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Best panettone for Christmas 2023, from Fortnum & Mason, Waitrose and more

These fluffy Christmas ‘cakes’ are a staple over the festive period

Amira Arasteh
Monday 13 November 2023 14:30 EST
Whether eaten for Christmas breakfast or as an afternoon snack, panettone is the perfect festive treat
Whether eaten for Christmas breakfast or as an afternoon snack, panettone is the perfect festive treat (The Independent)
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Panettone has become synonymous with Christmas, whether you start the day with it as a sweet option for breakfast or enjoy it as a dessert or snack later in the day. Some even enjoy it as an alternative to Christmas pudding.

Originally made in Milanese bakeries to celebrate the start of the festive season, the traditional version should contain orange peel and raisins. However, while the classic version is still popular, panettone now comes in all sorts of flavour varieties.

From chocolate to cherry to a purely nutty style, there’s so many on the market to suit all tastebuds. There are even gluten-free and vegan versions available, so more people can enjoy this tasty Christmas tradition.

The sweet and tangy, airy cakes often have a signature dome shape (which symbolises luck and prosperity) and will usually be pleasantly wrapped, making them ideal festive gifts. Whether you choose to eat yours alone or complement it with butter or jam, this is certainly a Christmas food tradition with which we can get on board.

As usual, we’ve done the hard work for you and taste-tested as much panettone as we could get our hands on, helping to make your Christmas decision-making a little easier.

How we tested

A tough job, but we put these Christmas ‘cakes’ to the test
A tough job, but we put these Christmas ‘cakes’ to the test (Amira Arasteh)

Another hard task for us here at IndyBest, we tasted all sorts of panettone styles. From the classic plain version to chocolate ones more suited to those with a sweet tooth – there was even a limoncello option in the mix, for those craving a boozy sweet treat. We chose our favourites based on how soft, buttery and airy the panettone was, as well as the ease of cutting and the actual flavour.

While some opt for panettone as a dessert, we typically eat it for breakfast during the festive period, so lightness was also a key factor, so as not to be too sickly first thing in the morning.

The best panettone for 2023:

  • Best panettone overall – No1 Florentine-inspired panettone: £16, Waitrose.com
  • Best budget panettone – Sainsbury’s classic panettone: £4.50, Sainsburys.co.uk
  • Best classic panettone – Carluccio’s panettone tradizionale: £23.95, Carluccios.com
  • Best gluten-free panettone – Waitrose free-from panettone: £2.95, Waitrose.com
  • Best boozy panettone – Fortnum & Mason limoncello panettone: £44.95, Fortnumandmason.com

Waitrose No1 florentine-inspired panettone

waitrose florentine inspired panettone christmas
  • Best: Panettone overall
  • Size: 750g
  • Suitable for vegetarians: Yes
  • Why we love it
    • Multiple flavours
  • Take note
    • Not suitable for those with nut allergies

When it comes to panettone, we do love a classic but we could also be tempted by a new wave of flavours. This Florentine-inspired panettone features Sicilian candied orange peel, sultanas and candied cherries, with a caramel filling, topped with chocolate, hazelnuts, almonds, candied orange peel and freeze-dried cherries.

The panettone was light and fluffy in texture, while having all the flavours we crave from a sweet treat. The caramel filling and chocolate topping also meant we weren’t reaching for any preserves to accompany the Italian cake either. The inclusion of only Piedmont hazelnut is really highlighted here, as it is known as being one of the best hazelnuts for confectionery. We have to say the panettone tasted absolutely delicious, with these nuts adding a little crunch.

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Sainsbury’s classic panettone

sainsburys classic panettone christmas
  • Best: Budget panettone
  • Size: 500g
  • Suitable for vegetarians: Yes
  • Why we love it
    • Not as pricey as some other options
  • Take note
    • Slightly dry

Weighing 500g, this classic Italian cake is made with sultanas, butter and candied peel and is potentially a more appropriate size for smaller households.

While we enjoyed the texture of this panettone – it was as light and fluffy as some of the other supermarket brands we tested – there was a slightly bitter taste to some of the cake and the fruit (although there was lots of candied fruit).

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Fortnum & Mason limoncello panettone

fortnum mason limoncello panettone christmas
  • Best: Boozy panettone
  • Size: 800g
  • Suitable for vegetarians: Yes
  • Why we love it
    • A grown-up treat
  • Take note
    • Includes alcohol, so can’t be consumed by everyone

If you’ve ever thought panettone needs an exciting upgrade, this limoncello version from Fortnum & Mason is the one for you. A twist on the Italian classic, the panettone features candied lemons baked into the sourdough, which has undergone 48 hours of proofing. We really liked that the limoncello featured is artisanal, from a small producer in Sorrento, while also including Amalfi lemons.

This went down a little too well in our house, with multiple servings being enjoyed. If you’re someone who soaks your Christmas pudding in rum or opts for brandy cream with your mince pies, this limoncello panettone will go down a treat.

