How to microwave mince pies: how long Christmas treats take to cook, safety advice, best temperature explained

With Christmas just around the corner, we are deep into mince pie season.

While the tasty festive treats can often be found in supermarkets throughout the year, most people wait until December to tuck into them. By Twelfth Night in January, however, the mince pie season tends to have ended.

NationalWorld has produced guides on the tastiest retailer offerings on sale for Christmas 2022, as well as the cheapest mince pies on the market. We have also looked at the cheapest Christmas dinners more generally at the UK’s biggest food retail chains.

But when you get hold of your mince pie, what is the best way to prepare it - and how can you safely heat them up? Here’s everything you need to know.

How long should mince pies be microwaved for?

Not everyone wants to eat a warm mince pie. After all, the treats can be gorged on cold and may even taste better that way to some people (your author included).

But if you do want your mince pie heated up, knowing how long to heat it for is not always obvious.

Most supermarket packs of the Christmas treats will come with heating instructions. But if they don’t (or, you’ve already chucked away the packaging), mince pies should be put in the microwave for between 10 to 15 seconds.

If you’re heating multiple mince pies in one go, it could be worth leaving them in the microwave for up to 30 seconds.

Should you be using a conventional oven, the temperature should be set at no more than 180℃. The mince pies will then take between six to seven minutes to warm up.

How to microwave mince pies safely

While they taste fantastic and look harmless, mince pies can be dangerous food items. But by taking care when preparing them to eat, you can avoid getting injured.

Before putting them in a microwave, be sure to remove the foil tray most mince pies are sold in. The foil could damage your microwave as the way the ovens heat food can cause metals to ignite, which could set your microwave on fire.

Another safety issue to be aware of is that - once cooked - mince pies can become extremely hot inside. Their pastry lids act as an insulator, meaning they keep the heat inside the pie’s filling for longer than if they were not there.

It is recommended to leave your mince pie standing for between one to two minutes to ensure it has had enough time to cool down inside. Otherwise, you could easily burn your mouth and tongue when you bite into one - injuries which will definitely ruin your enjoyment of other Christmas food items.

Another top tip is to place your mince pies on a microwaveable plate, or - if you’re heating them up in an oven - on a proper baking tray. When heated, their pastry cases can crumble without warning. It means you may find yourself wiping mincemeat from inside your appliances if you don’t cook them on something.