This vegan panettone is super light, fluffy and airy with a sweet, citrus-scented flavour and is studded with candied peel and raisins, or chocolate chips if you prefer.
It is an Italian Christmas classic and is well worth making the effort to bake your own!
This recipe did not originally start off as a panettone, I was working on a Colomba Pasquale recipe, which is essentially an Easter version of panettone, but I am eternally disorganised and did not get round to finishing off the recipe in time to post it for Easter. A little bit of re-working of the recipe and some flavour changes and it was easily turned into a panettone however!
I used this Colomba recipe from King Arthur Baking, and this one from Emiko Davies as the basis for my recipe; essentially making a veganised version of Emiko's, but adapted to use an overnight starter as per the King Arthur recipe, and slightly reducing the volume of dough as I found it to be too much for the mold.
What Is Panettone?
Panettone is an Italian Christmas bread with a sweet, buttery, slightly citrussy flavour and an extremely light, soft, fluffy texture studded with raisins and candied peel. They have a distinctive tall, domed shape and are baked in paper molds.
The process to make a traditional panettone is long and complex, taking several days with multiple rises and stages of making the dough. It is made using a stiff sourdough starter rather than commercial yeast which gives it it's unique flavour and light, airy crumb. Once baked, panettone must be cooled upside-down to avoid it collapsing in on itself as the structure is so light.
Traditional panettone is heavily enriched with butter and egg yolks so is obviously not vegan friendly. The butter is an easy swap for a vegan block butter, but the egg yolks are more difficult to replace. In the end I had the best results by merely replacing the moisture they provide with extra soya milk rather than with any kind of egg replacer.
This vegan panettone recipe is a simplified version, more suitable for a home kitchen, using fast action yeast rather than sourdough, but it is still a complex recipe with very little margin for error. I would not necessarily recommend attempting this recipe if you are a beginner bread maker; you need to be able to competently shape dough and recognise when it is properly kneaded and prooved.
Ingredient Details:
Bread flour: You absolutely must use a strong white bread flour to make panettone, do not use plain/all-purpose or wholemeal flour. The higher the protein content the better, I had the best results using Manitoba flour, which is a Canadian flour with a protein content of around 14% (regular bread flour is around 12%). You can also buy flour specifically for making panettone which has a protein content of 15-16%.
Yeast: This recipe uses fast action/instant yeast.
Butter: You must use a vegan block butter, not the spreadable kind in a tub which has too high a water content.
Milk: I recommend soya milk as it has the highest protein content. Others such as oat or almond should still work ok, but make sure that it is unsweetened.
Sugar: Use either caster or granulated sugar, I don't recommend swapping this for any other kind of sugar or sweetener.
Salt: Absolutely necessary. Salt in bread dough is not just for flavour, it also strengthens the gluten for better dough structure, controls fermentation and helps preserve the bread for longer. I use fine table salt so that it mixes into the dough easily and evenly.
Orange and lemon zest and vanilla: These all add essential flavour to the panettone.
Raisins and candied peel: These are classic additions to panettone, but if you aren't a fan then you can use chocolate chips instead. I tested a chocolate chip version as well as a classic one and the chocolate one was my favourite!
Equipment:
You will ideally need:
- A 1kg panettone mold, I recommend the sturdier corrugated card ones rather than thin paper
- A probe thermometer
- A lame (bread scoring blade)
- Long metal skewers for cooling the panettone upside down
- A stand mixer
- A digital scale
How To Make Vegan Panettone:
(Full measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page)
- Step 1: Start the evening before you want to bake the panettone. Mix together the flour, water and yeast to make the poolish, cover and leave to ferment at room temperature overnight.
- Step 2: The following morning, scrape the poolish into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add flour, lukewarm milk, yeast and butter and mix until well combined. Cover and let rise until doubled, 1-2 hours.
- Step 3: Place the raisins in a bowl, cover with boiling water and soak for 20 minutes then drain well and pat dry with kitchen paper.
- Step 4: Add flour, sugar, orange and lemon zest and vanilla to the dough in the stand mixer. Knead until it is very stretchy and stringy.
- Step 5: Knead in the butter a little at a time then finally add the salt and mix until well combined.
- Step 6: Add the drained raisins and candied peel and mix until well distributed. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl.
- Step 7: Cover and set aside to rise until about tripled in size, about 3 ½ hours.
- Step 8: Scrape the dough out onto a work surface and shape into a ball.
- Step 9: Place the ball of dough seam side down into the panettone mold. Cover and set aside to rise until the dough has almost reached the top of the mold.
- Step 10: Gently brush the top of the dough with the glaze and use a lame to score a cross in the middle.
- Step 11: Bake for 60-75 minutes until the internal temperature has reached at least 90°C / 195°F
- Step 12: As soon as the panettone is baked, pierce through the case with 2 long metal skewers and suspend it upside down between two tall objects. Leave to cool completely.
Top Tips:
Make sure that you read through the recipe fully before starting so that you are able to time everything properly!
I recommend watching some videos on the pirlatura shaping method to get a better idea of how to shape the panettone, it is important that you build enough surface tension when shaping it into a ball (but also not too much that it tears!).
