Best 8 Easy Stollen Recipes

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Are you ready to embark on a culinary journey to relish the flavors of an iconic Christmas delicacy? Look no further than our comprehensive guide to Stollen, a German Christmas bread filled with an array of delectable ingredients. In this article, we'll take you through three enticing Stollen recipes that cater to various dietary preferences and skill levels. From the classic version brimming with candied fruits and nuts to gluten-free and vegan alternatives, we've got you covered. Prepare to indulge in the sweet, aromatic goodness of Stollen, whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice ready to explore new culinary horizons. Let's get baking!

Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!

TRADITIONAL STOLLEN



Traditional Stollen image

This recipe came from my grandmother and was originally written in German. It is one of my favorite treat at the holidays.-Jessie Barnes, Atchison, Kansas

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 55m

Yield 2 loaves.

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
2 tablespoons warm water (110° to 115°)
1 cup warm 2% milk (110° to 115°)
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
4-3/4 to 5-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup mixed candied fruit
1/2 cup chopped almonds
GLAZE:
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons 2% milk

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, butter, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, salt and 3 cups flour. Add the raisins, candied fruit and almonds. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours. , Punch dough down and divide in half; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll or press each half into a 12x7-in. oval. Fold a long side over to within 1 in. of opposite side; press edge lightly to seal. Place on greased baking sheets; curve ends slightly. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour. , Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Combine confectioners' sugar and enough milk to achieve desired consistency; spread over stollen.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 244 calories, Fat 8g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 35mg cholesterol, Sodium 75mg sodium, Carbohydrate 40g carbohydrate (18g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 4g protein.

STOLLEN



Stollen image

German stollen is dense bread that is traditionally oblong, like a swaddled baby. In this version, from Martha's mother, the dough is braided, letting icing pool in the loaf's crevices.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Breakfast & Brunch Recipes     Bread Recipes

Yield Makes 2 braided loaves

Number Of Ingredients 19

5 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for surface and more if needed
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup whole milk, warmed
5 ounces (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast (from two 1/4-ounce envelopes), dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
7 1/2 ounces golden raisins (1 1/2 cups), soaked in 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
5 ounces dried currants (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons), soaked in 1/4 cup Cognac
5 ounces blanched almonds (1 cup), coarsely chopped
4 ounces diced candied citron (2/3 cup;)
2 ounces diced candied orange peel (1/3 cup)
2 ounces diced dried apricots (1/3 cup)
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Vegetable oil, for bowl
3 cups confectioners' sugar
5 tablespoons whole milk

Steps:

  • Whisk together flour, granulated sugar, salt, mace, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir in milk and melted butter. Add dissolved yeast and the eggs. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth.
  • Drain raisins and currants. Add raisins, currants, almonds, citron, orange peel, apricots, and lemon zest to dough, and continue kneading until incorporated, about 10 minutes. If dough is sticky, knead in more flour.
  • Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1 to 2 hours. Punch down dough, divide into 6 even pieces, and roll each piece into a 15-inch-long log. Braid 3 logs together, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining 3 logs. Cover with plastic, and let rise until doubled in volume, about 2 hours more.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake stollen until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Beat together confectioners' sugar and milk. Drizzle stollen with icing just before serving.

SIMPLE STOLLEN



Simple Stollen image

"When it comes to seasonal sweets, this easy Christmas stollen is a recipe I know I can count on," notes field editor Shirley Glaab of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. "The recipe is made with baking powder instead of yeast, so requires no rising."

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 1h5m

Yield 1 loaf.

Number Of Ingredients 15

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons cold butter, divided
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup chopped mixed candied fruit
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
Confectioners' sugar

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in 6 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, candied fruit, raisins, almonds, extracts, lemon zest, egg and yolk. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead five times. Roll dough into a 10x8-in. oval. Fold a long side over to within 1 in. of opposite side; press edge lightly to seal. Place on a greased baking sheet; curve ends slightly. , Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Melt remaining butter; brush over loaf. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.,

Nutrition Facts : Calories 284 calories, Fat 11g fat (6g saturated fat), Cholesterol 62mg cholesterol, Sodium 209mg sodium, Carbohydrate 41g carbohydrate (20g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 6g protein.

NO-YEAST STOLLEN



No-Yeast Stollen image

We always knew it was Christmas when my mother-in-law sent us a German stollen. Now, our grown children continue to have stollen for the holidays. My daughter-in-law shared this recipe that doesn't use yeast. -Marge Mueller, Mariposa, California

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 1h20m

Yield 1 loaf.

