Stollen (German Christmas Bread) Recipe
Few festive bakes carry the weight of tradition quite like Stollen, Germany’s beloved Christmas bread. Originally a plain fasting loaf, this once-humble bread has become a rich, buttery holiday staple filled with dried fruits, almonds, and often marzipan, all wrapped in a thick blanket of icing sugar.
In many German households, Stollen is baked in advance and aged for a week or two to deepen its flavours. It keeps beautifully and makes a wonderful edible gift — or simply a slice of quiet joy on a cold morning with coffee or tea.
This version includes marzipan in the centre for extra indulgence, but you can leave it out for a more classic loaf.
Curious about the centuries-old story behind this iconic bread? Read the full history of Stollen here.
Ingredients
- FOR FRUIT MIXTURE:
- 120g raisins
- 50g chopped dried apricots
- 50g chopped candied orange peel
- 50g chopped candied lemon peel
- 3 tbsp dark rum or orange juice
- FOR THE DOUGH:
- 500g plain flour
- 100g caster sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp salt
- 7g instant dry yeast
- 200ml whole milk, lukewarm
- 150g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- Grated zest of 1 orange
- 80g chopped almonds (blanched or unblanched)
- FOR THE FILLING (optional):
- 150g marzipan, rolled into a log
- For the topping
- 50g melted butter
- Icing sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Place the raisins, apricots, and candied peel in a bowl with the rum or orange juice. Cover and let soak overnight, or for at least 4 hours.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, and yeast. Stir to mix.
- Warm the milk gently until lukewarm. Add it to the flour mixture along with the butter, egg, vanilla extract, citrus zest, and almonds.
- Knead the dough by hand or in a mixer for 8–10 minutes until soft and elastic. It will be slightly sticky, but avoid adding too much flour.
- Drain the soaked fruit and fold it into the dough until evenly distributed.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl. Cover with a cloth and leave to rise in a warm place for 1–1½ hours until doubled in size.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Roll it into an oval, about 2 cm thick.
- If using marzipan, place the log along the centre and fold the dough over it, sealing gently.
- Place the loaf onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Cover loosely and let rise again for 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C). Bake for 45–50 minutes until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
- While still warm, brush generously with melted butter. Cool slightly, then dust thickly with icing sugar.
- Let the Stollen cool completely. Wrap tightly in baking paper and foil, and allow to rest for at least 1–2 days before serving. The flavours improve with time.
- Stollen keeps well at room temperature for up to 2 weeks if wrapped tightly. It can also be frozen for longer storage.
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