Stollen holds a special place in my heart, truly my favorite Christmas bread – a festive companion that must be made alongside a delectable fruit cake! My childhood Christmases were marked by the joyous anticipation of Stollen appearing in grocery stores. I’d eagerly tear into a loaf, often before we even left the store. It’s been a wonderful journey from that little girl to a professional pastry chef, and now I’m thrilled to share all my insider tips and tricks to help you bake the most flavorful and never-dry Stollen bread.

This recipe features a remarkably buttery, soft dough, delicately flavored with bright lemon and fragrant orange zest. I’ve generously loaded the dough with an abundance of premium almonds, pecans, walnuts, plump raisins, and candied orange peel, ensuring every bite is packed with texture and taste. The secret to keeping Stollen incredibly moist and locking in its exquisite flavor lies in a simple yet crucial step: brushing the warm loaves with melted butter and then coating them lavishly with granulated sugar, followed by a dusting of powdered sugar. I’ll also guide you through the process of making this delightful bread with or without a luscious marzipan center, catering to all preferences.

What is Stollen? History and Tradition

Stollen, also known as Christstollen or Weihnachtsstollen, is an enriched, yeasted bread that holds a cherished place in German culinary traditions, especially during Christmastime. Originating from Dresden, Germany, centuries ago, this rich fruit bread symbolizes the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes, represented by its distinctive shape and generous dusting of powdered sugar. Unlike many breads, Stollen is designed to improve with age, making it a perfect holiday treat that can be baked in advance.

The dough is famously flavored with vibrant lemon and orange zest, giving it a bright, aromatic quality that complements its rich, buttery base. It’s generously studded with a medley of dried fruits like raisins and often candied citrus peels, alongside a harmonious blend of nuts such as almonds, pecans, and walnuts. After baking, the warm loaves are immediately brushed or dipped in copious amounts of melted butter and then coated in granulated sugar, followed by a final, characteristic dusting of powdered sugar. This crucial step not only imparts a delightful sweetness and a beautiful appearance but also helps to preserve the bread, locking in moisture and flavor for weeks.

Should Stollen Be Eaten Warm? Serving Tips

While Stollen bread is absolutely delicious either warm or at room temperature, many connoisseurs argue that its complex flavors truly shine after it has rested for a few days, allowing the fruits and spices to meld and deepen. If you choose to enjoy it warm, a quick toast or a few seconds in the microwave can enhance its comforting aroma and soften the butter. Serve warm slices with a generous pat of butter and your favorite fruit jam – my mixed berry jam recipe is an excellent choice! At room temperature, Stollen presents a firmer, more structured bite, perfect for slicing thinly and enjoying with a cup of coffee or tea. The version with marzipan is particularly delightful on its own, as the sweet almond paste adds another layer of moisture and richness, making it a complete treat.

Why Use a Sponge (Preferment) in This Stollen Recipe?

Utilizing a “sponge” (also known as a preferment) is a time-honored bread-making technique that significantly enhances the quality of your Stollen. In this recipe, a portion of the flour, all of the yeast, and all the liquid (milk and water) are combined and allowed to ferment before being added to the main dough. This initial fermentation step offers several critical advantages:

• Enhanced Flavor Development: The extended fermentation time allows the yeast to produce more complex flavors and aromas, far beyond what rapid direct-mix doughs can achieve. This contributes to Stollen’s characteristic depth of taste.
• Improved Texture: The gluten network begins to form in the sponge, leading to a more extensible and stronger dough. This results in a softer, more open crumb structure in the final bread, preventing it from being dense.
• Faster Mixing/Kneading Time: Because the gluten has already started to develop, the overall mixing or kneading time for the final dough is reduced, making the entire process more efficient and less strenuous.
• Increased Shelf Life: Prefermented doughs often produce bread with better keeping qualities, remaining fresh and moist for longer periods.
• More Predictable Rise: The active yeast in a well-developed sponge ensures a reliable and consistent rise for the heavy, enriched Stollen dough.

In essence, the sponge acts as a powerful flavor and texture booster, laying the foundation for a truly exceptional Stollen.

