Christmas panettone is one of the most beloved holiday treats, known for its tall, domed shape and soft, airy crumb. Originating from Italy, this festive bread has become a Christmas staple around the world, enjoyed as both a dessert and a sweet breakfast during the holiday season. Its light texture and delicate sweetness make it perfect for sharing, which is exactly what Christmas baking is all about.
At the heart of a great panettone is patience and craftsmanship. Traditional panettone is made with a slow fermented dough, often using natural yeast, which gives it its signature lightness and subtle complexity. Flour, eggs, butter, and sugar come together to create a rich base, while long rising times allow the dough to develop flavor and structure. This careful process is what transforms simple ingredients into something truly special.
What makes Christmas panettone instantly recognizable is its filling. Studded with candied orange peel, lemon zest, and plump raisins, every slice offers a balance of sweetness and citrus freshness. Some modern versions include chocolate chips, pistachios, or dried cherries, but the classic combination remains a favorite for its timeless appeal. The aroma alone, slightly sweet and buttery with hints of citrus, feels like Christmas in the kitchen.
Baking panettone requires attention and care. The dough is delicate and must be handled gently to preserve its airy texture. Once baked, the panettone is often cooled upside down to prevent it from collapsing, a small but crucial step that keeps its tall, fluffy shape intact. The result is a beautifully golden loaf with a tender crumb that pulls apart effortlessly.
Panettone is traditionally served in generous slices, sometimes lightly toasted and paired with butter, mascarpone, or a drizzle of honey. It also pairs wonderfully with coffee, hot chocolate, or a glass of sweet dessert wine. Leftovers can be transformed into French toast, bread pudding, or festive trifles.
More than just a cake or bread, Christmas panettone represents celebration, generosity, and time spent together. Whether homemade or carefully chosen from a bakery, it brings a touch of Italian tradition and a lot of holiday warmth to the Christmas table.
Ingredients
- 500 grams all-purpose flour
- 100 grams sugar
- 200 grams unsalted butter softened
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 200 grams mixed dried fruits raisins, currants, and candied citrus peel
- 1 lemon zest
- 10 grams salt
- 10 grams instant yeast
- 250 milliliters warm milk
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine warm milk, yeast, and a tablespoon of sugar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy.
- In another bowl, mix flour, the remaining sugar, and salt together. Set aside.
- Add eggs and vanilla to the milk and yeast mixture. Mix well.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until a dough starts to form.
- Knead in the butter until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
- Fold in the dried fruits and lemon zest until evenly distributed.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Punch down the dough, shape it into a ball, and place it in a paper panettone mold or a greased, round baking tin.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
This recipe turned out fantastic! My family loved it. I added some nuts for extra crunch. Definitely making it again!
Wow, I always thought panettone would be hard to make. This seems do-able! Can’t wait to try it for Christmas.
Just made it! The smell is making my mouth water! Can’t wait to taste it! 4 stars for now!
Y’all, I made this and it looked great but tasted weird. IDK if I did it wrong or what. My kids didn’t like it at all.
Panettone? Isn’t that just Italian for ‘big bread’? Anyway, mine came out kinda flat, but it still tasted good lol.
Looks yummy! But I don’t understand why they make it so complicated. Just mix stuff and bake, right?
I followed the recipe step by step, but it just didn’t rise right. The taste was okay, but I’m not sure what went wrong.
This panettone turned out amazing! So fluffy and delicious, I can’t stop eating it!
Easy to follow! Just took a bit longer than the 2 hours for the rising part. But it was worth it! Smells like Christmas.
Mine looked nothing like the picture! Maybe I messed up? Anyone else have the same problem?
Yummy! The best panettone ever!! Followed the recipe to the letter!
Really? I tried this recipe last year and mine didn’t turn out as good. Maybe I did something wrong…🤔
That’s awesome! I’m so glad you loved it! I can’t wait to try it myself. 🎉
Made this last weekend and it actually smelled like the holidays immediately. Mine took a bit longer to rise (about 3 hours), but the crumb was great—soft and not too sweet.
I’m impressed it came out soft! My kitchen is usually cold, so “about 2 hours” never happens for me either. Did you use a paper mold or just a regular tin?
That “smelled like the holidays” description is spot on 😄 And 3 hours rise but still a soft, not-too-sweet crumb? Sounds like you nailed it!
Not bad, but why would you put raisins in anything? That’s just wrong. 😡
Raisins? Seriously, who thought that was a good idea? This recipe is ruined. 🤨
Raisins add a sweet touch! You gotta give them a chance, they’re not that bad! 😄
It turned out ok, but I think I should’ve kneaded it longer. Was kinda dense. Next time I’ll try more.
