Pandoro Recipe: Authentic Italian Christmas Star Bread 2026

Pandoro is one of Italy's most beloved Christmas sweets, instantly recognizable by its tall, eight-pointed star shape. Its feather-light crumb carries the rich flavor of butter and vanilla, and a generous dusting of powdered sugar makes it look like it has just been touched by snow.

Unlike its cousin panettone, pandoro skips the candied fruit and relies on a long, slow fermentation plus a final lamination of butter through the dough. The result is a tender, airy loaf with a delicate sweetness that feels festive without being heavy.

This homemade version uses commercial yeast and follows a layered process of preferment, first dough, and final dough before the butter is folded in. It takes some planning, but the payoff is a stunning centerpiece for your holiday table. Slice it crosswise to show off the star, or lengthwise to keep it from drying out.

The eight-pointed star mold gives pandoro its signature silhouette, and the powdered sugar finish is part of the tradition. Serve it with coffee or a glass of sweet wine for a classic Italian holiday moment.

Cutting into a pandoro reveals a soft, golden interior with fine, even air pockets. That texture comes from the careful fermentation and the butter layers worked into the dough.

Ingredients for Pandoro

Makes 8 servings

• 50 g strong flour (W400)
• 20 g water
• 20 g invert sugar
• 5 g dry baker's yeast
• The previous preferment
• 200 g strong flour (W400)
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 whole egg
• 30 g butter
• 20 g sugar
• 1 vanilla pod
• 200 g strong flour (W400)
• 60 g sugar
• 40 g invert sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 7 g salt
• The first dough
• 150 g butter
• Powdered sugar

How to Make Pandoro Step by Step

1. Mix the preferment

Prepare the ingredients and start with the preferment. Mix 50 g of strong flour with 20 g of water, 20 g of invert sugar, and 5 g of dry baker's yeast until fully combined.

2. Let the preferment rise

Cover the mixture and let it ferment at room temperature until it has doubled in volume. Depending on the room temperature, this will take about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

3. Make the first dough

Next, make the first dough by mixing all of the preferment with 200 g of strong flour, 1 egg yolk, 1 whole egg, 30 g of crumbled butter, and 20 g of sugar.

4. Knead and let rise

Knead until you have a smooth, elastic dough. Cover it and let it ferment again at room temperature until doubled in volume, which will take about 2 hours.

5. Split the vanilla pod

Before starting the final dough, split open 1 vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds with the tip of a knife. You will use these seeds in the final dough.

6. Combine the final dough

In a bowl, place 200 g of strong flour, 60 g of sugar, 40 g of invert sugar, 3 egg yolks, 7 g of salt, and the vanilla seeds. Finally, add the previous dough.

7. Knead until smooth and elastic

Begin kneading by hand or with a stand mixer. Work the dough until it becomes elastic, which takes about 10 minutes in a mixer on low speed or a little longer by hand.

8. Let the dough rise again

Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a greased bowl, and let it ferment covered until doubled in volume, about 3 hours. At this point you can slow the fermentation by moving the dough to the fridge after half an hour, which lets you spread the work over several days.

9. Laminate with butter

The next step is laminating the dough. If you chilled the dough, take it out of the fridge 1 hour before laminating so it comes to room temperature. When the dough is pliable again, roll it into a square about 35 cm per side and distribute 150 g of chopped butter in the center.

10. Fold the dough over the butter

Fold the edges of the dough toward the center like an envelope, keeping the butter enclosed inside.

11. Roll into a rectangle

With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle. Work firmly and quickly, taking care not to handle the dough too much so it doesn't warm up, and make sure the butter spreads evenly without leaking out the sides.

12. Fold in three and chill

Once you have the rectangle, fold it into three parts with the opening on your right. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes in the fridge.

13. Repeat two more folds

After the fridge rest, make a second fold just like the first, then a third, always keeping the folds on the right and making sure the butter doesn't escape from the sides. It is important to rest the dough for 30 minutes in the fridge between each fold.

14. Shape and place in the mold

Once the folds are done, shape the dough into a ball and place it in a greased pandoro mold with the ends of the dough facing up.

15. Let it rise in the mold

Cover the mold with greased plastic wrap so the surface doesn't dry out, and let the dough rise in the mold until it has increased in volume as shown. At a room temperature of 21 °C, this took 10 hours. When the dough is almost ready, preheat the oven to 180 °C with top and bottom heat.

16. Bake the pandoro

Bake the pandoro for 10 minutes at 180 °C with the rack in the lowest position. Then lower the oven to 160 °C and bake for another 25 minutes. These times are a guide for a 1 kg pandoro and can vary between ovens. Watch the baking progress and before removing it, check that it is cooked inside by inserting a skewer, which should come out clean. Don't overbake it or the crumb will dry out.

17. Cool and unmold

Once ready, take the pandoro out of the oven and let it rest in the mold for about half an hour before unmolding. Turn it out of the mold and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Then dust it generously with powdered sugar before serving.

18. Serve

To serve, you can cut it two ways: crosswise to show off the star shape, or lengthwise. At home we like to cut it lengthwise because it dries out less and the points of the star mark the portions, making it easier to slice.

Tips for the Best Pandoro

Use quality butter and real vanilla

As with any recipe where you want a great result, ingredient quality is key. Use good butter and natural vanilla instead of essences. This makes a real difference: it helps the lamination turn out perfectly, the butter distribute evenly, and the flavor taste authentic.

Plan your rising times

For sweets with several fermentations, it helps to map out a schedule that fits your day. You can use the fridge to slow cold rises at whatever point you like, even the preferment. The best approach is to make the first three doughs as written, then slow either the final dough or the final rise in the mold. That last rise is already long, and final rises for enriched doughs are always best done at warm temperatures.

Don't overbake and check for doneness

Oven times vary, so keep an eye on the pandoro as it bakes. Test with a skewer before removing it from the oven; it should come out clean. Avoid baking it too long, or the crumb will dry out and lose its soft, tender texture.

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