This Panettone french toast is one of my favorite things to eat during the holidays. It's cozy, a little sweet, and tastes like Christmas morning on a plate! Not to mention its super easy to make 🙂
If you’re like me and love Panettone, this recipe is for you! Panettone is an Italian sweet bread and is traditionally only made and available to buy over the holiday season. As I'm currently living in Italy, it's become a household ritual to eat it!
The delicious bread is usually filled with raisins and candied fruit, but today I'm using a chocolate chip flavor.
Another yummy panettone recipe to try is my panettone bread pudding which is wonderful to serve for a crowd.
Given the bread is already sweet and flavored, it makes this panettone french toast crazy easy to make! It’s also perfect to serve for guests for brunch or a quick dessert, and a great way to use up leftover panettone. Better yet, you can revive stale panettone!
You can serve the french toast as is, or with a drizzle of maple syrup which is my favorite way to enjoy it. You can also top with a spoon of yogurt or vanilla ice cream if you want to be extra indulgent.
To top it off, serve with an Italian marocchino coffee for the perfect breakfast!
Table of Contents
Why you'll love this recipe
- Crazy delicious! Panettone itself is delicious, but when made into French toast, it takes it to another level!
- Quick and easy: Your family or guests will think you spent hours in the kitchen when it's actually takes minutes to make
- Serve anytime: You can serve for breakfast, brunch or even a sweet snack or dessert
- Minimize food waste: Leftover or stale panettone is given another life when it's used and transformed with this recipe
What is Panettone?
Panettone is a delightful sweet bread primarily associated with the Christmas season, originating from Italy. During this festive time, it's exclusively available for purchase.
A traditional Panettone is typically infused with raisins and small segments of candied orange and citrus fruits, although modern variations boast various flavors.
The name "Panettone" translates to "big bread" in Italian, really reflecting it's weight of up to 2.2lbs/1kg. What sets it apart from regular bread is it's sweet dough, which undergoes a slow rise, contributing to it's unique texture.
Panettone is an Italian tradition during the Christmas and New Year festivities, shared among family and friends. One can find Italian supermarkets full of panettone boxes, each featuring diverse flavors such as chocolate chips, creams, and liquors.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Panettone is of course the star! Whilst the Italian sweet bread is traditionally filled with raisins and candied fruit, today I've used a chocolate chip flavor. Feel free to use the classic panettone if you wish, both work great! You can buy a panettone loaf from your local Italian supermarket during the holidays, some regular supermarkets may stock it too or you can buy it online.
If you can't find Panettone, brioche will be wonderful too! - Eggs are used to make the simple custard for dipping the bread into. I always recommend to use organic free range eggs
- Milk is also used as the base for the custard mixture. I prefer dairy free milk and have used almond milk here, but feel free to use whole milk or your preferred milk
- Maple syrup adds a little sweetness but also helps the caramelization when frying the french toast. You can substitute with honey, agave or sugar
- Ground cinnamon gives the lovely aroma and Christmas spice to it! Nutmeg or cardamom can also be used
- Orange zest is my favorite to add for a little pop of citrus to brighten up the dish, but it's optional
How to make Panettone French Toast
Make this easy Panettone French Toast and impress in minutes. Follow the simple steps below.
- Slice 2 thick slices of panettone bread (approx 3.5oz / 100g)
- In a large bowl, whisk an egg, add milk, cinnamon, maple syrup and zest of ½ an orange (optional, if you like a little citrus). Whisk to combine
- Dip bread slices into the mixture then flip so all is coated
- Spray olive oil in a pan and preheat over medium heat. Add slices and cook for a couple of minutes then flip and cook for a minute (until golden). Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup, powdered sugar and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure to cut thick slices of the panettone bread. If they are too thin, they can fall apart
- Dip the panettone quickly into the custard mixture. If you over soak them, they can become soggy and break apart
- Preheat the frying pan and ensure it's hot before adding the bread slices to achieve the lovely golden brown color
- If serving a group, place the cooked slices in a baking dish covered with foil and keep in a warm oven until they are all ready to serve
Storage and Reheating
- Store any leftover panettone french toast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days
- Simply reheat over the stovetop, microwave or toaster oven until heated through
- I wouldn't recommend freezing as it won't have the same texture or taste once frozen
FAQs
You can enjoy a slice of panettone for breakfast, snack or even dessert. You can then also make other recipes such as this panettone french toast or bread pudding
Panettone is only available over the holiday period in Italy. It's a special tradition, as Italians enjoy with family and friends over the festivities and also share it as a gift
You can simply enjoy it on it's own or with a cup of coffee or hot beverage. Some hot Italian beverages to try it with are an Italian hot chocolate or marocchino coffee
Ensure the bread isn't sliced too thin, and don't over soak it in the custard mixture
More Toast Recipes
- Brioche French Toast
- Custard Yogurt Toast
- Burrata Toast
- Sweet Potato Toast
- Healthy French Toast
- Creamy Mushroom Toast
- Nutella French Toast
More Breakfast Ideas
- Crispy Feta Fried Eggs
- Oat Flour Pancakes
- Tiramisu Overnight Oats
- Pesto Eggs
- Healthy Homemade Granola
- Cilbir Turkish Eggs
- Protein Bagels
- Zucchini Corn Fritters
- Persian Omelette
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your Panettone French Toast photo on Instagram so I can share the love!
Recipe
Panettone French Toast (Delicious Breakfast or Dessert)
Ingredients
- 2 thick slices (approx 3.5oz / 100g in total) panettone bread
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup milk of choice (I've used almond milk)
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Olive oil cooking spray or dash of butter for frying
- Zest of ½ orange (optional)
Garnish
- Optional powdered sugar, drizzle of maple syrup, spoon of yogurt or vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Slice 2 thick slices of panettone bread, approximately 3.5 ounces / 100 grams in total
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg then pour in the milk, cinnamon, maple syrup and optional zest of ½ an orange. Whisk together until well combined to make the custard mixture
- Dip the bread slices into the egg mixture then turn it over so both sides have been coated
- Add some olive oil cooking spray to a skillet and preheat over medium heat. Once heated, add the panettone slices and cook for a couple of minutes
- Using a spatula, lift a corner of the bread to see if it's golden brown, then flip. Allow the second side to cook for a minute then once golden remove and serve on a plate. Garnish with a little extra drizzle of maple syrup and powdered sugar and enjoy your delicious Panettone French Toast!
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