CHOICE taste test: top mince pies in 2020

11th December 2020 | Eativity editors

It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it. (Can we sign up for next year?) Consumer watchdog CHOICE has reviewed 26 fruit mince pies and tarts from brands including Aldi, Bakers Delight, Coles, Walkers, Woolworths and more to find out which ones you should feast on this Christmas. Here are the top six festive pies and tarts.

“We blind taste-tested fruit mince pie and tart products that are available in major supermarkets and leading bakeries,” says Rachel Clemons, CHOICE food expert. “There are so many flavourful options this year. There were some interesting ones such as ‘blood orange and fig’, ‘spiced orange and cranberry’ or our top scorer, ‘sloe gin’.”

The CHOICE taste tester union meets to discuss their appalling work conditions.

Aldi’s Specially Selected Sloe Gin Fruit Mince Tarts took out first place this year, with a CHOICE Expert Rating of 83 percent.

“Aldi’s Sloe Gin Fruit Mince Tarts were the tastiest pick by our judges,” Clemons says. “It stood out with its light, crisp, buttery, melt-in-mouth pastry and premium feel.”

Another product that stood out for the testers was Coles Gluten Free Fruit Mince Pies, which scored a CHOICE expert rating of 77 percent. And for the budget-conscious, the cheapest fruit mince pies ($0.25 per pie) came from Aldi, Coles and Woolworths. The most expensive is Woolworths Gold Gin Infused Pear & Riberry Fruit Mince Tarts, at $.50 per pie.

“Our judges looked at a range of criteria,” Clemens says. “To our surprise, the top six all come from major supermarkets.”

Eeny, meeny, miny… mine!

Expert judges independently blind taste tested all fruit mince pie and tart products, scoring a range of criteria such as:

• Visual appeal
• Aroma
• Flavour
• Mouthfeel
• Eatability
• Pastry to filling ratio

The 6 fruit mince pies that topped CHOICE’s tests

1. Aldi Specially Selected Sloe Gin Fruit Mince Tarts
CHOICE Expert Rating: 83%
Price: $0.83 per pie ($4.99 per 6-pack)

2. Coles Finest Traditional Fruit Mince Pies
CHOICE Expert Rating: 81%
Price: $1 per pie (6 per 6-pack)

3. Aldi Specially Selected All Butter Almond Mince Tarts
CHOICE Expert Rating: 80%
Price: $0.83 per pie ($4.99 per 6-pack)

4. Woolworths Fruit Mince Pies
CHOICE Expert Rating: 80%
Price: $0.67 per pie ($4 per 6-pack)

5. Woolworths Gold Gin Infused Pear & Riberry Fruit Mince Tarts
CHOICE Expert Rating: 80%
Price: $1.50 per pie ($9 per 6-pack)

6. Woolworths Summer Berry Mince Pies
CHOICE Expert Rating: 80%
Price: $0.67 per pie ($4 per 6-pack)

You can check out CHOICE’s full review of fruit mince pies at choice.com.au