Key Ingredients for Authentic Stollen

Crafting the perfect Stollen begins with understanding the role of each ingredient. Here’s a detailed look at what makes this recipe exceptional:

• Dry Active Yeast: These small but mighty leavening agents require hydration to awaken, but they offer a controllable and robust fermentation. Ensure your yeast is fresh for optimal rising power.
• Whole Milk: I always opt for whole milk in enriched yeasted breads. Its higher fat content contributes significantly to the dough’s richness, tenderness, and moist crumb. The natural sugars in milk also feed the yeast and aid in browning.
• All-Purpose Flour: For most of my bread recipes, including Stollen, all-purpose flour is my preference. It strikes the ideal balance, providing enough gluten to develop a strong, elastic network that can support heavy fruit and nut inclusions, yet still results in a tender and soft texture.
• Butter: Unsalted butter is crucial as it allows you to precisely control the overall saltiness of your dough. Beyond flavor, butter adds incredible richness, moisture, and a delicate crumb, making the Stollen truly decadent. Ensure it’s softened for optimal incorporation.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar serves multiple purposes: it sweetens the dough, promotes a beautiful golden-brown crust through caramelization, and provides a readily accessible food source for the yeast, kickstarting fermentation.
• Lemon Zest: The zest, not the juice, is where the concentrated citrus oils reside. Be sure to zest only the bright yellow part of the lemon peel, avoiding the bitter white pith, to infuse your Stollen with a vibrant, fresh aroma.
• Orange Zest: Similar to lemon, meticulously zest only the dark orange portion of the orange peel. This extracts the most potent and aromatic essential oils, lending a wonderful depth of flavor to the bread. Mixing the zests with sugar ahead of time helps draw out these aromatic oils.
• Kosher Salt: Kosher salt has larger crystals and is less dense than table salt, meaning a teaspoon weighs less and is less salty by volume. It’s essential for balancing the sweetness, enhancing all the flavors, and playing a vital role in regulating yeast activity and strengthening the gluten structure.
• Candied Orange Peel: While store-bought candied orange peel is convenient, I highly recommend trying homemade candied orange peel if time permits. Homemade versions often use only the flavorful peel, resulting in a superior, more intense citrus flavor compared to store-bought varieties that may include the whole, less flavorful rind.
• Raisins: Dark raisins are traditionally used, but golden raisins or a mix of both offer a delightful variation. For an extra boost of flavor and plumpness, consider soaking your raisins (and other dried fruits) in rum, brandy, or orange juice overnight before adding them to the dough. If you’re a raisin lover, my raisin bread recipe is a must-try.
• Almonds: This recipe calls for whole, blanched (peeled) almonds, which contribute a subtle, elegant texture and flavor. Traditionally, they are untoasted in Stollen, but if you prefer a nuttier, more intense flavor, you can certainly toast them lightly before adding.
• Pecans: As a Southern chef, I have a particular fondness for fresh, plump pecans. Their rich, buttery flavor is exceptional in Stollen. For maximum freshness, store pecans (and other nuts) in the freezer if you plan to keep them for more than a month or if your kitchen is consistently warm.
• Walnuts: Whole, untoasted walnuts add a pleasant, slightly bitter counterpoint to the sweetness of the Stollen. Walnuts are prone to going rancid faster than other nuts, especially at room temperature, so always taste them before baking. Storing them in the freezer is the best way to extend their freshness.
• Marzipan: Marzipan is optional but highly recommended for an extra layer of moisture, sweetness, and distinct almond flavor. I prefer marzipan over almond paste for Stollen as it typically has a bit more sugar and a smoother consistency. If using almond paste, ensure it’s pliable enough to roll into a rope and hold its shape.

Stollen Variations and Customizations

While this recipe provides the blueprint for a classic Stollen, feel free to get creative with these delicious variations:

• Nuts & Fruits: The traditional selections (raisins, candied orange peel, almonds, pecans, walnuts) are wonderful, but your Stollen can be a canvas for other dried fruits and nuts. Consider currants, dried cranberries, chopped figs, or even dried cherries for different flavor profiles. For an extra layer of indulgence, soak your chosen dried fruits in rum, brandy, or orange juice overnight to plump them up and infuse them with deeper flavor. Don’t shy away from adding warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or a pinch of ground ginger for an even more aromatic bread. If you enjoy rich, fruit-filled breads, you’ll also adore my panettone recipe!
• Mini Stollen Bites: Perfect for gifting or a festive party, this recipe can easily be adapted into bite-sized mini Stollen. At my restaurant, we used to make these as VIP giveaway treats during Advent. This same recipe will yield approximately 110 mini Stollen bites. For even distribution, finely chop all nuts and fruits before incorporating them into the dough. Divide the dough into 35g pieces, shape them like small rolls, and bake them in sprayed mini muffin tins. Adjust baking time accordingly (likely 15-20 minutes).
• Marzipan Center: The marzipan center is an optional, yet highly recommended, addition. I adore the extra sweetness, incredible moisture, and intense almond flavor that marzipan brings to the Stollen. While it adds a small amount to the overall cost and one extra step, the payoff in flavor and texture is immense. This Stollen recipe is designed to be equally delicious with or without the marzipan baked inside, so you can choose based on your preference.
• Chocolate Stollen: For a modern twist, add 1/2 to 1 cup of mini chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate to the dough along with the other mix-ins. A tablespoon of cocoa powder can also be added to the flour for a richer, chocolatey dough.
• Spiced Stollen: Elevate the spice profile by adding 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom and 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg to the final dough along with the zests. This creates an even more fragrant and festive loaf.

