Greggs, Sayers and Gerrards mince pies tasted and compared

The festive treats have a long history, dating back to medieval times.

In the UK, mince pies are symbolic of the Christmas season.

Sayers and Greggs mince pies (Image: Newsquest staff) The rich combination of dried fruits, nuts, spices, and often a touch of brandy or rum, evokes the warmth, cosiness, and indulgence of the holidays.

Gerrards mince pies (Image: Newsquest) They are often served at Christmas parties, shared among friends and family, or enjoyed with a glass of mulled wine, making them a key part of social gatherings.

Greggs sweet mince pie (Image: Newsquest Staff) They can be eaten on their own or, if your feeling indulgent, with a dollop of brandy cream.

Sayers mince pies (Image: Newsquest staff) Many people enjoy baking their own, others pick up a box of six from the supermarket.

A happy medium is the fresh-baked mince pies from a High Street bakery.

Greggs sweet mince pies (Image: Newsquest Staff) With that in mind, I tried mince pies from Greggs, Sayers and Gerrards in an attempt to find a favourite.

Greggs

The Greggs pies are made from shortcrust pastry, filled with a sweet mincemeat made from vine fruits, Bramley apple, candied orange and lemon peel, and  finished with a light dusting of icing sugar.

Labelled Sweet Mince Pies, these pies are certainly sweeter than others I have tried.

Greggs sweet mince pies (Image: Newsquest Staff) The pastry is crumbly, almost like a biscuit, and a liberal sprinkling of icing sugar increases the sweetness.

Quite flat compared to other mince pies, these would be my recommendation for younger palates or those with a sweet tooth.

Sayers (also trades as Poundbakery and Hampsons)

These pies are smaller in diameter but have a deeper deeper fill.

The pastry is less sweet and has a homemade quality, which is in no way a bad thing.

Sayers mince pies (Image: Newsquest Staff) There is little to distinguish the filling from that in the Greggs pies, but there is a higher filling to pastry ratio in each bite.

As a basic pie, that you could pass off your own if some Vicar of Dibley type shenanigans were needed, this is a good choice.

Gerrards

On first look, Gerrards mince pies packaging promises a higher level of quality.

Gerrards mince pies (Image: Newsquest) And this is backed up on taste, it is the only filling of the three that tastes distinctive. Notes of brandy are definitely there, making this a more grown-up mince pie.

Gerrards mince pie (Image: Newsquest) The pastry is good, with a level of sweetness somewhere between the Sayers and Greggs alternatives.

The crumbly dome of the pie makes this as deep as the Sayers pie with a diameter comparable to the Greggs.

A sprinkle of granulated sugar adds more sweetness and texture to the mix.

For me, with a generous size, perfect crumbly pastry and indulgent filling, the Gerrards mince pie is a clear winner.