A shadow hangs over his story, the tale of panettone. Its origin traces to medieval Italy, a sweet Christmas bun offered to celebrate with a richer bread than ever before. One version of the tale is romantic: around 1490 a young Milanese noble named Ughetto Atellani de Futi disguised himself as a pastry chef to win the heart of the daughter of a Milanese baker. He called himself Toni and supposedly created the sugar bread, a dome shaped loaf studded with candied fruits and bright citrus flavors.
Those desserts proved so popular that locals began asking for Toni’s bread, and the name panettone may have taken root from that nickname.
Today, this article explores some of the finest panettones available for Christmas celebrations beyond Italy.
Panettone from the Galicia de Tordesillas patisserie.
Chocolate and orange
Traditional panettone blends flour, egg yolks, sugar, honey, fresh yeast, butter, orange sugar and chocolate, yielding a soft, delicate texture. In Galicia, the Tordesillas patisserie in Valladolid has been a family business since 1850, producing a range of desserts that includes a notable panettone made with egg whites, hazelnuts, almonds, powdered sugar, corn starch and cocoa. Álvaro Galicia, manager of the patisserie, guides a complete program of panettone and polvorones within the Rueda Wine Route. The aim is to sweeten Christmas for customers across Spain and into other European markets.
Chocolate and orange panettone appears in two sizes, 500 and 900 grams, with a recommended consumption window of 15 to 30 days. Prices run 19.95 and 25.95 euros.
Panettone by Bodegas Izadi.
Panettone’s Ferrari
The Loison bakery, based in Vicenza, and Izadi Wineries have collaborated on a panettone that uses pomace cream derived from grape skins. This collaboration highlights Izadi’s commitment to gastronomy that unites wine and pastry.
Loison, founded in 1938, is celebrated for its sourdough and is often called the Ferrari of panettones. The house has guarded its process for over eight decades. A one-kilogram panettone from Loison is produced as a limited edition in Spain.
Izadi’s special collection panettone is available through the Artevino online store and gourmet retailers, priced around 30 euros.
Panettone from La Duquesita.
Three versions of the wreath Christmas dessert
Panettone remains a coveted item at Madrid’s windfall candy stores during the holidays. Oriol Balaguer of Tarragona earned the 2018 Best Artisan Panettone in Spain for his classic gianduia flavors, chocolate cream and hazelnut paste, combined with chestnut, fruit and chocolate. The selections are presented in a box that emphasizes a wreath motif on the storefront at Calle Fernando VI, 2.
Balaguer crafts with sourdough using artisan techniques that yield a unique texture, aroma and appearance. He favors honey, vanilla, candied orange or lemon, and a light almond-hazelnut topping of egg whites and sugar. The panettone is offered in two sizes, half a kilo and a kilo, priced at 31 and 56 euros respectively.
Ozio Panettone.
Dolce & Gabbana panettone
In Madrid, the Sicilian-influenced Ozio shop presents a version of panettone inspired by the island. The citrus candied peel and saffron from Sicily are married with a design-forward approach by Fiasconaro, a renowned Sicilian confectioner with a long history. The recipe emphasizes handcrafting from sourdough to packaging, with all ingredients sourced from Sicily.
Chef Dario Genova, born in Palermo, helps bring the homeland spirit to this fluffy bun. The citrus dessert is housed in a box designed by Dolce & Gabbana.
Six variants were offered, including three by Dolce & Gabbana; the main patisserie Fiaccanaro dates back to 1953.
Prices start around 30 euros for a half-kilogram loaf.
Panettone by Paco Torreblanca.
Best panettone outside of Italy
Alicante-based panettone by Paco Torreblanca helped bring the treat to Spain’s culinary forefront. Its sourdough base, meticulous care and ingredient quality earned Torreblanca recognition as a leading pastry maker with international acclaim. The collection includes four natural flavors: white chocolate raspberries, gianduja, orange and a classic chocolate. Prices range from 30 to 35 euros.
Paco Torreblanca’s work began with modest demand but grew through craftsmanship and a devotion to tradition, earning dozens of awards and a reputation as a world-class pastry chef. The portfolio in his workshop features experimental flavors alongside timeless favorites.
Four natural flavors are offered in towers of flavor, with a focus on high-quality ingredients and careful aging of the dough.
A bouncy bun full of nuance
From a Madrid boutique, the Asturian baker known as Blanco keeps a panettone tradition alive. His shop in Gijón ships the dessert across the peninsula when booked a week in advance. The dough is handmade with natural materials, including wheat flour, butter, sugar, egg yolks, natural yeast, chocolate, egg whites, almonds, hazelnuts, honey, orange and cocoa. The process emphasizes sourdough refreshment four times daily as part of a four-day preparation.
The recommended moment to enjoy panettone is just as it reaches peak aroma and texture at the right temperature, slightly warm. Cooling too cold dulls the flavor nuances. The one-kilogram loaf is priced at 42 euros.