Best and worst supermarket mince pies revealed by Which? – and the winner isn’t Aldi
An expert Which? taste test panel has revealed the best supermarket Christmas mince pies – with Waitrose being crowned the winner.
Waitrose No.1 Brown Butter Mince Pies with Cognac were praised for their "lovely pastry, an enticing aroma and generous nut, spice and citrus filling, with a subtle boozy warmth". These cost £4 for six, or 67p per pie, and were awarded the Which? Best Buy recommendation.
Aldi Specially Selected Mince Pies also impressed the judges with their "great buttery taste, snowflake design and tasty filling packed with fruit and spices". These were one of the cheapest on test, at £2.29 for six or 38p per pie, and also earned Which? Great Value endorsement.
(
Image:
Waitrose)
Despite not receiving a Which? Best Buy nod, other supermarkets also received good comments from the judges. M&S Collection Mince Pies, priced at £4 for six, had "generous filling and golden pastry" but one judge wanted more spice. Iceland’s Luxury All Butter Mince Pies, which cost £3 for six, were praised for their packed fillings of sultana and fruit but the experts felt they were "too dry and lacked in spice and flavour".
Morrison’s The Best Deep Filled Mince Pies, which cost £2.75 for six, had "a good ratio of filling to pastry" and overall, the panel liked the festive look – but they "weren’t so taken with the taste". Tesco Finest All Butter Pastry Mince Pies, priced at £3 for six, failed to impress the experts, who said they had an "overly acidic flavour and doughy pastry" while Asda Exceptional Luxury Mince Pies, £2.75 for six, "let down the panel because they felt it had underbaked pastry".
The consumer champion’s panel was made up of four baking experts: Bake Off: The Professionals 2022 winner Nathan Rave, Great British Bake Off 2010 winner Edd Kimber, award winning baker and food writer Dan Lepard and pastry chef and author Shaheen Peerbhai.
Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said: "For many of us, Christmas wouldn’t be complete without a mince pie. There’s nothing quite like that buttery and fruity taste to get you in the festive spirit. Our experts tasted premium mince pies from the biggest UK supermarkets to discover which ones could make this holiday season a little more special without stretching the budget too far.
"The competition was fierce this year, but Waitrose was the only winner of our Best Buy endorsement. For those looking for a more affordable option, Aldi's excellent Great Value pies are tasty but don’t break the bank."
M&S shoppers praise ‘flattering’ £35 top that ‘hides tummy’ as seen on Dawn French