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Home » Holiday History » Christmas

History of Mince Pies

Published: Jan 19, 2022 · Modified: Nov 2, 2023 by Russell Yost · This post may contain affiliate links ·

Have you ever heard of Mince Pies?

Mince Pies

Well, if you found this page through Google, you are either looking for a recipe because you know what they are or have heard about it and want more information.

To be honest, I have heard of mince pies for most of my life, but I never put it together with Christmas until recently.

I thought Mince pies were filled with meat, which originally was filled with meat, but instead always saw them made with fruits and spices.

So here is a quick history of these tasty snacks.

History of Mince Pies

As I said before, Mince Pies were traditionally filled with meat and then cooked in an oval-shaped dough. The oval-shaped dough would represent the manger where Jesus Christ was born.

This is no longer the case, but this was the way they were made for hundreds of years, and while it may sound a bit odd to us now, it was a delightful treat for them.

Here is a video of what a traditional Mince Pie would look like:

Mince Pies were a Christmas tradition for the wealthy, who would create different designs and shapes that could fit together like a puzzle. They were often used as status symbols because only the best chefs could create them, and that meant you could afford to pay them.

This tradition actually goes back to the Middle Ages when they would eat a mince pie every day of Christmas until the Twelfth Night. This superstition meant that would be happy for the next 12 months.

Similar to the Yule Log, over time, the Mince Pies have changed from a status symbol to something that any good home chef can make. 

Here is a more modern Mince Pie Recipe:

As with many Christmas traditions, the Mince Pie did not originate in America but in the United Kingdom.

This is similar to the Christmas Card, Christmas Tree, The Christingle, and many other Christmas traditions. America is a land full of descendants of immigrants who brought their many traditions to the country.

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