Can use the dough for pizza? Asking for a friend. 😜
I don’t even know what a panettone is, but this smelled great while baking! Tasted pretty good too.
What’s the difference between panettone and a loaf? Seems complicated. I guess it’s really just for show, huh?
Panettone is like bread and cake combined! Glad it turned out good for you. Perfect for Christmas!
180°C for 45 minutes might be a bit short for a big loaf. My oven runs hot, but I’d still start checking at like 35-40 minutes.
Wow, this is a nice recipe, but I added way too much lemon zest by accident. It’s a bit overpowering now…
Sounds fancy but I ain’t got time for all that kneading. Maybe next year…
This panettone was a hit at our Christmas gathering! So fluffy and flavorful. Will definitely make it again.
I’m so glad to hear it turned out well! I plan to try this recipe for my family too!
It looks great and all, but panettone is hard to make. Mine always turns out like bread rock.
Not sure about 180°C for 45 minutes. Mine browned too fast on top but was still a little wet inside, so I had to tent it with foil and add 10 minutes. Next time I’ll lower the temp.
Yeah, 180°C can be a little aggressive for a dense loaf. Tent with foil is exactly what I’d do too—sounds like your oven runs hot on top.
Easy recipe but I don’t think my dough rose enough. used old yeast maybe? Not sure if I will try again.
So yummy! I doubled the fruits and added some nuts. Perfect for the holidays!
I tried this recipe but forgot to add the fruit. Is it still panettone if there are no fruits? 🤔
My grandma used to make panettone with chocolate chips instead of dried fruit. Think that would work here?
I followed the recipe exactly but it didn’t rise at all. Really disappointed… 2 stars.
I don’t know if I did something wrong, but mine came out super dense. I thought panettone was supposed to be light? 🙁
Yum!!! My kids loved helping me with this! Easy instructions, delicious results! ❤️
This is not panettone, it’s like a cake. I’m disappointed. 😡
I ain’t got mixed dried fruits, just use chocolate chips. Still good but not traditional.
This is the best panettone I ever made! So fluffy and delicious! ❤️
Congrats! That’s amazing to hear! I love when a recipe turns out so well. 🥳
I followed it exactly, but mine didn’t get as “golden” as the picture in my head. Flavor is good though—sweet, buttery, and fragrant. Might be my mold size.
Simple and tasty! The kids loved it – this will be a Christmas tradition for us now. ❤️🎄
Sounds amazing! I’ve been looking for a new Christmas tradition. Can’t wait to try this!
What’s the point of adding butter? Seems like too much work for bread… 🤔
I have no idea what lemon zest is, I just used lemon juice. Worked out fine, I guess.
What’s lemon zest anyway? Just adds extra work! Juice seems good enough to me.
Lemon juice is fine, but you really miss out on that zing! Zest adds a brighter flavor, ya know?
I tried this recipe and it turned out too dry. Not sure what went wrong. 🤷♂️
Yeah, mine was also kinda hard. Did you use enough butter? 🤔
Maybe you didn’t knead it enough? Sometimes that’s what makes it dry.
Haven’t made it yet, but I will. Looks easy enough!! Anyone got tips? 🤷♂️
This recipe is way too complicated for me. Can’t you just buy one from the store? 🤷♀️
Instructions are confusing. You forgot to mention what to do after rising!
This is the best holiday recipe I’ve ever tried! I even added some nuts. Can’t wait to make it again next year.
Pretty solid, but 180°C for 45 minutes might be a bit quick depending on your pan size. Mine needed ~55 minutes to get that clean skewer. Still delicious though—sweet with good fruit bits.
Good point! I usually give it closer to 50–60 min too—my oven runs hot and the top browns before the center sets. I check with a skewer and tent with foil if it’s getting too dark.
Totally agree. 45 mins was nowhere near enough for me in a larger pan. Still came out tasty, just a little gummy inside. Next time I’ll bake longer and keep an eye on color.
Not gonna lie, I messed up my milk temp and the yeast didn’t foam. Still, I used fresh yeast and it worked perfectly. Panettone is forgiving once you start over!
I love baking this for Christmas! It’s a family tradition now. 😊 5 stars!
I followed it exactly and it came out dense, like bread loaf dense. Maybe I over-kneaded? Or my yeast was old. The flavor was good, but the texture wasn’t panettone-y enough.
Why do you add sugar to the yeast and milk? I always thought to do it the other way around.
I thought the sugar was meant to feed the yeast, but maybe doing it the other way around could work too? Who knows! Just gotta try it.
I followed this pretty much exactly and my kitchen smelled amazing. The dough was a dream to knead, and the dried fruits actually stayed evenly distributed—so good with tea.