Number Of Ingredients 19

2 tablespoons chopped candied orange peel
2 tablespoons chopped candied lemon peel
4 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon rum extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup ground almonds
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
5 tablespoons cold butter, divided
1 cup 4% cottage cheese
2 large eggs, room temperature, beaten
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dried currants
2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar

Steps:

  • In a small bowl, combine the candied peel, water and extracts; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, almonds, baking powder, salt, mace and cardamom. Cut in 4 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. , Stir in the cottage cheese, eggs, raisins, currants and candied peel mixture; form into a ball. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 5 times. Roll dough into a 10x8-in. oval. Fold a long side over to within 1 in. of opposite side; press edge lightly to seal., Place on a greased baking sheet; curve ends slightly. Melt remaining butter; brush over dough. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 195 calories, Fat 6g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 34mg cholesterol, Sodium 195mg sodium, Carbohydrate 32g carbohydrate (17g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 5g protein.

EASY GERMAN STOLLEN RECIPE - (4.3/5)



Easy German Stollen Recipe - (4.3/5) image

Provided by Foodiewife

Number Of Ingredients 14

2 1/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt*
1/2 cup (8-tablespoons) cold butter
1 cup ricotta cheese, part-skim milk type
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons buttery sweet dough flavor, optional but good
1/4 teaspoon lemon oil or 1/4 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia
1 cup dried fruit blend; or 1/2 cup golden raisins plus 1/2 cup of your favorite dried fruits, chopped to 1/2-inch pieces if necessary
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted and cooled
Reduce the salt to 1/4 teaspoon if you use salted butter
Note: I added almond paste to the center of each stollen, and it turned out great.

Steps:

  • Preheat your oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut the cold butter into small chunks, then blend it into the flour mixture to form uneven crumbs. In a separate bowl, mix together the cheese, egg, vanilla, and flavors. Toss the fruit and almonds with the flour mixture until evenly distributed. Then combine the wet and dry ingredients, mixing until most of the flour is moistened. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead it two or three times, until it holds together. Divide it in half. Roll each piece of dough into an 8-inch x 7-inch oval about 1/2-inch thick. Fold each piece of dough roughly in half, leaving the edge of the top half about 1/2-inch short of the edge of the bottom half. Should you fold the long way, or the short way? The long way will give you a longer, narrower stollen, with shorter slices; folding the short way will give you a wider, fatter stollen, with longer slices. Use the edge of your hand to press the dough to seal about 1-inch in back of the open edge; this will make the traditional stollen shape. It's also the familiar Parker House roll shape, if you've ever made them. Place the shaped stollen on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the stollen till they're very lightly browned around the edges, about 40 minutes. A cake tester inserted into the center should come out clean. Remove the stollen from the oven, and transfer to a rack. Brush them each with 2 to 3 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle heavily with confectioners' sugar. Allow the stollen to cool, then brush with butter again, and sprinkle with sugar again. Wrap in plastic wrap till ready to serve. Plastic-wrapped stollen will keep well for 2 weeks or so at room temperature. Tips from our bakers: *Unlike standard stollen, this version doesn't keep for weeks on end. However, it was fresh as fresh could be a week after we made it; and still good 2 weeks out. By the end of the third week, it was starting to get that dry, stollen-type texture you might be used to... so we'd say enjoying it within 2 to 2 1/2 weeks after baking would give you your optimal stollen experience. *A number of readers have asked for a substitute for ricotta cheese. You won't get as smooth-looking a result using the following substitutions, but the stollen will still be very tasty. Reduce the butter to 2 ounces (1/4 cup). Work 3 ounces cream cheese and the butter into the flour as directed. Mix the egg and vanilla with a generous 1/3 cup milk (instead of with ricotta). Proceed as directed in the recipe.

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN



Christmas Stollen image

I like to make and share this festive delight with family and friends. The candied fruit and nuts add holiday color to a rich bread. A slice really brightens a snowy winter day. -Sharon Hasty, New London, Missouri

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 55m

Yield 2 loaves.

