Panettone Muffins Recipe

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This Panettone Muffins recipe is a rich and buttery recipe, which is made with dried fruit and fresh citrus zest. It’s the perfect holiday treat, ready after several hours of rising time.

Panettone Muffins Recipe Ingredients

For the Dough:

550g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2 x 7g sachets of dried yeast
1 ½ teaspoons of sea salt
200ml milk, warmed
4 large free-range eggs
3 large free-range egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
100g caster sugar
200g unsalted butter, at room temperature
Olive oil, for greasing

For the Filling & Topping:

2 oranges, zested
1 lemon, zested
100g raisins and sultanas
100g mixed peel
50g flaked almonds

How To Make Panettone Muffins

Make the Initial Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Gently warm the milk. In a separate bowl, beat 3 of the eggs, then mix them into the warm milk. Gradually mix this into the flour mixture until combined.
First Knead and Rise: Knead the dough with the machine for 8 to 10 minutes, or by hand for 10-15 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, until doubled in size.
Enrich the Dough: “Knock back” the risen dough by punching it down. Return it to the mixer. With the machine running, work in the 3 egg yolks, the vanilla, and the sugar. Once incorporated, gradually add the softened butter, piece by piece. The dough will look very wet and sticky at first, but keep kneading for another 10 minutes until it becomes a workable, smooth dough.
Second Rise: Cover the bowl again and leave the enriched dough somewhere warm for another hour, or until it has doubled in size.
Add Fruit and Shape: Line two muffin trays with 15 paper cases. Tip the dough out and knock the air out. Gently knead in the citrus zests, raisins, sultanas, and mixed peel.
Final Proof and Bake: Shape the dough into 15 equal-sized balls and place them in the paper cases. Cover with a damp tea towel and let them prove for a final 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6.
Bake the Muffins: Beat the final remaining egg. Brush the tops of the muffins with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the flaked almonds. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until risen and a deep golden brown.

Recipe Tips

How to get the perfect texture? This is an “enriched” dough, similar to brioche. It’s very important that your butter, eggs, and yolks are all at room temperature to incorporate properly. When adding the butter, be patient! It will look like a greasy mess at first, but it will come together into a beautiful, silky dough with continued kneading.
Can I make the dough ahead of time? Yes. The recipe notes that you can do the second rise (after the butter is added) in the refrigerator overnight. This slow, cold fermentation will develop an even more complex flavor. Just let the dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes in the morning before you shape it.
Why so many rises? Each rising period (or “proof”) develops the gluten structure and the flavor of the dough. The three separate rises are what give these muffins their signature light, airy, and feathery texture, despite being so rich.
What if I don’t have a stand mixer? You can make this recipe by hand, but be prepared for a workout! Enriched dough is very wet and sticky, and it will require a lot of dedicated kneading, especially when you are incorporating the butter.

What To Serve With Panettone Muffins

These are a classic Christmas and holiday treat, perfect for a special breakfast or as a teatime snack. They are fantastic on their own, but also delicious:

Served warm, with a smear of good quality salted butter.
Alongside a hot cup of coffee or a cappuccino.
As a festive dessert with a glass of sweet Vin Santo.

How To Store Panettone Muffins

Room Temperature: Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container. They will stay fresh and soft for up to 3 days.
Freeze: These muffins freeze exceptionally well. Let them cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or gently reheat.

Panettone Muffins Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1 muffin
Calories: 450 kcal
Carbohydrates: 65g
Protein: 10g
Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Sugar: 22g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

FAQs

What is Panettone?

Panettone is a tall, dome-shaped Italian sweet bread, traditionally made with candied fruits and raisins. It’s a classic symbol of Christmas in Italy and has a very light, feathery texture from a long proving process. These muffins capture that signature flavor in a smaller, easier form.

Why is my dough so sticky?

A sticky dough is completely normal for an enriched bread like this. It has a high content of fat (from butter and egg yolks) and sugar, which makes it very soft. Resist the urge to add too much extra flour during kneading, as this will make the final muffins dense.

Can I use a different mix of dried fruit?

Absolutely. If you don’t like mixed peel, you can substitute it with an equal amount of your favorite dried fruits, like chopped dried apricots or cranberries.

Try More Recipes:

Course: BreakfastCuisine: Italian-InspiredDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

450

kcal

A soft, rich, and buttery brioche-style muffin that captures all the classic festive flavors of an Italian Panettone, with sweet dried fruits and bright citrus zest.

Ingredients

Dough: 550g plain flour, 2 x 7g sachets yeast, 200ml milk, 4 eggs, 3 egg yolks, 1 tsp vanilla paste, 100g caster sugar, 200g softened butter.
Add-ins: Zest of 2 oranges & 1 lemon, 100g raisins/sultanas, 100g mixed peel.
Topping: 50g flaked almonds.

Directions

Make a basic dough with the flour, yeast, salt, warm milk, and 3 of the eggs. Knead for 10 minutes and let it rise for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled.
In a mixer, work the egg yolks, vanilla, and sugar into the risen dough. Then, gradually knead in the softened butter until the dough is smooth.
Let this enriched dough rise for another hour until doubled.
Fold in the citrus zests and all the dried fruit.
Shape the dough into 15 balls and place them in paper-lined muffin tins. Let them prove for a final 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200ºC/gas 6. Brush the tops with the last beaten egg and sprinkle with flaked almonds.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

Notes

The most important tip for this recipe is to be patient with the multiple rising times; this is the secret to a light and feathery texture.
For the best results and a smooth dough, ensure all your enrichment ingredients (butter, eggs, yolks) are at room temperature.
Don’t be alarmed by how wet and sticky the dough becomes when you add the butter; keep kneading, and it will come together into a beautiful, silky dough.
The second rise can be done overnight in the refrigerator for a more complex flavor and for make-ahead convenience.