I’m not gonna lie, 500g flour and only 250ml milk feels a bit tight on hydration. Mine turned out dense until I added a splash more milk.
Mine was dense too… I thought I measured wrong but nope. I ended up adding like 1–2 tbsp more milk during mixing and it loosened right up.
I get what you mean—500g flour to 250ml milk is a pretty stiff ratio. I’d expect a denser crumb unless the dough is kneaded super well and the rise is really solid.
I’m skeptical about the amount of butter (200g) and the dough—mine was super sticky even after kneading. I probably measured wrong, but I’d still add a bit more flour if needed. Flavor was nice, just texture finicky.
200g butter is a lot but that’s kinda the point 😅. If yours was like paste, check that your flour is spooned/leveled (not packed). Also did you measure by weight or cups?
That sounds frustrating—panettone dough really can be sticky. I’d try not adding extra flour too soon; instead, butter will absorb as it kneads. Maybe your butter was too soft/melty?
Love that it has raisins and citrus! Makes it feel very festive! 🎄
Okay wow. The dough was sticky at first but then it turned elastic after kneading. I used a mix of raisins and candied peel and it tastes better the next day. Definitely saving this.
What’s the point of adding so many dried fruits? Less is more! 3/5.
I totally agree! Dried fruits can make it too sweet. Less is def more!
Sooo good! My family loved it! 😊
I’m so glad to hear that! 🎉 Panettone is a family classic! Hope you made enough for everyone! 😄
This sounds seriously legit—panettone is a project, but the step-by-step rise and the fruit fold make it feel doable. I’m especially excited about the lemon zest with the dried fruits.
Great recipe but I doubled the dried fruits and accidentally used way more candied peel. It turned out too sweet for my taste, even though it was still delicious.
The steps are too complicated, I can’t be bothered. Gimme a simpler recipe! 😩
Nah, too much work for some bread. Can’t we just buy it from the store? 🛒
I get it, it looks complicated! But trust me, the taste is worth the effort. Maybe give it a try when you have a bit more time? 🎄
Just me or is 180°C a little low? My top browned fast at 350°F but the center was still a bit doughy, so I tented with foil. Still tasty, but next time I’ll adjust heat/time.
180°C does feel a bit low for a quick bake. If your top browned fast at 350°F but the middle was doughy, you probably needed a slightly higher temp *or* longer time—maybe 5–10 extra minutes and a foil tent later.
I’ve never had great luck with 180°C for panettone—tops brown before the crumb sets. I usually go closer to 190–200°C (375–400°F) and watch the center with a skewer/thermometer.
180°C for 45 min maybe works but mine browned too fast on top. Next time I’ll tent with foil halfway through.
I tried it once and it was kinda dense. Maybe I over-kneaded or didn’t use room temp eggs (I forgot to take them out). The flavor is still good, just not airy.
That sounds like a yeast/structure issue rather than the fruit flavor. Over-kneading or cold eggs can definitely make it more dense—room temp really matters for good dough development.
5 starssss omg
250 ml warm milk + 10g instant yeast = good. But “room temperature eggs” is key—mine were straight from the fridge and it went weird fast.
Yo the dried fruit mix is the best part. I added a little extra candied peel and it smelled like a bakery. Would make again for sure.
Turned out tasty, but my first rise only doubled after like 3 hours (wasn’t super warm). Once it finally got going, it baked up nicely. Next time I’ll proof in a warmer spot.
Glad it ended up tasty! That slow first rise happens a lot if the kitchen isn’t warm enough—your plan to proof in a warmer spot next time makes total sense. 😊
180°C for 45 min seems a bit short for panettone to me, especially if it’s in a taller mold. But if yours baked up nicely, I guess your timing worked. What size mold did you use?
Gonna make this for my family! Looks easy enough. Wish me luck!!
Good luck! I’m sure your family will love it! Just make sure to knead it well!
I made panettone once and it was dense… not your fault though 😅 The “skewer comes out clean” check sounds reliable. I’ll be patient with the dough this time.
Tasted great, but I can’t believe how much butter is in this! Is that normal?
This panettone turned out just like my grandmother’s! So fluffy and full of flavor! Definitely a 5!
Followed the steps exactly, dough felt a little sticky but kneading 10 minutes helped a lot. Rise time was spot on (about 2 hours). Great flavor!
Baking do you mean a cake? Mine came out like bread. Confusing! 2 star.
Not gonna lie, 500g flour with 100g sugar and 200g butter feels like a lot (in a good way). My scale is broke tho so I’ll eyeball… lol.
This panettone recipe is the real deal! I made it for Christmas and everyone loved it! 🌟
Made this for Christmas last year and it came out super fluffy. The fruit mix + lemon zest is a perfect combo—can’t taste the yeast at all.