The recipe is made over 2 days, making a starter in the evening which is left to ferment overnight, then making the first and second doughs, rising, shaping, rising again and baking on the second day. The dough takes a long time to rise as it is so heavily enriched, so make sure that you start the first dough early enough in the morning that you will have time to complete the recipe by the evening; I usually make the first dough at around 7.30am and have the panettone baked by about 6pm.
I have not provided US cup measures for this recipe as they are too inaccurate, please use a digital scale.
Steam is added to the oven to help keep the outer crust soft before the panettone has fully risen. Make sure that you put a roasting tray in the bottom of the oven when you start pre-heating it, then pour boiling water into it when you put the panettone in the oven.
To cool the panettone upside-down you will need to skewer it through the mold, then suspend it between two tall objects; I use stacks of books but you could use tall boxes, jars, a very deep pan or a couple of chairs (if using chairs make sure that it is out of reach of any dogs you may have! Those raisins could be deadly).
Instead of making one large 1kg panettone you could make two 500g ones. The bake time would be less, potentially 40 minutes but I can't say for sure without testing it.
Use a a probe thermometer to test when the panettone is cooked through. It should register at least 90°C / 195°F.
FAQ's:
A poolish is a type of pre-ferment used in bread making to add flavour, improve the texture and help the bread to keep for longer. It is a wet mixture of usually equal quantities of flour and water with a small amount of yeast, and is generally left to ferment overnight before adding it to your dough.
Many recipes for home-made panettone call for a biga, which is another type of pre-ferment. Technically a biga is a lower hydration, stiffer dough, whereas a poolish is a wet batter, but people often confuse the two and use the terms interchangeably. Either a biga or a poolish works well to add complexity of flavour and improve the structure of the dough but this recipe uses a poolish.
Store the panettone in an airtight container or sealed bag at room temperature for up to a week. It is best eaten within a couple of days of baking but as it gets a bit older it is great toasted or warmed through before serving. If it gets too stale then you can use it to make bread and butter pudding!
Yes! This vegan panettone freezes really well. Make sure that it is well wrapped to avoid freezer burn then freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost at room temperature to serve.
Technically yes though it will be a long and messy process as it is a sticky dough and must be kneaded until it is extremely stretchy and stringy. I recommend using a stand mixer if possible.
When kneading, you shouldn't flour the surface as you will end up incorporating too much flour and making the dough too dry. Instead, if the dough is sticking too much, you can lightly oil the worksurface and your hands to help, or just be prepared to get a bit sticky!
A bench scraper is incredibly handy when kneading dough by hand to unstick the dough from the surface.
As long as you stick to a total quantity of 225g and do not use very wet things (so no fresh fruit), then you can vary the mix-ins to suit you. Dried cranberries and pistachios would work well, or try roughly chopped hazelnuts and dark chocolate.
No, definitely not. Making gluten free bread is tricky and the entire recipe would need reworking. Gluten free baking is not my area of expertise so I cannot advise you. It is best to use a recipe that is designed to be gluten free rather than trying to adapt a non gluten free recipe.
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Vegan Panettone
Equipment
- 1kg panettone mold
- probe thermometer
- lame
- Long metal skewers
- stand mixer
- digital scale
Ingredients
Poolish:
- 100 g manitoba flour (or panettone flour or strong white bread flour)
- 100 g cool water
- ⅛ teaspoon fast action (instant) yeast
First Dough:
- 200 g manitoba flour (or panettone flour or strong white bread flour)
- 200 g unsweetened soya milk lukewarm
- 40 g vegan block butter softened
- 11 g fast action (instant) yeast
Second Dough:
- 135 g raisins
- 180 g manitoba flour (or panettone flour or strong white bread flour)
- 130 g caster or granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- finely grated zest of 1 large orange
- finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
- 100 g vegan block butter softened
- 8 g (1 ¼ teaspoons) fine table salt
- 90 g candied peel
Glaze:
- ½ Tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ Tablespoon soya milk
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Make sure that you have read through the entire recipe before you start so that you understand each step and the timings required.
Poolish:
- The evening before the day you want to bake the panettone prepare the poolish by mixing together the flour, water and yeast in a bowl until well combined. Cover tightly and leave to ferment at cool room temperature overnight, 8-12 hours.100 g manitoba flour (or panettone flour or strong white bread flour), 100 g cool water, ⅛ teaspoon fast action (instant) yeast
First Dough:
- The following morning the poolish should look bubbly. To make the first dough, scrape the poolish into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the flour, lukewarm milk, yeast and butter and mix until well combined with no dry patches of flour; it should be quite wet, almost more of a batter than a dough. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours at warm room temperature. (I just leave it in the stand mixer bowl to rise).200 g manitoba flour (or panettone flour or strong white bread flour), 200 g unsweetened soya milk, 40 g vegan block butter, 11 g fast action (instant) yeast
- While the first dough is rising, place the raisins in a bowl, cover with boiling water, leave to soak for 20 minutes then drain well and pat dry with kitchen paper.135 g raisins
Second Dough:
- Once the first dough has risen, add the flour, sugar, vanilla and orange and lemon zests to the bowl.180 g manitoba flour (or panettone flour or strong white bread flour), 130 g caster or granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract, finely grated zest of 1 large orange, finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
- Knead with the stand mixer until the dough is very smooth, elastic and looks like it is forming strings as it mixes (see post above for reference photo). Check the temperature every now and again with a probe thermometer and do not allow the dough to become too warm, it should never exceed 28°C/82℉. If it starts to get too warm, refrigerate the bowl for 5 minutes before continuing to knead.
