Stollen, sometimes also called German Christmas Bread, is one of the most classic German Christmas recipes and one I try to make every year.

This yeast bread is packed with candied citrus peel, raisins, and almonds and finished with lots of melted butter and a thick coat of powdered sugar. It’s also sometimes referred to as Christstollen (because it is eaten at Christmas).

If you want to bake a Stollen for this holiday season, you’d better start early since it tastes best if it can “ripen” for a couple of weeks before slicing! It has a few steps, but it’s not difficult to make once you break it down.

If you are looking for an easy Stollen recipe, our recipe is fairly straightforward. Just be patient… you’re working with yeast, and the dough will have to rise on two occasions.

If you’d prefer to skip the yeast (and the ripening time), you can make a Quarkstollen. You can find the recipe in our German Christmas eBook.

There are also a number of Stollen recipe variations. We don’t include marzipan in our Stollen, but you certainly can (we’ll explain how in the recipe tips below).

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The History of German Stollen

This Christmas bread has a long history dating back to medieval times. It was first mentioned in writing in 1474, but at that time, Stollen was more of a plain bread made with flour, yeast, and water.

In fact, the Catholic Church didn’t allow bakers to use butter during Advent (which was a time of fasting). The Elector of Saxony and his brother eventually wrote to the Pope to get this law changed.

In 1491, the Pope granted what is known as the “Butterbrief” (butter letter), and bakers in Saxony (where Dresden, Germany, is located) were permitted to use butter in their Stollen without being fined (source: Dresdner Stollen)! The butter made the Stollen taste much better.

The Stollen that is mainstream today is the version filled with fruit and/or nuts (among other things). Dresden, Germany is still the city most associated with Stollen and there are just over a hundred bakeries in and around the city that can make the “official” Dresdner Christstollen.

Fun Fact: Each year at the Stollen Festival in Dresden, bakers make a giant Stollen and parade it through the city before cutting it with a very large knife.

Ingredient Notes

• Candied citrus peel – You can use store-bought candied citrus peel, but it’s also easy to make yourself. You can follow our recipe for candied orange peel and candied lemon peel.
• Raisins – Classic Stollen ingredient. Regular raisins and sultanas both work well.
• Ground almonds – Almond meal or almond flour also works.
• Rum – Alternatively, use apple juice for an alcohol-free option.
• Milk – Low-fat and whole milk both work well.
• Yeast – Use instant or active dry yeast. Make sure that it’s fresh, otherwise the dough may not rise.
• Granulated sugar – Some for the yeast and some for the dough.
• All-purpose flour – Regular all-purpose flour for the dough.
• Lemon zest – Preferably from an organic lemon.
• Ground cinnamon – Use ground cinnamon that is relatively fresh for the best taste.
• Ground nutmeg – Adds some extra flavor; don’t skip it if possible.
• Ground cardamom – Often included in Stollen, but if you don’t have any, it’s okay to skip.
• Salt – Regular table salt; balances the yeast.
• Egg – For the dough; make sure it is at room temperature.
• Vanilla extract – Adds some extra flavor; use real vanilla extract as opposed to artificial vanilla extract if you have it.
• Butter – Use unsalted butter; the butter for the dough should be at room temperature and the butter for brushing on at the end should be melted.
• Powdered sugar – Also called icing or confectioners’ sugar. Gives the Stollen its classic look at the end.

How to Make Stollen – Step by Step

If your orange and lemon peels aren’t cut yet, cut them into small pieces. We like to cut them with a knife over a food processor so they don’t get too small.

You should still be able to see the peel in the baked Christmas bread and not just taste it.

In a medium bowl, combine the raisins, candied citrus peel, ground almonds, and rum (or apple juice).

Once everything is well mixed, either cover the bowl with cling film or a lid and let it sit for at least one hour. You can also prepare it the night before so you don’t have to wait.

Heat the milk in a small pot on the stove or in the microwave until it reaches approximately 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius), but check the instructions on the package of the yeast you’re using; it can vary.

Make sure that the milk is warm and not too hot. Adding yeast to milk that is too hot can hurt the yeast and prevent your dough from rising later.

Then add the yeast and one tablespoon of granulated sugar. Whisk until the yeast and sugar have dissolved. Then set it aside.

To a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt. Mix well, then slowly add the milk with the dissolved yeast.

Mix with the spiral dough hooks of your electric hand or stand mixer until a shaggy dough forms (rough, lumpy dough without flour spots).

Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated. Cut the butter into small pieces and add it as well. Mix for about 5 minutes until you have an elastic ball of dough that doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl anymore.

Next, drain any excess liquid from the soaked fruit-nut mixture, then add it to the dough and mix (or knead by hand) until the fruit is evenly distributed.

If the dough feels overly sticky, add a little bit more flour and knead.

Once you’re happy with the consistency, rub a little bit of flour on the outsides of the ball of dough. Then place it back in the bowl and cover the bowl with a clean dish towel or a lid.

Place the bowl in a warm spot without a draft and let it sit for around 1.5 hours or until the dough has noticeably increased in size.

Line a baking sheet with two layers of parchment paper.

Once the dough has risen and noticeably increased in size, sprinkle some flour onto your countertop and briefly knead the dough with your hands.

Shape the dough into a rough oval. Next, place your rolling pin in the middle of the Stollen so it aligns with the long sides of the bread (see photo above) and press down slightly so it creates a valley.

Then fold that slightly flattened side of the Stollen up towards the center of the loaf to create the traditional off-center hump. Press it down lightly to help it hold its shape.

If you want, you can also add a long roll of marzipan in the middle of the Stollen running lengthwise before folding up one side over the marzipan.

Place the dough on a baking sheet lined with two layers of parchment paper, and place a clean dish towel on top. Let the dough rise for another 45 minutes in a warm spot.

Once the time is almost up, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).

Bake the Christmas bread on the middle rack (top and bottom heat) for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Pay close attention to the Stollen around the 30-minute mark and cover it with aluminum foil for the rest of the baking time if the top of the Stollen gets too dark.

When the Stollen is done, remove it from the oven and brush it with melted butter right away. Be generous here since the bread will soak up quite a bit of it.

Right after brushing the Stollen with butter, dust the Stollen with a thick layer of powdered sugar.

Then let it cool completely.

You could eat the Stollen right away, but Stollen made with yeast tastes best after it has time to sit and ripen for at least a few days up to 3 weeks.

We usually wrap it in two layers of aluminum foil and let it sit in our basement for two weeks. Enjoy!

Storage Tips

Once the fruit bread is fully cooled, wrap it in two layers of aluminum foil and store it in a cool and dry place (for example your garage, basement, or a colder bedroom).

You could enjoy the Stollen right away, but it’s best to let Stollen made with yeast sit to “ripen” for at least a few days up to two or three weeks. How long exactly you’ll let it sit before cutting it is personal preference.

Related Recipes

If you liked this classic German Stollen recipe, here are a bunch more Christmas recipes you may enjoy as well:

• Linzer Cookies
• Rum Balls
• Nussecken (German Nut Bars)
• German Mulled Wine (Glühwein)