mince pie
noun phrase

- Mince pies are small pies containing a sticky mixture of small pieces of dried fruit and usually eaten at Christmas.

COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary

—
Of British origin, mince pies are filled with a mixture of dried fruits and spices called "mincemeat" and traditionally served during the Christmas season in much of the English-speaking world, including parts of the United States. Its ingredients are traceable to the 13th century, when returning European crusaders brought with them Middle Eastern recipes containing meats, a range of fruits and spices such as cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg

Served around Christmas, the savoury Christmas pie (as it became known) was associated with supposed Catholic "idolatry" (Vergötterung) and during the English Civil War was frowned on by the Puritan authorities. Nevertheless, the tradition of eating Christmas pie in December continued through to the Victorian era, although by then its recipe had become sweeter and its size markedly reduced from the large oblong shape once observed.

Today the mince pie, usually made without meat but including animal fat (suet), remains a popular seasonal treat enjoyed by many across the United Kingdom and Ireland.

“How to Cook Perfect Mince Pies” at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVqPt2sdfkU  is an amusing 3-minute clip with Jamie Oliver.

Sources:

- Peggy M. Baker, "Thanksgiving and the New England Pie"
- Baker, Margaret Discovering Christmas Customs and Folklore (third ed.)
- Wikipedia

Further reading:

- Ayto, John, The Glutton's Glossary: a Dictionary of Food and Drink Terms
- Clare, Sean, "Illegal Mince Pies and Other UK Legal Legends", bbc.co.uk