A mystery surrounds him. The panettone has its origins in a festive era when a richer bread appeared to celebrate Christmas Eve in medieval Italy. There is a second, more romantic tale: around 1490 a Milanese noble named Ughetto Atellani de Futi fell in love with the daughter of a local pastry chef. He disguised himself as a pastry maker to win her heart, calling himself Toni, and he is said to have created the sugar bread. The loaf is dome-shaped, studded with candied fruits, and flavored with lemon and orange.
His invention became so popular that Milanese customers began asking for “Toni’s bread,” a name that is thought to have evolved into panettone today.
Here, readers discover some of the best panettones for this Christmas season.
Panettone from the Galicia de Tordesillas patisserie.
Here we explore chocolate and orange panettone varieties. These use flour, egg yolks, sugar, honey, fresh yeast, butter, orange zest, and chocolate. They belong to the soft and delicate panettone tradition of this region. In Tordesillas, a Galician family business dating back to 1850 bakes assorted desserts, with polvorones and their panettones standing out. The Galician panettone is prepared with egg whites, hazelnut, almond, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and cocoa. Álvaro Galicia, manager of this patisserie on the Rueda Wine Route, oversees the complete production of polvorones and panettones. Who would you like to sweeten this Christmas with? This confection is distributed across several European countries, including Poland, Switzerland, Sweden, France, England, Italy, and across Spain.
Chocolate and orange panettone is available in two sizes, 500 and 900 grams, with peak consumption recommended from 15 to 30 days after baking. Prices are 19.95 and 25.95 euros.
Panettone from Bodegas Izadi.
Panettone is also celebrated as Panettone’s Ferrari in some circles. The Loison bakery, based in Vicenza, Italy, alongside Izadi Wineries, has produced a version praised for its bold, grape-skin pomace cream derived from wine production. This panettone speaks to both culinary craft and winery collaboration, showcasing unity between gastronomy and winemaking.
Loison, founded in 1938, is often called the Ferrari of panettones due to its sourdough mastership and decades of guarded methods. In Spain, Loison’s one-kilogram limited edition stands out for its uniqueness and guarded recipe. Izadi offers a version from its special collection in the Artevino online store and gourmet outlets, priced around 30 euros.
Panettone from La Duquesita.
Three versions of the Christmas wreath
Panettone remains among the most exclusive offerings at Madrid’s windfall confectionery, prepared by Oriol Balaguer in Tarragona. In 2018 he earned Best Artisan Panettone in Spain for the classic gianduia flavors, chocolate cream and hazelnut paste, with chestnut, fruit, and more chocolate. These come in three versions and are presented in a box with a traditional wreath motif that graces the store facade on Calle Fernando VI. Balaguer crafts from sourdough using artisan methods to give panettone its signature texture, aroma, and honeycomb. He blends vanilla, candied orange or lemon, and a hint of spices, finished with a crisp, sweet crust, sometimes topped with egg whites, sugar, or ground almonds and hazelnuts.
Panettone is sold in two sizes, half a kilo and one kilo, priced at 31 and 56 euros respectively.
Ozio Panettone.
Dolce & Gabbana panettone
In Madrid, Sicilian flavors take center stage as Dolce & Gabbana unveils panettone that nods to the Mediterranean island. The dessert blends candied citrus with Sicilian saffron, accompanying the craft of renowned Sicilian confectioner Fiasconaro in a reinvented recipe. Everything from the sourdough to the packaging is crafted by hand, with ingredients sourced from Sicily. Chef Dario Génova, born in Palermo, infuses the dessert with a distinctly Sicilian spirit. The candied citrus is presented in an elegant box designed by Dolce & Gabbana. Six variants were offered, three under the D&G label, from the famed Fiasconaro pâtisserie founded in 1953.
Prices start at 30 euros for a half-kilogram loaf.
Panettone by Paco Torreblanca.
Best panettone in the world outside of Italy
Alicante’s Paco Torreblanca helped popularize panettone in Spain. His approach highlights sourdough, meticulous care, and a deep respect for ingredient quality. This dedication has earned Torreblanca international recognition and awards, including the World’s Best Pastry Chef title in 2022 and numerous continental honors. His workshop offers four natural panettone flavors, from a white chocolate raspberry variation to gianduja and orange varieties. Prices range from 30 to 35 euros, underscoring a premium craft product.
A bouncy bun full of nuances
From the Asturian bakery scene, a celebrated Madrid-based pastry chef keeps artisan panettone tradition alive. The Pomme Sucre shop in Madrid markets a fluffy, handmade bun using natural ingredients such as wheat flour, butter, sugar, egg yolks, natural yeast, chocolate, egg whites, almonds, hazelnuts, honey, orange, and cocoa, free from preservatives and dyes. The team prepares the dough four days ahead, refreshing the sourdough several times daily. When serving, it is best enjoyed at a slightly warm, natural temperature to savor its nuanced flavors.
Prices for this elegant loaf start at 42 euros for a one-kilogram size.