Panettone
The buttery, fruity, chocolatey bread you've always wanted to make!
By Francesca Zani
Approved by the Delish Test Kitchen

Delish editors handpick every product we feature. We may earn commission from the links on this page.
Yields:
8 - 10
Prep Time:
45 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Large domed boxes line grocery and bakery shelves during the holiday season. Have you ever wondered what it could be all about? Inside those boxes lies the magic of panettone, which is nostalgic and symbolic of Christmas, and I’ve come to liking it more and more. It’s a rich, fruity, bread-like cake studded with citrusy essence. For this recipe, I’ve minimized the prep time without sacrificing the quality. Bits of chocolate melt in your mouth and orange peel brightens the bite. It's clear that we LOVE the holidays at Delish, so if you’re looking for other great recipes, we have plenty to share. Check out our festive Christmas fudge, holiday cookie pops, stollen, pull-apart Christmas tree, and cinnamon roll apple pie.
What is panettone?
This Milanese-style of bread is an enriched dough, which means the dough begins with a starter, sponge, or biga (see below), then added to flour, egg yolks, sugar, and butter to create a tacky, elastic dough. You can make them into minis or a more standard size like the one here. Find the paper molds here.
What are different panettone mix-ins?
There’s always that distinct panettone flavor that you can’t quite figure out. Is it vanilla, rum, cointreau, or orange zest? Whatever the flavor combo is, the mix-ins add a little burst. Some popular ones include chocolate chips, almonds, currants, dried apricots, and of course, raisins.
What to garnish this with?
Keep it simple… this bread doesn't need to be dolled up with anything to look good. A golden brown crown is all you need to make this bread pop. But if you want to get festive, go for sugar pearls, slivered almonds, halved hazelnuts, or even an amaretto glaze.
Sponge versus biga
Both a sponge and biga include a ratio of liquid, yeast, and flour. Sponge is often made with milk—although this one is made with water—and it “ferments” for a shortened period of time and is typically a bit loose. It’s best used for dough “enriched” with eggs and fat.
Biga is made with similar ingredients but often takes hours to ferment prior to making into dough. This style of “pre-ferment” is on the thicker side and associated with breads like ciabatta or focaccia.
What could alcohol do in bread?
Too much alcohol will disrupt bubble formation and collapse air pockets. It’s important to limit the amount of alcohol or extracts in this enriched style of bread so you can maintain as many air pockets as possible.
How to store panettone?
The best way to keep panettone fresh is by wrapping it in plastic wrap and storing at room temperature for up to 1 week. It will also keep for up to 1 month in the refrigerator.
Did you make this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments!
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Ingredients
Sponge
- 3/4 cup
warm water
- 4 1/2 tsp.
(15 g.) active dry yeast
- 1 Tbsp.
granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup
(90 g.) all purpose flour
Dough
- 1/2 cup
(85 g.) packed golden raisins
- 2 Tbsp.
dark rum
- 5
large egg yolks
- 6 Tbsp.
water
- 1 Tbsp.
orange extract
- 2 tsp.
pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp.
kosher salt
- 3 1/4 cups
(390 g.) plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup
(100 g.) granulated sugar
- 10 Tbsp.
unsalted butter, cut into pieces, softened
- 1 cup
(170 g.) dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup
(85 g.) orange peel
Cooking spray
- 1
large egg
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Directions
Sponge
- Step 1In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, and granulated sugar. Let sit until yeast blooms, about 10 minutes.
- Step 2Add flour and whisk to combine. Cover with a towel and place in a warm spot to proof and mixture begins to foam, about 30 minutes.
Dough
- Step 1In a small bowl, combine raisins and rum. Let soak at least 1 hour or up to 2.
- Step 2In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat sponge, egg yolks, water, orange extract, vanilla extract, salt, and 3 1/4 cups flour on medium speed until well combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Add granulated sugar and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute more (dough will appear try at this point).
- Step 3Replace paddle with dough hook attachment. Add butter 1 to 2 pieces at a time and beat on medium speed, scraping if dough moves up side of hook, until incorporated and dough is elastic and smooth, about 10 minutes.
- Step 4Cover bowl with a towel and place in a warm spot to proof until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Step 5Squeeze excess liquid from soaked raisins. Add chips, orange peel, and remaining 2 tablespoons flour; toss to coat. Tap out any excess flour. Add raisin mixture to dough and beat on medium-low speed until combined, about 5 minutes.
- Step 6Grease a 6 3/8"-by-4 3/8" paper mold with cooking spray. Fill mold with dough. Cover with a towel and place in a warm spot to proof until doubled in size, about 40 minutes.
- Step 7Arrange a rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°. In a small bowl, beat egg with a splash of water until blended. Brush dough with egg wash.
- Step 8Bake panettone, loosely covering with foil if top starts to get too brown, until risen and top is golden brown, about 50 minutes.
- Step 9Remove from mold and let cool 1 hour before serving. Dust with confectioners' sugar.
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