Stollen Recipe FAQs

Can You Bake Yeasted Bread from Frozen?

While technically possible, baking yeasted bread directly from frozen (especially complex, enriched doughs like Stollen) is generally not recommended for optimal results. Yeast remains slowly active in the freezer, but a significant portion of the yeast cells will also die, leading to an unpredictable and often poor rise. For unbaked, shaped Stollen dough, I do not suggest storing it in the freezer for longer than a week. If you must freeze unbaked dough, it’s best to thaw it completely in the refrigerator overnight, then allow it to come to room temperature and proof until light and airy before baking. For best results, freeze baked Stollen as outlined in the FAQ above.

Why is Salt Added Later in This Stollen Recipe?

The delayed addition of salt in this Stollen recipe is a deliberate technique rooted in the science of bread making. Salt is hygroscopic, meaning it attracts and absorbs moisture. If added too early, particularly during the initial mixing phase, it can draw moisture away from the flour and other ingredients, preventing proper hydration and hindering the formation of a smooth, cohesive dough. In enriched doughs like Stollen, a large percentage of the moisture comes from butter, which is already a complex fat. Salt would compete with the flour for this crucial moisture, making the dough stiffer, harder to work with, and potentially slowing down yeast activity. By adding salt after the initial hydration and gluten development, we allow the flour to fully absorb moisture and the gluten network to begin forming smoothly before the salt exerts its influence on the dough’s structure and flavor.

How Do You Serve Stollen? Creative Ideas

Stollen is incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in many delightful ways beyond just plain slices. Here are some creative serving suggestions:

• Classic & Simple: Serve slices plain with coffee or tea, allowing the bread’s rich flavors to take center stage.
• Warmed with Accompaniments: Lightly warm slices and serve with a dollop of butter, your favorite fruit jam (my mixed berry jam recipe is fantastic!), or a spread of honey.
• Marzipan Perfection: If your Stollen has a marzipan center, it’s truly delightful all by itself! The added sweetness, moisture, and almond flavor make it a complete and satisfying treat.
• Stollen French Toast: Transform day-old Stollen into an extraordinary breakfast or brunch. Dip thick slices in a rich egg batter and griddle until golden. Serve with maple syrup, fresh berries, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
• Bread Pudding: Stollen makes a phenomenal base for a luxurious bread pudding. Its rich, buttery crumb and fruit/nut inclusions add incredible depth. Try my old-fashioned bread pudding with hard sauce recipe, substituting Stollen for regular bread.
• With Cheese: For a sophisticated pairing, serve Stollen alongside a mild, creamy cheese like brie or a sharp cheddar. The contrast of sweet and savory is surprisingly delicious.
• Dessert Platter: Cut Stollen into bite-sized pieces and arrange on a holiday dessert platter with other cookies, chocolates, and fresh fruit.

If you tried this recipe and loved it, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you; your comments make my day!

5 from 2 ratings

The BEST Stollen Recipe

by Chef Lindsey

This is the BEST stollen recipe! A professional pastry chef gives you step-by-step instructions for a traditional stollen bread that is moist and flavorful. You can make this stollen recipe with or without marzipan!

Prep: 40 minutes mins

Cook: 40 minutes mins

Proof: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total: 2 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Servings: 2 loaves

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Ingredients 

 

Sponge:

• ▢ 25 g Dry Active Yeast
• ▢ 110 g Whole milk
• ▢ 110 g All-purpose flour

Final Dough:

• ▢ 270 g Sponge
• ▢ 150 g Unsalted Butter unsalted, softened
• ▢ 45 g Granulated Sugar
• ▢ 230 g All-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Lemon zest
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Orange zest
• ▢ 1 ¼ teaspoons Kosher Salt
• ▢ 35 g Candied Orange peel
• ▢ 225 g Raisins
• ▢ 50 g Whole Blanched Almonds
• ▢ 25 g Whole pecans
• ▢ 25 g Whole walnuts
• ▢ 7 oz Marzipan optional
• ▢ 1 Egg beaten for egg wash
• ▢ Unsalted Butter melted
• ▢ Granulated Sugar as needed
• ▢ Powdered Sugar as needed

Instructions 

Sponge:

• Combine the Dry Active Yeast, Whole Milk, and 110g of All-purpose flour in a small bowl. Stir well to mix, then sprinkle with a little more flour from the “Final Dough” ingredients. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let it ferment at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. The sponge is ready when you see cracks on the flour sprinkled on top, indicating active yeast fermentation.

