Candied fruit or no candied fruit? The debate continues, but by now it’s almost irrelevant. Panettone – the absolute icon of Italian holidays – is experiencing a new season, characterized by experimentation, surprising ingredients, and contemporary interpretations that complement the great tradition. Alongside the classic version, a world of creative variants is winning over those who love to explore, those seeking novelties to bring to the table, or simply those who want to impress.
Here’s a selection of alternative panettone that tell the Christmas story through taste, terroir, and imagination.
The journey begins in Veneto, with Pasticceria Filippi and its Raspberry and Dark Chocolate Panettone, an elegant encounter between the vibrancy of raspberry and the aromatic depth of Criollo and Trinitario cacao. Since 1972, the Filippi family has maintained its living mother yeast, which gives softness and high digestibility to the dough. In this new creation, the sweet tartness of freeze-dried raspberries merges with the complex notes of Ecuadorian chocolate, the result of an ethical supply chain perfectly aligned with the values of this Vicenza-based certified B Corp. The result is a luminous balance: red berries, cacao, freshness, and an aromatic profile that evolves with each bite.
Staying in the North, but with a soul that looks beyond, Loison presents the new PeachMary Panettone, born from over two years of research. It’s the story of an unexpected encounter: the roundness of semi-candied peach and the balsamic freshness of rosemary.
A peach cream adds softness and depth, while Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla – a Slow Food Praesidium, cultivated by a Malagasy family with whom Loison has collaborated for twenty years – enriches the recipe. As always, time is the secret ingredient: 72 hours of processing and natural leavening that give the panettone an unmistakable fragrance.
At this point, the journey moves to Sicily, a land that interprets panettone with a warm and sensorial personality.
Bonfissuto signs the Vinc’è Panettone, prepared with Sicilian Maiorca wheat dough and enriched with semi-candied figs and strawberries, covered with white chocolate and almonds: a bite that tells the story of the island through soft, tart, and enveloping notes. This renowned company focuses on meticulous and continuous research into excellent Sicilian products, including Modica chocolate, almonds, and pistachios. All ingredients are protagonists of a creative rediscovery that breathes new life into baked goods with centuries-old history. Through study, intuition, work, and experience, new, delicious proposals have been created, unmistakable in their originality, taste, and presentation.
Still in Sicily, Di Stefano Dolciaria stands out, carrying forward an inclusive and contemporary vision: its Gluten Free line grows with two variants, Sicilian Pistachio and Carob, Orange & Dark Chocolate. The Pandori da farcire (pandoro to be filled) also debuts – Sicilian, Pistachio, and Gianduia – designed to involve the whole family in a playful and indulgent gesture. The monumental Panettone Magnum returns, accompanied by the artist’s plate from the Christmas Capsule Collection signed by Gummy Gue. Each creation is a journey through the island’s fragrances: candied orange peel, carob notes, toasted pistachio, and dark chocolate. Just open the package to feel Sicily enter your home.
We then arrive in Milan, where Giacomo Pasticceria – part of the Giacomo Milano universe – celebrates Christmas with leavened treats that combine tradition and research. The Artisan Panettone is a tribute to the great classics: mother yeast, raisins, citrus peels, and slow timing. Alongside this, the Gianduia Panettone adds a more indulgent vein, thanks to the richness of chocolate and the creaminess of hazelnuts. The Classic Pandoro also returns, with its soft and velvety texture, and the Apricot Veneziana, an elegant reinterpretation enriched with fragrant candied fruit. Each sweet is conceived as a gesture of harmony, conviviality, and beauty.
This selection closes with La Perla di Torino, which brings a pop and contemporary touch to the holidays with three original panettone: the enveloping Salted Caramel Panettone, the bright and aromatic Limoncello Panettone, and the sumptuous Triple Chocolate Panettone dedicated to cacao lovers. Three hand-packaged proposals that play with textures, aromas, and colours.
Christmas 2025 is thus drawn: a mosaic of styles, territories, and creativity. Whether you’re a traditionalist or a taste explorer, today, panettone is not just a sweet, but a contemporary narrative. A story that renews itself with every slice.
Images: Brands respectively
