The Best ALDI Holiday Find Is Back in Stock and Delicious as Ever

Panettone is one of my absolute favorite holiday breads, but I would never make it at home (yes, even as a professional baker!) and certain coveted brands can be expensive and hard to get your hands on. So imagine my absolute joy when I spotted ALDI's Priano Panettone for just $5.99 at my local store.

I had heard other ALDI fans rave about this seasonal find and knew that it might sell out quickly,  so I immediately put both the traditional and chocolate chip variety in my cart. Now as I’m staring at the empty packaging, I wish I’d bought more of each flavor—both for myself and for holiday gifting.

What Is Panettone?

Traditional panettone is a tall loaf of sweet, buttery, fluffy bread traditionally studded with dried fruit (often raisins and orange peel) and sometimes almonds, but can often be made with other mix-ins like chocolate, chopped nuts, or other dried fruits. Panettone has a distinct airy texture with a light sweetness and the bits of fruit or chocolate make it a perfect treat for enjoying alongside a coffee or as part of a holiday breakfast spread. Of course, you can also turn it into French toast or a bread pudding-like casserole, too.

This yeasted bread is popular in Italy, specifically around holidays like Christmas and Easter. While you can buy commercially produced panettone almost year round, you typically only see high-quality bakery versions a few times a year because you need a strong sourdough starter and several days to proof such enriched dough, but also because the loaves require special considerations for hanging cooling—like skewers and speed racks for hanging them upside down. Highly prized loaves sell for anywhere from $25 to $80.

What Makes ALDI’s Panettone So Special

The price of ALDI's panettone isn’t the only reason to buy it. After all, other supermarkets sell panettone for around the same price. Its quality and taste make it truly such a special, must-try treat.

ALDI's panettone is baked in Italy using high-quality ingredients like fair-trade chocolate and butter (some less expensive brands use oil instead). Out of the box, each loaf I tried was both visually beautiful and smelled incredible. While my kids devoured the chocolate chip loaf, I savored the traditional loaf, enjoying the light sultana raisins and fragrant candied orange throughout. Both loaves were rich and buttery with a melt-in-your-mouth quality to them.

Given that ALDI’s Priano Panettone is only available during the winter holiday season and that it often sells out quickly as a fan favorite, it's worth stocking up on now or anytime you see it in store. It has a six-month shelf life and could be frozen until you get a chance to stock up again next year.

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