German

Serving

Stollen (German Christmas Fruit Bread)

Name: Stollen (German Christmas Fruit Bread)
Total time: 180 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 500 g all-purpose flour; 7 g instant yeast; 100 g sugar; 1/2 tsp salt; 150 ml warm milk; 2 large eggs; 150 g butter, softened, plus extra for brushing; 150 g raisins, soaked in 3 tbsp rum; 100 g candied orange peel; 100 g candied lemon peel; 100 g slivered almonds; 200 g marzipan, shaped into a log; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg; Powdered sugar, for dusting

A dense, buttery German Christmas fruit bread studded with candied citrus peel, raisins, and marzipan, dusted heavily with powdered sugar.

180 minutes

Serves 12

Dessert

63 min prep

99 min cook

Contains common allergens

Egg Dairy Tree nut Wheat

In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.

Instructions

7 steps

1
Combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl, then mix in warm milk, eggs, and softened butter, kneading into a smooth, elastic dough.
2
Knead in the rum-soaked raisins, candied peels, almonds, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly distributed.
3
Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1.5 hours until doubled.
4
Roll the dough out into an oval, place the marzipan log along the center, and fold the dough over to enclose it, shaping into the traditional stollen loaf shape.
5
Place on a baking sheet and let rise for another 30 minutes.
6
Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 45-55 minutes until deeply golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
7
While still warm, brush generously with melted butter and dust thickly with powdered sugar; repeat the sugar dusting once cooled.

Stollen (German Christmas Fruit Bread) — plated and served — Serving moment. How Stollen (German Christmas Fruit Bread) looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

59/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 60

Kid-friendly 55

Weeknight-easy 49

Budget-friendly 76

Great leftovers 87

Pantry-friendly 35

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

390

Calories

8 g

Protein

55 g

Carbs

16 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Stollen is closely associated with Dresden, where the traditional loaf shape, tapered and dusted white with powdered sugar, is said to represent the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling cloth. Rich with dried fruit, candied peel, and a marzipan core, it's a Christmas-season bread meant to be made ahead and mellow over the following weeks.

Listahan note

This version wraps a full marzipan log through the center, the traditional touch that separates real Stollen from a plain fruited bread, and finishes with a double dusting of powdered sugar for the classic snow-covered look.

Technique cues

Knead the fruit, peel, and almonds in gently once the dough has come together; overworking at this stage tears the dough and pushes the fruit through unevenly.
Shape the loaf so the fold overlaps off-center, mimicking the traditional swaddled shape and creating the characteristic ridge down the top.
Brush with butter and dust with sugar while the loaf is still warm, then dust again once fully cooled for the classic thick, snow-white coating.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Soak the raisins and candied peel the night before, so they're ready to knead in as soon as the dough comes together.
Make-ahead: Stollen is meant to be made ahead. Wrapped well, it keeps and actually improves in flavor for one to two weeks before serving.
Leftover move: Slice thinly and toast lightly, then serve with butter for a next-day breakfast treat.
Cleanup rhythm: Dust with powdered sugar over a tray or parchment so the excess is easy to gather and reuse rather than scattering across the counter.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Marzipan

Center filling

Purpose: A log of marzipan through the center is the signature feature of traditional Dresden-style Stollen, adding a soft, almond-sweet core.

Handling: Roll into an even log slightly shorter than the dough before wrapping the dough around it.

Adaptation: Stollen can be made without marzipan for a simpler fruit bread, though it changes the character of the classic recipe.

Raisins soaked in rum

Dried fruit base

Purpose: Rum-soaked raisins are steeped in flavor and moisture, keeping the dense bread from drying out and adding traditional depth.

Handling: Soak for at least a few hours, or overnight if possible, before kneading into the dough.

Adaptation: Soak the raisins in warm apple juice or black tea instead of rum for an alcohol-free version.

Candied orange and lemon peel

Citrus and texture

Purpose: Candied peel adds chewy pockets of bright citrus flavor that cut through the richness of the butter and marzipan.

Handling: Chop into small, even pieces if the peel comes in larger strips.

Adaptation: Finely grated fresh citrus zest can add flavor in a pinch, though it won't replace the chewy texture of candied peel.

Slivered almonds

Nutty texture

Purpose: Almonds add crunch and echo the almond flavor of the marzipan running through the center.

Handling: Knead in along with the fruit so they distribute evenly through the dough.

Adaptation: For a tree-nut-free version, omit the almonds and marzipan together, since both are tree-nut ingredients.

Butter

Richness and finish

Purpose: Butter enriches the dough and, brushed on warm after baking, helps the powdered sugar coating stick in a thick, even layer.

Handling: Soften for the dough; melt for brushing over the finished loaf.

Adaptation: A plant-based butter alternative can replace dairy butter in both the dough and the finishing brush.

Technique notes

Let the dough rise fully at each stage; a rushed rise leaves the dense, fruit-heavy dough underproofed and gummy in the center.
Roll the marzipan log slightly shorter than the dough width so it stays enclosed and doesn't poke out the ends during baking.
Bake until a skewer inserted into the bread portion, not the marzipan center, comes out clean, since the marzipan will always look soft.

Ingredient swaps

Tree-nut-free direction: Omit both the marzipan and slivered almonds; the loaf becomes a simpler spiced fruit bread without the classic almond core.
Alcohol-free direction: Soak the raisins in warm apple juice or black tea instead of rum.
Dairy-free direction: Use a plant-based butter throughout, in the dough, the fruit-soaking liquid pairing, and the finishing brush.

Serve alongside

Sliced and buttered on its own
Soft cheese on the side
Mulled fruit compote
Mulled wine (Gluhwein)
Filterkaffee (German drip coffee)
Spiced black tea

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Store wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 2 weeks; flavor deepens over time.
Slice thinly to serve; no reheating needed, though a light toast is pleasant.
Freeze whole or sliced for up to 2 months; thaw wrapped at room temperature before serving.

Equipment

Stand mixer or strong hands for kneading
Baking sheet
Pastry brush for the butter finish

Make this household-aware

Listahan Pro checks this recipe against your household's allergens, finds pantry-aware swaps, builds the shopping list, and helps you plan the week around it.

Get the app