Working for a newspaper isn't all court reports and clickbait - sometimes we get our hands dirty too.
In our role as consumer champions we got our hands, faces and desks covered in crumbs to find out which supermarket mince pies are the best.
Co-op, Irresistible Luxury Mince Pies
£2.00. Crammed with vine fruits, apple, brandy, almonds, cherries and walnuts, Co-op’s Luxury Mince Pies are a mouthwatering must-have for any Christmas party.
★★★★★
Asda, Extra Special 6 Luxury All-Butter Mince Pies
£1.50. With rich ruby port, French brandy and spiced vine fruits, Asda’s mince pies are a taste sensation.
★★★★
Waitrose, Mince Pies
£2.50. These top end treats are filled with a rich mincemeat containing apricot, glace cherries, almonds and brandy and will make a nice afternoon snack.
★★★
Aldi, Specially Selected Cognac Mince Pies
£1.49. Filled with plump vine fruits and cranberries, plus Aldi’s own award winning cognac, these low price pies are the best value for money.
★★★
Lidl Deluxe Luxury Mince Pies
The nicest pastry, but light on filling. Not the richest but far from bland.
★★★
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference, All Butter Mince Pies
£2.00. These pies are pretty as a picture and although not the sweetest of the bunch, you’ll not turn one down.
★★
M&S All Butter Mince Pies
£1.80. These basic shortcrust mince pies aren't as rich-tasting as the others on offer but will still go down nicely with a cuppa.
★★
Conclusion
Bursting with rich, boozy-tasting filling, crammed into buttery pastry and finished with powdered sugar, our taste testers rated Co-Op's offering the highest. M&S, meanwhile, brought up the rear with our team rating budget supermarkets Lidl and Aldi higher than the high street's kings of food porn.
