We’re big fans of mince pies at TopCashback. After all, who doesn’t love a good mince pie?
But we’re also passionate about helping you save money. We believe festive food shopping on a budget doesn’t have to mean missing out on all the tasty stuff.
This festive season, we set ourselves the mission of crowning the best supermarket mince pie, weighing up taste and value for money. We enlisted a team of 18 TopCashback elves to taste-test luxury mince pies from eight major supermarkets.
Here’s a quick rundown of our results if you can’t wait to find out who came out on top. For the full details, including appearance, flavour and consistency scores, you’ll want to keep reading.
1st place: Aldi
2nd place: Morrisons
3rd place: Lidl
4th: Tesco
5th: Asda
6th: M&S
7th: Sainsbury's
8th: Co-op
How we ranked the supermarket mince pies
Our mince pie taste-testing super group was made up of 18 TopCashback colleagues from a range of departments.
This year, we tested eight luxury supermarket Christmas mince pies, skipping basic options, mini mince pies, iced mince pies, and other curveballs like brandy butter and frangipane mince pies.
To reduce any bias, our eager team of testers tried each mince pie without knowing which supermarket it came from.
We gave each tester a quarter of each Christmas pie (after all, eight mince pies might be a bit much to manage on a Wednesday morning in October).
They tested them one at a time, before giving each an independent rating. Each mince pie was judged against four different criteria:
Flavour (/10):
The flavour of the mince pie is undoubtedly important. We asked our testers to consider things like sweetness and spice levels, as well as generally whether they liked the taste of each mince pie or not.
Consistency (/10):
We asked our testers to rate the texture of each mince pie. Some mince pies are more crumbly than others, whereas others might have thicker pastry or a smaller amount of filling.
Appearance (/10):
Our testers were able to have a good look at a full mince pie from each supermarket. The pies were kept in their silver foil and on a clear plate so they could be seen from every angle. We didn’t show our tasters any mince pie packaging.
Overall (/10):
Finally, our tasters gave each mince pie an overall score out of 10, considering all of the different aspects that made up their tasting experience.
After our mince pie taste test was complete, we took the overall scores for each mince pie and worked out an average to get a taste-test score out of 10.
We used the average flavour, consistency and appearance scores to help us build a picture of what our tasters did and didn’t enjoy.
But what about value for money?
We assigned each mince pie a value for money score (/5). This allows some weighting to the cost of each mince pie, without unfairly disadvantaging pricier pies that might have tasted particularly delicious.
Our value ranking doesn't take any time-limited discounts or promotions into account. You may be able to find a lower price for your mince pies depending on when you shop.
£2.49 and under: 5 points
£2.50–£2.79: 4 points
£2.80–£3.00: 3 points
£3.01–£3.24: 2 points
£3.25 and over: 1 point
Our final scores are out of 15: the average overall taste-test score (out of 10) and a value score out of five.
2026's best luxury mince pies
But enough of the boring stuff – which mince pie was best? Well, our results might surprise you… We’ve started from worst to best to build up the festive suspense, but we won’t blame you if you want to skip ahead to the end and be a Scrooge about it.
All prices and cashback rates are accurate as of 20th October 2026.
#8: Co-op Irresistible All Butter Pastry Luxury
Mince Pies
Final score: 4.6/15
Price per pack: £3.25
Average taste test score: 3.6/10
Average score for flavour: 3.4/10
Average score for consistency: 3.7/10
Average score for appearance: 5.6/10
Price per mince pie: ~54p
Value score: 1/5
Co-op’s luxury mince pie scored lowest overall of the eight we tested. It was also ranked bottom for flavour and consistency.
Many found the pastry too dry: one taster described it as ‘sandy’, and another as ‘powdery’. A fair few testers noted a sourness to the filling, with Tamzin thinking it tasted ‘like a lemon,’ and Sean calling it ‘overpowering.’
This mince pie’s appearance redeemed it slightly, coming fifth overall on looks. Tamzin labelled it ‘deceivingly pretty… the siren of mince pies.’ One taster thought it was more flavourful than some others and noted its crumbly pastry.
One of our tasters, Kayleigh, loved this mince pie. She thought the sweet pastry ‘balanced the strong fruit flavour well,’ liked its cute appearance and scored it 10/10 for flavour, consistency and appearance.
Unfortunately, she was in the minority here, and this wasn’t enough to budge Co-op out of last place. The only way is up…
#7: Sainsbury's Taste the Difference All Butter
Mince Pies
Final score: 6.4/15
Price per pack: £3.50 £1.75 with Nectar
Average taste test score: 5.4/10
Average score for flavour: 5.1/10
Average score for consistency: 5.5/10
Average score for appearance: 6.9/10
Price per mince pie: ~58p
Value score: 1/5
It was a surprise to see Sainsbury’s come second-to-last this year for their luxury mince pies, considering how well they’ve fared in past taste tests at TopCashback. Last year’s favourite supermarket for standard mince pies has proved to be a bit of a disappointment for 2026.
