Easy Stollen Bread Recipe

I will never tire of the smell of butter and citrus in the kitchen — it drags me out of bed faster than coffee. This stollen loaf is that cozy, slightly fancy-but-not-trying holiday thing: a yeasted, buttery bread studded with plump raisins, candied citrus, and a ribbon of marzipan, finished with a snowing of powdered sugar. It’s comforting, a little old-fashioned, and somehow exactly what everyone asks for once November hits.

My husband calls this “the house-warming bread” because we somehow end up making it whenever friends come over. The kids think the powdered sugar is magic dust and try to lick it off before we can slice it. Once I accidentally swapped the candied peel for extra orange zest (long morning, brain fog) and they declared it “tangy and brilliant” — now I do that sometimes on purpose. It’s one of those recipes that feels like tradition even if you only made it last year.

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I learned the hard way that you can underproof this dough and still salvage a tasty loaf — it just won’t be as airy. Also, if you melt ALL the butter for brushing (guilty), let it cool a bit before you pour it over the hot bread — otherwise the sugar just melts into a sad gloss. One holiday I found a jar of apricot jam in the back of the fridge and dabbed a few spoonfuls into the fold; it was an accident that made everyone go, “Do it again.” Trust your hands here — the dough is forgiving and a little lumpy is endearing.

Shopping Tips

– Baking Basics (Flour/Sugar/Leaveners): Use all-purpose flour for a tender crumb; good active dry yeast or instant yeast both work — check the expiration date on the packet.
– Fats & Oils: Real butter is worth it here — it gives that classic richness and buttery crust you want in stollen.
– Produce/Fruit: Grab unsulfured raisins and a jar of mixed candied citrus peel or candied orange for authenticity; fresh orange zest is a simple lift if you skip peel.
– Nuts & Seeds: Sliced almonds or ground almond meal (for the marzipan or stollen crumb) are optional but delicious — buy blanched almonds if you plan to grind them.
– Sweeteners: Granulated sugar is fine for the dough and powdered sugar for the finish; if swapping, use an additional 2–3 tablespoons of liquid sweetener for every 1/4 cup sugar replaced.

Prep Ahead Ideas

– Soak the raisins and candied peel in warm rum, orange juice, or tea the day before to plump them up; drain before folding into the dough.
– Make marzipan or mix almond paste ahead and keep it tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 3 days.
– Store the dough in the fridge overnight after the first rise for a slow proof — shape and bake the next day. Use an airtight container or cover the bowl with plastic.
– These tricks mean less morning work: bake in the evening and slice for weekend breakfasts or snacks.

✔Time-Saving Tricks

– Use instant yeast to shave off the proofing wait time — still give the dough a little rise for flavor.
– Plump dried fruit in warm liquid while you measure the other ingredients so nothing sits idle.
– If you’re short on time, skip making marzipan from scratch and use store-bought almond paste rolled into a log for the center.
– Don’t rush the final bake — a little extra oven time gives a deeper flavor and sturdier loaf.

✔Common Mistakes

– Underproofing: I did this once and got a dense, sad stollen — let it rise until it’s noticeably puffy, not just slightly. If it’s underdone inside, tent with foil and bake longer.
– Overloading with fruit: I once dumped in extra raisins and the loaf collapsed a bit. Keep fruit proportionate so the structure holds.
– Brushing hot butter: poured too much hot butter once and it made the sugar soak in — cool the butter slightly for a glossy but powderable finish.

What to Serve It With

– A sharp, slightly bitter cup of coffee or a hot milky tea for breakfasts.
– Soft butter and a smear of apricot jam for brunch.
– A wedge of sharp cheddar if you’re the weird-but-right savory-with-sweet type.
– Light green salad with citrus vinaigrette for a holiday brunch contrast.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Let the butter cool a touch before brushing so the powdered sugar sticks instead of melting away.
– If your dough feels tacky, resist adding too much extra flour — a slightly sticky dough makes a softer loaf.
– Slice with a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to keep the marzipan ribbon intact.
– If you forgot to soak fruit, microwave it briefly with a splash of liquid — just a few seconds.

✔Storage Tips

Wrap cooled stollen tightly in plastic and keep at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks (it keeps longer because of the sugar and butter). You can freeze slices wrapped well for a couple months. Cold stollen is totally fine — I’ll even eat it straight from the fridge at breakfast, and a quick toast brings back that fresh-baked vibe.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– No marzipan? Swirl in almond meal with a little sugar and butter for a similar hit. If you hate almond, skip it and add extra cinnamon and zest.
– Swap raisins for dried cherries or cranberries for a tangier bite.
– Use brown butter for a nuttier depth, but reduce oven temp slightly if browning heavily.
– Gluten-free? Try a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend and expect a different texture — it can work but won’t be as stretchy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Stollen Bread Recipe

Celebrate the season with a tender, fruit-packed Stollen loaf wrapped around a soft marzipan center and finished with a snowy sugar crust.

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Prep Time: 2 hours hours

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 1.6 cup mixed dried fruit raisins, currants, or cranberries; chop large pieces
• ▢ 3 tbsp dark rum or orange juice for soaking fruit
• ▢ 0.8 cup whole milk warmed to 105–110°F
• ▢ 2 tsp active dry yeast
• ▢ 7 tbsp granulated sugar divided
• ▢ 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
• ▢ 2 count eggs room temperature
• ▢ 1.25 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 tsp lemon zest finely grated
• ▢ 1 tsp fine sea salt
• ▢ 0.25 tsp ground cardamom
• ▢ 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• ▢ 3.75 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• ▢ 0.4 cup sliced almonds lightly toasted if desired
• ▢ 0.45 cup candied citrus peel chopped
• ▢ 6 oz marzipan shape into a short log
• ▢ 2.5 tbsp unsalted butter melted, for brushing
• ▢ 0.6 cup powdered sugar for coating

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Soak the dried fruit in rum or orange juice for 30 minutes; drain and pat dry.
• Bloom the yeast by mixing warm milk with 1 tablespoon sugar and the yeast; rest until foamy, 5–10 minutes.
• Cream softened butter with remaining sugar until light. Beat in eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, salt, cardamom, and cinnamon.
• Stir in the yeast mixture. Mix in half the flour, then the rest, until a soft dough forms.
• Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, 7–9 minutes. Knead in fruit, peel, and almonds last.
• Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 60–75 minutes.
• Pat dough into an oval. Set the marzipan log slightly off-center, fold dough over, and seal to create the classic stollen shape.
• Transfer to a lined baking sheet, cover, and proof until puffy, 30–45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Bake until deep golden and 200°F inside, 35–40 minutes. Brush hot loaf with melted butter.
• Shower generously with powdered sugar. Cool completely, then dust again before slicing.

Notes

Swap the rum for orange juice for an alcohol-free loaf, or use a mix of dried cherries and apricots. Stollen tastes even better the next day—wrap tightly and store at room temperature for 4–5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

This recipe is an original creation inspired by classic Easy Stollen Bread Recipe flavors. All ingredient ratios and instructions are independently developed.