The king of Christmas desserts and the quintessential symbol of winter holidays, the artisanal panettone continues to be the subject of meticulous craftsmanship and original flavor interpretations each year. Here are 20 of the best Italian artisanal panettones.
Iginio Massari Panettone with Mara des Bois Strawberries and Single-Origin Chocolate
Iginio Massari presents an exceptional limited-edition panettone featuring an unprecedented 1.5kg size. This indulgent creation showcases a perfect balance of exquisite Mara des Bois strawberries and extraordinary single-origin dark chocolate from the Peruvian Amazon region of San Martin. Mara des Bois is a prized French strawberry variety renowned for its delicate aroma and sweet flavor reminiscent of wild strawberries. The single-origin San Martin Peru chocolate boasts a velvety texture and complex flavor notes of red berries, citrus, and spices.
The soft and innovative dough of this special panettone is the result of an intricate 65-hour process, a hallmark of Maestro Massari’s leavened creations. A luscious strawberry glaze completes the rich aromatic bouquet of this extraordinary edition, harmoniously blending tradition and innovation. This limited-edition panettone is presented in an exclusive collectible hat box and is available in very limited quantities.
Etro Panettone x Aimo e Nadia
In collaboration with Chefs Alessandro Negrini and Fabio Pisani from the Michelin-starred restaurant “Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia,” Etro has put a unique spin on the classic Milanese panettone.
This exquisite holiday treat is housed in an elegant, satin-finished metal box adorned in shades of blue and gold. Crafted with a natural sourdough starter, fresh butter, and eggs, the panettone features select flours from artisanal mills, untreated candied fruit, plump and flavorful sultanas, and a delightful aroma of vanilla and citrus. Each panettone is accompanied by a matching printed shopping bag. A Pandoro is also available.
Roberto Cavalli Panettone by Olivieri 1882
The Roberto Cavalli by Olivieri 1882 Panettone is born from the encounter between the unmistakable elegance of Roberto Cavalli and the mastery of Olivieri 1882, a unique creation dedicated to the most discerning palates and lovers of Italian excellence. A panettone that celebrates the fusion of pastry art and Made in Italy fashion, boldly and passionately reinterpreting one of the most beloved symbols of Italian tradition.
The packaging of this Special Edition reflects Roberto Cavalli’s luxurious and sophisticated style, with a precious tin box personalized with the iconic Ray of Gold print, making the panettone a perfect gift for the holidays. The Superclassico Panettone is the panettone as it was made in the small Olivieri bakery many years ago. An even longer process, a third mixing phase that gives this dessert an incredible softness and even more persistent aromas.
Loison Panettone Blackhabana
Loison’s newest winter treat, the Panettone Blackhabana, offers a unique and evocative experience. This artisanal panettone seamlessly blends the traditional Loison recipe with the rich sweetness of dark chocolate and the spicy notes of 7-year-aged Cuban rum.
The packaging departs from the soft hues of Loison’s two master collections, Genesi and Frutta e Fiori, offering a striking black and copper design that mirrors the panettone’s core ingredients. Dark chocolate and rum, expertly combined, create a dessert with a bold character and a surprisingly tender heart.
Gualtiero Marchesi Panettone
The iconic panettone, made according to the recipe of Maestro Gualtiero Marchesi, is released in a special edition signed by Vincenzo Tiri to celebrate 10 years of production.
Limited to just 1500 numbered pieces, the 2024 edition faithfully reproduces Marchesi’s original recipe, enriched with a precious blend of vanillas that gives it a particularly elegant and aromatic touch.
Armani/Dolci Panettone by Guido Gobino
For the holiday season, Armani/Dolci by Guido Gobino presents the classic Milanese Panettone, also available in three delicious variations: triple chocolate, apricot and white chocolate, or entirely covered in chocolate. The classic pandoro is also available.
Inspired by the theme of the Giorgio Armani Privé seasonal collection, the damier pattern adorns the gift boxes. The geometric motif in delicate mother-of-pearl and gold tones is also reproduced on the large and small tin boxes. A mother-of-pearl ribbon and an embossed rose seal the packages.
Fabio Tuccillo Panettone Scugnizzo Napletano
Among the novelties proposed by Bakery Chef Fabio Tuccillo for Christmas 2024, the “Panettone Scugnizzo Napoletano” stands out as a tribute to Neapolitan tradition. “Scugnizzo” is a Neapolitan term for a street urchin, symbolizing the city’s vibrant spirit and playful nature.
