Decadent orange & cream cheese mince pies (2024 recipe)
Look at that beautiful cream cheese filling in these mince pies!
A bit of icing sugar dusting is the perfect way to present these mince pies
The most marvellous mince pie recipe: a decadent treat for Christmas… Growing up I was not a fan of dried fruit in cakes and biscuits like so many young children (don’t get me started on why garibaldis should be consigned to room 101). So needless to say, mince pies were on my firm list of no-nos! My Mum used to do an annual big Christmas bake with a friend, filling the house with smells of canapés, cakes and Christmas treats, and one year she made these mince-pies…
The rest, as they say, is history!
The thing that makes these mince pies so decadent is that the pastry is made with fresh oranges giving it a wonderful tangy taste. Each mince pie is also filled with the traditional mincemeat filling and a generous dollop of cream cheese frosting is also sealed inside the case. Eaten warm they are so tasty and the cream cheese is a welcome surprise.
When I shared this on Instagram last week, followers who have sampled these mince pies were quick to message privately asking for some to be immediately boxed up and sent in the post. It is honestly that good!
With the festive season now in full swing, I decided it was time to cook up a batch of these delicious mince pies.
The recipe makes 24 mince pies
Getting all the ingredients ready is a good way to feel more Christmas-y!
What you need for orange & cream cheese mince pies
Orange pastry mix
You’ll need the following ingredients for the orange pastry of the mince pies:
500g Plain strong flour
150g icing sugar
375g unsalted butter
Orange zest and juice from an orange
1 egg beaten
Cream cheese filling
The following are the ingredients for the filling made from cream cheese:
I jar of good quality mincemeat filling
350g caster sugar
280g full-fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Serving suggestion for your mince pies
Don’t forget to top off your Christmas mince pies with some (or all!) of the following:
Devon clotted Cream - I especially like Gayes Creamery or
Brandy Butter
Method for orange & cream cheese mince pies
1. Heat the oven to 180*c
2. Grate the butter into a large bowl (this makes it easier to rub in the flour)
3. Sieve in the flour
4. Rub until it resembles a fine breadcrumb texture and there are no lumps of butter
Use good quality butter
Grate the butter to make it easier to rub in flour
Sieve the flour
Flour and butter ready for rubbing to create breadcrumb
5. Sieve in the icing sugar and lightly stir
6. Zest an orange and squeeze the juice and add as much as needed to bring together the pastry
7. Don’t overwork the pastry, it should come together just enough to create a soft ball
8. Roll out to 3mm thick on a floured surface
Rub the flour and butter together
Sieve in hte icing sugar
Zest and juice of once orange
Bring the pastry together, don’t overwork it
9. Butter your tin mould
10. Cut out the pie shapes using a fluted cutter; you will need a slightly larger cutter for the base and a smaller one for the top
11. Spoon in the mincemeat filling
12. Whip your cream cheese and caster sugar together until there are no more lumps and spoon the mix on top of the mincemeat. Take care not to overfill each one
Add your pastry rounds to your buttered tin
Spoon in your mincemeat
Spoon in your creamcheese frosting
Seal the lid on each mini pie
13. Using a pastry brush apply an egg wash around the rim and seal the lid
14. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes checking the pastry colour isn’t too dark
15. Leave to cool slightly in the tin to allow the pastry to firm up
16. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm
Leave to cool
Dust with icing sugar
Best eaten while still warm
Inside a mince pie!
Serve while still warm, with clotted cream or brand butter!
These will keep in an airtight tin for several days, but they probably won’t hang around very long as they are incredibly moorish!
What else do I need to know about orange & cream cheese mince pies?
Frequently asked questions on orange & cream cheese mince pies
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What makes these mince pies so special is the combination of orange and cream cheese.
This adds a rich, fresh twist to the traditional mince pie; you get that classic Christmas flavour profile that’s both indulgent and festive.
Classic mince pies tend to focus on a fruity spiciness whereas this version adds brightness through the orange with its citrus sweetness.
There’s of course the cream cheese too which is a wonderful complemen to the citrus and spice, bringing a wonderful smooth velvet texture.
This fusion of flavours and textures elevates this mince pie, giving it a layered complexity that feels special and celebratory - perfect if you’re looking to try a modern twist on the old favourite mince pie!
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To make the orange flavour pop in these mince pies, use both orange zest and freshly squeezed juice in the filling.
On the other hand, for even more intense citrus-iness, add a very small dash of orange extract or even orange liqueur, like Cointreau or Grand Marnier; the latter would give a grown-up touch.
Another option is to add some candied orange peel to the top of the pies as a decorative topping. This gives a hint of sweetness of what’s inside plus a concentrated burst of orange.
The layering of the orange elements brings depth to the mice pie as a whole with interesting pops of citrus throughout.
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Lemon or lime can work beautifully in these mince pies for those who enjoy a sharper, slightly tangy citrus kick.
Lemon zest and juice adds a bright, zesty acidity that pairs well with the richness of the cream cheese.
Lime, on the other hand, introduces a tropical note, offering a bold, almost exotic twist to the traditional mince pie flavour.
