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Holiday · advanced

Gluten-Free Sourdough Panettone

Key takeaway

Gluten-free panettone is a long-ferment, citrus-raisin celebration bread: 5% psyllium, 27% peak starter, no barley malt, and cool it upright in the mold at least two hours.

An advanced holiday panettone: long ferment, citrus, raisins, and a tall mold. It will not shred like wheat. It will still feel like a celebration.

By Andrew Kittridge460g blend: sorghum, brown rice, tapioca, potato starch, almond, millet. 23g psyllium (5.0%). Salt 9g (2.0%). Peak starter 125g (27%). Enriched with egg, butter, and sugar; fruit soaked without barley malt.
holidaypanettoneadvancedcitrusraisinchristmasgluten freevegetarian
Tall gluten-free sourdough panettone with citrus peel and raisins

Prep

75m

Fruit soak

1-12 hr

Bake

55m

Servings

12

Difficulty

advanced

The short answer

Wheat panettone is a 48-hour flex with gluten windowpanes. This is not that, and I will not pretend it is. Gluten-free panettone is a rich, tall, citrus-and-raisin bread-cake held up by eggs, butter, and 5% psyllium. The ferment is long because the dough is heavy with sugar and fat; the starter needs hours to perfume the crumb before the oven sets it. Soak raisins and candied orange in orange juice or rum, not barley malt extract. Bake in a paper panettone mold. I do not hang gluten-free panettone upside down; our crumb does not have the gluten hammock that makes that trick work, and you will invert a very expensive pancake onto the floor. Cool it upright in the mold at least two hours, better three. Claire peels the paper at the table on Christmas morning in our Indianapolis kitchen. No wheat, rye, or barley. Peak starter only; discard belongs in biscuits.

For the method behind gluten-free structure, read the gluten-free sourdough guide and keep a lively culture with the starter guide.

Why it works

  • A long, cool ferment lets a sugar-and-fat dough develop sourdough aroma without overproofing into collapse.
  • Psyllium at 5% plus eggs replaces the gluten network enough to hold fruit in a tall mold.
  • Soaking then draining fruit keeps the crumb from tunneling around wet raisins.
  • Almond flour shortens the crumb so slices feel festive instead of bready-dry.

Ingredients

  • 150gsorghum flour
  • 80gbrown rice flour
  • 100gtapioca starch
  • 50gpotato starch
  • 40gblanched almond flourTenderness; not a nut-free loaf
  • 40gmillet flour
  • 23gpsyllium husk powder5.0% of 460g flour
  • 9gfine sea salt2.0% of 460g
  • 90gwarm whole milk (95F / 35C)
  • 125gvery active gluten-free sourdough starter (100% hydration)Peak bubble, fed 4-6 hours prior; 27% of flour
  • 90gunsalted butter, very soft
  • 85ggranulated sugar
  • 150geggs (3 large), room temperature
  • 8gvanilla extract
  • 6gorange zest (from 1 large orange)
  • 4glemon zest
  • 80graisins
  • 60gcandied orange peel, choppedConfirm gluten-free; some peels are dusted
  • 40gorange juice or rumFor soaking fruit; no barley malt
  • 20gpearl sugar or sliced almondsTopping, optional

Equipment

  • Digital scale
  • Stand mixer with paddle
  • 5-inch / 500g paper panettone mold
  • Sheet pan
  • Instant-read thermometer
  • Microplane for zest

Instructions

  1. 1

    Soak raisins and candied orange in orange juice or rum for at least 1 hour, or overnight in the fridge, until the fruit looks plump and smells like citrus. Drain well before folding in; extra syrup wrecks the crumb.

    1-12 hr

  2. 2

    Whisk sorghum, brown rice flour, tapioca, potato starch, almond flour, millet, and salt until the almond meal no longer sits in pale streaks.

    3 min

  3. 3

    Whisk psyllium into the warm milk. Rest 8 minutes to a thick gel that looks like pale custard and smells faintly grassy.

