There’s no shortage of fabulous food on offer at Christmas time, but one of the most divisive items has to be the humble mince pie – much like Marmite, you either love it or hate it.
For those who aren’t a fan, there can be a real sense of missing out when people around you start tucking into the traditional treat. But you can easily avoid the FOMO by getting yourself a twist on the festive pastry from the supermarket.
From indulgent chocolate and caramel filled pies, to sticky toffee pudding in tart form, there are a number of options available for those who just don’t like the classic Christmas snack – and the best part is there’s not a single raisin in sight!
If you’re looking for something to eat while watching Home Alone for the millionth time, we’ve tried mince pie alternatives from the UK’s major supermarkets in a bid to find the best ones for 2024. Here’s our honest verdict…
Tesco
Tesco Finest Free From Sticky Toffee Tarts, £3.25 for 4
Rating: 4.5/5
Take a bite into one of Tesco Finest’s sticky toffee tarts and you’ll have no idea it’s gluten-free, wheat-free and milk-free. It’s that good! With a rich date filling, golden toffee fondant encased in a crumbly pastry base and bronzed pecans on top, this decadent treat ticks all the festive boxes – and looks fabulous while doing it. It was so close to getting full marks, but the pastry was just a liiiiiiiittle dry for my liking.
Reviewed by James Besanvalle, Assistant opinion and first-person editor
Aldi
Specially Selected Maple & Pecan Tarts, £2.25 for 4
Rating: 2/5
There’s a lot going on inside these little pies, with a caramel filling, a pecan and toffee sponge, and a maple buttercream topping. I have a massive sweet tooth, and pecan pie is one of my favourite treats, so these sounded right up my street, but unfortunately, they were just too sweet for me. I took two bites and felt the sugar rush hit almost immediately. The buttercream is what I think pushes it over the edge – these would have been better without it.
Reviewed by Courtney Pochin, Specialist Food Writer
Iceland
Chocolate Caramel Crumble Pies, £3
Rating: 4/5
Finally, a mince pie alternative that dares to be completely different from the original. Too many ‘festive pies’ tweak with tiny bits of the formula, but if, like me, you hate that Christmass-y mess of currants and butter you want something that goes in a wildly opposite direction. That’s what the Chocolate Caramel Crumble Pie does, offering a hit of sugar more reminiscent of a school dessert than the claggy mince pies that I have to avoid every December. A much-appreciated diversion from the norm!
Reviewed by Ross McCafferty, Deputy First-Person and Opinion Editor
Asda
Exceptional Toffee Apple Spiced Crumble Tarts, £2.50 for 4
Rating: 4/5
Asda has smashed it out of the park with these tarts, filled with a mixture of British toffee and apple, and topped with a spiced pecan crumble. The spices are warm and the whole thing feels incredibly wholesome and indulgent. A point is lost here because the flavours strike me as being more autumnal than Christmassy, but the product is absolutely delicious none-the-less.
Reviewed by Courtney Pochin, Specialist Food Writer
Morrisons
The Best Caramel & Maple Tarts, £2.75 for 4
Rating: 2/5
Taste-wise, this was decent, with a moist sponge and sweet (yet not too sweet) salted caramel filling. It’s essentially like a treacle tart, only gussied up for the festive season with some bronze dusting and a fancy name – but I guess that’s the gist of most Christmas foods, so I’m not complaining. What I will complain about is the pastry, which is overly crumbly and hard to eat. It disintegrates in your hands, and you end up with more down your front than in your mouth. As a mince pie hater, I really wanted to love this, but it was more hassle than it was worth.
Reviewed by Jessica Lindsay, Assistant Lifestyle Editor
Sainsbury’s
Chocolate & Hazelnut Tarts, £3 for 4
Rating: 5/5
If you love Nutella, you NEED to try these tarts. They don’t look all that impressive at first glance, but what’s inside is truly special. The all butter pastry is filled with a layer of smooth and rich gianduja chocolate, topped with a chocolate and hazelnut frangipane, and then given an icing sugar ‘snow’ dusting. I tried all of the pies/tarts featured here and this blew all of the others right out of the water. It’s the perfect mince pie alternative if you ask me.
M&S
Rodney Reindeer Pies, £3 for 4
Rating: 3/5
A brownie and pie hybrid sounds great in theory, but I have to admit I wasn’t initially sure about this chocolatey offering from M&S. I know, that’s pretty controversial, as the supermarket can do no wrong in the eyes of many, but the first few bites just didn’t taste right. The filling wasn’t as moist as I typically like a brownie to be, and the pastry wasn’t really adding anything to the mix. It didn’t work as a cohesive treat, I found myself wishing I was just eating a brownie on its own. By the halfway point I’d warmed up to it, but it certainly wasn’t the best of the bunch. It gets bonus points for being the most festive of them all though – the reindeer on top is very cute.
Reviewed by Courtney Pochin, Specialist Food Writer
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