Mince Pie Trees

2.85 (7)
⏱ 35 mins 🌶 german ✅ Easy 🏷 Afternoon tea

These charming tree-shaped pastries offer a festive twist on classic mince pies. Layers of buttery puff pastry are filled with rich, fruity mincemeat, then stacked and baked until golden. The result is a delightful Danish-inspired treat, ideal for serving with a dusting of icing sugar at an afternoon tea. They can be prepared ahead and frozen, making them a convenient and impressive homemade offering.

Mince Pie Trees

Ingredients

  • plain flour for dusting
  • 425g pack ready-rolled puff pastry (2 sheets in each pack)
  • 350g jar mincemeat
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1 icing sugar to serve

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Prepare two baking trays by lining them with baking parchment. Place one sheet of puff pastry on a surface dusted with flour, positioning it so the long side faces you. Cover this sheet evenly with mincemeat, then lay the second pastry sheet on top. Slice the layered pastry in half widthways.
  2. Take each half and cut it into four vertical strips measuring 6cm, 4cm, 2cm, and 1cm wide. Then, cut across these strips to create 12 'ladder' shapes from each piece. Use flour on your knife if it becomes sticky. Brush the pastry ladders all over with the beaten egg. Place them in the refrigerator to chill for 10 mins.
  3. Assemble the trees on your prepared baking sheets. Begin with the widest strip and finish with the narrowest, stacking them so the mincemeat filling faces upwards. For a more authentic tree appearance, gently bend each strip slightly in the centre as you stack. Press down firmly on each stack with your hand to flatten it into a tree shape. These can be frozen for up to a month. Bake for 20 mins (25 mins if cooking from frozen) until the pastry is golden and the mincemeat is bubbling. Allow them to cool on the tray for 5 mins before transferring to a wire rack with a palette knife. Let them cool fully, then dust with icing sugar before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories111 kcal
Fat5 g
Saturates2 g
Carbs16 g
Sugars9 g
Protein1 g
Sodium64 mg

Recipe details

Skill levelEasy
CategoryAfternoon tea
Cuisinegerman