Crafted with a three-fold dough and infused with an intoxicating almond aroma, this panettone is a true delight. Inside, sweet Vesuvian apricots and caramel chocolate, while the exterior is adorned with a decadent blend of white chocolate and sliced almonds.
Vizio Pistacchio Panettone
Vizio’s panettoni are the result of a complex and captivating process, marked by a meticulous attention to raw materials, long leavening times, and an obsessive care for detail. Founded in 2020 in San Cesareo by Dalila Esposito and Simone Cavallo, Vizio is a small, artisanal bakery dedicated to the production of high-quality leavened goods.
Among the panettones to try, the indulgent Pistachio stands out. Its enveloping dough is made with the precious seed, without any added fillings. It’s glazed with pistachios and granules, and accompanied by a jar of artisanal pistachio cream to spread at the moment.
Di Stefano Gianduia Panettone
Di Stefano’s Christmas 2024 is all about tailoring, craftsmanship, Sicilian heritage, and creativity.
This year’s novelty is the Gianduia Panettone, crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. The outer coating features a double glazing: the first layer is pure chocolate, while the second is topped with hazelnut grains and more chocolate. The interior can be further enriched thanks to a practical piping bag, included in the package, filled with a creamy filling, allowing for a truly tailored touch to an artisanal panettone.
Dolcemascolo Panettone Classico
As the holiday season approaches, Pasticceria Dolcemascolo presents its traditional Panettone Classico, crafted by the master pastry chef Matteo Dolcemascolo, a symbol of excellence and quality in the Italian pastry scene.
Slender and a delicate light hazelnut color, Dolcemascolo’s panettone is an example of lightness and perfection. Soft and moist, it has a texture that caresses the palate and a sweet aroma that conquers both the nose and the taste. At the first bite, one perceives a balanced interplay of butter, sourdough, and sweetness, making this artisanal treat unique. It is a panettone that never tires, inviting you to savor it again and again, with a shelf life of only 40 days, a testament to the freshness and genuineness of the ingredients used, and an extraordinary moisture that gives the cake an irresistibly soft texture.
Pandolce Laboratorio Niko Romito and Lavoratti 1938
For Christmas 2024, Lavoratti 1938 and Laboratorio Niko Romito have teamed up to create a truly indulgent treat: the Pandolce with Lavoratti chocolate.
A modern take on a classic Italian cake, this Pandolce is a light, fragrant, and creamy, perfect for breakfast, snacks, or as a dessert. Enriched with Lavoratti Ecuador Single-Origin dark chocolate at 60% and 80%, it offers a rich and complex taste experience. Made with sourdough starter, organic almonds, extra virgin olive oil, and citrus notes, this Pandolce is a harmonious blend of flavors and textures.
Pansucchio Pastry Alba
A unique recipe and registered trademark of Pasticceria Alba in Viterbo, the Pansucchio is a soft, seductive delight that conquers at the first bite with a blend of sweetness and rum aroma. This artisanal panettone, crafted with a family sourdough starter nurtured for over 70 years, is made with a select few, high-quality ingredients. Its distinctive character comes from a harmonious blend of candied chestnuts, extra-dark chocolate, and Caribbean rum.
The classic panettone-making process is followed, resulting in an airy, dark-hued dough infused with cocoa notes and the aromatic, caramelized hints of rum. The rich interior, studded with chestnut chunks, offers a delightful contrast between the sweetness of the fruit and the bitterness of the chocolate. The overall taste is pleasantly sweet, with warm, rounded sensations.
Fornasetti Panettone by Davide Longoni
For the fifth consecutive year, Fornasetti entrusts the Panificio Davide Longoni with the creation of its panettone: two Milanese excellences that have always shared the same values, the recovery of artisanal tradition, and the use of quality raw materials. Saffron has always been the star of the panettone signed by Longoni and Fornasetti: a classic dough, enriched by precious pistils, as well as soft candied orange and lemon peel and sultana raisins.
For this new limited-edition collector’s item, the panettone is packaged in an exclusive cylindrical box designed by Fornasetti and made with embossed paper decorated with some of the most famous themes of the Milanese Atelier. Around the entire circumference, you can recognize the “Pompeiana” decoration, which became part of the Atelier’s catalog through the homonymous screen created by Piero Fornasetti in 1951. The protagonist of the box lid is “The Sun King“, or rather an anthropomorphic sun, designed by Piero Fornasetti for a tray in the 1950s that, majestically, illuminates every festive table.
