Panettone or Pandoro? Discover the story, traditions and rivalry behind Italy’s two iconic Christmas cakes, and find out which one Italians love most.

Panettone or Pandoro? Italy’s Christmas dessert debate

Panettone or pandoro? It’s one of the questions you’re most likely to be asked if you happen to be in Italy around Christmas. Few things divide Italians into opposing camps quite like this. It’s a bit like choosing between still or sparkling water, flat wine or bubbles, milk chocolate or dark chocolate, Inter or Juventus.

Panettone is an Italian cake that originated in Milan and is part of the Italian Christmas tradition. It’s a dessert that never fails to appear on Italian tables during the winter holiday season.

It’s made from a leavened dough of water, flour, butter and egg yolks, enriched with candied fruit, orange and citron peel in equal parts, and raisins. The leavening process alone takes several days, giving the cake its distinctive light and airy texture. Panettone is usually served in vertical slices and paired with hot drinks or sweet wines such as Asti spumante or Moscato d’Asti.

Pandoro is an Italian cake that comes from Verona and dates back to 1894. Its dough is soft, golden in color and delicately scented with vanilla. Its shape is unmistakable: a tall truncated cone with an eight-pointed star pattern. The main ingredients include flour, sugar, eggs, butter, cocoa butter and yeast, and its preparation is just as complex, involving multiple stages of processing.

Unlike panettone, traditional pandoro contains no fillings. There are no raisins, candied fruit or creams inside. It’s simply dusted with powdered sugar, meant to resemble the snow-covered peaks of the Alps at Christmas.

Although panettone took its modern form in the twentieth century, its origins are much older and often wrapped in legend. 

One popular story tells of a young nobleman in Milan who fell in love with a baker’s daughter and, to impress her family, created a new sweet bread using flour, eggs, butter, honey and raisins. The bread was an immediate success, and the lovers eventually married.

Another famous legend takes place at the court of Ludovico il Moro. When a Christmas dessert was accidentally ruined, a kitchen assistant named Toni suggested serving a cake he had improvised with flour, butter, eggs, candied citron and raisins. The guests loved it, and the duke asked for its name. The cook replied, “It’s Toni’s bread” (pan del Tögn), which later became panettone.

The rivalry between panettone and pandoro is one of Italy’s most enduring culinary debates. The two cakes reflect very different traditions. Panettone represents Milan’s rich and complex heritage: a tall, dome-shaped bread with a light, elastic crumb and bold flavors. Pandoro, rooted in Verona’s tradition, is simpler and more restrained. Its star shape, dusting of powdered sugar and buttery texture make it closer to a soft cake.

And the debate doesn’t stop there. Even among panettone lovers, opinions are divided. Some prefer it with raisins only and no candied fruit, others want candied fruit but no raisins, while purists insist on the fully traditional version. Then there are those who love the more creative variations: chocolate panettone, cream-filled versions, pear and chocolate, apricot, pistachio cream and countless other combinations. Pandoro, too, now comes in filled versions with various creams.

Over the past few years, preferences between panettone and pandoro have shifted slightly across Italy. In general, panettone remains more popular in the north, where it originated, while pandoro tends to be favored in the south, appreciated for its softer texture and simpler flavor.

At a national level, however, the balance is almost even. In 2025, pandoro slightly overtook panettone in popularity, with 53% of consumers choosing the Veronese cake over the Milanese one, which stood at 47%. Proof that, in Italy, this “rivalry” is far from settled and still very much alive.

If you find yourself in Italy during the Christmas season, our advice is simple: try them both. Pandoro often appeals more to those who enjoy cleaner, simpler flavors and a softer crumb. Traditional panettone, with its raisins and candied fruit, tends to win over those who love more intense aromas and richer tastes.

Once you’ve sampled both, you’ll be ready to take a stand too and confidently answer the question Italians love to ask every December: “Panettone or Pandoro?”