The best panettone 2025: the winners

The 7th edition of Panettone Maximo, the national festival dedicated to artisanal panettone, has just wrapped up in Rome.

Panettone Maximo 2025: here are the taste champions! An edition that smells like triumph… and it’s entirely from Lazio!

Best Classic Panettone 2025: Macrì wins

This year, the king of the traditional category is Pasticceria Macrì from Rome. Macrì outclassed the competition with a panettone of immediate impact: elegant, aromatic, unforgettable. Second place — and a reconfirmation of excellence — goes to Solodamanduca.  Riccardo Manduca, the winner of last year’s edition, is an increasingly bright star in the galaxy of Italian leavened pastry.

Best Chocolate Panettone 2025: Dolce Tuscia wins

Taking the top spot is Dolce Tuscia from Capranica (VT), followed by the ever-reliable Solodamanduca from Aprilia (LT). Dolce Tuscia’s chocolate panettone is love at first sight: wonderfully fragrant, perfectly structured, and bursting with a flavor that shouts “chocolate!” from every slice. A family business born from the passion of Rizieri Tosi and now carried forward by his sons Franco and Camillo, increasingly projected toward international markets. A story of growth infused with success.

Panettone: the dessert that defines Christmas

Panettone remains the undisputed king of the holidays: artisanal, fragrant, and creative. And the enthusiasm proved it — hundreds of visitors crowded the stands, smiling and eager to discover every nuance of this iconic dessert. (If you want to learn all about its history, read here.)

How the event unfolded

The semifinals were held on November 24 and 26: 48 pastry shops and bakeries from across Italy, with 96 panettoni competing (classic and chocolate). The two juries selected 22 finalists for each category.

The Panettone Maximo Juries

Each panettone was evaluated by both a technical jury and a popular jury made up of attendees. In addition to the technical juries — divided into classic and chocolate categories — food and wine critics as well as representatives of the foreign press also took part.

Jury for Best Classic Panettone 2025

The technical jury included renowned figures from the pastry world: Maestro Gino Fabbri (honorary president of Apei), Angelo Musolino (president of Compait), Claudio Gatti (president of the Accademia dei Maestri del Lievito Madre), Attilio Servi (Master Pastry Chef and leavened dough expert), and Master Pastry Chefs Denis Dianin, Fabrizio Donatone (World Champion 2015), and Walter Musco.

Jury for Best Chocolate Panettone 2025

The chocolate category was judged by Giuseppe Amato (Best Pastry Chef in the World 2021), Davide Comaschi (World Chocolate Masters 2013 and Master Chocolatier). Francesco Boccia (World Champion 2015), Pasquale Marigliano (Master Pastry Chef & Maitre Chocolatier), Andrea Fiori (Pastry Chef & Maitre Chocolatier). Marion Lichtle (Pastry Chef and owner of Il Pagliaccio**) and Valerio Esposito (Maitre Chocolatier).

Best Gourmet Panettone 2025 — Panettone Maximo

All 48 registered pastry shops and bakeries were present. The jury was also tasked with evaluating leavened creations by Michelin-starred chefs competing for the Gourmet Panettone Award. This award for chefs who produce panettone for their own restaurants. Only three made it to the podium: 1st place: Francesco Apreda (Idylio di Apreda, Rome) – 2nd place: Gianfranco Pascucci (Il Porticciolo, Fiumicino), winner of the first edition – 3rd place: Ernesto Iaccarino (Don Alfonso, Sant’Agata sui Due Golfi – NA)

Best Marketing — Panettone Maximo

Special awards for best packaging, best digital communication, and foreign press award were assigned by specialized juries. Best packaging went to L’Arte di Luciano from Apricena (FG). The public award, based on votes from event attendees, went to Pasticceria Zest from Rome, which once again presented extraordinary sweet and savory panettoni.

Olea Dulcis — Leavened Goods with EVO Oil

A major novelty this year was the “Olea Dulcis” area, an event created by Luigi Cremona and hosted in Rome for the first time. The aim was to promote extra virgin olive oil culture and encourage its use in pastry-making. Visitors could taste, discover, and purchase leavened goods made with EVO oil.

The heart of those who turn pastry into a mission of excellence

Congratulations to the winners and compliments to all participants. For us, it was truly a day filled with fun and flavor. For the competitors, however, it represented a real challenge — the culmination of months of work, testing, dedication, and even stress. Each creation reflects the heart and passion of those who make excellence their mission. Our sincere thanks go to all participants for this remarkable display of talent and taste.