We were a little concerned that the limoncello would take away from the classic Italian cake but it subtly enhanced it, giving it a great flavour. The texture of the cake itself was also perfect. Obviously, this panettone isn’t for everyone, so bear that in mind should you be entertaining over the festive period.

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Carluccio’s panettone tradizionale

carluccios classic traditional panettone christmas
  • Best: Classic panettone
  • Size: 1kg
  • Suitable for vegetarians: Yes
  • Why we love it
    • More than enough for guests

The classic panettone will always hold a special place for many, and this one from Carluccio’s makes a strong play for being one of our favourites. The light sponge is made with butter, dried fruit and citrus peel, before being coated in a crunchy hazelnut glaze. The size of this panettone was particularly impressive – at 1kg, it’s among the largest we’ve seen, so you can be sure this one will last you all festive season or be plentiful enough to feed any guests you might be hosting.

Carluccio’s notes that one of the key elements of its panettone is the natural yeast, which is what makes this cake so light, fluffy and delicate in both taste and texture. Even though this is a plain panettone, there was enough flavour in this Italian cake that we didn’t even want to put extra butter on it – there’s the perfect level of every ingredient, and we enjoyed devouring it with a cup of tea.

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M&S nocciolato panettone

marks spencer nocciolato panettone christmas
  • Best: Nutty panettone
  • Size: 1kg
  • Suitable for vegetarians: Yes
  • Why we love it
    • Large enough for sharing with guests
  • Take note
    • Not suitable for people with nut allergies

Another large panettone, this nutty version from Marks and Spencer follows a traditional Italian recipe, and features Turkish sultanas and Sicilian candied orange. The panettone has been crafted in the Di Gennaro family-run bakery in Fossano, where the unique sourdough mother dough dates back more than 50 years.

We really enjoyed the crispy hazelnut topping, as this added a contrasting texture to the fluffy cake and fruit content, while the sprinkling of whole roasted Apulian almonds added a great taste and texture, too.

Moist and not too sweet, this panettone worked well as a breakfast alternative, so we could see ourselves enjoying this with tea, coffee or hot chocolate come Christmas morning.

  1.  £18 from Ocado.com
Prices may vary
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Asda extra special cherry and chocolate panettone

asda cherry chocolate panettone christmas
  • Best: Panettone for one
  • Size: 100g
  • Suitable for vegetarians: Yes
  • Why we love it
    • Perfect size for one
  • Take note
    • Not one for sharing

If you want a fresh take on a panettone this Christmas, this cherry and chocolate version from Asda is delicious and the perfect size for one person. Ideal for those not celebrating Christmas with a big group (or should you be the only pro-panettone person in the household), this is a great option for those wishing to consume just the right amount over Christmas.

There was a really great flavour to this, although we noted the chocolate flavour was stronger than the cherry (though this was not an issue for us) and the texture of the cake itself was light and fluffy. It wasn’t as moist as some of the others we’ve tasted but we didn’t notice this so much when washing it down with a steaming mug of tea.

  1.  £2 from Asda.com
Prices may vary
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Waitrose free-from panettone

waitrose free from panettone gluten free
  • Best: Gluten-free panettone
  • Size: 100g
  • Suitable for vegetarians: Yes
  • Why we love it
    • Suitable for those with a gluten intolerance
  • Take note
    • Not as light as regular panettone

Made with sultanas, butter and candied orange peel, this panettone is completely gluten-free, as it’s made with rice flour, allowing coeliacs and those with gluten intolerances to enjoy a slice of Italian cake this Christmas.

While we don’t need to stick to a gluten-free diet, we shared this panettone with a friend who does. Their verdict? Not only were they able to comfortably eat the panettone, they said it was softer and lighter than others they’d tried.

We also noted the buttery texture and, while we would say it wasn’t exactly the same as a regular panettone, it was a very good gluten-free alternative.

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Abel and Cole vegan panettone

abel cole vegan panettone christmas
  • Best: Vegan panettone
  • Size: 500g
  • Suitable for vegetarians: Yes (and vegans)
  • Why we love it
    • Suitable for vegans
  • Take note
    • Ever so slightly drier than regular panettone

Vegans can now rejoice, as Abel and Cole’s plant-based panettone is here in time for Christmas. Remaining light and fluffy, the Italian cake is made with extra virgin olive oil and raisins.

We found it to be quite moist but ever so slightly drier than a standard panettone – while it wasn’t that noticeable, a quick stint in the oven or air fryer (to warm it up) can help.

The taste was top tier and the raisins were plump and sweet.

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The verdict: Panettone

While we enjoyed eating each panettone, they all had different qualities. The No1 Florentine-inspired panettone from Waitrose won our hearts (and stomachs), due to it being an upgraded take on the classic Italian cake – maintaining the plain dough with candied fruits and nuts, with a special caramel filling. If you’re looking to indulge a little and fancy a boozy treat, our whole family was also quite taken with Fortnum & Mason’s limoncello panettone.

Give the gift of indulgence this Christmas, with these festive hampers full of food and drink

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