I perfected a Traditional German Stollen that’s buttery and tender, made with or without raisins or marzipan, and nothing like fruitcake.

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I can’t get enough of German Christmas Stollen. It’s not fruitcake, and every year I bake a big loaf or make Marzipan Stollen Bites, sometimes a Mini Stollen Recipe to give away.

The tender crumb and the surprise of a marzipan log hidden in the center keeps folks arguing over the last slice. I use raisins or currants when I want extra chew, but sometimes I skip them, depends on my mood.

If you think holiday bread is boring try this once you’ll be surprised, its somehow both simple and a little showy. You’ll come back for more honestly.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: Provides carbs and structure, not much fibre or protein, makes bread chewy.
Unsalted butter: Adds richness and tenderness, lots of fat, gives buttery sweet mouthfeel, so good.
Whole milk: Adds moisture and mild dairy flavor, some protein and fat, helps browning.
Egg: Binds and enriches, adds protein and color, helps dough rise and set.
Raisins or currants: Give sweetness and chew, small vitamins and fiber, soaked for plump fruit.
Marzipan log: Intense almond sweetness, adds fat and sugar, optional but totally indulgent.
Ground almonds or almond meal: Adds nutty flavor and some protein, makes crumb tender with subtle bite.
Powdered sugar: Dusts and sweetens heavily, pure sugar so no nutrition, classic finish.

Ingredient Quantities

All purpose flour 4 cups (500 g)

Active dry yeast 2 1/4 tsp (7 g, 1 packet)

Whole milk 3/4 cup (180 ml), warmed

Granulated sugar 1/3 cup (70 g)

Unsalted butter 1/2 cup (115 g) softened, plus 4 to 6 tbsp (60 to 85 g) melted for brushing

Large egg 1

Salt 1 tsp

Vanilla extract 1 tsp

Lemon zest 1 tbsp (about 1 lemon)

Orange zest 1 tsp (optional)

Ground almonds or almond meal 1/2 cup (50 g) optional

Raisins or currants 1 cup (150 g)

Candied orange peel or mixed peel 1/2 cup (75 g) optional

Rum or brandy 1/4 cup (60 ml) or orange juice for soaking fruit (optional)

Marzipan log 7 oz (200 g) optional for a marzipan center

Ground cardamom 1/2 tsp

Ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp

Almond extract 1/2 tsp optional

Powdered sugar 1 cup (120 g) for dusting

How to Make this

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1. Soak the fruit: put the raisins or currants and the candied peel in a bowl, pour over the rum or brandy (or orange juice), stir, cover and let soak at least 30 minutes or up to overnight for best flavor; drain before using but save a tablespoon or two of the soak liquid to add to the dough if you want extra flavor.

2. Bloom the yeast: warm the milk to about 105 to 115 F (you want it warm not hot), stir in 1 tablespoon of the sugar then sprinkle the active dry yeast on top, wait 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.

3. Combine dry ingredients: in a large bowl whisk together the flour, the rest of the sugar, salt, ground cardamom, ground nutmeg, lemon zest and orange zest (and the ground almonds or almond meal if using).

4. Make the dough: add the softened butter, the egg, vanilla extract and almond extract if using to the dry mix, pour in the foamy yeast mixture and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead about 8 to 10 minutes by hand or 5 to 7 minutes in a stand mixer until the dough is smooth, soft and slightly tacky; add a little flour or a splash of milk if needed.

5. Add fruit and rest: gently fold in the drained soaked fruit and candied peel so it is evenly distributed; if you are making a marzipan centered stollen do NOT mix the marzipan into the dough, set it aside. Put dough in a lightly buttered bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

6. Shape the loaves or minis: punch down the dough, divide into 1 or 2 loaves or small pieces for mini stollen or bites. For a traditional loaf flatten into an oval, place a marzipan log lengthwise in the center if using, fold one side over the marzipan so it peeks out a bit creating the classic hump, pinch the seam gently. For mini stollen stuff small pieces of marzipan or just fold fruit into each mini ball.

7. Proof and preheat: place shaped loaves on a parchment lined baking sheet, cover loosely and let proof 30 to 45 minutes until puffy but not doubled. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C).

8. Bake: bake the loaves 30 to 45 minutes until golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped (mini stollen will take about 15 to 25 minutes). If the top browns too fast tent with foil, and check with an instant read thermometer if you want (internal about 190 F is good).

9. Brush and sugar: as soon as the stollen come out of the oven brush them generously with the 4 to 6 tablespoons melted butter, then while they are still warm dust heavily with the powdered sugar (use about 1 cup but add more if you want it really snowy). For an extra classic finish brush again with a little more melted butter when cool and dust again.

