Trying, single-handed, to keep up all the British traditions in my Anglo-Italian home is no mean feat, especially when it comes to producing Christmas lunch and tea for at least 12 people. Everybody loves mince pies but I have to admit that I am not the world's best pastry chef. In my opinion Walkers are definitely the best, buttery and sweet, with lots of filling - delicious eaten just as they are with a cup of tea, or served warm with cream or custard at the end of a meal. Defrosting mince pies is fairly easy but you do want to do it carefully to minimise any risk of the pastry becoming too soggy. Whether you’ve frozen them baked or unbaked, the method remains the same: Now you know how to freeze them, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing mince pies to have the best results:

Mince pies do freeze well, generally. You should expect there to be a little change in texture between those that are freshly baked and those which have been frozen – but this is the case for most pastry foods.

Mr Kipling Mince Pies

Most popular with customers in France, Italy, United States of America (USA), Spain, Germany, Canada, Sweden, Portugal and Greece, but you can buy Walkers Luxury Mincemeat Pies for delivery worldwide.

The reasons mince pies are so intricately linked with Christmas is complex. With its original content of meat and fats, it was superb for eating in the lean, dark winter months. A warm mince pie would feed you well and keep you happy as the storms raged outside the window! The trio of spices used, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon, is said to be symbolic of the gifts given to the Baby Jesus by the three wise men in Bethlehem. Originally, mince pies were often made in an oval shape, reminiscent of the crib in the manger where Christ was born, while the top represented the cloth he was swaddled in. Later on, different shapes became ways of showing off the skill of the best pastry makers, who would create intricate mince pies with stars, crescents, hearts, flowers and sugar knot gardens. Also, you can’t heat them up to combat any sogginess you get from the freezing process. If you have iced mince pies that would end up going to waste then there is no harm in freezing them. If you are a fan of the mince pies that have a layer of icing on top instead of pastry then there is good news. You can freeze these too. Just be careful because they might not be quite as nice frozen as they were fresh. You can freeze mince pies either cooked or uncooked for up to three months as long as you have frozen them correctly.Walkers Luxury Mincemeat Pies are perfect if you don’t have the time (or inclination) to make your own mince pies this December.

This batch I have now, I have decided not to leave one out for him . Both Santa and I think they are delicious although Santa must have an eating problem as he always leaves a little bit of pastry on his plate, I think it is to let me know he has been (He tends to leave the presents in a different room)Whether eaten cold or heated up and enjoyed with cream, custard or brandy butter, Walkers Luxury Mincemeat Pies will form an integral part of your Christmas celebrations.