Number Of Ingredients 15

3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped mixed candied fruit
1/4 cup orange juice
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
3/4 cup warm whole milk (110° to 115°)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon salt
5-1/4 to 5-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped almonds
Confectioners' sugar

Steps:

  • Soak raisins and fruit in orange juice; set aside. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add milk, butter, sugar, eggs, orange and lemon zest, salt and 3 cups flour; beat until smooth. Add raisin mixture and almonds. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours., Punch dough down; let rest for 10 minutes. Divide in half; roll each half into a 10-in. x 7-in. oval. Fold one of the long sides over to within 1 in. of the opposite side; press edges lightly to seal. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour. , Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Just before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar.

Nutrition Facts :

GERMAN STOLLEN



German Stollen image

A very traditional stollen that I make every Christmas. This stollen is loaded with dried fruit, candied citrus and orange peel, and almonds.

Provided by Marianne

Categories     Bread     Yeast Bread Recipes

Time 3h

Yield 24

Number Of Ingredients 16

8 cups all-purpose flour
3 ounces compressed fresh yeast
1 pinch white sugar
1 tablespoon lukewarm milk
1 ½ cups milk
1 cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup white sugar
2 egg yolks
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¾ cups chopped blanched almonds
1 ¼ cups raisins
6 tablespoons candied lemon peel
6 tablespoons chopped candied orange peel
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Steps:

  • Place flour in a large bowl, make a well in the center, and crumble fresh yeast into it. Sprinkle in sugar and add 1 tablespoon milk. Cover and let rise at a warm place for 15 minutes.
  • Heat 1 1/2 cups milk and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a saucepan over low heat until butter is melted.
  • Pour milk-butter mixture over yeast mixture and add 1 cup sugar, egg yolks, and salt. Knead until a soft dough forms. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Mix almonds, raisins, candied lemon peel, and candied orange peel together and fold into the dough. Shape dough into a loaf and place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and let rest until the loaf has risen again slightly, about 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  • Bake in the preheated oven until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven. Brush hot stollen immediately with 2 tablespoons melted butter and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 395.5 calories, Carbohydrate 56.8 g, Cholesterol 43.8 mg, Fat 16.1 g, Fiber 3.1 g, Protein 8 g, SaturatedFat 6.9 g, Sodium 72.5 mg, Sugar 17.7 g

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN



Christmas Stollen image

I got this recipe while I was head baker at London's Dorchester Hotel. It's packed with dried fruit and filled with a marzipan surprise.

Provided by Lee Smith

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     European     German

Time 3h

Yield 15

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 tablespoon active dry yeast
⅔ cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 large egg
⅓ cup white sugar
½ tablespoon salt
⅓ cup butter, softened
2 ½ cups bread flour
⅓ cup currants
⅓ cup sultana raisins
⅓ cup red candied cherries, quartered
⅔ cup diced candied citron
6 ounces marzipan
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Steps:

  • In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
  • In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the egg, white sugar, salt, butter, and 2 cups bread flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has begun to pull together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead in the currants, raisins, dried cherries, and citrus peel. Continue kneading until smooth, about 8 minutes.
  • Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
  • Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the marzipan into a rope and place it in the center of the dough. Fold the dough over to cover it; pinch the seams together to seal. Place the loaf, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and bake for a further 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow loaf to cool on a wire rack. Dust the cooled loaf with confectioners' sugar, and sprinkle with the cinnamon.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 177.6 calories, Carbohydrate 28.8 g, Cholesterol 24.1 mg, Fat 6.8 g, Fiber 1.4 g, Protein 2.2 g, SaturatedFat 2.8 g, Sodium 306.5 mg, Sugar 17.8 g

Tips:

  • Use high-quality ingredients: The better the ingredients, the better the final product will be. Use real butter, fresh milk, and high-quality flour.
  • Proof the yeast correctly: Proper proofing is essential for a light and fluffy stollen. Be sure to proof the yeast in a warm place until it is foamy and has doubled in size.
  • Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic: This will help to develop the gluten in the flour and create a strong dough that will hold its shape during baking.
  • Let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size: This will give the yeast time to work and produce carbon dioxide gas, which will create air pockets in the dough and make it light and fluffy.
  • Shape the dough into a log and fill it with your favorite filling: Be sure to seal the edges of the dough well so that the filling does not leak out during baking.
  • Bake the stollen at a moderate temperature until it is golden brown and cooked through: Use a thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the stollen has reached 190°F (88°C).

Conclusion:

Stollen is a delicious and festive bread that is perfect for Christmas or any other special occasion. With a little planning and effort, you can easily make your own stollen at home. Just be sure to follow the tips above and you will be rewarded with a delicious and beautiful bread that your family and friends will love.

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