Homemade Stollen German Christmas Bread Bigger Bolder Baking

Hi Bold Bakers! German Christmas Stollen has been around for hundreds of years, although its recipe has certainly improved since the 1500s (thanks to the Pope!). For many families, it isn’t Christmas without a delicious, sweet, flakey Stollen. Already have an account? Every bite of my Homemade Stollen tastes like Christmas. This yeasted bread is filled with the flavor of spices, rum-soaked dried candied citrus peel, raisins, and a rich layer of sweet marzipan. [ Want more holiday bread? Try my Bishop’s Bread recipe! ] Now, this recipe is a bit lengthier than my regular recipes, but the extra ingredients and effort are so worth it! This classic Christmas bread is a huge reward for taking the extra steps! It’s a part of my Bold Baking Holidays Worldwide series — where I’m bringing you lovely holiday recipes from around the world. Check my Holiday Baking Headquarters for the full list.

What Is Stollen?

Stollen, or German Christmas Bread, is a cake-like bread filled with dried fruit that has been soaked in rum, candied orange peels, raisins, and a whole lot of flavor! It’s a tradition to eat stollen around the Christmas season in Germany. Before it became the delicious treat you enjoy now, it was originally made with just flour, yeast, oil, and water — and it was pretty, well, bad. Since the Advent season was a time of fasting, bakers were not allowed to use butter. That changed when Pope Innocent VIII sent the “Butter-Letter” to the prince-elector of Saxony, allowing butter to be used by his family, and then everyone was allowed to use butter once Saxony became Protestant. Now, the bread is popular worldwide!

What You Need To Make Stollen

Measuring Cups and Spoons Mixing bowls Stand mixer (optional) Plastic wrap or a damp towel Parchment paper Baking sheet

How To Make Stollen

This traditional recipe does take a few extra steps, but it is so worth it! Here is how you make stollen (and don’t forget to get the full recipe with measurements, on the page down below):

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Stollen

I like to use a combination of black and golden raisins in the bread for the different flavors that each offers. You can use my Homemade Candied mixed Peel for this recipe! You can make your own Homemade Marzipan for this recipe! If you prefer not to soak the nuts and fruit in rum, you can use an equal amount of orange juice. This is a great make-ahead recipe! The flavor improves over a few days as the bread soaks in the flavor of the dried fruit.

How Do I Store Stollen?

You can store stollen (try saying that ten times fast) in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If you would like to store it for longer, stollen can be frozen for up to 2 months.