10. Cool and store: cool completely on a wire rack, then wrap tightly in foil or plastic wrap and let sit 24 to 48 hours if you can, the flavors mature and the texture gets better; serve sliced, sprinkle extra powdered sugar right before serving if you like.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl (for combining the flour, sugar and for the first rise)
2. Small bowl (to soak the raisins/candied peel)
3. Measuring cups and spoons
4. Stand mixer with dough hook or a sturdy wooden spoon and a good arm for kneading
5. Microplane or fine grater (for lemon and orange zest)
6. Bench scraper or sharp knife to divide and shape dough, it makes life easier
7. Parchment-lined baking sheet (or loaf pans if you prefer)
8. Pastry brush (for brushing melted butter)
9. Wire cooling rack
10. Instant-read thermometer (optional, handy to check ~190 F internal temp)

FAQ

Q: How do I proof the yeast and what temperature should the milk be? A: Warm the milk to about 105 to 115 F (40 to 46 C), stir in a pinch of the sugar, sprinkle the active dry yeast on top and wait 5 to 10 minutes till it's foamy. If it doesn't foam the yeast might be dead, try a new packet. If you use instant yeast you can skip proofing and mix it right into the flour.

Q: How long should the dough rise and how do I know it's ready? A: Let it rise in a warm, draft free spot until doubled in size, usually 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on room temp. A quick test is to poke with a finger, if the dent springs back slowly it's good, if it snaps right back let it rise more.

Q: Do I have to soak the raisins and candied peel in rum or brandy? A: No, it's optional but soaking gives better flavor and plumper fruit. Soak 4 hours to overnight in rum, brandy or orange juice. If short on time use warm juice for 30 to 60 minutes. Drain before mixing and you can keep a little of the soaking liquid to moisten the dough if it feels dry.

Q: How do I add the marzipan center or make mini stollen and stollen bites? A: For a marzipan center roll a log of marzipan and lay it along the dough, fold the dough over and seal so the marzipan is hidden inside. For minis divide dough into smaller pieces, about 60 to 80 g for mini loaves and 20 to 30 g for bites, shape and bake. Smaller pieces bake faster so watch them.

Q: What oven temp and baking time should I use and how do I know it's done? A: Bake at 350 F (175 C). A full loaf takes about 35 to 45 minutes, minis 20 to 30 minutes and bites 12 to 18 minutes. The crust should be golden and the center set. If you have a thermometer aim for about 190 F (88 C) internal temp. Avoid overbaking or the crumb gets dry.

Q: How should I finish, store and freeze the stollen? A: Right after baking brush generously with melted butter then dust with powdered sugar while still warm, repeat once cooled if you like a thick snowy coat. Store wrapped tightly in foil or in an airtight container at room temp for up to a week, it actually improves after a day or two. For longer keep it frozen, wrapped well, up to 3 months, thaw at room temp before serving.

German Christmas Bread (Easy Stollen, Mini Stollen And Stollen Bites Recipe) Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour
- Bread flour: higher protein so the stollen has a chewier, stronger crumb, use the same weight but you might need a touch more liquid.
- Whole wheat flour: swap up to 25 to 30% for a nuttier, heartier loaf, expect it to be a bit denser and add a little extra milk or water.
- Gluten free 1-to-1 blend: use an all purpose GF baking mix with xanthan or guar included, replace weight for weight and add an extra egg or binder if the dough seems crumbly.
Active dry yeast
- Instant (rapid) yeast: use about 25% less by weight and you can mix it straight into the flour, no need to proof first.
- Fresh (cake) yeast: roughly 3 times the weight of active dry, crumble it into the warmed milk and stir to dissolve.
- Sourdough starter: use 150 to 200 g active starter in place of commercial yeast but plan for much longer rises and adjust flour/liquid for hydration.
Whole milk
- Buttermilk: gives a nice tang and softer crumb, use 1:1 but thin slightly with water if it feels too thick.
- Non dairy milk (oat, almond, soy): swap equal volume, add 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice if you want extra tang to mimic dairy.
- Warm water plus extra butter: use the same warm water volume and add 1 to 2 tablespoons more melted butter to recover richness if you have no milk.
Raisins or currants
- Dried cranberries: tart and chewy, great one-to-one substitute.
- Dried cherries or chopped dates: similar sweetness, chop larger fruits so they distribute evenly.
- Diced dried apricots or figs: soak briefly in warm water or rum to plump before adding so they dont steal dough moisture.

Pro Tips

1) Soak the fruit longer than you think, even overnight if you can. Use rum or brandy for best flavor, save a tablespoon or two of the soak liquid to add to the dough, and drain then pat the fruit dry before folding in so it doesn’t make the dough soggy. Tossing the fruit with a little almond meal or flour helps keep it from sinking to the bottom.

2) Milk for the yeast should be warm, about 105 to 115 F, not hot or you will kill the yeast. If the foamy proof takes longer in a cool kitchen, don’t panic, give it more time. If you use instant yeast you can add it straight to the flour, but adjust the timing since it acts faster.

3) Keep the dough slightly tacky, dont keep adding flour every time it feels sticky or you’ll end up with a dry dense loaf. Knead until smooth but not stiff, or use stretch and fold rests if you want an easier hands on method. If you plan to include a marzipan core, chill or lightly freeze the marzipan so it stays tidy while you shape the loaf.

4) Go heavy with the butter and powdered sugar right out of the oven, then wrap the cooled stollen and let it rest 24 to 48 hours to mellow the flavors. If the top is getting too dark while baking tent with foil, and if you want to freeze, slice first and freeze in a single layer then stack wrapped so you can thaw just what you need.