Panettone Muffin Recipe - Delicious for Christmas Breakfast

Panettone muffins are a twist on the traditional Italian panettone bread and a great alternative for making at home. If you love citrus flavors this recipe will become an annual favorite and for very good reasons. The texture of the muffin is soft and tender, with the added texture of soaked dried fruit. These muffins are simple to make but you cut the fruit the day before and make the muffins the next morning. I know you will love this recipe so let’s get started.

Panettone Muffins for Christmas breakfast served on a white plate with a Christmas green tablecloth background.

Fiori Di Sicilia Extract

Fiori Di Sicilia Extract is necessary for this recipe, it gives Panettone its distinct flavor. I found it in Canada in Superstore and No Frills, I checked in the USA and found it online at Walmart and Amazon. Fiori di Sicilia in Italian means flowers of Sicily and the flavor is mildly floral, but much more orange, vanilla, and lemon mixed. It’s delicious and worth every penny for a special holiday season breakfast. We enjoy ours together, just the two of us, every morning throughout the holidays.

Panettone Recipe

1 1/2 cups dried fruit ( apricots, cranberries, dried apple rings, golden raisins. I like the all-natural dried mixed fruit from Costco
1/4 cup spiced rum, or orange juice, or a mixture of both
4 tablespoons butter of butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2/3 cup white sugar

2 large eggs1/4 teaspoon
Fiori di Sicilia (to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
coarse sugar for sprinkling

Step 1 – The Day Before Prepare Dried Fruit

Cut the fruit into small cubes, place in a bowl, and cover with the rum and/or orange juice. Stir to coat the fruit, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge overnight.

A cutting board filled with dried fruit for making Panettone muffins.

Step 2 – The Next Day Preparation

As I bake these for Christmas I purchased some pretty cardboard paper cups at Home Sense but you can use 12 tulip or muffin cups. Place whatever paper liners you use inside a standard muffin tin. I did not grease my paper, but you could consider using non-stick vegetable oil spray on the paper if you want to be certain.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

You can make this recipe in the bowl of a stand mixer, but I tested it with my handheld electric mixer and it worked just as well.

Step 3 – Mix the Batter

In a large bowl, add the butter, and oil. Mix well to incorporate, then add white sugar. Beat well until the sugar dissolves.

Five steps to making panettone muffins, creaming butter sugar and oil, adding fiori di sicilia, mixing dry ingredients, then adding to the muffin batter alternating with milk.

Add the eggs, then beat to combine. Add the Fiori and vanilla, then mix to incorporate.

In a medium bowl add the dry ingredients, flour, salt, and baking powder. Whisk together to dissipate the baking powder.

Add 1/2 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture, and mix well. Then add 2/3 cup milk, mix well, then the remaining flour mixture. Beat well to combine.

Add the soaked fruit and all its remaining liquid. Fold everything together with a wooden spoon.