This keto panettone recipe is for all of you who miss this wonderful Italian Christmas bread! My sugar free panettone has an almond flour yeast dough. I have used chocolate chips instead of the traditional dried fruit to keep the carb count in check.
Panettone is one of the most popular Christmas cakes all over the world. I have been lusting after a slice for years, so I decided create this keto recipe.
It contains all the flavors you'll find in a regular panettone - allspice, orange and lemon zest - but none of the carbs.
Alongside my keto mince pies, the low carb stollen and these keto gingerbread cookies it has become a must make during December.
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Ingredients
Below are the ingredients you'll need:
- Almond flour: I used ground almonds, which is the same as regular almond flour in the US. Reduce the amount by ⅓ cup if your almond flour is super-fine.
- Whey protein isolate: This helps to make the batter fluffy.
- Baking powder
- Xanthan gum - For a stronger crumb structure.
- Active dry yeast: Make sure it's fresh.
- Inulin: I'm using it to activate the yeast.
- Eggs
- Butter
- Almond milk
- Granulated low carb sweetener: An erythritol blend with monk fruit sweetener works well, as would allulose. Don't use xylitol. Since it inhibits the growth of bacteria it may counteract the growth of yeast (which is a fungus).
- Sugar free chocolate chips: Or use 90% chopped chocolate such as Lindt
- For flavour: orange and lemon zest, allspice, cardamom, vanilla extract, Brandy
Instructions
This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Step 1: Proof the yeast by adding it to some warm almond milk and inulin. Cover and put in a warm place to ensure it starts to bubble.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl – almond flour, unflavoured whey protein powder, granulated sweetener, baking powder, cardamom, allspice, the grated orange and lemon zest and xanthan gum.
Step 3: In a second large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until frothy.
Step 4: Add the melted butter, yeast mixture, remaining almond milk and Brandy or Rum to the eggs and mix until well-combined. Then, add the dry ingredients and blend. A sticky dough will form.
Note - the image above is from my first batch. In my second batch I used 1 ½ the amount of dough to fill the panettone springform. Therefore, I recommend using a large mixing bowl over a food processor.
Step 5: Last, stir in the sugar free chocolate chips and flaked almonds.
Step 6: Generously grease the sides of a panettone springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Fill in the dough and smoothen the top with a spatula.
Step 7: Cover and rest in a warm place until the dough has fluffed up and increased in size noticeably.
Step 8: Bake until golden brown. Test with a skewer to ensure there are no crumbs sticking. Cool completely before releasing from the springform.
Expert Tips
I have made several recipes with an almond flour yeast dough, such as Keto Butter Cake or keto focaccia. Please follow the tips below for a good rise.
The right temperature: This is key with all yeast cake recipes! Anything too hot will kill the yeast, as will anything too cold. Yeast needs warmth to rise.
Eggs must always be room temperature. The milk needs to be lukewarm. I also let the melted butter cool to lukewarm before I add it to the dough.
The best place to let yeast rise is your oven. Simply put it on the lowest setting (around 40 Celsius) and cover the panettone lightly with a tea towel. Yeast wants to be cuddled and it does not like draughts.
Proof the yeast: It is an essential recipe step to check the yeast is active. It should start foaming and doubling in size. Otherwise start again with a different batch.
Recipe FAQs
You get the same flavor, but not the same texture. Almond flour panettone is denser than the fluffy, airy crumb you find in wheat panettone.
Sure. You could buy individual paper panettone molds. Or use a muffin pan. The baking time will be shorter, probably 25 minutes.
Of course. You could use ¼ cup raisins and ¼ cup sugar free dried cranberries. Raisins are not keto-friendly, but ¼ cup won't send the carb count through the roof. Or, use ½ cup of the cranberries.
Yes. Use coconut oil instead of the butter.
You need inulin to activate the yeast. If you don't have it, use honey or sugar instead. Don't worry - no sugar will remain post bake. The yeast "feeds" on it.
You can replace it with another protein powder. If you use more almond flour, the crumb texture will be heavier.
Recipe Tweaks To Try
Whilst the yeast dough did rise well, it did not rise further in the oven. Therefore, the panettone did not have a domed top after baking.
Perhaps you'd get a better rise if you used individual panettone moulds.
Another thing I'd like to test next time is using super-fine almond flour (using ⅓ cup or 35 grams less). Also I'd replace ⅓ cup of the almond flour with 2 tablespoons of psyllium husk powder.
Both would make the batter lighter in structure and may help with rise.
Storage
Keto panettone keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days. Alternatively, store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Suitable for freezing. Freeze sliced for up to 3 months.
More Sugar Free Christmas Recipes
You can build your entire Xmas menu from the website, from turkey and keto stuffing to roasted Brussels sprouts and diabetic christmas cake.
And don't miss my post with these Santa-approved keto christmas cookies.
Recipe
Low Carb Keto Chocolate Chip Panettone
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Equipment
- panettone springform 16 cm diameter x 10 cm height, or panettone mould
Ingredients
To proof the yeast
- 1 ½ sachet active dry yeast 12g / about 3 tsp
- ⅓ cup almond milk unsweetened 80 ml / lukewarm
- 2 tablespoon inulin
Wet ingredients
- 5 eggs large room temperature
- ⅓ cup butter melted, 76g
- ⅓ cup almond milk 80ml / warm. This is in addition to the almond milk used to proof the yeast
- 2 teaspoon Rum or Brandy optional - or 1 teaspoon rum aroma
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Dry ingredients
- 4.5 cups almond flour 450g *** see notes
- ½ cup whey protein powder 50g
- ⅔ cup granulated sweetener 130g - use up to 1 cup for a sweeter bread
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅓ teaspoon xanthan gum
- zest of 1 orange
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ cup sugar free chocolate chips 90g, or 90% chopped chocolate
- ⅓ cup flaked almonds 30g
Instructions
- Proof the yeast by adding it to ½ of the warm almond milk (40C/105F) together with 2 tablespoon inulin. Cover and put in a warm place for around 7 minutes to ensure it starts to bubble.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl – almond flour, unflavoured whey protein powder, granulated sweetener, baking powder, cardamom, allspice, the grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon and xanthan gum.
- In a second bowl, beat the eggs until frothy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the melted butter, yeast mixture, remaining almond milk and Brandy or Rum to the eggs and mix until well-combined. Then, add the dry ingredients and blend. A sticky dough will form.
- Last, stir in the sugar free chocolate chips.
- Generously grease the sides of a panettone springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Fill in the dough and smoothen the top with a spatula.
- Cover with oiled cling film and / or a tea towel and rest in a warm place (I put mine in the oven on the lowest setting) for 2 hours or until the dough has fluffed up noticeably. Mine almost doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 175 Celsius / 350 Fahrenheit.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted comes out without crumbs sticking. After 15 minutes place an aluminium foil lightly on top of the pan to avoid excessive browning.
- Cool completely before releasing from the springform.
maxine underhill
Could this be made in a bread maker?
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Maxine, I don't have a bread maker. I do know though that many readers have made my keto bread in the bread maker by mixing the dough beforehand and then baking it using the quick bake setting. This is why I think that you can bake the panettone in a similar way.