Feast your pies

The Best Billionaire’s Chocolate Tarts (4), £2.25, Morrisons

Cookie Cup Mince Pies (4), £2.50, Marks & Spencer Plate up and you could pass off as homemade with the chunky top. Pastry is sweet, chewy, crunchy and very moreish. Good, juicy and spicy filling. ★★★★

Finest All Butter Pastry Mince Pies (6), £2.25, Tesco

This one was filled to the brim but it was super sweet and a little dry. It needed something to help it out a bit. A touch of cream worked a treat. ★★ ★★★★

Time to feast your mince pies on these festive favourites as boxes of the tasty treats hit the supermarket shelves. There are all sorts of weird and wonderful flavour combinations this year but do they actually work?

Whether you’re a purist who will only eat traditional mince pies or you fancy something with a flavour twist then I’ve got it covered after putting 20 to the ultimate taste test.

Here’s the verdict.

The Best Deep Filled Mince Pies (6), £2.25, Morrisons

Looked homemade with chunky pastry that was a little too thick, but tasted good. Filling was moist, very fruity but needed a pinch more spice and booze. ★★★

Extra Special Extra Indulgent Mince Pies (4), £2.50, Asda A boozy rich pie with extremely moist fruit encased in a rich, silky pastry. A little over-flavoured with the spices after the first two bites but an OK pie overall.

Essential Shortcrust

Mince Pies (6), £1.25, Waitrose

The absolute best value for money. The pastry was perfection and the filling was juicy with fruit that exploded across your tongue. An added plus is this one is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

Pretty with lots of filling. Pastry was crumbly and the perfect thickness but not much flavour. Mincemeat had a nice citrus flavour and the tiniest hint of booze. ★★★

Specially Selected All Butter Mini Mince Pies (12), £1.99, Aldi Utterly perfect mounds of crumbly pastry and tasty fruit. It was impossible to stop after only one, two or even three. Melt in the mouth and ideal for squeezing in after a hefty Christmas dinner. ★★★★★

Good ratio of perfect pastry to spicy, fruity and tasty filling. Guiltfree at 98 calories each – ideal if you don’t want too much of a good thing. ★★★★ ★★★★★

Irresistible All Butter Pastry Luxury Mince Pies (6), £2.25, Co-op Rich, buttery and crumbly pastry that’s the perfect thickness and packed with a delicious fruity filling with just the right hint of booze. ★★★★★

Collection Mince Pies (6), £2.50, Marks & Spencer Pretty, simple and packed with mouth-watering filling – lots of plump fruit and a zesty and boozy hint but not overpowering, just delightful.

Deluxe All Butter Mince Pies (6), £1.75, Lidl Perfectly formed, looked like a work of art. Pastry is crumbly and rich and just the right thickness. Filling was a little runny but tasted delish.

A flavour twist that really works with the filling mix of mincemeat, salted caramel and chocolate butter cream. A treat for the taste buds. Chocoholics will love it. ★★★★★

Taste the Difference Mini Mince Pies (9), £2.25, Sainsbury’s

Luxury All Butter Mince Pies (6), £2, Iceland

★★★★

★★★