Dough:

• Advance Tip for Flavor: Up to a day before you plan to bake, combine the granulated sugar for the final dough with the lemon and orange zests in a small bowl. Rub them together with your fingers. This step helps to extract and release the vibrant aromatic oils from the citrus peels, resulting in a much more flavorful bread. Cover and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the prepared sponge, softened unsalted butter, the zest-infused sugar, the remaining 230g all-purpose flour, and the zests themselves. Mix on low speed for approximately 2 minutes until all ingredients are hydrated and no dry pieces of dough or unincorporated flour remain. If the dough still appears dry after 2 minutes, add 1 tablespoon of whole milk and continue mixing until fully combined.
• Switch to the dough hook attachment. Add the kosher salt. Mix on medium-low speed for approximately 4 minutes to develop the gluten. To check for proper gluten development, perform a “window pane test”: take a small piece of dough and gently stretch it into a thin square. You should be able to stretch it thin enough to see light through it without tearing. For this enriched dough, you’re looking for a smooth, elastic dough that stretches well.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. This short rest helps relax the gluten before adding the heavy mix-ins.
• On a clean, lightly floured surface, gently knead in the raisins, candied orange peel, and all nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts). It’s perfectly normal if not all the mix-ins incorporate perfectly at this stage; you’ll have another chance during the folding process. Return the dough to the oiled bowl, cover, and let it bulk proof in a warm place for 20 minutes.
• Uncover the dough, gently invert it onto a clean surface, and give it a series of folds. Starting from the top edge, gently pull the dough and fold it over itself towards the center. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this folding motion with all sides. As you fold, push any unincorporated nuts or raisins back inside the dough. Return the dough to the oiled bowl, cover, and proof in a warm place for another 20 minutes.
• Carefully divide the dough in half. Each half should weigh approximately 530g. The generous quantity of mix-ins can make judging the weight a little tricky, but you’ve got this!
• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Pre-shape each dough half into a round. To do this, flip one half over so the smooth side is down. Fold the corners into the center, then flip it right side up so the smooth side is on top. Using both hands, gently pull the dough towards you across the work surface, rotating a quarter turn and repeating until a tight, smooth round has formed without cracking on the top. Cover the rounds and allow them to rest for 10 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax, making the dough easier to final shape.
• Using a rolling pin, roll and flatten each round into a rectangle about an inch thick and 10-12 inches long. The shorter edges will naturally be slightly rounded, which is ideal. Take a wooden dowel or the handle of a wooden spoon and roll two distinct channels lengthwise into the dough. These channels will divide the dough into approximately three equal sections.
• For Marzipan Stollen: If you’re including marzipan, divide it into two equal pieces and roll each into a rope that is just slightly shorter than your dough rectangle. Carefully place one marzipan rope into the channel closest to you on each dough piece.
• To form the traditional Stollen shape, lift the top section (or “bump”) of the dough and fold it down into the channel closest to you (the one containing the marzipan if you’re using it). Then, fold the edge of the dough backward slightly to create loaves that have three distinct ridges, with the middle ridge being higher than the other two. This classic shape mimics the swaddled baby Jesus. Place the shaped loaves onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Cover the shaped Stollen loosely with plastic wrap and proof for another 20-30 minutes in a warm place. The dough should feel light and airy. For a crisper shape, you can refrigerate the loaves for 10 minutes just prior to baking to set the form.
• Brush the proofed loaves with a beaten egg wash for a golden sheen. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf (avoiding any marzipan) reads 185°F (85°C). You can also use a cake tester; the bread is done when the tester comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
• While the Stollen is still warm, gently remove any dark raisins that may have risen to the surface and become overly dark or crispy (these can sometimes taste burnt). Immediately brush the warm loaves generously with melted unsalted butter, ensuring thorough coverage. Then, generously coat the entire loaf with granulated sugar. For a truly traditional finish, you can also coat it in a mixture of half granulated sugar and half powdered sugar, followed by a final, thick dusting of powdered sugar once completely cool. This butter and sugar coating is essential for both flavor and preservation.

Notes

Yield: 2 Loaves

Nutrition

Calories: 2917kcal | Carbohydrates: 404g | Protein: 57g | Fat: 128g | Saturated Fat: 47g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g | Monounsaturated Fat: 51g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 387mg | Sodium: 2921mg | Potassium: 2066mg | Fiber: 25g | Sugar: 131g | Vitamin A: 2320IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 407mg | Iron: 19mg

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Calories: 2917

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