- Add in the butter a little at a time, allowing each addition to be incorporated fully before adding more. The dough should be soft and sticky, do not add extra flour.100 g vegan block butter
- Once all of the butter has been added, sprinkle in the salt and mix until combined. The dough should pass the windowpane test - you should be able to stretch it thinly enough to see light through it without it tearing.8 g (1 ¼ teaspoons) fine table salt
- Finally add the dried raisins and the candied peel (or chocolate chips), mix until evenly distributed.90 g candied peel, 135 g raisins
- Lightly oil a large bowl and your hands, shape the dough into a ball as best you can. Place it in the oiled bowl, cover and set aside to rise at warm room temperature until tripled in size, about 3 ½ hours.
Final Shaping And Rising:
- Once the second dough has risen, use your hands to scoop it up and fold it back on itself a couple of times to deflate it. Turn it out onto an unfloured surface and continue to scoop and fold it to create surface tension then shape into a neat ball; try and make sure that there are no raisins on the surface as they will burn in the oven. I suggest watching some videos of the pirlatura method for reference.
- Place the ball of dough into the panettone mold, cover and leave to rise at warm room temperature until it has almost reached the top of the mold, if you look at it from the side the centre of the dough should be peeking above the mold, but the sides should be about an inch below the top. If you poke it with a floured finger the dough should spring back most of the way but leave a small indentation. This will take about 3 hours at warm room temperature but could take longer if it is cold.
- While the dough is rising mix together the maple syrup, milk and olive oil for the glaze.½ Tablespoon maple syrup, ½ Tablespoon soya milk, 1 teaspoon olive oil
- When the dough is nearly ready, preheat the oven to 180℃/160℃ fan/350℉/gas mark 4. Place a roasting tin in the bottom of the oven and stick the kettle on.
- When the panettone is ready to bake, gently brush it with the glaze then use a lame to score a cross in the middle.
- Pour boiling water into the roasting tin then place the panettone on a baking sheet in the middle of the oven. Bake for 60-75 minutes until the internal temperature has reached at least 90°C / 195°F on a probe thermometer. Loosely cover with tin foil after about 45 minutes to prevent the top from burning before it is cooked through.
- While the panettone is baking, make sure that you have your skewers and a way to suspend the panettone ready. I use two stacks of big books, but you could use tall boxes, jars, a very deep pan or a couple of chairs
- As soon as the panettone is baked, pierce two skewers all the way through the panettone (through the case), parallel to each other, one on either side and about 1 inch from the base. Suspend the panettone upside down between your two tall objects and leave to cool completely, ideally for at least 6 hours. Once cold store in an airtight container.
Notes
- See post above for tips, details, step-by-step photos, storage and freezing instructions.
- Instead of the raisins and candied peel you can use 225g of chocolate chips or roughly chopped chocolate.
- The dough takes a long time to rise as it is so heavily enriched, so make sure that you start the first dough early enough in the morning that you will have time to complete the recipe by the evening; I usually make the first dough at around 7.30am and have the panettone baked by about 6pm.
- I have not provided US cup measures for this recipe as they are too inaccurate, please use a digital scale.
- This is a complex recipe with very little margin for error. I would not necessarily recommend attempting this recipe if you are a beginner bread maker; you need to be able to competently shape dough and recognise when it is properly kneaded and prooved.
If you tried this recipe let me know how it went! Rate it, leave a comment or tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess
Diana
My mixer doesn't have a dough hook. Can I mix it by hand instead?
Hannah
Hi Diana, Technically yes though it will be a long and messy process as it is a very soft, sticky dough and must be kneaded until it is extremely stretchy and stringy.
Kathy
I made this a couple of days ago. It went down very well. The only trouble was I stupidly didn’t allow for the rise while it was cooking and it hit the top of the oven. So it wasn’t a good looker. I will make it again though.
Anto
I tried making vegan panettone 2 years ago. A total fail. I decided I was ready to give it another go and chose to go with your recipe cause you’ve never let me down before - and SUCCESS!! This was a long process and I didn’t have the time or the will to fully embrace it at Christmas but I’m so happy I gave it a go now. This is probably the nicest panettone I’ve ever had - vegan or otherwise. The crumb is SO tender!! I decided to mix raisins, cranberries, lemon and orange peel AND choc chips, sticking to the max recommended amount. The dough was beautiful to work with and the end result blew my pastry chef mom’s mind!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!
Dani
I was relieved to see your recipe posted just before Christmas, as pannetone is not easy and I trust your vegan recipes. 🙂 My pannetone turned out delicious!
Note for people using chocolate: I’d recommend using baking chocolate over chopped chocolate. Mine starte