The Good Housekeeping Institute has recently announced the best flavoured panettone you can buy this Christmas – and the best part is, it’s already in store and online.
After testing 17 classic and flavoured Italian bakes, our panel of experts and consumers (yes, you can be on the panel too) crowned the Tesco Finest Winter Spiced Toffee Apple Panettone the best flavoured version for 2026, with an impressive score of 88/100.
Panettone has become a festive favourite, but with so many versions on the shelves, choosing one can be tricky. In this year’s taste test, Morrisons The Best Classic Panettone also impressed, sharing the top score of 88/100 in the traditional category. Tesco’s seasonal twist came out top among the flavoured options, bringing together the soft, buttery layers of a classic panettone with juicy candied apple and ribbons of cinnamon-spiked caramel. Yum!
Made for sharing, it sounds ideal for the run-up to Halloween and Bonfire Night. Testers loved its warming, wintery flavour and the cinnamon sugar sachet provided for sprinkling over the top. Serve it with coffee over a long, leisurely weekend breakfast – or save some to enjoy after Christmas dinner. We’d happily eat it for breakfast and dessert.
Tesco wasn’t the only flavoured panettone worth trying if you’re after something different this year. ASDA’s Exceptional by ASDA Chocolate & Caramel Panettone (£7.55 for 750g) scored 85/100, while Waitrose’s Spritz Panettone is worth seeking out for Aperol fans. It scored 83/100 and costs £12.50 for 750g. Both are already in store, so there’s no need to wait until Christmas to indulge.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk