Posted by Mia Wren on 5th Oct 2026
Make-Ahead Mince Pies: Freeze Them Unbaked, Then Bake From Frozen
Every December I tell myself I'll sort the mince pies early, and every December I'm rolling pastry at ten the night before the school do with a jar of mincemeat and three kids asking what's for tea. This year I'm doing them now, in October, and putting them in the freezer to forget about.
The question that stops most people is whether to freeze them baked or unbaked. I've done both, and I'd go unbaked every time.
Unbaked or baked?
Baked pies are the quick option. You cool them completely, freeze them, and warm them through at 190°C for about ten minutes when people turn up. They're lovely for that, and they're the better choice if you want a tray ready for unexpected guests.
Unbaked pies are better for everything else. The pastry goes into the oven raw, so the base crisps properly in the shallow cups of a mince pie tin instead of being baked once and then reheated into something slightly tired. They come out tasting like you made them that morning, and the kitchen smells like it too. They'll keep for up to three months in the freezer, which takes you from October to Christmas with room to spare.
Freezing them in the tin
I freeze the whole tin, because the pies keep their shape and nothing gets squashed. The only cost is that the tin is tied up for a couple of hours, so I do it while I'm cleaning up.
How to freeze mince pies unbaked and bake them from frozen
- Fill the pies. Cut your bases and lids, press the bases into the cups, and add a heaped teaspoon of mincemeat to each. Any more and it boils over and cements the pie to the tin. Put the lids on, press the edges together and cut a small steam slit in each.
- Don't glaze yet. Egg wash that sits in the freezer goes patchy, so leave it until they're going into the oven.
- Freeze the tin level. Slide the whole tin onto a flat shelf for about two hours, until the pies are solid.
- Pop them out. Most will come away with a gentle twist. Run a butter knife round the rim of any stubborn one. Layer them in a freezer box with baking paper between the layers, label it with the date, and keep it for up to three months.
- Bake from frozen. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Put the frozen pies back in the tin, brush the lids with beaten egg or milk, and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, which is five to eight minutes longer than the recipe says for fresh ones. Start checking at 20.
- Let them rest. Leave them in the tin for five minutes before you lift them out, so the filling settles and the pastry firms up.
The tin matters more than the pastry
Freezing doesn't change how much mincemeat boils over, so everything in our mince pie tin buying guide still applies. A shallow cup, a heavy tin that stays flat in a hot oven, and a coating that lets go of burnt sugar. If you want the pastry side, we've also written about how to make perfect mince pies.
Our traditional 12-cup tin has 1.5cm cups in carbon steel, with a non-stick coating made without PTFE or PFOA. It's covered by our 10-year warranty, and a quick wash and thorough dry is all it needs, as the care and use guide explains.
You'll find the other options in our mince pie tins collection.
What goes wrong
Most problems come from the freezer, not the oven. Pies stored loose in a bag stick together and break when you separate them, so use the baking paper. Pies left near the freezer door can thaw a little each time it opens and the pastry turns soggy, so keep the box towards the back. And once they've thawed, don't refreeze them, because they come out soggy and the filling loses its flavour.
The same trick works for other Christmas bakes you want finished early, like an air fryer Christmas cake or parkin in a loaf tin.
Frequently asked questions
Can I bake mince pies straight from the freezer without thawing them?
Yes. Bake them from frozen and add five to eight minutes. Thawing first makes the pastry soft and wet, which is the opposite of what you want from a crisp base.
Why is the base of my frozen mince pie soggy?
Usually it's one of three things: the pie was thawed before baking, the oven wasn't hot enough when it went in, or the tin was too deep. A shallow tin puts the pastry close to the heat, and a properly hot oven sets it before the filling has time to soak in.
Should I glaze mince pies before freezing?
No. Egg wash goes patchy in the freezer, so brush it on just before baking. Sprinkle any sugar on top at that point too.
How long do frozen mince pies keep?
Up to three months for either method, baked or unbaked. After that they're still fine to eat, but the pastry gets drier and the flavour fades.
Can I reheat baked frozen mince pies in the microwave?
You can, but I wouldn't. The pastry goes soft and chewy, and the mincemeat gets very hot inside while the outside stays cool. An oven at 190°C for about ten minutes is better.
Will mince pies stick in the tin when they're baked from frozen?
Not any more than fresh ones, as long as you don't overfill them. A heaped teaspoon is plenty, and the pies release best if you leave them for five minutes before lifting.