Michelangelo Mammoliti’s Signature Panettones
For Christmas 2024, the 2 Michelin-starred executive chef of La Rei Natura by Michelangelo Mammoliti in Serralunga d’Alba (CN) has created two grand leavened breads: L’essenziale per essere felici (The Essentials for Happiness) and Un principio d’emozione (A Beginning of Emotion). Both are inspired by the chef’s childhood snacks: bread, butter, chocolate, and bread, butter, jam. Two Italian snack classics reinterpreted according to the principles of neurogastronomy, a central theory in Chef Mammoliti’s cuisine that studies the perception of flavor and how it influences cognition and memory.
The only added ingredient in these leavened breads is tonka bean, a spice containing an enzyme – coumarin – present in many plants such as Melilotus Alba, and immediately reminiscent of the smell of freshly cut hay. Both leavened breads are enriched by the intense and complex aroma of Tahitian vanilla, which has floral, balsamic, and notes of anise, almond, and tonka bean.
Super Panettone Milano Carlo Cracco
A masterpiece of pastry art, Carlo Cracco’s limited-edition Super Panettone Milano is an exclusive treat for discerning palates. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail and following time-honored traditions, this panettone boasts an incredibly soft and airy crumb that perfectly showcases its rich flavors and aromas.
Inside, a harmonious blend of carefully selected candied fruits, including orange, citron, and prized Zibibbo raisins from Pantelleria, create a truly indulgent experience. The inclusion of whole Zibibbo raisins, complete with their seeds and natural sweetness, adds a unique texture and depth of flavor. Presented in a special tin inspired by the iconic wallpaper of Cracco’s renowned Milanese restaurant, in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
Marchesi 1824 Panettone Farcito
The Marchesi 1824 Panettone farcito (Stuffed Panettone) is a decadent treat designed to be savored slowly. This 2kg masterpiece features a delicate chantilly cream, chunks of candied chestnut, and a crunchy praline hazelnut crumble, all enveloped in a rich dark chocolate coating and dusted with powdered sugar. A hint of vanilla-infused syrup adds a unique aroma and flavor.
“Collezione 0” Panettone Martesana Milano and Moschino
The collaboration between the haute patisserie of Milan‘s historic Martesana sign and the creative fashion house Moschino continues for Christmas 2024 with the “Collezione 0” Panettone, a masterpiece of traditional Milanese craftsmanship. Born from a meticulous search for the finest ingredients, this panettone is crafted with the utmost care and creativity.
This panettone recipe, made with natural sourdough starter, butter, eggs, sugar, and stone-ground flour, adheres strictly to the traditional Milanese recipe, as outlined by the Italian government’s ministerial decree. This ensures the panettone’s historical authenticity. The harmonious blend of Sicilian candied oranges, Calabrian cedro, Australian raisins, and pure Madagascar vanilla results in a symphony of flavors that will delight the palate.
Panettone Speciale Gucci Osteria
With its soft, delicate texture, the limited-edition Speciale Panettone from Gucci Osteria Firenze is the epitome of festive indulgence, featuring a unique salted caramel flavor. Perfectly balanced between sweet and salty, this delectable treat is meticulously crafted by the Osteria’s chefs. To elevate the holiday celebrations even further, the package includes a jar of indulgent salted caramel spread.
Bonfissuto Sicilian Nougat Panettone
Bonfissuto’s indulgent Sicilian Nougat Panettone (Panettone al Torrone Siciliano) is a true taste of Sicily. Wrapped in a decadent white chocolate coating studded with toasted almonds and Sicilian almond nougat, it includes a 200g jar of creamy Sicilian nougat and a spreader for the ultimate indulgence. A perfect balance of taste and texture.
Pandoro Chef Pasquale Tozzi
In addition to panettone, Pasquale Tozzi, Chef of Ristorante Magnolia and Ristorante Il Pescatore and corporate chef for Viviana Varese, offers a pandoro. This is the result of a meticulous process focused on selecting the finest ingredients – the same as panettone – and on their enhancement during production.
The dough for the pandoro is unique in that it uses whole eggs in addition to yolks. Tozzi also creates a special emulsion using butter, cocoa butter, vanilla, grated orange and lemon zest, honey, and salt. This emulsion is rested for 24 hours at 16°C to allow the butter to fully absorb the essential oils of the citrus fruits. Unlike panettone, the pandoro is not inverted after baking but is simply allowed to rest, first in the mold and then outside.