    8 min

  4. 4

    Beat soft butter and sugar until creamy and pale. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla and both zests. The mixture may look slightly curdled. Keep going; it should smell like orange sugar.

    8 min

  5. 5

    Beat in the starter and psyllium gel. Add the dry blend and mix on low until a thick, glossy batter-dough forms, about 2 minutes. Fold in drained fruit so it dots the batter instead of clumping.

    6 min

  6. 6

    Scoop into a 5-inch (500g) paper panettone mold set on a sheet pan. Smooth the top with a wet spatula until it looks even. Cover loosely so a skin does not form.

    5 min

  7. 7

    Bulk at 76-78F (24-26C) until the batter rises about two-thirds of the way up the mold and looks aerated, 5-7 hours. Then refrigerate 8-10 hours. This is the long ferment: flavor now, structure later.

    13-17 hr

  8. 8

    Take the mold out while you heat the oven to 350F (175C), 45-60 minutes. The top should look slightly domed and smell like citrus yogurt. Dust with pearl sugar or almonds if using. Cut a shallow cross and tuck a tiny knob of butter in the center if you like a bakery split.

    45-60 min

  9. 9

    Bake 50-58 minutes until deeply golden and 200-205F (93-96C) in the center. Tent with foil after 30 minutes if the top browns early. Do not invert to cool.

    50-58 min

  10. 10

    Cool completely in the mold on a rack, at least 2 hours, 3 if you can wait. Peel the paper only when the crumb is set and no longer steams. Serve in wedges the same day or the next.

    2-3 hr

Nutrition

Approximate values per serving. Always verify labels if you bake for celiac safety.

Nutrition facts per serving
NutrientAmount
Calories286 kcal
Protein6 g
Carbs42 g
Fat11 g
Fiber4 g
Sodium290 mg

Substitutions

Raisins
Golden raisins or dried cherries (wheat-free), same weight, still soaked and drained.
Whole milk
Certified GF oat milk, 90g. A little less rich.
Butter
Plant butter sticks, 90g, for dairy-free. Avoid soft tub spreads.
Almond flour
40g sorghum plus 10g oil if you need nut-free.

Storage

Once cool (2-3 hours), wrap tightly in the paper mold plus foil. Room temperature 3 days. Freeze the whole loaf or wedges up to 1 month. Refresh slices 8 minutes at 300F (150C).

Notes

  • Starter must be aggressive. If it is not doubling in a warm spot on a normal feeding, do not start panettone day.
  • This will not have wheat panettone's vertical shred. Eggs and psyllium give a tender pull. Sell it as what it is.
  • Nut-free path: replace almond flour with 40g more sorghum and add 10g olive oil. Slightly less tender.
  • Candied citron is traditional; only use it if the brand is gluten-free. Many bulk peels are mystery-dusted.

FAQ

Why is this marked advanced?

Long ferment, enriched dough, fruit hydration, and a narrow bake window. If your starter is young or your kitchen is cold, bake hot-cross buns first and come back in December.

Should I hang it upside down like wheat panettone?

No. Gluten-free crumb does not suspend from the crust. Cooling inverted usually deposits the loaf on the counter. Cool in the mold at least 2 hours.

Can I skip the overnight cold ferment?

You can bake after the warm bulk if the mold is two-thirds full, but the flavor will be flatter and the crumb tighter. The cold night is the point of calling it sourdough panettone.

Is rum gluten-free?

Straight rum distilled from sugarcane is generally gluten-free. Do not use malted barley extracts, beer, or spiced bottles with mystery flavors unless the producer confirms gluten-free.

Can I use sourdough discard?

Not for this. Discard does not have the lift. Save discard for biscuits, crackers, and crepes.

Technique

Keep the method close

Psyllium, fermentation temperature, and a celiac-safe starter matter as much as the formula.

Sourdough guideStarter guide

About Andrew Kittridge

Home baker in Indianapolis documenting gluten-free sourdough: psyllium structure, whole-grain blends, and loaves that actually taste like bread.

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