Our testers loved the look of the Sainsbury’s mince pie. The festive star decoration with hints of visible mincemeat filling resulted in a joint-second-place ranking for appearance. However, for our group, the good looks of this Sainsbury’s pie were let down by the taste.
It came sixth for both flavour and consistency, with crunchy pastry that some tasters enjoyed and some didn’t. Hazel was a fan, saying the firm pastry made it feel more homemade. She also liked the ‘aromatic filling’ and ‘nice texture.’
Katie may have hit the nail on the head when she said the Taste the Difference pie was guilty of offering ‘style over substance.’
But at £3.50 for a box of six, the Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference pies are the same price as an equivalent box from Marks and Spencer. With poor taste test scores, the high price point was a damning factor. And speaking of M&S…
#6: M&S Collection
Mince Pies
Final score: 6.7/15
Price per pack: £3.50
Average taste test score: 5.7/10
Average score for flavour: 5.9/10
Average score for consistency: 6.2/10
Average score for appearance: 5.1/10
Price per mince pie: ~58p
Value score: 1/5
Next up, we have M&S, with a luxury mince pie that looks suspiciously similar to their classic mince pies from the previous two years.
Unfortunately, this pie’s looks didn’t cut it for our panel, who scored it last for appearance. While one taster thought it was ‘quite traditional-looking,’ another thought the star cut-out in the middle was a ‘unique choice’ and rated its appearance 1/10. Ouch, Matt.
The texture of the M&S mincemeat was generally a hit with our panel, coming third overall for consistency. That said, Sean thought there was ‘too much pastry compared to filling,’ and Alia said the pastry was ‘a bit dry and needed more sugar.’
Our panel thought that this M&S Collection mince pie is more likely to be a hit with people who like a stronger, spicier taste. Jordan thought it had ‘big raisin energy,’ and Kayleigh also enjoyed the whole sultanas. Rhi thought the ‘slightly spiced flavour was really nice,’ although it did have a ‘slightly soggy bottom,’ which lowered the score she gave for consistency.
#5: Exceptional by ASDA Luxury Mince Pies
Final score: 9.1/15
Price per pack: £2.84
Average taste test score: 6.1/10
Average score for flavour: 6.2/10
Average score for consistency: 6/10
Average score for appearance: 5.5/10
Price per mince pie: ~47p
Value score: 3/5
We’re getting up towards the middle of our mince pie rankings now, and Asda’s Exceptional mince pie is certainly middling. This one came third overall for flavour, fourth for consistency, and sixth for appearance.
This mince pie packs a punch, which some of our tasters enjoyed, and others found overpowering. Scores for flavour ranged between 3/10 and 9/10. While Sally loved the ‘nice cinnamon taste,’ and Samantha gave an 8/10 for the ‘very gingery filling,’ Chloe unfortunately thought it tasted ‘artificially fruity, like a gingerbread Airwick.’
When it comes to pastry, this was described as ‘crumbly and soft’ by one tester, but ‘a bit stodgy’ by another, and Amy also thought it was too chewy.
At £2.84 for six, these mince pies have a mid-ranking score for value. As solid all-rounders, they could be a good option for your festive get-togethers this year.
#4: Tesco Finest Mince Pies
Final score: 9.6/15
Price per pack: £3.00
Average taste test score: 6.6/10
Average score for flavour: 6.6/10
Average score for consistency: 6.3/10
Average score for appearance: 7.7/10
Price per mince pie: 50p
Value score: 3/5
Our group was enthusiastic about this luxury mince pie from Tesco’s Finest range, voting it the best-looking pie out of the bunch. Alia told us she’ll be buying these for Christmas, Katie agreed she’d ‘put these out for show, more than taste,’ and Rhi thought the festive design was really pretty.
This was the first mince pie in our blind taste test, and a few participants told us they wished they’d ranked it a little higher at the start.
Sally returned to her notes after trying all the mince pies to declare Tesco Finest to be her ‘ultimate favourite.’ The pastry was praised by our group for being ‘buttery’, ‘soft’, and having just the right thickness, and others thought the filling had a nice hint of citrus.
However, not everyone was a fan. Mike said the outer crust looked ‘overcooked,’ while Alex thought the pie was ‘too sweet and a bit dry’ overall.
Coming in at £3 a box (or 50p per mince pie), the price also holds this sweet treat back. Our tasters ranked the Tesco Finest mince pie second for flavour and joint second for consistency. If the price point were lower, this could have been our winner.
#3: Lidl Deluxe All Butter
Mince Pies
Final score: 9.9/15
Price per pack: £2.79
Average taste test score: 5.9/10
Average score for flavour: 5.7/10
Average score for consistency: 5.9/10
Average score for appearance: 6.6/10
Price per mince pie: ~47p
Value score: 4/5
In third place is Lidl Deluxe. These mince pies were praised for their filling-to-pastry ratio by some. Matt noted the ‘full flavour profile and nice thin layer of buttery pastry,’ and Sean also thought the flavours had a good balance.
Another taster praised the nice, ‘lightly spiced’ filling, although they’d have liked to have had more of it. They also thought the pie itself ‘held together well.’ This mince pie was Alex’s overall favourite, scoring 8/10 for them overall.
