden sultanas
• 100g (1/2 cup) raisins
• 100g (1/2 cup) mixed peel
• 100g (1/2 cup) currants
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1.2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 160 (6oz) russet apples, peeled and grated
• 500g (1lb 2 oz) sweet pastry
• Egg washed for sticking lids on the bases
• Granulated sugar for the top of the mince pies before baking
• Icing sugar for dusting

Equipment:

12 hole non-stick shallow baking tray /mince pie tin 32 x 24 cm/ 12.5 x 9"

Fluted or plain cutters

Method:

1. Place all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir. Then add all the liquid and grated apple and allow to soak for at least one week in a 1kg kilner jar sat in the fridge or pantry.
2. Preheat the oven to 190° C (375° F, gas mark 5)
3. Roll the sweet pastry into a sheet approximately 2 to 3 mm thick, place on a tray, and allow to rest in the fridge. Once rested, cut tops and bottoms for your mince pies using fluted or plain cutters (selecting sizes to fit your tin). Place the pie bases into the tin and prick them with a small knife or fork to prevent the pastry from rising during the baking.
4. Spoon a teaspoon of the home-made mincemeat into the base and egg wash the edge of the pastry to enable the lids to stick. Place the mince pies in the fridge to rest for another 30 minutes, then add a pastry top to each, egg washing it and pricking a small hole in the top to allow the steam to escape. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
5. Place the baking tray on the middle shelf of the preheated oven and bake the pies for about 15 minutes, or until the pastry turns golden and the mincemeat starts to boil slightly. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before taking the pies out of their tin.
6. Sprinkle the mince pies with icing sugar and serve immediately. To add a festive feel, the mince pie tops could be shaped with a star cutter or perhaps a holly-shaped cutter.

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