Description
Celebrate the season with Moist German Christmas Stollen — a festive bread rich with dried fruits, almonds, citrus peel, and warm holiday aromas. This old-fashioned holiday treat is a must-have for Christmas breakfast ideas, easy holiday desserts, and make-ahead food ideas. It’s a soft and buttery loaf, dusted with snowy powdered sugar, and it makes for the perfect cozy gift or addition to your holiday table. Whether you’re looking for a quick breakfast bread, a healthy snack with nuts and fruit, or new dinner ideas for the festive season, this easy recipe is full of tradition and flavor.
Ingredients
1 cup raisins
0.5 cup dried cherries
0.5 cup candied orange peel
0.25 cup candied lemon peel
3 tablespoons dark rum or orange juice
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 packet instant yeast (2.25 teaspoons)
0.25 cup granulated sugar
0.75 cup warm milk
0.5 cup unsalted butter
0.5 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
0.75 cup chopped almonds
0.5 cup powdered sugar (for dusting)
2 tablespoons melted butter (for brushing)
Instructions
1. Soak the dried fruits and candied peels in rum or orange juice for at least an hour or overnight.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt.
3. Warm milk and butter together until butter melts; cool slightly.
4. Add eggs, almond extract, and vanilla to the milk mixture.
5. Mix wet and dry ingredients to form a soft dough.
6. Knead on a floured surface for about 8 minutes until smooth.
7. Let rise in an oiled bowl for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled in size.
8. Drain soaked fruit and fold into the dough with chopped almonds.
9. Divide dough and shape each loaf into a folded oval.
10. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet and rise 30-45 minutes.
11. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes until golden.
12. Brush warm loaves with melted butter and sift powdered sugar on top.
13. Cool and dust again with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
Soaking the fruit overnight intensifies the flavor and keeps the bread moist.
Don’t skip the second dusting of powdered sugar—it gives the classic snowy finish.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Holiday Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
Keywords: Christmas bread, German stollen, holiday baking, dried fruit bread, easy holiday recipe, breakfast ideas