These mince pies scored well for appearance, coming in third place, although Sally thought they were a bit of a ‘Plain Jane.’ They were also actually down in fifth for flavour and consistency.
It’s the value for money offered by these Lidl mince pies that likely plays the biggest part in their third-place ranking. At £2.79 a pack, these are the second-cheapest option for Christmas 2026. Next up is the mince pie our testers ranked best on taste…
#2: Morrisons The Best Deep Filled Mince Pies
Final score: 10/15
Price per pack: £3.00
Average taste test score: 7/10
Average score for flavour: 7.1/10
Average score for consistency: 6.9/10
Average score for appearance: 6.5/10
Price per mince pie: 50p
Value score: 3/5
Morrisons The Best mince pies earned the silver medal thanks to their strong taste-test scores.
Amanda told us the pastry was good and soft, while serial taste-tester Rhi said this was the best pastry she’d ever had on a mince pie.
Our panel had varying thoughts about the spiced mincemeat filling. Chloe said it was ‘the most flavourful mincemeat so far,’ with a ‘nice sweetness and a deeper intense flavour.’ Tamzin, on the other hand, thought the mincemeat filling was light on flavour, but that’s how she likes her mince pies. Hazel agreed, calling it ‘probably a good one for fussy eaters.’
Not everyone was a fan. Jordan thought this one tasted the worst out of the lot, and Mike said it looked dry and tasted it too.
The price of each mince pie is another vital factor in our experiment. At £3 per pack, the Morrisons mince pies aren't the most expensive of the bunch. However, there are some considerably cheaper options. Despite coming top in the taste test itself, the price prevents them from taking top spot.
A fantastic mince pie in many people’s opinions, but if you’re shopping on a budget this Christmas, you may be able to do better.
#1: Aldi Specially Selected Mince Pies
Final score: 11.2/15
Price per pack: £1.75
Average taste test score: 6.2/10
Average score for flavour: 5.7/10
Average score for consistency: 6.3/10
Average score for appearance: 6.9/10
Price per mince pie: ~29p
Value score: 5/5
We’ve reached our number one mince pie for Christmas 2026. These Aldi Specially Selected mince pies come joint second for both appearance and consistency.
Excluding discounts, these were by far the cheapest luxury mince pies we tested. At £1.75 for a pack of six, that’s about 29p per mince pie.
And they taste delicious too. Matt praised the ‘buttery pastry that melts in your mouth,’ and Hazel liked the ‘moist filling.’ Katie liked the addition of powdered sugar on the top that made it look ‘snowy,’ and also thought the stronger filling flavour was ‘reminiscent of Christmas pudding.’
That said, Aldi wasn’t everyone’s winner. Amy didn’t enjoy the ‘artificial’ aftertaste, and Alia thought it was too dry, saying you ‘deffo need a cuppa with that one.’
But we have to give the final word to Jordan here. As a self-proclaimed mince pie hater, Jordan was our most reluctant taste tester of the day. That was until he met the Aldi Specially Selected mince pie. ‘This mince pie has converted me from a hater to an enjoyer,’ he told us, ‘it’s the first mince pie I've ever wanted more of.’
Our final verdict on the best mince pies of 2026
Whether you have yours with a cup of tea or a mug of mulled wine, stocking up on mince pies for Christmas is an essential part of the festive season.
While you might be thinking all mince pies surely taste pretty much the same, our team of testers would have to disagree.
If you take out the pricing factor, then the rankings look quite different:
Morrisons (7/10)
Tesco (6.6/10)
Aldi (6.2/10)
Taking value for money into account changed the final order, with Aldi taking first place, followed by Morrisons, then Lidl in third. So, while our taste testers enjoyed the taste of the Morrisons The Best mince pies most, Aldi comes out as the best overall choice when you factor in price.
One more way to save on your mince pies this Christmas
Did you know you can get an even cheaper price on your mince pies (and the rest of your Christmas shop) when you shop with TopCashback?
Saving money is more important than ever during the festive season. That’s why we give you a portion of your spend back when you go through our site to shop with most of the supermarkets mentioned in this guide. You can even earn cashback when you buy supermarket gift cards through TopGiftCards.
Get £15 cashback
Save money at 5,500+ top-named brands
If you’re new to TopCashback, it’s your lucky day. To help spread the festive cheer, we’re giving a £15 sign-up bonus to new members who click the green button above, join TopCashback and spend £15+ with one of our retailers. It’s totally free to join, and you can start earning cashback straight away.
Do you agree with our ranking of the supermarket mince pies? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Some products featured in this taste test were provided free of charge by the retailer, while others were purchased at retail price. All reviews and rankings are based solely on the opinions of our tasting panel. Retailers had no involvement in the testing process or final rankings.
Personally I like Morrisons mince pies, but I eat way too many
Never realised how different the various brands are and I will never look at a mince pie in the same way. Thank you Money Guides for opening my eyes 🙂
I love mince pies!!!
Please can you review iced mince pies – they're the best!
It’s very much a matter of taste but I personally found Lidl the best this year. I agree with you about M&S pies, and they’re double the price!